THE RULES &PUNISHMENT

POV- MIA CARTER

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Let me explain these to you... I began to record.

The Hanging Game (The Ritual)

The Hanging Game is an urban legend passed down for generations. According to the story, if a group enters Blackwood Manor at midnight and plays a twisted version of hangman, the spirit of Lillian Graves will appear.

The players must write a word linked to death, murder, or the mansion’s past on an old chalkboard in the attic.

Each wrong letter guessed results in a supernatural punishment (scratches, choking sensations, shadows moving).

If the word is completed before the last "stick figure" is drawn, the players are safe.

If the stick figure is completed first, Lillian chooses a victim to be hanged.

No one who has lost the game has ever been found alive. The mansion always has four nooses hanging in the attic—sometimes, they sway on their own.

The Hanging Game – Rules & Ritual Details

The Hanging Game is more than just a paranormal ritual—it’s a deadly game designed by the vengeful spirit of Lillian Graves. The rules are simple, but the consequences are terrifying.

How to Start the Game

Enter Blackwood Manor at Midnight

The game only works if played at exactly 12:00 AM.

The players must enter the attic, where an old chalkboard stands covered in dust. Four nooses always hang from the ceiling.

Write a Word on the Chalkboard

One player (the "Seeker") chooses a word related to death, execution, or the mansion’s dark past.

The word must be written in Lillian’s handwriting, which appears ghostly and jagged. If anyone tries to write in their own style, the chalk shatters.

Draw the Gallows

The "Seeker" draws a noose and a blank row for each letter of the word.

If the group refuses to draw the gallows, it draws itself in blood.

Playing the Game

Players take turns guessing letters.

A correct letter fills in the blank.

A wrong letter adds a body part to the hanging figure—first the head, then torso, arms, and legs.

Supernatural Punishments for Wrong Guesses:

1st Mistake – A whisper calls the player’s name from behind them.

2nd Mistake – A cold hand brushes against their neck.

3rd Mistake – The room darkens, shadows move unnaturally.

4th Mistake – Scratches appear on their arms or back.

5th Mistake – A noose tightens around their throat, but vanishes before they suffocate.

6th Mistake – The missing letters reveal themselves in blood on the board.

Final Mistake – The last body part is drawn, the stick figure becomes Lillian’s face, and one player is chosen.

Losing the Game

If the full hanged figure is drawn, Lillian chooses a victim to take her place.

The chosen player is lifted by an invisible force, their feet dangling as the noose tightens.

The next morning, the town finds three survivors and one empty noose swinging—the chosen victim is never found.

Winning the Game

If the players guess the word before the figure is completed, the game ends.

The candles blow out, the attic door creaks open, and the players are allowed to leave.

But Lillian is always watching, waiting for someone to play again.

The moment the rope went taut between my hands and the beam, a gust of wind rattled the windows—even though they were sealed shut with years of grime and decay. The candle flickered violently. Jason muttered something under his breath, probably just nerves, but even his usual cocky smirk was missing.

I stepped back and took a breath.

Midnight was seconds away.

The clock let out a deep, haunting chime. Once. Twice. I counted to twelve.

The Hanging Game had begun.

According to the legend, you needed four participants. One to tie the rope, one to light the flame, one to ask the questions, and one to document. If the ritual was performed correctly, the spirit of Lillian Graves would appear—first as a whisper, then as a shadow, then fully formed.

And if you asked her the wrong question… you’d never leave the house.

Jason aimed the camera toward the rope. “We’re here at Blackwood Manor, performing the infamous Hanging Game. Legend has it that—”

Creeeeeak.

The staircase.

We all froze. No one was on it.

Claire gasped and grabbed my arm. “Did you hear that?”

“Could be the house settling,” Ethan said, though he didn’t sound convinced. He checked the thermal camera again and stiffened. “Something moved. Cold spot—right there, by the stairs.”

I looked at the monitor. A deep blue blot hovered on the screen.

“Ask the first question,” I said, trying to steady my voice.

Jason turned toward the rope and spoke, loud and clear. “Lillian Graves, are you here with us?”

Silence.

Then the candle flared.

Claire whimpered.

Jason asked again, more firmly. “Lillian Graves, did you die in this house?”

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Three slow, deliberate knocks echoed from the attic above.

No one spoke. We didn’t need to.

She was here.

I swallowed hard and walked closer to the fireplace. The portraits on the wall seemed to warp in the flickering candlelight. Their eyes, once vague and faded, now looked almost alive. Watching. Waiting.

“Ask the third question,” I said, eyes locked on the rope.

Jason hesitated. “Do you want to hurt us?”

Nothing.

Then—

The rope jerked.

It moved.

Claire screamed. Ethan dropped the thermal camera. Jason staggered backward. I stood frozen, my heart pounding.

And then we heard it—soft, guttural, like a breath escaping lungs that hadn’t worked in centuries:

“Yes.”

The lights in the lanterns dimmed.

The door we came through slammed shut.

We weren’t alone anymore.