First, I need to apologize to you /r/nosleep. I am so sorry.

Im coming to you in my time of

need.
Please help me.
Please read this to the end.
Thats it. Thats all I ask. I dont know what to do or where to turn. Please just help me.
Thats all I ask.
My name is Andrea, and Im a single mother.
I dont tell you this like its some badge of honor and Im expecting cookies, milk, and
chocolate-covered snowflakes like most of the others in my social circle would. They want
your pats on the back and recognition; I just want some of your time.
I see motherhood as a burden. Necessary, yes, but still a burden. My sons name is Jesse.
Hes eleven. Thats fifth grade for the math haters.
Jesse started the fifth grade this year like any other kid would. There was a little bit of
trepidation and lots of excitement. He was a happy-go-lucky sort of kid. Full of life and
energy.
All that changed after he met Stan on Tuesday.
Stan was a late addition to Jesses class; a transfer student from another district. Jesses
teacher sat Stan next to Jesse.
When I picked Jesse up after school on Tuesday, he told me that Stan was his new best
friend. He wasnt acting like himself though. He was pale and sweaty. I took his
temperature, but he wasn't running a fever. I asked about his day and all he would tell me
was that Stan was his new best friend.
Stans my new best friend, Jesse would say.
I know. I cant wait to meet him, Id say back.
Mom, Stan is great. You should meet him. Hes my new best friend. The best in the
world.
We mustve had this same conversation a thousand times that night. When I tucked Jesse
in bed, he looked up at me with tears in his eyes. He put his little hand in front of his face
and wiggled his index finger, telling me to come closer.
I bent over him and he put his hands to either side of his mouth. You know, the little kid
way of telling a secret? Well I turned my head and he whispered something into my ear
that chilled me. At the time, I didnt know why it chilled me, but it did.
He whispered, You believe me. Right, Mom?
I sat back up and looked down at him. Believe you about what, honey?
Stan, he said. Stans my best friend.
I nodded and took his temperature once more.
Again, he wasnt running a fever.
I went to bed, but couldnt really sleep that night.
On Wednesday, when I pulled up to the school to drop Jesse off, he got this really weird
look on his face and told me that he didnt want to go in.
Are you feeling sick? I asked.
No, he said. He was chewing on his bottom lip like crazy. This was something else Id
never seen him do. No. I need to go to school.
He opened the car door and got out.
No goodbye.
No I love you.
Nothing.
He trudged up the front steps of the school with his head down. I let off the brake and
turned away to drive to work.
A little boy was standing right in front of my car. Two more seconds and I wouldve run
him over. The boy was pale, with a mop of blonde hair that was almost white and bright
blue eyes. He knocked on the hood of my car twice, waved once, and walked up the stairs
to school.
When I picked Jesse up after school on Wednesday, he looked a lot better. He was a tiny
bit paler than normal, but he seemed happy. He told me all about his day. He told me
about dinosaurs, and music, and math, and then he told me about recess.
And then after math period, we had recess. Mom, youll never guess what I did today at
recess.
Tell me, I said, smiling to myself as Im driving. Im thinking tag, football, keep away. All
the things I remember the boys doing at recess when I was that age. Something benign,
something normal.
I joined a church!
I frowned at this. A church? At... recess?
Jesse nodded. The church of Stan.
I thought that it must be some sort of new make believe game that the kids were playing.
Whats the church of Stan? I asked.
Its Stans church, Mom. Jesse laughed like I was the silliest person in the world for
asking that question.
What do you guys do though? You know, as members? I asked.
Lots of stuff. Today though, we just listened to Stan talk. He was saying some funny
words and I got sleepy and dozed off. A bunch of us did.
I pulled into the driveway at home and we got out.
Was that it? I asked. Things sounded weird for sure, but the kids didnt seem to be doing
anything wrong.
Stan gave us flyers, too.
Jesse pulled out a crinkled up piece of paper and handed it to me.
It was a piece of manilla paper with three words written in black marker.
Church of Stan.
Again, weird, but nothing wrong. I just thought the boys were playing make believe.
I was wrong.
When I picked Jesse up after school yesterday, I could tell that something was very wrong
with my little boy. He looked panicked and scared.
Whats going on, honey? I asked, reaching out to feel his forehead.
No fever.
We played The Soul Game today, he said. Jesses head was on a swivel. He couldnt sit
still. He kept looking all around as we headed home.
The Soul Game? I asked.
Jesse just nodded and kept trying to look everywhere at once. Beads of sweat dotted his
upper lip.
Whats The Soul Game? I asked.
Jesse shook his head no and said nothing.
Jesse, whats The Soul Game? I asked.
I told him I didnt want to, but he said he wouldnt be my friend anymore if I didnt play.
Who wouldnt be your friend? Where were the teachers?
Jesse started breathing harder, but still answered.
It happened in the church, he said. Then he whispered, Teachers arent allowed in the
church.
The Church of Stan? I asked.
Jesse nodded, and a tear slipped down his cheek.
Whats The Soul Game, Jesse? Im your mother. You tell me right now and Ill take care of
everything, I said.
I cant tell you, Mom. I cant. The rules are bad. Theyre so bad.
What about Stan? I asked. Will Stan tell me the rules?
NO! Jesse screamed this and scared me half to death. DONT ASK HIM THE RULES.
PLEASE DONT, MOM. PLEASE.
I pulled into the driveway, scared and confused.
Promise me, Mom. Promisemepromisemepromisemeplease.
Jesse was bawling now, terrified. I took him into my arms and rocked him. I hadnt rocked
him like that since hed been in Kindergarten. He fell asleep in my arms and I carried him
inside. I took him straight to his room and got him ready for bed.
He just needs sleep, I kept telling myself. All he needs is sleep.
I put him to bed and ate dinner alone. I checked up on him around nine when I went to
bed. He seemed to be sleeping well so I decided to go to sleep.
I woke up to him screaming at the top of his lungs eighteen minutes after midnight last
night. I ran to his room, but he wasnt in his bed. I turned on the light and Jesse came
flying out of the closet like something was chasing him. He latched onto my leg and kept
screaming.
I tried to calm him down and ask what was wrong at the same time.
He wasnt making any sense. He kept screaming about The Soul Game.
He was impossible. I kept asking what that was, but he wouldnt tell me.
I tried to put him back to bed, but he would have none of it.
Finally, I just took him to my room and he slept in my bed. Jesse fell right to sleep. I was
lying on my side watching him, stroking his hair, when his eyes popped open and he stared
right into mine.
Ill tell you the rules after school tomorrow, lady, he said. Then he closed his eyes.
What was going on with my kid?
In the darkness, I stared at the ceiling for a long time before rolling over to my side and
staring into the bathroom.
You know how when youre edge of sleep, sometimes your leg will kick and jerk you
awake? Or youll imagine youre falling or that youve just tripped over something and get
jerked awake?
That happened to me all last night, only I kept being ripped from sleep by seeing
something in the doorway to the bathroom.
Every time my eyes would start to slip shut, Id see the dark outline of something large in
the doorway and jerk awake. Of course nothing would be there, and I would start falling
asleep again. The outline would appear in the doorway once more, but it would be closer
to me, like it had taken a baby step.
Over and over this happened until morning.
This morning on the way to school, Jesse seemed out of it. Lethargic. I felt the same way. I
was even more exhausted. I thought of asking Jesse about what hed said right before he
fell asleep, but couldnt. I was afraid it would send him into hysterics again so I left it
alone.
I drove him to school, and he didnt say a word the whole time. He was acting like a robot;
listless, unemotional.
I got a call, shortly after dropping him off, to come pick him back up. Hed vomited in class.
When I picked him up, he was the same. I asked him several questions, but he only gave
me grunts in response. The plan at home was to get him changed out of his dirty clothes
and then take him to the doctor.
He didnt say anything until we pulled into the driveway.
Can Stan come over today? He asked. He stared out windshield at the garage door.
Youre not feeling well, honey, and do you really want him to come over? I asked. I
wanted to meet this kid, but it didnt sound like Jesse wanted him over. I, however,
wanted to get to the bottom of things.
Yes, Jesse said.
Okay, I said. Do you have his parents number?
He already asked his parents, and they said it was okay.
We have to wait until hes out of class, and Id still like to talk to his parents.
Okay. Jesse got out of the car and we walked into the house.
You have their number? I asked as I shut the door.
No, he said.
I started to ask him how I was supposed to call them if I didnt have their number, but
someone knocked on the door.
I was still standing right next to it.
I opened the door, and standing on my front step was the pale little boy with the blue
eyes and mop of white-blonde hair that Id almost run over on Wednesday. A little girl
stood next to him with the same complexion.
Yes? I asked.
Hi, Driz, the little boy said. Is Jesse home?
The little boy standing on my front porch shouldn't have known that name. It was my
nickname from college. Created on a drunken night amongst my girlfriends, shortened
from Drizzy.
No, I said.
Thats fine, the little girl said. My name is Devin, and you already know my brothers
name.
Stan, I said.
The little girl covered her mouth and giggled.
Stan smiled and shrugged. Its really quite simple. Rule one: dont walk past mirrors in the
dark. Rule two: dont leave any doors open when you go to bed tonight. Ask your son
what rule three is and remember, a creak means youre falling behind, a rustle means
youve almost lost. When the lights go down, hopefully you wont see the dark shadow
standing in the corner of the room. Hopefully you won't hear it breathing as your eyes
shut and you begin to drift off. And if you hear a bang? Well, hopefully you never hear a
bang.
Stan turned and walked away with his sister.
I stared after them both and shook my head. I wouldnt play their stupid game.
I walked into the house and found Jesse sitting at the kitchen table, crying.
Whats wrong? I asked.
I heard a bang, he whispered.
My mouth went dry. When does the game end? I asked.
It doesnt, he whispered. It never ends.
My heart started beating faster. Whats the third rule, Jesse?
His face fell and he sucked in a deep breath. Rule three. Knowing all three rules makes
you a player.
My stomach dropped. What happens if you lose?
When it's dark, you'll hear them coming. They like to let you know when they're getting
close.
Who?
Stan and Devin, Jesse said. They'll reach out through the mirrors or open doorways and
drag you through.
How do you win? I asked.
You win if you tell more people the rules to The Soul Game than the person that told you
does.
Like I said /r/nosleep, I am so sorry.
But thanks for helping. Really.
Im going to enjoy my newfound freedom, and I hope that you enjoy your night.
Give Stan and Devin my best.