Creeps, true stories from Reddit (Second book)

Has anyone heard of The Purgatory Game?

I can't keep this a secret any longer.
I don't know if anyone out there will be able to help me, but if I don't share what I've found I think I might lose my mind.
The files I'm about to disclose were sent to me anonymously. They came in the post this morning, on a USB stick. No note. No return address. Just a bunch of logs detailing something called "The Purgatory Game".
I think it's an experiment. Maybe. I haven't finished reading all the files yet, but that's my best guess right now.
I don't think it's an accident that they've found their way to me, either – before I got laid off, I used to work as an investigative journalist. Someone wants me to look into this. Someone wants me to do some digging.
But I don't think I can do it on my own.
Given the nature of the events I'm about to share, I know some people aren't going to believe me. If that's you, then please know this: I don't blame you. But also know that back when I was on the job, people would often talk about instincts. About the importance of trusting them.
I always trusted mine, and it always served me well. And right now my instincts are telling me that something seriously, seriously wrong has taken place. Something that someone needs to get to the bottom of.
The files I've posted below are the ones from the USB that I've had a chance to read so far. They include:
- A document titled RULES OF THE PURGATORY GAME, which I believe each "participant" found in their rooms when they woke up
- A list of the six PARTICIPANTS
- A brief description of the BUNKER where they're being kept
- A DAY ONE log, outlining events from the first day of the "game"
I'll keep digging through the files, and post more soon. In the meantime, if anyone's heard of The Purgatory Game, or has any relevant information at all, please send it my way.
..............................
RULES OF THE PURGATORY GAME
God created the world in six days. Now you have six days to find a way back to it.
1. You are currently in purgatory.
2. The only way to escape purgatory is through the red door.
3. You are trapped in purgatory with five other people.
4. The door will only lead back to earth for the LAST person who opens it.
5. DON'T open the door unless you are the last one to do so.
6. Anyone who remains in purgatory at the end of the sixth day will descend into hell.
Please note that while all participants have received a copy of the rules, only YOU have been told about rules #4 and #5. It is your choice whether or not to disclose these to the other participants. Good luck.
..............................
PARTICIPANTS
Mary – female, 31. Doctor.
Ron – male, 78. Retired taxi driver.
Megan – female, 18. Student.
Simon – male, 42. Police officer.
Laura – female, 36. Freelance writer.
Luke – male, 21. Physics student.
..............................
BUNKER
The bunker is comprised of a circular, domed room with a high ceiling (referred to as "the chamber"). Six bedrooms lead off from the chamber, positioned at equal points around its perimeter. Each bedroom consists of a bed, a small bedside cabinet, a toilet, and a sink. Rooms have a single overhead light built into the ceiling, which is controlled remotely.
The chamber has a single light source at the apex of its ceiling. The room is empty save for a free-standing stone archway directly at its centre.
The archway contains a red door.
Every room in the bunker has been fitted with microphones and hidden cameras.
..............................
DAY ONE
[Note: All logs consist of a description of participants' main behaviours and actions. Key conversations have also been transcribed.]
9am – Lights go on in every room. Participants all remain unconscious, but some have begun to stir.
9:30am – Megan is the first person to wake fully. She is sitting up in bed, displaying signs of confusion and anxiety. After several minutes she pushes back her duvet and gets up. Megan discovers a piece of paper on her bedside cabinet titled RULES OF THE PURGATORY GAME, but only glances at it. She appears close to panic now. After looking briefly around the bedroom she opens the door and enters the chamber.
10am – The rest of the participants are either awake, or appear close to waking. Simon, Mary, and Ron are all reading their copy of the RULES. Megan is exploring the chamber. She is studying the red door in the stone archway from a distance, walking round and round it while muttering under her breath.
10:30am – All participants are now awake. All are displaying signs of confusion, anxiety and distress, to varying degrees. Luke was the last to wake, but is the second participant to leave his bedroom. What follows is the first conversation to take place between participants.
MEGAN: Who are you? Is this your house?
LUKE: Where the fuck am I? What's going on?
MEGAN: Hey, I asked you if this is your house?
LUKE: What, no! Of course it's not my fucking house! Where am I? Is this a prank or something? Like, am I being pranked?
MEGAN: If this isn't your house, then whose is it? Why are we here?
LUKE: Look, just stop it now. Okay? I get you're probably in on whatever the fuck this is, or maybe someone's paying you, but it isn't funny. Okay? It isn't funny. I just want out. Please. I don't care if I lose the game, or whatever, but I don't want to be a part of it.
MEGAN: A part of what game? What the hell are you talking about?
The rest of the participants are now leaving their rooms. They enter the chamber in the following order: Laura (who is on the verge of tears), then Mary, then Simon, and finally Ron. The next 15 minutes is chaos. A mixture of shouting, crying, and confusion. Laura is badly upset, and keeps saying that she wants to see her kids. Ron is angry. Mary and Simon are best at concealing their emotions, although it's clear from their facial expressions and postures that they're also feeling the effects of this new confinement. The latter is the first to try and break the mayhem.
SIMON: Okay, okay. Enough! Come on, everyone just stop for a moment. Enough! Look, I don't know what the hell's going on here either, but we're not going to find out if we keep shouting and screaming at each other. Okay? So let's just start with the basics.
MEGAN: Yeah, where the fuck are we?
SIMON: No, I mean the absolute basics. What's everyone's name, first?
There's some more complaining and shouting, but eventually Mary steps forward and introduces herself. The others follow.
SIMON: Okay, good. That's good. Right, there's obviously a lot of shit we don't know, so let's start with what we do. We're in some sort of fucked up game here, right? Like some kind of challenge?
LUKE: Do you reckon it's like that old TV show, The Crystal Maze? Or maybe some Derren Brown prank? Do you think we're on TV now?
RON: Who the bloody hell is Derren Brown?
MARY: No, I don't think we're on TV. We didn't sign anything, right? Did anyone sign anything?
There's a pause, while they all look round at each other. Megan, Ron, Luke and Simon all shake their heads. Laura is now sitting with her back propped against the chamber's wall, crying silently into her hands.
MARY: Laura? Did you sign anything?
LAURA: I want to see my kids.
SIMON: Did anyone approach you about being on a show? Do you know why we're here?
MARY: Leave her, she doesn't know anything.
SIMON: Okay, fine. Right, so we know we're stuck in some kind of game together. We know it has a set of rules. We know that–
MEGAN: Wait, what? What set of rules? What are you talking about?
MARY: Didn't you see the rules when you woke up? On your bedside table?
MEGAN: No, I...
Megan turns and leaves the chamber, going back into the room she came out of. She returns moments later holding her copy of the RULES, which she's reading under her breath. After a while she stops and stares round at the others, then looks at the red door.
MEGAN: Is this a fucking joke? We're supposed to leave through that thing?
LUKE: This is so fucking dumb.
MARY: Look, it doesn't mean literally. The door doesn't go anywhere. That's obvious. But maybe instead of just seeing stone when you open it, perhaps you see... I don't know, the next clue, or something? Maybe this is like an escape room?
LUKE: Megan, how many rules are on your piece of paper?
MEGAN: What?
LUKE: The rules on your paper? How many are there?
Megan turns back to her paper and continues reading. She's frowning as her eyes move. With the exception of Laura, the others all watch her closely.
MEGAN: It's just a bunch of shit about us being trapped in purgatory, and how the red door is our way out. And then, um... and then it says we'll all... we'll all end up in hell if we're not out in six days.
RON: Six days. I forgot about that bit. I've got a bloody golf tournament on Saturday. I don't know about you lot, but I didn't sign up for some stupid bloody game. YOU HEAR ME, UP THERE? [Ron cups his hands and yells at the ceiling of the chamber.] I DIDN'T SIGN UP!
Ron's words echo around the dome and fade away. Laura is back on her feet now. She's stopped crying, but her eyes are still bloodshot. When she next speaks, she's directing her words at Mary.
LAURA: I can't do this, okay? I can't do this. I've got two little kids who will be wondering where their mummy is. I've got a deadline on Friday. I need this to be over, alright? I need this to be over right now.
MARY: Look, I understand, okay? I don't want to be here, either. None of us–
LAURA: LET ME THE FUCK OUT, RIGHT NOW! YOU HEAR ME?! GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!
Everything descends into chaos once more. Mary and Simon attempt to calm Laura, who thrashes and struggles when they try and take hold of her. Ron is shouting up at the ceiling. Luke asks Megan if he can see her copy of the RULES, but she refuses, asking him why he wants to. They begin arguing with each other at the side of the chamber.
It takes about 10 minutes for Mary and Simon to regain control. The former takes Laura back to her bedroom, while Simon gathers the others in the chamber to plan out their next steps.
1pm – The group decides to split up and search the entire area for an exit. Simon suggests they start with their individual rooms, and the others agree. Mary and Laura remain in Laura's room.
1:30pm – Simon, Megan, Ron and Luke go to their bedrooms to begin searching.
3pm – Mary and Laura are still in Laura's bedroom. Mary has asked Laura about her kids, and her freelance work. Laura's anxiety levels appear to have reduced slightly. Laura suggests opening the red door to see if that will end the game. After a short pause, Mary tells her that one of the rules on her piece of paper said not to. The rule said not to open the door unless you're the last one to do so. Laura says she has the exact same rule, and shows Mary her piece of paper. Mary frowns as she reads it.
LAURA: So what's the point in that? Giving us all the same information, then lying about it? Something to catch us out? Turn us against each other?
MARY: I suppose. Part of the game, maybe.
LAURA: That's what you think this all is, yeah? A game? And what – the last person to leave gets money, or something? Some prize?
MARY: I don't know.
LAURA: Okay, so if it is a game, why not just open the door now? I'm not interested in prize money, or whatever the hell they're offering. I just want to see my family.
MARY: I... I don't know. There's nothing stopping us from trying it, I suppose. It's just...
LAURA: Just what?
MARY: It's just I've got a bad feeling about it. Look, I know how that sounds, but it's true. I feel like if we open that door, something bad will happen.
LAURA: Like what?
MARY: I have no idea. I guess it's just that whoever put us in here did it without our permission, right? They didn't ask us. And I keep thinking that if they did that, what else might they do? You know?
Laura doesn't say anything for a while. She smooths the hair back from her face and stares at the door of the bedroom.
LAURA: All I know is I want to get out of here as soon as possible. I want to see my kids again.
Laura looks at the door for a moment longer, then wipes her eyes. She lies back on the bed. A minute passes before she speaks again.
LAURA: If it's just a game, why all the religious stuff?
MARY: What?
LAURA: The stuff in the rules about God, and purgatory, and ending up in hell.
Mary frowns, not saying anything. Another 30 seconds of silence passes.
LAURA: What network would commission a show like that?
3:30pm – Megan enters Luke's room to find him sitting on his bed, re-reading his copy of the RULES. When she enters he quickly puts the paper face-down on his bedside cabinet. Megan asks Luke if he's found anything, and he says he hasn't. He complains of being hungry, and says he can't remember the last time he ate.
4pm – Simon, having thoroughly searched his own room, returns to the main chamber. He overhears Mary and Laura talking inside the latter's room and pauses outside the door. After a minute of listening he walks over to Mary's room and enters. He finds her copy or the RULES on her bedside cabinet and reads it, frowning.
4:30pm – The others return to the chamber one-by-one. Ron is first. He goes up close to the stone archway, staring at it, but makes sure to keep some distance. He walks around and around the archway, a frown on his face. When Simon returns to the chamber, Ron calls him over.
RON: You hear that?
SIMON: What?
RON: That sound. Hang on, I think it might have stopped now.
SIMON: What was it?
RON: I'm not sure. Some low noise, coming from that door. At least I think it was.
SIMON: Like a buzzing? Something electrical?
RON: No, not electrical. More like... a whisper. Like lots of voices, whispering together. Bloody weird.
SIMON: I can't hear anything.
RON: Neither can I, now. But there was something there...
5pm – Simon, Ron, Megan, and Luke gather in the chamber, sitting in a circle a short distance from the archway. They discuss their findings, and Simon lists an inventory out loud of all the items in the bunker: beds, bedside cabinets, toilets, sinks, running water, etc.
6pm – Mary returns to the chamber, telling the others that Laura has fallen asleep. The five of them sit around together and have a long conversation, which starts with Simon updating Mary on everything they've found (and haven't found) during their search. He confirms that save for the clothes they're all wearing, all of their other personal possessions – including phones, wallets, and watches – appear to have been taken. There's no sign of any hidden doors or panels in the bedrooms, either.
7pm – Simon has the idea to map out the bunker. He breaks a small chunk of loose stone from the central archway, and uses it to scratch a very rough sketch on the floor of the chamber. The others gather round and help him annotate it.
8pm – Luke complains of hunger. The group discuss food, and agree that whoever is running the game has to let them eat at some point. Megan wonders where the food will come from, given that they haven't found any doors leading out. Luke speculates that it could be dropped in through the top of the ceiling. He points up at the light source at the apex of the domed roof.
8:30pm – Luke suggests opening the red door. He argues that it might at least hold a clue as to how they get out. But when Simon suggests he go ahead, he's reluctant. He mutters something about how the door might be booby-trapped. Ron snorts in response, but Mary backs Luke up. She repeats what she previously said to Laura, about not knowing what the people who put them here might be capable of. Ron and Simon look uncertain, but neither argues back.
9pm – Cameras switch to night vision mode as the lights go out. The chamber is plunged into total, sudden darkness. Everything descends into chaos, with everyone talking over each other at once. Megan starts crying. Ron is swearing and shouting. Luke is yelling too, close to panic. Once again, it's Simon who eventually regains control. He tells the others that the lights must be on some kind of automatic timer. That maybe they're synced to daylight hours. If it's night in here, maybe it's night outside, too.
9:30pm – Anxiety levels appear to have reduced slightly. Participants sit in a tight circle, hardly talking. It's Mary who eventually suggests they get some sleep. She says there may be a new instruction in the morning, and if there isn't they can think about opening the red door then, to see what happens. There's some protesting, but everyone finally agrees. The group realises there's nothing else they can do in the dark.
10pm – Everyone is in bed. After feeling their way around the walls of the chamber, each participant has settled in an empty room. Mary is the only exception; she lies next to Laura, who is still fast asleep.
11:15pm – Laura wakes up. She lies in the dark for 20 minutes, crying silently. Every other participant remains asleep.
11:40pm – Laura leaves her bed, being careful not to wake Mary. Tracing her hands across the walls of the bedroom, she finds the door and enters the chamber. Laura walks quickly to the centre of the room, only stopping when she's touching the stone archway. She feels her way around the archway until her hands are on the red door. She pauses for a moment with her head cocked, as though she's listening to something. Then she twists the doorknob and pulls. Nothing happens. But when Laura rattles the door, it suddenly swings inwards. Thick darkness is visible on the other side.
11:50pm: Laura walks through the red door. She disappears into the darkness, leaving the chamber. She is no longer visible on any camera.
11:55pm: Laura starts screaming. The sound is distant, as if it's coming from the far end of a tunnel.
11:56pm: The red door slams shut, leaving the chamber in silence.
[DAY ONE log ends]

Posted by u/samhaysom