"The Bath Ritual"

Daruma-san

I should not have done this, I am writing this in my blog to warn any thrill-seekers who are looking for danger and a rush of exhilaration. This game is known by its Japanese name as Daruma-San. It involves a process when done correctly that will summon a Kanawoski, (a Japanese demon).

 It was late at night, I was browsing Reddit, as usual, around twelve, looking at the clock its face read 12:05. When I came across a forum dedicated to rituals, and spirts. This, of course, piqued my interest and I began to delve deeper.

 The games rules were simple, I knew it wouldn't work but it was something to do. Similar to how children in their youth played Bloody-Mary, it wasn't the results they wanted it was the rush of doing it, the anticipation. Number one, the first rule was to remove all your clothes. I did so and put them on the floor next to my bed.

 Number two, go into the bathroom and turn off the lights. I did it while standing in the bathroom I looked out the window onto the freshly fallen snow in my backyard. Number three, sit in the middle of the bathtub facing the faucet or tap. I bent down and went into the bathtub, my feet touching the end of the tub.

 Rituals are uncomfortable. As I sat down there in the middle of the bath I began to feel a rush of excitement, this was what I was looking for.  Number four, wash your hair while repeating the phrase, "Daruma-san fell down. Daruma-san fell down."

 Do not stop repeating the phrase until you have finished washing your hair. As I finished washing, my excitement welled up even more. Suddenly as my eyes were closed and my soap fell off my hair, a vivid image of a Japanese woman standing in a bath, my bath, came into my head. She slipped and fell on what looked like the tap of the bathtub but was very rusty. She fell face first and gouged her eye out.

 Step five, if you hear any noise behind you or feel movement do not open your eyes or turn around. Ask aloud, "Why did you fall in the bathtub?" I felt suddenly the rush of excitement leave me replaced by the extreme feeling of apprehension and nausea. I felt more movement behind me while I sat in the shallow water.

 I stood up and carefully stepped out of the tub, almost tripping while doing so. I walked out and shut the door, I finally opened my eyes. My heart was racing so quickly it might as well have jumped out of my chest. I raced off to my bed without turning on any lights, closed my laptop, and drifted off to sleep. When I awake the game will begin. I go to work at Ferrell & Co.

 It's a paper company. When I got out of the car I spotted a dark figure in the corner of my eye. I had almost forgotten my ritual. My heart raced as it did the night before, it had actually worked? I had even almost played it off as a dream. I did not look directly at her, her hair was tangled and she wore a tattered white robe.

 She had only one bloodshot eye, the other was missing. After a meeting by the company board, I was left alone in the room to gather the contents of our assembly and clean up. I wasn't paying attention, I hadn't noticed her until I looked up.

 She was at the other end of the long table. Only a few meters separated us. The room suddenly felt colder. I'm trying to recall what the words were if she got too close. Finally, I remembered them, "Tomare!", (Stop)! She stood there for a moment, dazed it seemed. I ran quickly past her. I think the idea is to put some distance between us.

 Finally, after the day ended and I drove into the garage and I got out and saw her figure standing in the snow. I wouldn't have noticed it but she left large striding tracks in the snow. Time to put an end to this. My body faced away from her and I looked at her directly over my right shoulder. I shouted, "Kitta", (I cut you loose). I swing my arm down in a karate-chopping motion.

 I looked over my shoulder once again and saw that she wasn't there. It suddenly felt a lot less cold. I knew I had won. I hope my story terminates any ideas of doing this ritual and summoning Daruma-san. I feel her sometimes in my dreams, I hope I did the ritual correctly.