Previously: The White Kimono Game.
In some ways, the Little Finger Game is reminiscent of Tomino’s Hell: There aren’t any rituals you need to perform, words you need to chant, or spirits you need to invoke in order to play; all you have to do is read a story.
Just make sure that you absolutely do want to play before reading onward — because once you begin the tale, you can’t back out of the game.
What’s sort of interesting, though, is that there are some actions you need to take beyond reading the story; however, you won’t be taking those actions in reality. You’ll be taking them in a dream. As such — similarly to the White Kimono Game — I’d make sure to brush up on your lucid dreaming skills before you play this one. There will be a point where you’ll have to make a choice within a dream, and if you’re not skilled at manipulating your own dreams, you’ll likely have a hard time making the right one.
[Like what you read? Check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available from Chronicle Books now!]
As always, play at your own risk.
Players:
- One principal.
Requirements:
- The story “The Little Finger.”
Instructions:
- Read the following story (NOTE: If you do not want to play this game, do NOT continue reading):
- This is the story of a dream.In the dream, you are standing by a riverbank. A thick fog hangs over everything. You see an old woman crouching next to a gate. She is desperately looking for something, rummaging through the tall grass.“What are you looking for?” you ask.The old woman turns around. “I am looking for a little finger,” she replies.She holds out her left hand, and, sure enough, the little finger is missing.“Can you help me look for it?” she asks.“Yes,” you say, and the search for the little finger begins.
- Within seven days of reading this story, you will have the dream described within it.
- When, while dreaming, the woman asks you to help her look for her little finger, you must make a choice: Will you say “yes” or “no?”
- It is NOT recommended that you say “no.”
- If you say “yes,” the search for the little finger begins.
- Do not fail to find it.
Additional Notes:
The story may be read either aloud or silently; either is sufficient to begin the game.
The origins of this game are somewhat murky; some sources claim it is Japanese, although these claims appear to be unsubstantiated. It is unknown who the woman in the dream is, or how she lost her little finger.
Concerning The Little Finger:
Should you fail to find it within the dream, you will never be able to wake up again.
Make sure you find it.
There is no other prize for winning… but then again, being able to wake up, rather than being trapped in the prison of a dream, is perhaps prize enough.
***
Please don’t copy or republish this post on other sites. Linking to it or sharing the URL is fine (and encouraged!), as is writing your own unique version of the game, but copying/pasting, republishing, or otherwise reproducing the text of this piece in its entirety or near-entirety on other websites without permission isn’t.
***
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 et sans/Flickr]
if i read this silently, will i be able to still play the game?
I’m so scared that I’m gonna see the old woman but I want to read this soooooooo bad! If I read it will she come visit me?
What if I answer no tho?
I mean to finding the lady’s finger.
If I fail then don’t sleep
I will never sleep again
I read this story countless times but nothing happened. Absolutely nothing! I was disappointed, I must admit. Well, I think some important stuff is missing either in the instructions or in the story itself.
I read this by mistake. PLS HELP. Is it safe. It was by mistake
Here’s my question:
How do we have control over what we do while we’re sleeping?
Some people can lucid-dream, where they are aware that they’re dreaming and influence it with their will somewhat. This skill can apparently be practiced.
What if you just don’t answer or say I don’t know? It didn’t say what would happen with that. Is that beating the system or…?
Yeah, it probably wouldn’t work.
I survived! Yesterday was my last day, and I didn’t have the dream! I’ve only felt like someone’s watching me…My friend read it too, and she’s had alternate versions of the dream (more modern day). It should be safe to read the story, though.
So, today is night 4 of the game, and nothing’s happened yet. I was really scared and stuff after I read the story, but I’m pretty sure nothing’s going to happen to me/you thanks to this game.
Either way, wish me luck!
How to beat the game: 1: Read 2: Practice lucid dreaming (before you read it and after the woman comes) 3: The woman asks 4: LITERALLY SUMMON A FINGER WITH YOUR LUCID POWERS DUHHH
So can someone summarize the story? Would it count as reading it if you read a shortened version? What if you read most of it but skip over a section? Would it count as reading it?
This isn’t a ritual in that sense, what’s happening is by presenting it like this, it’ll suggest your mind to dream about a spesific thing. Which would then henceforth make you dream of it, and panic.
In that case, yes a shortened form would do it.
As long as you don’t worry to much about it you are fine. Even if you do have the dream you are fine because it’s just your mind recreating what you read.
Wait… so if all you have to do to trigger this game is read the story in any shape or form whether it be in your head or out loud etc… how the heck did you copy and paste it here? Did anything happen for you, Lucia?
I’m still alive and well — do with that what you will!
I’ve read the story in my thoughts and am wondering whether or not I will be playing this game? I am uneasy and don’t feel like experiencing this dream.
All I did was read the other instructions besides the story and additional notes, but I have a question about the dream. From what I saw in the addition notes I need to find the little finger or else I will never wake up. My first question is, will I just be trapped in the dream until I find it or do I have a time limit. And another question, is it possible for someone to successfully wake me up (If I told them I should be awake by xx:xx am, and I’m not awake) if I’m “trapped in the dream”?
Read the story and no dreams. I did have a little fun with it though, one of my coworkers is terrified of things such as this; I sent him the story by itself and informed him of the rest after he read it. He was not happy at first.
I’m pretty sure that anyone who reads this story and gets the dream is because they’re worrying about it and thinking about it all the time, thus having a dream about it.