You’ve received a mysterious VHS tape in the mail. No label. No return address. Just a dusty black videotape with your name scratched into the plastic and a single piece of masking tape across it with the words:
“PLAY ME,”
scrawled in red marker.
What happens next depends on the choices you make.
What do you do?
Scene 1: The Tape Begins to Play
You pop the tape into your old VCR. The moment you hit play, static fills the screen….
then a flicker of something familiar.
It’s your childhood bedroom - the lighting, the wallpaper — exactly how you remember it.
The nightlight is on. And you’re in the bed… but not childhood you.
You from now.
A message appears in blocky green letters:
“DO YOU WANT TO REMEMBER?”
What do you do?
You chose to remember and survived. You move on to the next Scene ▶ Continue
You slam eject, rip the tape out, unplug the VCR and TV and toss the whole mess into the closet.
GAME OVER
It’s too late. It’s already inside. You’ve been cursed. Seems like you're a little um... delicate. Are you sure you're in the right place?
You grab a lighter, open the window, and try to burn it. It won’t catch. The magnetic strip unspools on its own. You blink — and the screen is back on.
GAME OVER
It didn’t work. You’ve been cursed. Attempted destruction has led to damnation... for you. Shame. Better luck next time.
Scene 2: The Disembodied Voice
The screen twitches. You’re staring at your childhood bedroom still — but the timestamp says it’s now. And it looks different somehow. The wallpaper is more decayed. The ceiling fan slowly spins even though you never had one.
Then you hear it. Your name. Whispered.
You freeze. Listen harder. The voice continues — it’s your voice.
“LOOK UNDER THE FLOORBOARDS.”
A chill slides across your neck. Your stomach drops. You look down.
The same warped floor pattern from the tape is now beneath your feet. But this isn’t your childhood home. Or… is it?
What do you do?
You chose to take action and survived. Move on to the next scene to see what’s beneath the floorboards ▶ Continue
No one tells you what to do - not even you? You shrug it off and walk to the kitchen to make yourself a tea. When you return, the tape is paused — but there's a dark figure on screen and it's looking directly at you. The air smells like rot. You sip your tea. It tastes like dirt.
GAME OVER
You were still being watched. Now you’re cursed. Enjoy your death tea. Hope it was worth it. Better luck next time.
You switch out the AV cables, turn the channel and hit “rec.” A rerun of The Golden Girls starts to overwrite the VHS — but something’s wrong. Dorothy’s voice distorts. Her eyes roll back in her head. The sitcom set flickers, replaced by a shot of your living room with you standing there. Then — “Thank you for being a—” a high-pitched screech deafens you and words begin to appear…
“Don’t. Ever. Try. That. Again.”
GAME OVER
It can't be erased. But you can. You’ve been cursed. It's off to shady pines for you. For eternity. Better luck next time.
Scene 3: Beneath the Floor
Under the loose floorboards, you find an old, ancient book. You've never seen it before. The cover is rotted leather and smells like rust and decay. Stitched into the front is a word written in something that looks like blood. Fresh blood. But you can’t make it out.
The pages flutter open by themselves. The pages are handwritten. Some look like diary entries. Others like spells. But every single one seems to reference… you.
It lands on one page:
“If you read these words aloud, you agree to the terms.”
Right on cue, the hallway groans behind you.
What do you do?
The room hums. The book vibrates. And then —click— you hear the door unlatch completely. You’ve agreed to the terms and survived. You can now move on to Scene 4 to see what’s behind the door ▶ Continue
You grab a pen and scribble over the page, Goosebumps-style: “I decline the curse and walk away uneventfully.” The ink shimmers. Then the book rewrites your words back into the original phrase adding: “Thank you for agreeing to the terms.” The door creaks fully open. Looks like the terms aren’t optional.
You’ve agreed to the terms and survived. Well, you certainly dodged that bullet! Who's the dummy now? Here's your second chance. Don't blow it. Move on to see what's through the door. ▶ Continue
You clutch the book, march it straight to the freezer and slam it shut. It seems like a solid plan. Joey logic, right? But when you return, the tape is playing again. This time, it’s footage of your freezer. From the inside. The book is open. And the pages are turning.
GAME OVER
How you doin'? Ah, not so good. You’re out in the cold now. You’ve been cursed. Better luck next time.
Scene 4: Beyond the Door
The door creaks open on its own, slow and deliberate, like it’s been waiting for you.
Beyond it: a hallway you don’t recognize. Not from this house. Not from any memory. But it still feels… personal.
As you go through the door, the VHS buzzes and glitches behind you, getting fainter with each step.
At the end of the hallway you notice a second door.
This one is heavy, ancient and carved with strange symbols.
Taped to it is a note… in your handwriting:
“DO NOT OPEN. YOU WON’T LIKE WHAT YOU FIND.”
What do you do?
You rip the note off. What does past-you know, anyway? The door creaks open — and you step into… Move on to Scene 5 to see what’s waiting for you ▶ Continue
You look around and conveniently find a hammer and nails within reach. You nail the door shut, sealing it with frantic conviction. Boom. Boom. Boom. Then… silence. You sigh. Relieved. Until you see something slide beneath the door.
It’s a pastel RSVP card… In your handwriting: “Can’t wait to celebrate! I’ll bring the hummus.”
You’re now contractually obligated to attend a toddler’s birthday party. You don’t know the child. Or the parents. Or anyone. The party’s in a windowless indoor play centre and will be teeming with kids. You’ll be the only adult without a kid. You hate hummus. Get ready for a lot of screaming and crying. And it won't just be you.
GAME OVER
Welcome to the Social Dread Realm. You’ve been cursed in the worst possible way. Oh well, don't forget to bring Timmy a present! Better luck next time.
You lean in. Just above the handle. And yell: “What do you want from me!” There’s no reply. But something slides under the door… It’s a conference badge. Your name. Your face. And your new title: “Lead Analyst, Strategic Forecasting Division.” You blink. The door swings open. You’re no longer in your house. You’re standing onstage at the 2025 Annual Regional Data Leadership Summit™.
Theme: “Optimizing Synergy: Predictive Metrics and Cross-Functional Alignment for Q4 Success.”
The ballroom is carpeted in migraine beige. Fluorescent lights flicker. The projector is humming. A sea of seated suits are facing you. Expectant. Silent.
The emcee’s voice echoes: “Please welcome our keynote speaker! They’ll be walking us through the 87-slide PowerPoint entitled: ‘Quarterly Benchmarking and KPIs in a Post-Agile Landscape.’”
There’s no podium. No notes. Just you. And the clicker. And the abyss.
GAME OVER
Welcome to The KPI Conference that never ends. You’ve been cursed in the worst possible way. Get to clicking keynote speaker! Better luck next time.
Scene 5: The Final Choice
You step into... your childhood bedroom. Not a replica or recording. But your actual bedroom. Exactly as you remember it... with a couple of differences.
Scanning the room you notice your childhood toy chest by the foot of your bed, scorched and leather-bound, but locked with a padlock. Beside the bed, in the middle of the room, a familiar round rug with with what looks like a small music box on it.
Suddenly... Click. Hiss. Whir.
Your old cassette player on your desk comes to life on its own. Your childhood voice crackles from the speakers:
“If you open it… you’ll never be able to forget or you'll never be able to leave.”
The room feels heavy, like it’s holding its breath. The nightlight flickers.
This is the final moment. You must choose.
What do you do?
Inside the chest you find old toys, mostly broken, a letter you never sent, a report card you hid, old photographs with some of the eyes crossed out and a mirror.
The mirror is fixed inside the lid. You stare into the glass and images start to appear. The mirror reflects back at you everything you ever tried to forget. You see every moment you flinched. Hid. Betrayed yourself to survive. Every shameful secret you buried down here with these objects of regret. Your hands tremble. Your chest burns. But you don't turn away. You feel it all.
The mirror eventually fades out and goes black, after what seemed like hours.
A voice, older now, whispers: “You made it out. Because you didn’t turn away.”
Just then, the mirror pulses — then shatters. The room begins to fade.
You're now back in your house. It's daylight outside. You feel different. Lighter. Hopeful. Healed.
Congratulations on surviving the game. Enter your email below, to receive your reward for courage and bravery.
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The music box plays a lullaby — soft, slow, just like you remember. But… wrong. A note skips. Then slows. Then repeats.
You're getting sleepy. You climb into bed and wrap yourself with your childhood blanket. You feel warm. Safe. Like you’re five years old and the world can’t touch you. You curl into the shape of the child you once were. You close your eyes.
The music continues, looping. The sound fills the room.
Your limbs grow heavy. The air thickens with dust. You curl tighter. The melody lulls you into a false sense of security. You can’t remember why you were ever afraid.
You never. move. again.
GAME OVER
You chose comfort and distraction over truth. You chose to forget. So you’ll stay here. Forever. Cursed.
You Survived the Tape
The final transmission is on its way...
Check your inbox for your survival reward — but don’t wait too long.
(Sometimes curses land in the spam folder)
