HAUNT by Yubi

   

Instruments: French Deck, 1d6, Block Tower, 10 Tokens

Game Description 

Game Content Warnings 

These are content warnings that are from the game prompts and are present in all playthroughs.

Playthrough Content Warnings 

These are content warnings specific to this playthrough only.

Game Playthrough

Word Count: 4,292       Played: May 22, 2022

Initial Tower Roll: 5

Intro: 

I am still here.

I am trapped. They cannot see me.

They cannot hear me.

I am wretched. I am alone. 

I don’t want to be alone.

Entry 1

Roll: 6

King of Diamonds		You pass through a bookshelf. How does it feel to destroy something?
2 of Diamonds		A storm floods the basement and destroys everything. What have you lost to nature?
8 of Diamonds		One of the family breaks something in frustration. What have you broken and tried to hide? Were you caught?
4 of Clubs:		The child is afraid of the room you frequent most. What do they see besides you? Can you see them too? Pull from the Tower
Ace of Hearts		You befriend a small child. They call you Best Friend. You may roll once at the end of each day. On a 6, remove a token. Pull from the Tower
Jack of Hearts		The family is holding a wake in their home. There are no photos of you. You are not in a better place. How do you cope with your anguish?

Connection:

   

   They decided to hold it here of all places. Inside my home. Inside their home. Inside our home. Photos of their dead grandfather littered on the tables and on the walls. They pour over them, some smiling, some openly weeping but all tinged with a quiet sadness. 

   

   They spoke of him as if he were in a “better place.” They do not know. How could they know? Did they even try to speak with me? Only the child knew I was there. She called me “Best Friend” but she didn’t know where or who I was. She would speak to the air in places where I was absent and put words in my mouth to the adults present. 

   

   Like the time you would not feel my pain and I broke your favorite teapot, the father smashed the plate in the kitchen. He did not know I was there with him in the kitchen, together. He swept up the pieces into a trash can and loudly proclaimed it was an accident. He wasn’t questioned. He was in mourning, it was to be expected. How fortunate that I didn’t have the luxury when you confronted me. 

   

   Destruction is in my nature, it is my calling and it is the only way I can be noticed. I did not care if they were mourning for I was not mourned by you or anyone else. I passed through the bookshelf knowing it would topple and bring crashing down what little remained of the basement after the flood. Nature tried to reclaim this home as it tried to reclaim my corpse and if I was to be destroyed then so shall this place. 

   

   The mourners picked up the books and trinkets and comforted one another. The child, weeping with fright from the sudden loud noises, points in all directions blaming everything on their own imaginary creatures. They could not conceive that it was me and not the machinations of the so-called demons of teeth and shadow they claim are in my room. There was nothing but me and I am almost nothing. 

   

Remembrance:

   

I still think about you. Despite everything. This family will be my end and I hate them for it. I am trapped in soil and filth and ethereal binding and I am as tarnished as I was in life. 

   

I am still here.

Entry 2

Roll: 3

Ace of Spades		You remember the year you were born. You remember the color of your hair. Who were you? The next time you are asked to pull from the tower, you may choose not to.
3 of Diamonds		A family member catches a glimpse of you in a shiny black plate they drop. How does it feel to cause pain? Would you do it again? Pull from the Tower  Ace of Spades
4 of Spades		A memory of your first friend comes to you one night. Who were they? Why were you friends? Do you miss them?

Connection:

   

    The small man of the house carried with him a slate of shiny black glass. It lit itself to the touch and sounded with horrendous noises. I stood in his way at the top of the stairs, waiting, hoping, and when he passed through what was left of my fragmented self he started and dropped his slate down the wooden staircase. 

   

    It shattered immediately into thousands of pieces upon the floor. The small man eased himself down to pick up the fragments, blaming both fate and God under his breath. If both work through men then how am I not both? 

   

    Slowly, agonizingly he placed the pieces into his palm, until he turned one of them just so. And I could see myself in those dark glass pieces, reflecting back at him with all the range and pain in my face. 

   

    I looked just as I did the day I died, full of rage and poison. My hair was powdered and white and in a fashion far too many centuries old.

   

   

 I could see the scar you gave on the day we met, so long ago. Do you remember that day, my friend? We were so young and full of pride. I told you I had let you win that duel, but the blood had convinced you otherwise. Did you stay with me because you had no choice?

   

   The man started again when he saw me and released the glass onto the floor, flinging them far away from himself and cursing again as blood poured from his hand. 

   

   How I miss having that power. 

Remembrance:

   

I am still here.

   

Does it bring you joy to know how I am suffering? Does it delight you to know that I am alone? You told me I would never again hurt anyone, and here I am again entertained by your incompetence. 

Entry 3

Roll: 1

8 of Clubs

While filming a video, they can hear your anguished wailing. You sound distorted like a frightened animal. Do you scream like that again? Pull from the Tower

Connection:

   

    Maybe you would have understood the technology of this era more than me. You were always so clever with those trinkets of yours. The family has those slates of mirrored glass to record moving portraits that speak and I have made myself known through them. 

   

    They can hear me but they do not wish to believe it. They make excuses: an animal out in the woods, a carriage screeching to a halt. I can taste their doubt and my rage will carry my voice through all of their toys. 

Remembrance:

   

I am still here… but…

   

Why can I not be seen? Why can I not be seen? Why can I not be seen? Why can I not be seen?

Entry 4

Roll: 3

4 of Diamonds		A toy you touch rots and is thrown out. The child cries, what item have you wept for? Why did you touch it?
7 of Hearts		The child has a nightmare and the parents comfort them. Do you long to be touched? What would you have done in their place? Pull from the Tower
10 of Hearts		You have become aware of another spirit in the home. It ignores you. The parents discuss a recently solved death and you see the spirit move on. What does it look like? How does it feel?

Connection:

   

    At the time it was an accident. My fingertip brushed the crude little toy, the one made of cloth worn thin from years of wear and love. It rotted away in an instant. The fabric grew thinner and thinner and the stuffing fell from its holes into nothing. The child screeched as it saw the toy fade into nothing more than a pile of fibers. It cried and it wept and it wailed for the toy so much it attracted another. 

   

    A second spirit, one of a young man. He looked to be around in his 20s when he died but his clothing told me he was from this era. I called to him but he, like all others in this house, could not see or hear me. But like me, no one else could see him. He tried in vain to speak to the child or the parents when they discarded the toy, but he was invisible to them. 

   

    I do not know how the rot happened nor could I control it. I’ve touched many things since then but all are unaffected. I tried again with toys, with fabric, with clothes, nothing seems to age as I have. 

   

   The child would not stop its incessant wailing and I have no sympathy for such cries. Even for my own precious ring. The one he gave me. It’s still on my finger, the ghost one and, since I knew even you would not take it, I assume my corpse. 

   

   That night I heard the parents discussing the young man. He circled around them incessantly like a gnat hanging on every word as they discussed his gruesome death. They described it as a “Hit-And-Run”, though with what I cannot say. They spoke about how they found the driver and the ghost is inches from their faces. He nodded listening to the description of the killer and sighs one last long ghastly breath as he fades into nothing. 

   

   He is at peace and I am enraged. Is this what you want? Is this the torment that I should have to endure? How dare someone like him get the satisfaction of moving on. How dare you damn me to this existence. 

   

   But again that child screams. Again that child is awoken with a nightmare about the toy that is rotten and discarded. The parents flee to the room to comfort their child, stroke its hair and speak comforting words until the sun shines through the window.

   

This love disgusts me and I am ashamed at how badly I long to be touched. I miss you. I love you. I hate you. 

Remembrance:

   

I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you 

And I will hate for all of eternity for I am still here. 

Entry 5

Roll: 3

4 of Hearts		One of the family members is unwell and the others are taking care of them. Do you want them to survive? Would that stop you from feeling alone?
6 of Clubs		The child draws pictures of you and it scares the parents. What are you labeled as? Pull from the tower
King of Clubs		There is a new pet and it is terrified of you

Connection:

   

    Despite their illness they decided to bring a small, yipping dog into the home. It brought me joy to be seen as it made a mess upon the floor when seeing me for the first time. It is terrified of me and I relish this power. It almost makes me feel as I did when I were living.  

   

    The dog avoided me at all turns, yipping and running into different rooms, cowering under furniture, and shaking in my presence. I dreaded the day it realized that I could do no harm to me and it had no true reason to fear me. Until then its torment was my entertainment. How does it make you feel to see me stoop so low? You are the one who brought this misery upon it, you know. 

   

    The illness that overtook one of the men was temporary. I wondered if he was going to die but seeing the jars and pills in the bathroom has led me to believe that medicine has come too far for someone to be killed by a simple cold. Despite this, I doubt that his ghost would remain as I have. Or even still, would he see me or would I still be invisible like I was to the other spirit. 

   

    The child has begun to draw me. It labels me as “Friend” despite the worried concerns of the parents. They told it not to draw such things as me, that I am “too scary” for such a small child. The child doesn’t care and continues to outline my visage in crayon and draw my withered form. I do not know how it can see me when the others cannot. Still, I am noticed.

Remembrance:

   

All of this is your fault. These people are suffering, I am suffering because of you. You have driven me to this, like you did before. 

   

None of this had to happen. Look upon what you have wrought because you have forced me to be here. 

Entry 6

Roll: 2

Queen of Hearts		The family is celebrating a birthday. How does it feel to witness the celebration? Pull from the Tower
Jack of Clubs		Mold blooms in your visage. They cannot clean it.

Connection: 

   

    In the room. In my room, the one I most frequented, the child’s drawing appeared on the walls. It was visage in mold, rotting away at the walls like I had rotted away that toy. It could not be cleaned by mortal hands. I saw them scrubbing away at it, day after day, and each night it would appear again. Growing. Festering. It amused me to see them scrub like my servants and perhaps even you, on occasion. 

   

    I became an irreversible and unavoidable truth to this place. 

   

    But despite this, they still carried on. The child’s birthday approached and they had invited those cursed people to the home once again. This was different from the wake. There was joy and laughter and worse of all more children. 

   

    I never once regretted being childless and seeing the mess and tears and other fluids seep from them I am proved right in my decision. You felt the same way once. Do you still? 

Remembrance: 

   

You chose to stay with me. At least, this is what you told me. But you never did have a choice did you? You did what you felt you needed to, but you loved me once. I love you. 

And I am still here.

Entry 7

Roll: 2

8 of Spades		hen you were small you got very very sick. Did anyone comfort you? Did anyone care? Pull from the Tower
Jack of Spades		Someone is cooking, and for a moment you can taste it. How long has it been? Pull from the Tower, do not replace it

Connection: 

   

    It has been centuries since I have been alive and I have thought of you every waking moment. Do you remember our lunches on the veranda? The smell of flowers and wine in the air. The taste of the brioche? The taste of each other? 

   

    The small man cooked today. He was alone in the kitchen, flour in his hair, on his face, and on the counter. He was a bad cook but still he persisted. The first batch burned then discarded. The second batch was mediocre but I swear to you I could taste it. 

   

    I never told you this, but before we met, I was a very sick child. For months I was by myself, seeing no one but the servants. There was no one to hold my hand or stroke my hair. I was all but left to die, no longer the favorite. But when I was well I made sure that I was. You are always the favorite when you are the only one. 

Remembrance: 

   

    Despite everything I still love you. But I cannot forgive you. I still hate you in that regard. Did you suffer long after I died? I hope you are as miserable as I am. Because I am still here.

Entry 8

Roll: 3

6 of Hearts		A neighbor visits and asks who's walking around at night. How does it feel to be noticed?
King of Spades		Someone finds your obituary, and when they read it, you figure out how you died and you relive death
Queen of Spades		Do you remember your own family? Did you love them? Pull from the Tower, do not replace it

Connection: 

   

    I have been noticed again but this time not by the family. A neighbor, one I do not know, has stopped by asking for tea. They sat with the family a long while, speaking of nothing and nonsense before I was mentioned. It was an innocent question. Who is that person? Why are they wearing those ancient clothes? 

   

    I want to laugh. I want to scream. I do not know why I am here, I do not remember why I am bound to this house, to these people. Why did you do this to me? 

   You were the only one I had. You were everything to me. I did everything for you. You were nothing without me. 

   

They knew me by my portrait. The neighbor looked upon their own black scrying mirror and showed it to the parents. My silhouette, uncompromising, unmistakeable. They were pale as they read my biography. How would they have felt if they knew I had been reduced to a dog-terror and a mere child’s “Best Friend?” 

   

   And then they read it, word for word, the lies in the obituary. You told them I had a relapse of my childhood illness. How could you have known. I could feel the burning in my chest. The nausea and the bile rising in my throat and the sickly dribble from my mouth. You told them it was unavoidable. You pretended I was alive for weeks after you had killed me. 

   

   From the pit of my stomach and out through my mouth the black ectoplasmic bile flowed onto the carpet. I was dying again and there was no one to notice.  

Remembrance: 

   

How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you. How dare you.

You will never be rid of me. I am still here  

Entry 9

Roll: 2

7 of Clubs		In the Fog of the bathroom what word do you write on the mirror? Why? Pull from the Tower
7 of Spades		You remember your favorite story. What is it? Why did it speak to you? Pull from the Tower

Connection: 

   

    A foolish childish tale still told. One of a beast and a great beauty. You remember that one? It’s told to almost every child. A beast forces a woman to live with him and she eventually falls in love. That’s why I couldn’t let you leave. You did love me. You did. 

   

    I told myself this. Over and over. You loved me. You must have. I cannot stop thinking about you. Is this your eternal punishment? I wrote your name on the mirror. It will not help them to know me. But I do not care. 

Remembrance: 

   

… … … 

… 

…

… 

you 

Entry 10

Roll: 3

King of Hearts

One of the family's guests is psychics. The family is skeptical, but eventually believes them.

Connection: 

   

    I knew they could see me. They were surprised at first but they kept shaking their head. “Something’s here, “ they repeated over and over like a poorly trained parrot. The family, skeptical, showed them the drawings. Showed them the mold. Showed them the name upon the mirror and there was no more denial. 

   

    The priest is here. I can see him walking up the long pathway through the garden. He knocks softly but the family is ready.  I am not ready. 

Remembrance:

I AM STILL HERE I AM STILL HERE I AM STILL HERE I AM STILL HERE I AM STILL HERE

I AM STILL HERE I AM STILL HERE I AM STILL HERE I AM STILL HERE I AM STILL HERE

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