The Dream Man

One morning, at breakfast, my husband looked very tired. His face was pale and sweaty. When he reached out to pick up his cup of coffee, I noticed that his hand was shaking.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Did you get enough sleep last night?”

“I don’t know,” he replied, “I’m not sure if I was sleeping or if I was awake. Have you ever had a dream that felt so real that you weren’t sure if it was actually a dream?” 

He paused for a long time before continuing. 

“Last night, I had one of those dreams,” he said. “In the dream, I woke up in a cold sweat. My heart was racing and I was breathing heavily. I went to the bathroom to get a drink of water, but something didn’t feel right. I looked up and saw that the ceiling wasn’t there anymore. Instead, it was as if I was looking up out of a grave. I could see the edges of the grave above me. There were people gathered around the graveside, but I didn’t recognize any of them except for one man. He looked exactly like me. Same eyes, same nose, same face, same everything. He bent over the grave and peered down at me. A broad smile spread across his face and he said, “You’ve lived long enough. Time to let someone else live for a while.” I went back to the bedroom and lay down in bed. I can’t remember if I lay awake or fell asleep.”

The next morning, when my husband came down for breakfast, he looked even worse. His hair was disshevelled and his brow was dripping with sweat.

“I had the same dream again,” he said, his voice shaking.

He wouldn’t say anything more, but as he left for work and kissed me goodbye, I could see the fear in his eyes.

I started getting worried. My husband has always been a calm and relaxed individual. Now, it seemed as if he was turning into a nervous wreck. 

Every night, for the rest of the week, he had the same dream. Each morning, before he left for work, he would tell me about the dream. His face grew grey, his eyes became haunted and he began looking gaunt and sickly. I decided that it was time to have him see a psychologist.

However, on a Saturday morning, he woke up much later than usual and when he came down for breakfast, he looked as if the extra sleep had done him some good. He appeared to be healthy and vigorous again. 

“Did you have that dream again last night?” I asked.

He looked up at me. A broad smile spread across his face and he said, “What dream? I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

Older Sister

I really miss my sister. I’m 8 years old and my sister is 12. Ever since I can remember, our family has always been poor. My sister and I had to wear the same clothes every day and the kids at school used to make fun of us.

Last year, my sister ran away from home. Even though we shared a bedroom, she never warned me she was going to leave. If I’d known, I probably would have begged her to take me with her.

My parents said they are still searching for her, but I don’t think they’re putting in a lot of effort. 

Not long after that, my parents won the lottery. My mom said she found the winning ticket in a dumpster. When I saw all the money in the briefcase, I thought our problems were over.

I was wrong.

My parents immediately went on a spending spree. My dad bought himself a new car and a big TV. My mom bought herself some nice new dresses and lots of jewelry. They didn’t buy me anything.

“What happens when all the money runs out?” I asked them.

“Don’t worry,” my mom replied, “We still have you.”

I guess that means they love me, don’t they?

Baby Sister

From the diary of a young boy:

Day 1:

My mom is in the hospital because she is having a baby.

I wanted to cook something nice for her to eat.

My friend told me that cooking is for girls.

Day 2:

Today I made a soup of meat and vegetables for my mom.

It was hard work but I did it with love.

I went to the hospital and gave it to my mom.

Mommy was very happy and told me I was a good boy.

I asked if the baby could eat the soup as well.

Mom said, “Yes, when she grows up.”

I want my baby sister eat my soup.

Day 3:

My mom left the hospital with my baby sister.

Her name is Kaori and she is very pretty.

I wanted to play with Kaori but my mom wouldn’t let me.

She told me to go to my room.

I felt very sad.

Day 4:

Today my Dad arrived home from work early.

I wanted to play with him, but he was playing with Kaori.

He told me to go to my room to play.

I felt very sad.

Day 5:

Today, my grandparents came to visit.

I was very happy because my grandparents always play with me.

I asked my grandmother to read me a story, but she told me to go to my room.

My grandma and my grandpa and my mom and dad were cuddling Kaori.

They spent all their time with my baby sister.

My mom said, “Kaori is so beautiful, I just want to eat her up.”

And my daddy said, “You’re right. Me too.”

Day 6:

Today I made soup of meat and vegetables for my parents.

I cut the vegetables very well, but the meat was very hard to chop up into pieces.

After dinner, my parents went around the house calling out, “Kaori! Kaori! ”

My parents were looking everywhere for my baby sister.

Have you seen Kaori? She is so beautiful that everyone just wants to eat her up.

The Fortune Game

The Fortune Game is an ancient Japanese fortune-telling ritual. Years ago, in Japan, it was extremely popular and was called “Tsuji-ura” or Crossroads Fortune-Telling. In Europe, it was called Crossroads Divination.

To play the fortune game, you need a comb and something to cover your face. It can be played alone or with friends.

CAUTION: It was strongly advised not to play this game. Years ago, some Japanese people would commit suicide after playing Tsuji-ura because they did not like the prediction of the future that they were given.

Step 1: You take comb and go to a crossroads in the evening, after dark. 

Step 2: Sound the comb three times by drawing your finger along the teeth of the comb. Chant the following three times: “Tsuji-ura, Tsuji-ura, grant me a true response.”

Step 3: You wait for a stranger to pass by. It must be a stranger, it cannot be someone that you know. When you see the stranger approaching, cover your face with something. A book, a newspaper or a bag will do. If there are other people with you, they must cover their faces too.

Step 4: Ask the stranger to tell you your fortune. If the stranger doesn’t answer or refuses to tell you, then you have to wait for another stranger to pass by.

In Europe, they believed that the ghosts of the dead walked along roads at night. They also believed that the devil could be found at the crossroads at night disguised in human form. So when they played Crossroads Divination, they were asking for their fortune to be told by a ghost or the devil.

You never know… that stranger who is telling your fortune could be a ghostly wanderer or even satan himself.

Interesting fact: The game of Tsuji-ura became so popular that the Japanese produced little crackers with fortunes inside, written on paper. These cakes were called “Tsuji-ura Senbai”, which means “Crossroads Fortune-Telling Crackers”. Years later, in America, after the war, Chinese restaurants adopted these Japanese crackers and named them Fortune Cookies. So when you eat a fortune cookie in a Chinese restaurant, it comes directly from this old Japanese fortune-telling ritual.

Note: Another reason it wasn’t recommended to play this game is that standing at a crossroads, in the dark, talking to strangers is an excellent way to get mugged or kidnapped or both.

The Red Robe

A Japanese girl traveled to Taiwan on holiday. She decided to stay in a cheap hotel to save money. When she got to her room and began to unpack, she realized that the hotel receptionist had given her room 66 on the 6th floor. A chill went down her spine. Technically, that was 666.

While unpacking her things, she heard someone knocking the door to her room. She opened the door but there was nobody there. She poked her head out and looked around, but she did not see anyone in the corridor. The girl figured it was just her imagination, so she shut the door and resumed unpacking. 

Suddenly, there was another knock on the door. This time, when she opened the door, there was a woman standing outside wearing a red bathrobe. The strange woman was crying and shaking. She told the girl that she had accidentally locked herself out of her room. The strange woman also said that she was having problems with her husband and she was really depressed and suicidal.

The girl felt sorry for the strange woman, so she offered to go down to the lobby and get a replacement key for her from the hotel receptionist. However, when the girl took the elevator down to the lobby, it was empty. She did not find anyone at reception. 

She rang the bell on the desk and waited. After a few minutes, the receptionist appeared and the girl asked her for a replacement key for the room of the woman in the red robe.

Receptionist: “The woman in the red robe?… What woman in a red robe?”

Girl: “Oh, this strange woman, she came to my room because she got locked out of her own room.”

Receptionist: “What are you talking about? We have only one guest staying on the 6th floor today and that is you.”

Girl: “That can’t be true! Can you check again?”

Receptionist: “Oh, I know… You may not believe this, but it’s true. There was a horrible tragedy. A few years ago, a woman was staying here. She was in room 66 on the 6th floor. The very room that you are staying in today. She and her husband split up and she wanted to commit suicide. But, in her madness, she decided that she wanted everyone in the hotel to die with her. So she put on a white robe and, carrying a shotgun, she went from floor to floor shooting people. There was so much blood everywhere. It was horrible. She was insane and there was so much blood that her white robe was stained red. Ever since that day, guests who stay on the 6th floor say they see her from time to time.” 

The girl was speechless.

The receptionist smiled as she walked out from behind the desk and pointed to a red stain on her own stomach.

Receptionist: “Look… see! This is where she shot me!”

The Children Upstairs

A man was injured in a car accident and had to stay at home for a few weeks until he recovered. His wife was working and can’t take care of him. It was too painful for him to go outside, so he had to spend most of his time in the apartment. For the first couple of days, it was easy. He had a lot of things to do. But after a few days had passed, he became very bored.

One day, he was watching TV when he happened to hear footsteps and children’s voices coming from the apartment above him. He wondered why the children were home, because the schools were not on holidays yet. The next day, he heard the same footsteps and children’s voices. It sounded like there were two children playing.

The next day, the man grew even more bored and doesn’t feel like cooking lunch for himself. Instead, he ordered a pizza delivery. As it turned out, he ordered too much and when he finished eating, there was still one whole pizza lying untouched on the kitchen table. He remembered that there were some children living in the apartment above him, so he decided that they may like a free pizza. upstairs and, willing to do something kind, he decided to take the pizza to them.

The man had never met the family who lived in the upstairs apartment, but he rang the doorbell anyway. There was no answer, even though he heard someone moving about inside. He rang the bell again and noticed that someone was peering at him through the peephole.

“Who is it?” called a faint woman’s voice from behind the door.

The man explained that he lived in the apartment below and had some leftover pizza left from lunch and wondered if the family wanted it. The door opened slightly and the man could see part of the woman’s face through the gap. He noticed that it looked unusually dark inside the apartment.

“Thanks, but we don’t want any,” said the woman coldly.

“Maybe your children would like it,” replied the man.

As soon as he said this, two children’s faces lined up below the woman’s face. The door was open still just a crack. The children stared at him. The three faces were forming a line.

“Okay, give it to me then,” said the woman. A hand reached out through the gap and snatched the pizza box.

The man just stood there. The three faces were still staring at him. Then the door slammed shut and he walked away. Something was bothering him. He felt a chill run down his spine.

The image of the three faces was burned into his mind.

He walked faster and reached the elevator.

The faces were forming a line, he thought to himself.

He pressed the button and waited for the elevator to arrive.

Forming a line, vertically. One on top of the other.

He pressed the button again and again, but the lift still did not come.

Something was seriously wrong. The faces…

He began quickly walking down the stairs.

Faces lined up, on top of each other….that’s impossible.

He frantically ran down the stairs.

No bodies.

Finally, he reached his apartment door.

Just hands holding up the heads.

Safely inside his apartment, the man picked up the phone and called the police. He tried to explain what he had seen. When the police arrived, the searched the apartment upstairs and found the bodies of the woman and her two children lying in the bathtub.

Their heads were missing.

They had been decapitated with a saw.

According to the autopsy, they had been dead for three days.

The police found the woman’s husband hiding in a wardrobe. His hands were covered in blood and he had gone completely insane. He kept trying to convince the police officers that his wife and kids were still alive.

They found an uneaten pizza sitting on the kitchen table.