The Ghost In My Machine

Stories of the Strange and Unusual

The Most Dangerous Games: The 10-Day Dream Ritual

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Previously: The Cemetery Dirt Game.

Warning: Should you read the instructions for the ritual following this introduction, you will begin playing the 10-Day Dream Ritual — a ritual game that takes place entirely in your dreams… until it doesn’t, that is. Or at least, that’s what the implication seems to be at the end of it; it functions something like a chain letter — once you have chosen to learn about the game, you must pass it on, convincing someone else to learn about the game, too.

a rusted metal bedframe abandoned in the woods

Or else you may never wake again.

The 10-Day Dream Ritual dates back to at least 2009, when it appeared in one of its earliest forms on Japan’s infamous 2ch paranormal boards right at the beginning of March of that year. It has been reproduced and translated and adapted numerous times since, almost always in the same form, making it a true creepypasta.

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

Playing it is as simple as reading the story, and then making sure that you perform the actions specified by it within the dreams you’ll have on each of the 10 days following. Of course, I say “simple,” but in reality, it’s anything but; unless you have excellent lucid dreaming skills, you may find it difficult to pull off.

Furthermore, there’s no real reason to play this one other than the thrill of the chase, so to speak. There’s no prize for “winning”; there isn’t even really a “winning” condition. It’s a test of courage more than anything else — something you play just to say that you did it, and that you survived (hopefully).

Another thing: Sometimes, this ritual is referred to as the 10-Day Dream Curse.

Knowing that… well, you’d best think hard about whether you really want to continue reading from here on out, hadn’t you?

You’ve been warned.

As always: Play — or, in this case, read — at your own risk.

Players:

  • One principal.

Requirements:

  • A safe place to sleep.
  • Lucid dreaming skills. (Optional, but highly recommended.)
  • A safe place to sleep.
  • Absolutely no sense of self-preservation. (Why would you attempt to play this game if you had one?)

Instructions:

The Preparations:

  1. Read the following set of instructions.
  2. Wait until nightfall. Go to bed.
    • If you have the dream described in The Dreams: Step 3 the first night: You may proceed. Continue to The Dreams.
    • If you do not: Wait another night.
  3. Wait until the next night. Go to bed.
    • If you have the dream described in The Dreams: Step 3 the second night: You may proceed. Continue to The Dreams.
    • If you do not: Wait another night.
  4. Wait until the next night. Go to bed.
    • If you have the dream described in The Dreams: Step 3 the third night: You may proceed. Continue to The Dreams.
    • If you do not: The ritual has failed. Do not proceed.

The Dreams:

  1. You will now dream the following sequence of dreams, one per night, for 10 successive nights. Each night, there will be a rule you must obey or an action you must perform within the dream.
  2. Do not fail to obey these rules or perform these actions.
  3. The first night: You will dream that you are in your bedroom, in your bed, trying to sleep. Then, you will notice a girl looking in at you through the window.
    • The first night’s rule: Allow the girl entry into your room.
    • Do not fail to let her in.
  4. The second night: You will dream that you are in your bedroom, in your bed, trying to sleep. The girl from the previous night’s dream will be inside your bedroom with you. Her eyes will be cast downward, and her hair will be covering her face. She will be speaking softly and continuously. If you listen closely, you will hear that she is repeating a single word, over and over and over again: “Please.”
    • The second night’s rule: Allow the girl to lie down beside you.
    • Do not fail to let her lie down.
  5. The third night: You will dream that you are in your bedroom, in your bed, trying to sleep. The girl from the previous two nights’ dreams will be lying down beside you. You will now be able to see her face. Her face bears the marks of injury caused by fire.
    • The third night’s rule: Gaze upon her face. Do not speak. Do not make any noise.
    • Do not fail to look silently upon her.
  6. The fourth night: You will dream that you are in your bedroom, in your bed. The girl from the previous three nights’ dreams will be lying down beside you. You will rise and get out of bed. The girl will say, “Let’s go to the park.”
    • The fourth night’s rule: Take the girl to the nearest park. Do not speak. Do not make any noise.
    • Do not fail to accompany her silently to the park.
  7. The fifth night: You will dream that you have arrived at the park with the girl from the previous four nights’ dreams. Upon your arrival, you will encounter a figure pushing a stroller with a second figure inside. The figure pushing the stroller is a cat. The figure inside the stroller is a dog.
    • The fifth night’s rule: Destroy one of the two figures.
    • Do not fail to do so.
  8. The sixth night: You will dream, while you are at the park with the girl from the previous five nights’ dreams, that there is an airship parked within the grounds, preparing to take off.
    • The sixth night’s rule: Board the airship before it leaves, bringing the girl with you.
    • Do not fail to make it in time.
  9. The seventh night: You will dream that you are aboard the airship with the girl from the previous six nights’ dreams. The airship is full of passengers — of other people who have also read this story, just like you have.
    • The seventh night’s rule: Find a seat on the airship, no matter what it takes.
    • Do not fail to secure yourself a seat.
  10. The eighth night: You will dream, while you are aboard the airship with the girl from the previous seven nights’ dreams, that a shower of red and black roses begins to rain down upon you.  
    • The eight night’s rule: Throw only the black roses overboard.
    • Do not fail to remove the black roses — and only the black roses — from the airship.
  11. The ninth night: You will dream, while you are aboard the airship with the girl from the previous eight nights’ dreams, that the airship docks in the same park from whence it originally departed.
    • The ninth night’s rule: Exit the airship and return home, bringing the girl with you. Return to your bedroom, and lie down in your bed. Allow the girl to lie down beside you.
    • Do not fail to do so.  

The Final Night:

  1. The tenth night: You will only know what happens in the tenth night’s dream if you have faithfully followed all instructions and rules over the previous nine nights. You are only permitted to know what happens in the tenth night’s dream if you have faithfully followed all instructions and rules over the previous nine nights.
    • The tenth night’s rule: When you are awake — when you are not inside your dreams — you must share this story with someone else.
    • Do not fail to share the story.

Additional Notes:

It is NOT recommended that players perform this ritual unless they are skilled at lucid dreaming, and confident in those skills. (See also: The White Kimono Game, the Little Finger Game, the Creature In Your Mind, etc.) Information on lucid dreaming, what it is, and how to practice it may be found via the following resources, among many others:

Please note that these resources are far from the only available resources regarding lucid dreaming available. They may be considered as a jumping-off point or a place to begin each player’s individual research regarding the topic of lucid dreaming.  

Should You Fail To Obey The Tenth Night’s Rule:

You will return to the first night’s dream, again.

And again.

And again.

Forever.

The 10-Day Dream Ritual: FAQ.

***

Follow The Ghost In My Machine on Bluesky @GhostMachine13.bsky.social, Twitter @GhostMachine13, and Facebook @TheGhostInMyMachine. And for more games, don’t forget to check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available now from Chronicle Books!

[Photo via PublicDomainPictures/Pixabay]

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