The Damka

As part of Stories and other things I am ashamed of.
                        5/28/2010

     This is a story of what I would like to think of as the Russian version of “Bloody Mary.” So it’s a game kids and young teens will play. Not all of them, only the bravest ones. I haven’t tried it and I do not think I will. But for those who have tried it the story is either that they will never do it again, or they were never heard from again since they had tried it the first time.

     Basically there is this ghost called the Damka. “Damka” is a direct translation of the English word: Queen. The Damka was a figure whose history I don't quite know, but I know there was a lot of bloodshed in her past. I've tried to research her, but have come up with absolutely nothing. It was first told to me in oral form, and I assume that is how the legend of the Damka spreads.

     But the game, let’s get back to the game. The young boy(s) or girl(s)—(s) because one person was often too scared to do it on their own—they would have a mirror and a tube of red lipstick. The task was to use the lipstick to draw a red staircase on the mirror. You did this while chanting of course, or how else would you hope to summon the Damka? Well they would draw the staircase and chant for the Damka to come, and she would, right down the staircase. In the reflection they would see her coming down the stairs. Her face was ugly, decayed, pure evil, and in her eyes was hell itself.

    In her fine clothing she would descend those stairs and anyone who turned around saw nobody, just air. But as soon as they turned back to the mirror, she would be even closer. So the game was to see if you could stop her from coming before she got to you, because if she did it would be a terrible, painful death for the person who summoned her and for all others involved. The only ways to stop her from coming is:

A) Erase the red staircase. If there is no staircase there is no staircase she can use to descend to get to you.

B) Break the mirror! But 100% of the mirror must be broken. If even one little piece still contains her reflection, the reflection of her descending the staircase, she would most definitely get to you.

C) You could always run. But that’s where the fun really begins. If you didn’t erase the staircase, or break the mirror and ran, it means she still exists and is still behind you, but she in her fine clothing won’t bother to chase you. Of course not. She has two gnomes for that. These gnomes are pure evil and each wields an axe apiece. Like they would even need it. They are quick and no matter how fast you are, they are faster.

One touch by one of them and *poof* you’re gone. No blood. No body. Nothing. Vanished completely from existence with the last thing you hearing is the Damka's laughter. This is the story. And a practice that some foolish kids still mess with today.

Personally, I would have shipped my pants--

--to like, India--

--to get the poop stains removed.