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The Urban Coroner
Photography By Sugarbomb
THE ELEVATOR GAME
A ritual-like "game" designed to bring players to another world and – hopefully – back again.
Elevators at the Parkway Regional Medical Center in Miami Gardens | Photo © 2014 Sugarbomb
What is it about elevators that make so many people uneasy? Is it the claustrophobic sense of being shut into a metal box? Maybe surrendering control of their movement, however briefly, to machinery that one can only hope is working properly is what makes people weary of elevators. Perhaps the potential of a malfunction that could lead to being trapped inside? Is it the result of a generation that watched that scene in Final Destination 2 where the character Nora Carpenter gets her head caught in the elevator as it starts to rise and is decapitated? Personally, I watched Final Destination 2 way too young and because of that scene my best friend and I would avoid getting into an elevator at all costs throughout middle school – I still prefer taking the stairs, though that's because it's just become habit at this point.
While this fear of elevators can stem from a combination of psychological factors, concerns about safety and control, and personal experiences, it's undeniable that elevators make many people apprehensive. All things considered, there didn't need to be another reason to be anxious about elevators, but that's what you're getting today.
Memphis Marine Hospital elevator | Photo © 2018 Sugarbomb
The Elevator Game is a game/ritual that is widely believed to have originated in Japan and South Korea in which the player or players perform a specific series of actions. If done correctly, these steps are supposed to bring the player to another world. The urban legend and paranormal game gained traction on the internet in the late 2000s-early 2010s, primarily circulated through social media and online forums.
The Elevator Game is said to require strict adherence to the rules and any deviation may lead to undesirable consequences. Players who successfully complete the game are said to experience strange phenomena, encounter supernatural beings, or find themselves in a surreal alternate reality. However, players are also cautioned about potential dangers that may come along with playing the game and are advised to proceed with caution.
The Elevator Game gained popularity following the mysterious death of Elisa Lam at the Cecil Hotel in 2013. Surveillance tapes show Lam behaving strangely in the elevator right before her disappearance, which would later culminate in her body being found inside of one of the hotel's rooftop water tanks. These tapes are the last images of Elisa Lam before she went missing, and her odd behavior led some to speculate that her actions in the elevator tapes was her attempting to play the Elevator Game.
In order to begin the "game," you will need at least one person – yourself obviously – though it can be played with multiple people as long as everyone playing follows the specified directions. It needs to be played in a public building with at least 10 floors. The final requirement, which should be obvious, is an elevator. The Cecil Hotel had 15 floors, enough for this to be done, and obviously had an elevator.
The player or players start the game by entering the elevator and pressing the button for the 4th floor. If someone enters the elevator or one of the players leaves the elevator, start over from the beginning.
Elevators at the South Florida State Hospital | Photo © 2013 Sugarbomb
Next, the players should go to the 2nd floor. As with the previous step, if someone enters or leaves the elevator, do not proceed and instead start again from the beginning. Since most of these early steps require no one else to enter or leave the elevator once the players have begun the game, it's recommended to attempt this late at night when less people will be using the elevator.
At this point you'll be travelling to a series of specific floors in a specific order, not leaving the elevator, just going to the floors in the designated order. The players should press the button to go to the 6th floor, and then go back to the 2nd floor. Next, you'll want to go to the 10th floor, and after that you'll press the button to go to the 5th floor. This is the point where the game really begins, and you’ll be doing more than just going from floor to floor.
If a woman enters the elevator on the 5th floor, it is emphasized that the players do not look at her or attempt to speak to her. It’s said that this woman now in the elevator with you is not human and if you attempt to communicate with her or look at her, she will decide to keep you for her own. While this may sound far-fetched, do you really want to take that chance?
Now the players should press the button to go to the 1st floor. If someone enters or leaves the elevator at this point, players should start again from the beginning. After selecting the 1st floor, the elevator will either ascend or descend. If it does the latter and goes to the 1st floor, all players should leave the elevator on that floor and not look back.
If the elevator instead ascends to the 10th floor, players should also exit the elevator once it reaches that floor. Players are warned not to respond to the woman if she asks, "Where are you going?" or "What's wrong?" Her voice will be high-pitched.
Only people that get out on the 10th floor go to the "other world." If you are alone, you will know that you are in the other world; the players will be the only beings here. Electronics will not work here.
The beautiful detail of the call button for the elevator at the Kenilworth Lodge in Sebring, FL | Photo © 2021 Sugarbomb
The other world is nearly identical to our own world. The only difference between the other world and our own is that all of the lights will be off and the only thing that will be visible from the building's windows will be a red cross in the distance.
We encountered this glowing red cross while driving through Georgia at 3am. Did we accidentally find the other world from the elevator game? | Photo © 2019 Sugarbomb
Getting back from the other world to our own may be more difficult than it seems so players should be vigilant and keep their wits about them. You may become disoriented and forget which elevator you took in order to reach that floor, or the elevator may seem to get further and further away from you as you attempt to walk toward it.
If at any point while playing the game you faint, pass out, or otherwise lose consciousness, you will likely wake up in your own home. However, be sure to carefully examine your surroundings upon waking up – the “home” to which you have been returned to may not be the one you left when you first set out to attempt this process.
In order to return to our world, players must return to the same elevator and press the same buttons in the same order – 4, 2, 6, 2, 10, 5. Once players reach the 5th floor, they should press the button for the 1st floor. The elevator will again begin to ascend to the 10th floor. Press the button for any other floor to stop the elevator from continuing to the 10th floor – you must stop the elevator's movement before you reach the 10th floor. This is the other world attempting to pull you back.
After you reach the first floor, check your surroundings very carefully. If anything at all seems to be not quite right, even the smallest detail, do not exit the elevator. If something about your surroundings doesn't seem right, repeat the previous step until your surroundings look as they should. Once you are confident that you have returned to your own world, you may safely exit the elevator.
If you choose not to get out of the elevator on the 10th floor, or if the woman does not get in on the 5th, you should head straight back down to the 1st floor.
Players are cautioned not to attempt this ritual too many times because it can make you susceptible to accidentally "slipping" through the worlds. If you lose consciousness in the other world and find yourself back in your own world – be careful. You can be pulled there and back at any given moment. This also happens to people said to have "susceptible souls" – or 기 in Korean.
The Elevator Game is for the most part regarded as a work or fiction and urban legend rather than a genuine paranormal phenomenon. Nonetheless, the enticingly eerie atmosphere, supernatural elements, and enthralling stories inspire a somewhat macabre curiosity and contribute to its popularity as an urban legend.
The Elevator Game offers compelling insight into human psychology and the nature of belief. Much of the allure of The Elevator Game, as with many urban legends, lies in its ability to captivate the imagination and challenge perceptions of reality. Whether regarded as a harmless yet entertaining endeavor or a genuine supernatural experience, the game taps into primal fears, existential curiosity, and the innate human desire to seek meaning beyond the mundane.
The elevator at the Big Bend Jai Alai fronton | Photo © 2019 Sugarbomb
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