A TikTok series has gone viral, and, well, people seem quite upset over its contents. Over four thrilling video installments, a woman by the name of Samantha Hartsoe investigates why it is that, when she enters the windowless bathroom of her New York City apartment, she is confronted by such strong gusts of cold wind that her hair blows. Fast-forward to her discovery: The air is coming from behind the mirror over her sink, which she lowers from the wall, at which point she comes face-to-face with a dark hole that leads into a creepy unfinished room.
The series, which Hartsoe rolled out between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, could indeed be characterized as the stuff of horror films. In fact, the TikTok series has drawn comparisons to the 1992 flick Candyman, in which the titular character is summoned by chanting his name fives times before a mirror, à la Bloody Mary, at which point he murders you. I admit, when Hartsoe crawls through the orifice, equipped with a headlamp and hammer, and comes upon an eerily situated toilet and a half-drank water bottle — the latter, a sign of human life — I was unsettled.
But fear was not the principal emotion I experienced upon watching the series. Try, envy? What serendipity to think you’ve familiarized yourself with your entire living space, and to then discover that you have an entire new room to do whatever the hell you want with?
Of course, I understand why this series has disturbed many. I can imagine that discovering that a stranger could, hypothetically, crawl into your apartment through your mirror, could elicit intense fear, and I look forward to hearing Hartsoe’s landlord’s response.
Anyhow, back to the room. I’m just saying that I would be elated. I’m salivating at all the possibilities of what I’d do with it. Realistically, I would likely end up using the space as a storage closet, as my current Brooklyn apartment — a two-bedroom that comes in at 500 square feet — does not offer one. Or, perhaps, I would only slither back there with a floor pillow and half a six-pack when crushed by boredom. But also, hello, staycation anyone???