The Ghost In My Machine

Stories of the Strange and Unusual

The Most Dangerous Games: The Picture Game

by

Previously: Concentrate.

I’ll be honest: I have no idea where the Picture Game came from, when it originated, or pretty much anything else about its background. I assume it’s fairly recent — within the past couple of decades or so — due to the fact that built-in flash cameras meant for home usage didn’t exist until the late ‘50s. (The Brownie Starflash, released in 1957, was Kodak’s first camera with a built-in flash.)

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Even so, though, the elements at play in this particular game go way back. First, there’s the element of the camera: Spirit photography first emerged in the late 19th century; what’s more, some cultures and religions have long believed that cameras are capable of “stealing” someone’s soul through the act of taking a photograph of that person. Then there are the mirrors, which have been present in folklore from all around the world for centuries. Some believe that mirrors reflect our “shadow souls,” or our true selves; others believe them to be windows or doors to other realms; and still others believe that spirits or souls may become trapped in them if certain precautions aren’t taken by survivors after a persons death.

And when you combine cameras and mirrors? Well, let’s just say some… interesting things can happen.

As always, play at your own risk.

Players:

  • At least two participants. The more, the better. There is no principal.

Requirements:

  • A length of string, rope, or other similar material. This length of string, rope, or other material should be long enough to make a circle when the ends are knotted together.
  • Scissors, a knife, or another sharp edge.
  • One small mirror per participant.
  • A camera with flash capabilities.  Camera phones are NOT recommended.
  • A drinking glass.
  • A beverage, preferably alcoholic. Wine is recommended.
  • A quiet room.

Instructions:

The Prelude:

  1. Begin at midnight.
  2. Make the string or rope into a circle by tying the ends together in a knot.
  3. Place the rope circle in the middle of the room.
  4. Place the drinking glass in the middle of the rope circle.
  5. Fill the glass with the beverage.
  6. Arrange the participants in a circle by seating them around the outside of the rope circle.
    • NOTE: Do NOT step into the center of the rope circle at any time or for any reason.
  7. Each participant must place their mirror in front of them. The reflective part of the mirror should be pointed at the ceiling.
  8. Turn off the lights.

The Invitation:

  1. The participants must close their eyes. The circle of participants must hold hands.
  2. Each participant must say, one after another, the phrase, “I trust you.” The participants should not speak this phrase in unison; each participant must say it individually.
  3. After each participant has stated their trust, all participants should repeat three times, in unison, the words, “The door is open, please come in.”
  4. The participants may then open their eyes.

The Sitting:

  1. Begin the sitting by having one participant take up the camera. This participant must say the words, “I caught you”; then, pointing the camera forward (toward the middle of the circle), the participant must take one picture.
  2. Pass the camera to the next participant in the circle. If using a digital camera, do not preview the image that was just taken.
  3. The next participant must also say the words, “I caught you,” and take one picture with the camera facing forward.
  4. Repeat this process until every participant has taken three pictures. The camera should make its way around the circle three times.
    • NOTE: If a participant begins crying or feels nauseous, do NOT allow them to take any pictures. Instead, pass the camera around them to the next participant in the circle.
  5. After the camera has passed around the circle three times, put it down.

The Farewell:

  1. All participants must close their eyes and repeat three times, in unison, the phrase, “It is time to go home.”
  2. Each participant must turn their mirror upside down.
  3. Turn on the lights.
  4. Using the scissors, knife, or other sharp edge, cut open the rope circle.
  5. Take the drinking glass outside and empty it. It is recommended that you empty it onto a patch of dirt or earth.

The Review:

  1. You may now review the photos taken during the ritual. What do you see?
  2. Look closely.
  3. Closer.
  4. There.

Additional Notes:

Although there is no principal, it may help for organizational purposes to designate one participant as the Point Person. This Point Person may create the rope circle, place and fill the glass, operate the lights, begin the “I trust you” section, be the first participant to take up the camera, cut the rope circle, and empty the glass at the conclusion of the ritual.

Red Flags:

If any of the following occur, DO NOT PROCEED:

  • One or more participants begin acting in an uncharacteristic manner.
  • One or more participants state that they are frightened.

If the ritual must be aborted, you may do so by putting the camera down and proceeding directly to The Farewell, Step 1.

If A Red Flag Participant Takes A Picture:

Do not look at the picture.

Do not continue with the ritual.

Destroy the camera.

The Picture Game: FAQ.

***

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[Photo via Tookapic/Pexels]

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I don’t understand the phrase “point the camera foward, facing the rope circle.” If I put the rope circle on the floor, should I point the camera down, or put the rope circle on a wall?

    Reply

  2. Would you be able to speak a other language with some of these games?
    because i think with games with demons like dry bones would be better if you would speak hebrew or greek to them.

    Reply

    • i think because many rituals were written or performed in greek or latin(being greek myself) so maybe thats why…. we see like in lot of movies with exorcisms or sth simillar, people speaking either latin or greek

      Reply

    • i don’t think the language spoken is important at all, the important thing is the “meaning”, as long as the words pronounced has meaning for the one speaking them, that should do, remember, language IS though, so, as long as you truly believe what you are speaking, that is the power within the words

      Reply

    • My guess is a ghost or a demon or something of that sort. Like Breanna said, different people claim to have seen different things. It really depends on the person taking the pictures.

      Reply

      • I tried it with my friend and we both saw a figure with a skull head and a hood. When we were taking the last picture I felt something around my neck so my friend took a picture of me. When we looked at the picture the figure was behind me with its hands around my neck.

        Reply

  6. I really love your blogs! They are interesting and very neat! 😀

    I am a bit curious though… What do the participants see on the photos? What happened if they look at the mirror during the ritual? And by acting in a uncharacteristic manner, does that mean they act irrational/insane?

    Reply

    • 1. Like other people have said, everyone who sees something probably sees something different.

      2. Not sure, but probably nothing good.

      3. Uncharacteristic just means not like themselves – perhaps a friend who is usually nice begins insulting the group, or someone begins talking in a voice that isn’t their own. Basically, they act possessed.

      Reply

    • My guess:
      An unwanted and (possibly) evil entity will haunt the participant(s). If you do accidentally look at it, get an exorcist to perform an exorcism on the group and their homes,always have a religious object on you,and keep yourself from the entity at all costs.

      Reply

    • If a red flag participant participates, the ritual would most likely take a dark turn. Red flag participants could subject to being possessed especially if they express fear; this makes them vulnerable. Spirits tend to take advantage of the weak first to overwhelm the strong. Concerning the pictures…who knows. It could be a number of things, consider all possibilities.

      Reply

  11. If a red flag participant took a picture before they became a red flag participant, do you still have to destroy the camera? For example, if the whole group completes the first round of pictures with no incidents, but on the second or third round, a participant becomes ill or frightened, do you still have to destroy the camera even if they have not taken a picture while being ill or frightened and the picture was taken before they had any symptoms?

    Reply

  12. Oh man, that last bit gave me chills. Thank you for this! I’m totally not gonna try it, though, heh.

    Reply

  13. Why are’nt you allowing any comments here??? I wrote one but it wasn’t posted. Please try to fix this.

    Reply

    • Hi! All comments go through moderation for QA, protection against trolls and spam, etc., and unfortunately I’m not always able to get to the moderation queue immediately. Thanks your patience while I work through the queue.

      Reply

  14. Do you personally know the owner of the blog ‘Whispering Darkness’? S/he used your name in his/her post:’The Staircase Ritual’. Your name is Lucia Peters, right? S/he said your name somewhere at the end of the post making me think that perhaps you know him/her.

    Reply

  17. Oh gosh this is creepyy! i wonder what happens if you step inside the circle, will it release the spirit?

    Reply

    • I guess so.

      My thing is, the camera’s point of view is in the circle. And that means the spirit is in the circle. So, stepping inside the circle may make the spirit mad, and this isn’t a circle of salt, remember? The spirit may think you trampled him/her and becomes mad. He/she may come out.

      Reply

  21. What might happen if you do this by yourself? I want to do this but I don’t know anyone who would be willing to do this with me.

    Reply

    • Whatever you do
      DON’T PLAY THIS AND OTHER GAMES/RITUALS BY YOURSELF!!!!!
      The reason is, that in some of these games:
      -You could get someone killed
      -You YOURSELF could get killed
      -You or someone else may become possessed
      -You or someone else may sustain severe injuries
      -You could get dragged to hell
      -If traveling to another dimension, you may not be able to return home
      Don’t play most of these games alone!It’s always a good idea to play with a friend or family member willing to participate.If the rules say not to, have somebody on speed dial,have them on the premises,etc.Just have someone who can rescue you in case something goes wrong!If you can’t,the next best thing is to recite a prayer and hope that you will survive.
      Best of luck…

      Reply

    • Rituals I Consider “Safe” for Beginners:
      One Man Hide & Seek
      Oujia Board
      Concentrate
      Dark Music
      The Picture Game
      The Television Ritual ages 14+

      Reply

      • One Man Hide and Seek sounds extreme for beginners. Consequences are extreme should a losing condition be achieved. Dark Music as well. You have exactly 30 seconds to act upon forgiveness should you fuck up, and I just think those should more or less be something for experts to do, or moderate level amateurs. I agree with the others in your list though. I feel the perfect rituals for beginners are those that have failsafes and ones you can opt out of if you find yourself unwilling to continue.

        Reply

        • Yeah gonna agree, I don’t know why one man hide and seek seems to be named “beginner” it’s really not.
          I personally think doors to your mind is one of the best beginner ones. The chances of something happening that’s more than just being heavily scared is slim. You aren’t dealing with any ghosts, just your mind, which can work as your enemy but I can’t imagine it really killing you, and it’s not as if it’s going to posses you or anything.

          Not really trying to argue or anything; I just find it weird that one man hide and seek seems to be a beginner before the pure meditation ones. I’ve seen several people now say it’s a good one to start with…

          Reply

  23. the instructions say to continue until all participants have taken 3 pictures, but it also says to not allow a participant to take a picture if they are crying or feel nauseous. does this just mean for that round, or the entire game? if its only for that round, and they still have to take pictures, would the participants remaining only take pictures, skipping the others? or would the pictures just be taken in order, with some taking more than 3 pictures? would taking more than 3 pictures be unsafe in any way? also, does it matter in any way where each participant’s mirror is in relation to them? like, should it be beside them, or in front of them, or does it not matter?

    Reply

  24. Saturday June 23 2018
    Me and my friend were playing at 5:20 in the afternoon and started playing but instead of alcohol we used water. We started playing and it went quick and no troubles, we ended the game properly. but soon after I heard a “go” whispered in my ear and my friend was out of the room. I ran out we enters the room soon after and when I was on my phone my friend freaked out saying she heard a “ leave” whispered in her ear and we quickly exited the room. Any ideas of what’s going on?

    Reply

  25. Can you use a Polaroid camera that prints the pictures right then and just face them down so you don’t look at them?

    Reply

    • Theoretically yes, but you’d have to be very sure not to look at it, and that no one else looks at it, either.

      Which could be tricky depending on how quick it develops.

      Reply

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