The Most Dangerous Games: Hide And Seek Alone – Alternate Version

Previously: Listen To The Clock.

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Although this ritual game is positioned as an alternate version of Hide and Seek Alone, or the Japanese game Hitori Kakurenbo, it actually bears more in common with the Midnight Game or Dry Bones: The goal isn’t to create an opponent out of a doll who you then take turns looking for and hiding from, but rather to summon a dark being from whom you’ll exclusively hide. Where it differs from these two games, however, is in its use of chicken bones as part of the summoning method.

It’s this detail, I feel, that indicates it has different origins than Hitori Kakurenbo: Chickens and chicken bones feature prominently in European folklore — frequently as a means of divination, although not necessarily so. The larger subject of “bone magic,” as it’s called, has a wide range of uses and applications.

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Either way, the earliest version of this game I’ve been able to find was posted as a user comment on the website Scary For Kids in 2012. It’s unclear whether the game existed before then or whether the user simply made it up; it’s spread just a bit since then, though, even if it hasn’t reached quite the same level of popularity as other games of its ilk. Each version I’ve found has an awful lot of holes in it, so I’ve attempted to fill those in and create as comprehensive version as I can.

As always, play at your own risk.

Players:

• One principal.

Requirements:

• Two small bowls.
• One sterilized pin.
• A small number of chicken bones.
• One candle.
• Matches or a lighter.
• A clock or timekeeping device.
• A dark room within a larger playing space.
• A hiding place outside the dark room, but within the larger playing space.

Instructions:

The Preparations:

1. Begin prior to midnight.
2. Empty your playing space of all other people, pets, etc.
3. Go to the dark room you have chosen within your playing space. Ensure that, when the door is closed and the lights are off, no light of any sort is visible anywhere in the room. Securely block or cover up any windows, if necessary.
4. Exit the dark room. Gather your supplies. Place them directly outside the door to the room.
5. Move throughout your playing space, turning off any and all lights in any and all rooms, hallways, etc. When you have finished darkening the playing space, return to the door of the dark room.
6. Watch the clock.
7. At five minutes before midnight, prepare yourself.
8. At midnight, begin.

The Summoning:

1. When the clock strikes 12, enter the dark room, bringing one of the bowls, the chicken bones, the candle, and the matches or lighter with you. Close the door behind you.
2. Place the bowl on the ground and place the chicken bones inside it.
3. Using the matches or lighter, light the candle.
4. Repeat aloud the following words: “Bones, you may see.”
5. Pick up the candle. Leave the bowl with the chicken bones where it is.
6. Open the door and exit the room, taking the candle with you. Close the door behind you.
7. Be careful. He knows you’re there now.
8. Outside the room, prick your finger with the pin and allow a few drops of blood to fall into the empty bowl.
9. Open the door and re-enter the room. Bring the candle and blood-filled bowl with you. Close the door behind you.
10. Place the blood-filled bowl on the ground and repeat aloud the following words: “Blood, you may see.”
11. Pick up the candle. Leave the two bowls where they are.
12. Open the door and exit the room, taking the candle with you. Close the door behind you.
13. Be careful. He is coming, and soon.
14. Open the door and re-enter the room. Bring the candle with you. Close the door behind you.
15. Place the candle on the ground and repeat aloud the following words: “Flesh, you may not see. You may find.”
16. Extinguish the candle.
17. Open the door and exit the room, leaving everything where it is. Close the door behind you.
18. Be careful.
19. He is here.
20. Hide. You have five minutes. Go.

The Main Event:

1. After five minutes have passed from the moment you extinguished the candle, he will begin looking for you. Make sure you have reached your hiding spot before then.
   • NOTE: It is NOT recommended that you bring your clock or timekeeping device with you while you hide. There is a chance he will either hear it ticking (if it is analog) or see it glowing (if it is digital, a mobile phone, etc.), which will lead him directly to you. Do NOT let him find you. Instead, estimate how much time has passed as accurately as you can without the use of a clock.
2. Once you have reached your hiding spot, don’t move. Don’t speak. Don’t make any noise. Stay perfectly still and remain perfectly quiet.
3. Stay in your hiding spot for at least an hour.
4. Listen.
5. Keep listening.
6. What do you hear?
   • If you hear heavy breathing or loud footsteps: He has exited the dark room. He is still in the playing space. He is looking for you. Remain still. Remain quiet.
   • If you hear complete and utter silence: He is no longer present in the playing space. He has left the premises. He has ceased searching for you.

The Conclusion:

1. Once you hear complete silence OR when the sun comes up — whichever comes first — it is safe to exit your hiding space.
2. Congratulations! You’ve won.
3. Return to the no-longer-dark room, open the door, and retrieve the supplies left inside.
4. As soon as possible, empty the bowls of their contents and clean them thoroughly.
5. Take the chicken bones somewhere far away from your playing space and bury them.
6. Break the bowls, take the pieces somewhere far away from both your playing space and where you disposed of the chicken bones, and bury them.
7. Dispose of the candle. Do NOT light it again.
8. Do not play this game again. Ever.

Additional Notes:

Many players opt to use their homes as the playing space. While this option is undoubtedly convenient, it is not necessarily safe.

Notes on the dark room:

• Any type of room, and of any size, may be used for the dark room; the only requirement is that it be completely dark. If using your home as the playing space, an interior bathroom or other windowless room will suffice.
• It is essential that the dark room utilized be as dark it can be — pitch black, if possible. Once he has arrived, he will have a much harder time finding his way out of the room at the end of the Summoning if it is sufficiently dark. It might buy you some time.
• Also, if there is any light visible in the room — any light at all — he will find you immediately.
• He will find you before you have a chance to hide.
• He will find you before you even have a chance to leave the room.

Notes on the length of the game:

• Once summoned, your opponent does not always stay for the same amount of time. He may stay for the entire night, or he may stay for a mere hour; however, he will always leave by sunrise. If you wish to truly challenge yourself, you may attempt to determine precisely when he has left and venture out from your hiding space at that time.
• It would be best if you didn’t do that, though.
• If he finds you, there are no failsafes.

Concerning Your Hiding Place:

Make sure it’s a good one.

Even if you remain absolutely still and quiet, he may still be able to find you.

Do NOT let him find you.

Hide And Seek Alone – Alt. Version: FAQ.

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[Photo via Angeleses/Pixabay]