Grinning
This morning I stepped out of the shower and this bathroom was fine: white walls, white tiles, sink and counter with toothpaste crusted all over. Three out of the four lightbulbs over the mirror were still good — 100 watt, clear bulb, blinding bright in the small white room. Like always I was late, so I skipped shaving. She liked it when I didn’t shave, anyway. I was thinking about doing mutton chops. She’d get a kick out of that. I passed the mirror and noticed I was grinning. I didn’t even know I was grinning.
I’m in the bathroom tonight before bed and there’s something wrong with the lights. All three are on again but they glow kind of brown and don’t really light up the rest of the room. I should get more bulbs from the kitchen. I should, but I’m busy. The date was shit and she shut her apartment door on me. You’d think that would wipe off the stupid grin from this morning. But I came back in the bathroom and, in the mirror, my face was still doing it. If I touch my face it doesn’t feel like a grin, but there it is in the mirror.
In the brown light it’s hard to make out but — have you ever actually counted how many teeth show when you smile? I lean in close. One, two, three, four — I didn’t know my mouth was so wide. Nine, ten, eleven — I can’t do mutton chops after all. The corners of my lips are out to my ears. It still doesn’t feel like a grin. But keep counting, for curiousity. Thirty-six. Thirty-seven. Thirty-eight.
Posted in Strange & Unknown
July 16th, 2008 at 6:07 am
Weird, not exactly creepy. It seems this has left a bit off the end, there seems to be a little too much missing to be intentinoal. I cant figure whats with the lights, and the mirror…is there a connection im not seeing?
July 16th, 2008 at 6:08 am
just in case you cant figure for yourself, i meant, intentional, not intentinoal
July 16th, 2008 at 7:14 am
@ufm - It’s possible that was cut off, though it was submitted to me that way. I got the impression that it was sort of intentionally vague, so that whatever was causing the strange light and grinning could be left to our imaginations. That’s only my theory, though.
If anyone discovers a longer version of this, feel free to let me know, though.
July 16th, 2008 at 10:48 am
I like it just the way it is. I don’t know why everyone seems to have issues with monsters sitting in your imagination, rather than needing to be explained in detail.
The scariest things are the ones that go on unexplained, with a million horrific possibilities.
July 16th, 2008 at 10:52 am
It’s left way too open ended to be creepy but it’s interesting.
July 16th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Hello.
Mirrors are captivating. I love mirrors. Humanity loves them too.
But only when the light is sufficiently blinding.
Human society is always afraid of seeing deeper than the superficiality of the flesh.
Human society is afraid to see something it doesn’t want to see.
How I love to show them.
Darkness is unveiling.
In Darkness, the secrets of the mind spill forth like the humours of a cracked egg.
How I love to show them.
July 16th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
I liked this one even tho it wast creepy
July 16th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Hello.
There are only 32 teeth in the adult human mouth.
Thank you for your time.
July 16th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Hey! It’s the Chesire Cat!
July 16th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
wasnt this already posted before
July 16th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Woo! I submitted this one. That’s actually how I found it, too. It does seem a bit incomplete.
July 16th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Mr. Betterdone, I think the person who wrote this knew the adult mouth has only 32 teeth. Just to let you know.
July 16th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
I personally think this would have been a little more creepy if say the story ended with only half of the last number, such as ‘thiry-eig…’ to perhaps imply a terrible end for the writer.
Then again, who would have wrote it then?
July 16th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Hello.
Miss Emogirl, I’d like to point out first of all that I’m not a ‘mister’, and second that I was making the statement for the better of those who were confused by the post.
Thank you for your time.
July 16th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Oops sorry for the gender confusion.
July 16th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
“Have you ever counted how many teeth there are when you smile? One, two, skipafew…”
Sorry.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
COCKMONGLER!!!!!
July 16th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
An adult human only has 32 permanent teeth, and if you count the wisdom teeth that is still only 36, I think that is what they were going for
July 16th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
I think the person is a skeleton. Makes sense right? skeletons always look like they’re grinning.. and thats why you would be able to see all your teeth. Also it would make sense that the person’s date would shut the door on them, amirite? Now the 38 teeth doesnt make sense, could be a writer’s error though as most people woudlnt know exactly how many teeth you have in your mouth.
July 16th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
One tooth for every victem
July 16th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Lights? Think of the dentists chair
July 16th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
I enjoyed this. I disagree with Comment Leaver, however. I think it is just vague enough to be creepy.
Also, Mr Welldone’s first appearance was intriguing, but all of the things following it are kind of irking.
July 16th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
I agree. The Mr. Welldone act is pretty tired/lame. Like, you’re on an internet forum, come on.
July 16th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Yeah, Mr. Welldone is being a smidge pretentious.
July 16th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
I’m just not informed enough to feel this is a possible reality. Most of what makes these stories creepy is that they’re in some ways plausible. It just leaves too much to the imagination. But it is a good idea. ^^
July 16th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
. . .
Is it bad when youre more interested in the little disscussion after the creepy pasta rather than the creepy pasta itself?
. . .
Miss Betterdone?
Well someone has some competition.
July 17th, 2008 at 3:35 am
O.o I’v got 29 teeth.
Normies be afeared.
Coulda been a bit less vague.
July 17th, 2008 at 5:20 am
Mr. Welldone is part of the EXPERIENCE.
Let him be.
I enjoy his insights. They’re almost part of the story.
This is one of those anecdotes that gets creepier the more you think about it. I liked it…ten minutes later.
July 17th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
“Mr. Welldone is part of the EXPERIENCE.”
No, he just kind of tries to come in and be creeeeeeepy and ~*mysterious*~
And his ‘insights’ are just trying-too-hard-to-sound-intelligent pieces of nothing.
July 17th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
this is just one happy guy, why else would he be grinning?
July 17th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
This kind of reminds me of the new take on the Joker.
“Why so serious?”
July 17th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
The impression I got was that his grin was inhuman and huge…like cartoonishly large. Which would indeed be creepy as fudge to see on a guy in RL. I give it a 6/10.
July 17th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
What competition?
Heeheehee?
July 17th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
The person formally known as ‘noneya’: No it’s not.
And I do believe that the whole point of the tooth-counting was to show inhumanity.
Also, I’ve personally known people to have upwards of 40 teeth in their head at once. My mother had to have eight teeth total removed for her mouth to be in the correct configuration of 32, and most people have their wisdom teeth removed, leaving a grand total of 28 teeth. I have 27, as my right canine has refused to grow in at all. It’s been around six years.
Just saying, dental anomalies are possible, and not all that uncommon. This is why we have dentists.
July 18th, 2008 at 3:31 am
Mr.Welldone and Maran Doll are same person.
July 18th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
He doesn’y need a reach toothbrush!
July 18th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
@Darlene:
I am offended by your assumption.
Yup.
July 18th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
As LMLYUT said that he/she knew of a person who had 40 teeth in their head. Maybe the person in the story was cutting his mouth open exposing all the teeth that he had. I think that is a good explanation?
July 19th, 2008 at 8:09 am
I concur, Darlene.
July 19th, 2008 at 11:30 am
I like what brian sun. said about it being a skeleton, but for some reason this one doesn’t quite hit the mark I think it was supposed to. Sure the thing about too many teeth may be creepy but not in this case.
July 19th, 2008 at 11:35 am
I liked this one… I took it as another mirror-related your-reflection-is-evil creepypasta. It doesn’t feel like a grin when he touches his face because he isn’t actually grinning. His reflection is.
July 19th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
The majority of you people don’t seem to understand this creepypasta. As for the few who actually do, I applaud you. The simplicity and vagueness of the story I think helps it to be creepier and many of you don’t seem to understand he isn’t the one grinning. And the reflection in the mirror, is most likely not his reflection, or even human. I’m not sure if any of you seemed to understand when the character in the story commented on how wide the grin is; which would be inhumanly possible. And the cut off at the end I think makes the story even better. The naivety of the character I think is an interesting aspect as you think it will be even worse when he finally realizes the person in the mirror isn’t himself. This creepypasta I believe is very well written and very will executed.
July 19th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Hello.
Maran Doll, you have my utmost sympathies.
I do not ride Maran Doll’s flesh, and were I to choose to do so, I assure you all that Maran Doll would be wholly unaware of such an intrusion.
No. I am not Maran Doll.
I am Mr. Welldone.
July 20th, 2008 at 8:43 am
“I do not ride Maran Doll’s flesh, and were I to choose to do so, I assure you all that Maran Doll would be wholly unaware of such an intrusion.”
My God, you’re annoying.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:54 am
‘My, grandmother, what big teeth you have’ Said Red Riding Hood.
‘All the better to eat you with, my dear’ came the reply.
July 21st, 2008 at 8:26 am
I like it.
July 21st, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Good story, and slow down Cara! Everyone has there OWN interpretation of things, that’s what makes us individuals…and mirrors ARE reality once removed. The skeleton idea works. His mirror image grinning works. Open ended stories work so well BECAUSE they are left to one’s imagination. Ever seen Hitchcock or The Twilight Zone?
July 21st, 2008 at 5:21 pm
I didn’t read all of the comments, so I’m not sure if someone already suggested this-Is it possible that the man’s face is cut ear to ear like The black dahlia? and he’s dead but doesnt realize it?
July 21st, 2008 at 11:39 pm
id like to meet this grinning faggot and kick his ass
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:34 am
it seems like the persons mouth was cut from ear to ear…
but wouldnt he notice it unless either he himself did it out of insanity…or he is insane and didnt notice.
July 24th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Wow, all of that flew right over my head.
D:
July 24th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
do you pay extra at the dentist?
July 27th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
I’m glad some people like the pasta, and I’m also glad that it’s spawned this much of a discussion. At first I was unsure about submitting it, but I can see now that it was good idea. Carry on, loves. I do so enjoy seeing your point of view on these things…
July 27th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
This story was okay. It didn’t leave too much of an inpression and i don’t understand the connection with the lights. But my interpretation of this is that the guy wasn’t really grinning, but his evil reflection was, and each tooth is each victim of the reflection.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Holy shit, I do like santi21xx’s interpretation on this.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Erm.
For some reason, I got Jon Arbuckle in my head as the grinning man in the mirror, and it ruined this for me. Sorry. D:>
Of course, there’s always the possibility of the Joker’s Chelsea Smile, slitting the face from ear to ear across the jaw…
August 15th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
i think he is a skeleton
August 18th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Howdy.
I once farted in church.
It was devilishly rank.
I made the gentleman behind me puke.
Also, human society is afraid of the
dark. I am mysteriously devilish.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Welldone… you know, smiting people with lightning, whilst something that was only really done in the days of the old Testament, is still one of my many abilities.
…Right now, I’m getting the itch to bring it back into use…
August 27th, 2008 at 3:00 am
Mr. Feelgood, parody=win.
August 27th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
the comments were better than the story…-yawn-
i don’t care about the character, or his bajillions of teeth…
ever stopped to think that perhaps he is not human at all?
he never once said that he had too many teeth in his mouth…
he could be an alien with hundreds of teeth…
that is all.
August 30th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
if i open my mouth wide, i have 30 teeth. That must REALLY HURT to have 38 then.
August 31st, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Damnit I was just about to shower when i read this, now I have to check myself when I get out, make sure i have the RIGHT number of teeth
September 1st, 2008 at 1:15 am
Why so serious?
September 1st, 2008 at 2:16 am
After counting your teeth, widen your eyes and jauntily say, “I’ll suck your cock!”
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I only have 27 :’(
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:51 pm
I only have 27 :’(
September 12th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
28 here! Wahoo!
I also don’t have my wisdom teeth…showing
September 15th, 2008 at 8:26 am
all of you who can’t find a story captivating unless it ends “AND THEN MONSTERS.” need to broaden your horizons a bit. for real.
September 29th, 2008 at 2:13 am
People have a hard time understanding even the simplest of creepypastas. Ok, for those who did not get it. The reflection is not him, but some sort of monster pretending to be him and mimicing most of his actions. It says in the pasta that when he feels his mouth, it doesn’t feel like a grin, even though that is what’s reflected. As for the teeth thing, no normal human has that many teeth. It’s a bit of the monster showing through the illusion.
Some of you people are really dense. If everything isn’t spelled out for you, you don’t have a clue. The best creepypastas are usually vauge too.
September 29th, 2008 at 6:48 am
Lemme finish this for everyone:
Thirty-Nine. Fo-.. AND THEN MONSTERS!