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The Ghost In My Machine

Stories of the Strange and Unusual

Encyclopaedia of the Impossible: The Girl from the Gap

March 28, 2016 by Lucia

Previously: Mel’s Hole.

Type: CC (corporeally challenged)

Period/location of origin: Unknown, Japan.

Appearance: Subject, known as the Girl from the Gap, appears to be an extremely slender female humanoid of indeterminate age. She may or may not hold an ice pick. NOTE: Due to subject’s illusive nature, a more precise description has yet to be identified; anyone who might be able to provide such a description has hitherto been… not in a position to do so.

A door cracked open in the dark

Modus operandi: Subject habitually occupies areas in homes classified as “gaps”: The space between a piece of furniture and the wall; the sliver of darkness visible from a slightly open drawer; the crack in a closet door that has not fully been shut; etc. Subject is often happy simply to exist, allowing the occupants (targets) of her chosen home to go about their daily lives uninterrupted; she will make a habit of ducking out of sight when target’s field of vision includes her current gap. Targets may be largely unaware of subject’s existence, except for the small nagging feeling that they are being watched when no one else is home or an uneasiness experienced when attempting to fall asleep with the closet door open.

However, on some occasions, subject may make eye contact with target. In the event of this occurrence, subject will ask target, “Want to play a game of hide and seek?” Should target answer, “Yes,” the game will commence. The next time eye contact is made, the hider will be considered found. The seeker’s prize for winning is the hider, with whom the seeker may do as they please.

[Like what you read? Check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available from Chronicle Books now!]

NOTE: Target should not assume that they are the seeker and subject the hider. Should this mistake be made, target will lose. Quickly. Given that the seeker’s prize for winning is the hider themself… it is not advisable to lose.

Precisely how subject decides when to begin a game and with whom has not yet been determined.

Containment: Unknown.

Additional notes:  Much about subject remains largely unknown.

She is assumed to be a spirit of some sort, although whether she is a “ghost” in the traditional sense — e.g. the spirit of a former living person who was is now dead, “haunting” a place that was significant to her in life — has not been determined. It is also unknown when or where subject first came into being, or whether subject is singular or one of a group of many Girls from the Gap. She apparently hails from Japan, although whether she may also occupy gaps in homes in other countries remains to be seen.

Subject’s relationship (if any) to the phenomenon known as Slender Man, to the creature colloquially known as “the monster under the bed,” or to the Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home has yet to be determined.

Recommendation: Don’t agree to play her game…

…And mind the gap.

Resources:

10 Truly Disturbing Japanese Urban Legends.

Tales of Horror: Woman of the Gap.

Girl from the Gap.

***

Support The Ghost In My Machine on Patreon for behind-the-scenes access and bonus content. You can also follow on Twitter @GhostMachine13 and on Facebook @TheGhostInMyMachine.

[Photo via Lourenco Tomas/Flickr]

Filed Under: Encyclopaedia Tagged With: CC, Encyclopaedia of the Impossible, ghosts, Japan, Japanese ghosts, Japanese urban legends

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. LavenderxAce says

    February 2, 2019 at 2:56 am

    There’s loads of gaps in many homes! Does it only happen in Japan? I hope so…

    Reply
  2. Yumiko123 says

    March 9, 2018 at 5:07 pm

    Even if you say no, you’re still playing her game.

    Reply
  3. ash says

    September 4, 2017 at 5:36 pm

    hi if i’ve been living at my home for 6 years but recently i’ve felt like i’m being watched when i sleep with my back towards the closet and have nightmares when i sleep that way too and i feel watched when i’m home alone or even on a different floor from everyone else does that mean she’s looking for me? this only started about a month ago.

    Reply
    • Meteor Girl says

      October 30, 2017 at 2:14 am

      She’s looking for you. I expierienced that too.

      Reply
  4. A Random Person says

    July 12, 2017 at 4:16 pm

    Oh and how do you win?

    Reply
    • Matt says

      August 26, 2017 at 8:09 am

      Maybe you’re supposed to avoid gaps. Especially the place you found her in, but idk.

      Reply
  5. These ritual games are LIT!.....I'll go home......T-T says

    May 25, 2017 at 11:52 pm

    But…What happens when you Deny her game?

    Reply
    • lucy fir says

      June 5, 2017 at 4:36 pm

      do it as politely as possible. I said “but I’m no good at hide and seek, finding me is no challenge! I’m no fun to play with” she giggled and ran through the wall.. so I mean I’m not dead yet?

      Reply
      • Veronica Lodge says

        July 8, 2017 at 4:31 pm

        You saw her?

        Reply
      • Meteor Girl says

        October 28, 2017 at 3:13 am

        Good. ‘Cause now you’re safe.

        Reply
  6. bio says

    December 15, 2016 at 12:49 am

    what if you say no?

    Reply

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