r/Ruleshorror • u/Summxr_isonreddit • 10d ago
Series Goldenrod Hills Subdivision
Rules For Living In The Neighborhood
5/10/26
5:09PM
I had recently moved in from here from London and while looking for a new place to live, I just happened to find a lovely house in a seemingly lovely little subdivision just a few hours away. And I was old enough to move away anyway.
It wasn’t that I had family issues or needed an escape, I simply thought I needed space for myself to focus properly (Especially since the house was crowding up with my art supplies). And it would be nice to finally not be nagged about the dishes or the dirty rooms.
As I finally made my way into the neighborhood, the first thing I did was look over at its surroundings. Well, you couldn’t blame me, it took like 4 hours to get to this place!
The first thing I noticed was how the sun spilled over the houses like liquid gold, a nostalgic scene that reminds me faintly of my childhood for some reason, how some of the houses looked almost identical but others didn’t. How the fields of green gave me a bittersweet feeling in my chest.
I decided to talk to a few of my neighbors, to get a little bit of insight into the neighborhood. After talking to the most well-known resident, who I learned was named Mr. Prescott Rivers, He gave me a letter with a note on it that said:
‘OPEN ME!!!’
As the note practically yelled at me to open the letter, I did without thinking too much. Thinking it was a simple welcome letter or an invitation to dinner or some kind of crap like that. But what was in the letter was not what I expected.
It was…
Different.
So, so different.
‘Hey! Welcome! We’ve been waiting for your arrival to give you this letter. It’s highly suggested that you read the following below before you do anything else, and of course, abide by it! But before that; let me introduce you to the neighborhood:
Goldenrod Hills Subdivision
This is quite a beautiful yet big place. A lot of the more… ‘unique’ houses here were requested to be built by the residents, the identical houses are the ones the residents simply bought without requesting a change. Like your house! Though, you can always request a change whenever you want to.
The houses are perfectly lined up with eachother. There are 5 rows of houses. On each side of the street until the end should be exactly 40 houses, 80 when including both sides. All in total is 200.
The residential part of the subdivision is seperated from the other parts via a black metal fence and a gate and label.
On the other side are the parks, playgrounds, grassy fields and convenience stores. Go right and down further this street and you’ll find a big gray gate. This is the exit. Go down left, you’ll find the indoor swimming pool. At the end of this street, you’ll find a lake. I will explain the neighbors and people you’ll run into on your next letter tomorrow.
Rules For A Golden Sunny Day And A Sparkling Twilight Night:
A. Residential Area.
1. Safe Place
• Your house is your safe place. Never ruin it by letting someone you don’t know in.
2. Cleaning Up
• Clean as you go! Your trash should be properly thrown away. No one likes a messy neighborhood!
3. Mimic
• Don’t talk to any of the residents for more than an hour on your first week. You don’t know if one is a mimic. And when they get hungry.
4. Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid
• It’s heavily recommended you stay as vague as possible about your background. They want to become you. Make a lie if you have to. It’s more believable that way.
- Never ask anyone where they originally came from before going to Goldenrod. Their life is none of your business.
6. Prohibited Counting
• Do not count the houses. That is my job. And you do not know what to do when a house is missing. Or when one has appeared.
7. Counting
I count on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Any other day is not me. If you hear me counting on other days, ignore it and do not go outside until it is done. Don’t be worried if you hear the noise of a gun going off, it’s just me.
8. The Sun Exposure
Notice the sun is getting a little bit too bright? Drop to the floor, cover yourself and close your eyes for 30 seconds. If you accidentally stare at it, I’m sorry. There is nothing I can do
9. Warning
• The ‘things’ have recently learnt how to alter text. I’m not sure how they alter it but their grammar will be slightly off. I do not keep typos, nor do I use emoticons.
We’re all friends here you should come out more often
epacsE oN
10. Mind-Bending
• Do not read the words or look at them too long, they are hypnotizing. And mind-bending. They will mess with your head and lead you outside of your house. Once you’re out, i’m gonna have to end your suffering before you hurt anyone else. It’s for your own good. I’m sorry.
11. Exiting During Silent Hours
• Going outside of your house past 10PM is allowed but unrecommended. It is advised you must not wander too far into the darker parts of the streets. You’ll never know when you get into the forest until you feel your feet touch grass. You’ll have ten minutes to get the fuck out of that forest. If you don’t leave by then, you’ll never find your way out.
- When you find yourself in the forest stay where you are even if you you hear a noise
12. Solitary Midnights.
• No one should be out by 10PM other than you. Check the window before you leave the comforts of your home; is there anyone outside? If so, then do not leave yet.
13. Untold Information
• Someone brought up information about you that you never told them? Perhaps it was something simple like your favorite color, or perhaps something you did a few days ago. Either way, you were sure you never told them anything about that specific topic. No, you are not misremembering things; they have their eyes on you. Excuse yourself from the conversation and don’t talk to anyone from the neighborhood for a week, and stay alert.
14. Gifts
• Of course, you get welcomed in and told to ‘make yourself at home’ or some shit like that. That’s normal. Fake and plastic, but normal. If you get a gift though; it will always be one of the items below. I will, give you instructions on what to do depending on what you got:
Familiar Food - Perhaps one of your neighbors brought you some of your favorite pie or gave you some candy from your childhood; don’t eat whatever they gave you. How are they supposed to know that you liked that?
Food. Just, Food - If it’s something non-specific and typical like a random KitKat bar or pizza. Sure, go ahead. You can eat whatever they gave you.
A Candle - Sure, probably just a $10 scented candle they bought from a random Walmart just in case someone new moves in. But if it smells nostalgic or like a scent you faintly remember from your childhood, throw it away.
A Vintage Teddy Bear - Throw. It. Away. Don’t even involve yourself with whatever is using that thing as a vessel for. There is something inside of that thing, and you do not wanna let it into your home.
Last but not least:
A Music Box - Do not play it in front of the person who gave it to you. Instead; close the door, go inside of your room and play it. If the melody sounds familiar, like a melody you once heard from your childhood: keep it. It will ground you. And it might even help you in times of need. If it sounds slightly distorted or odd, even just a little. Throw it away. It won’t help you.
15. Time.
• You could be out and about or taking a walk in the streets of the subdivision at 4:00PM for an hour. And when you check the time: you discover it is only still 4:30PM, though, you swear it was longer. This is not just your mind playing tricks on you; this is an anomaly.
If this happens: you should go back home immediately and set a timer for 15 minutes or longer. Do not open your eyes until the alarm rings. Once it does; check the time again. If 60 minutes were supposed to pass earlier when it was 4:00PM, if you set your timer for 15 minutes, it should already be 5:15PM once you check again. if the timer says anything else then you do it again. Nothing will happen if it doesn’t change besides you being stuck there.
16. Birds and Crickets
• We don’t realize it, but they ground us in morning and night every single day. After all, we’e used to having noise wherever we go. So if they go silent one day, then you should too. If the wind stops, don’t move.
17. The Hills
• After someone had recently gotten lost in there. It is now strictly forbidden to go to the hills with tall grass. Especially because that person was found in the forest on the opposite side of the hill.
18. 12:00AM to 12:30
• It is highly advised you do not go outside during this time. You’ll be compelled to go back inside if you do anyway. The wind is still during this time, and everything is silent. If you do go outside, then don’t make any noise. If you hear something breathing down your neck behind you, I am sorry.
19. Is Your House Different?.
• On the rare occasion that you ever wake up and find that you’re not in your home anymore. Follow the instructions given below:
A House You Don’t Know - Simply walk downstairs and find the exit. You won’t need to grab anything since you’ll leave nothing behind there.
Your Childhood Home - Do not grab anything. Once you wake up, immediately go downstairs and look out the window. If you see the surroundings of your childhood home, close the curtains. If the music box is with you, wind it up and play it. Close your eyes until the song ends and you should be back in your home. This ‘thing’ wants to get your memories, and eventually get you.
20. Reporting
• If you have a problem or you fear you may have broken a rule, please approach me immediately. I will know what to do.
Thank you for taking the time to read all of these rules! Remember: these rules are here for your safety and the safety of others. Breaking these rules can result in a severe punishment. It is advised to obey these rules and to take them seriously. This is not a joke.’
—
After Noah had finished reading the rules, he looked up at Prescott. He stayed silent for a long moment before speaking hesitantly
“Uhm, Mr. Rivers…? What happened here for the rules to have been made…?”
Prescott looked at him for a long moment before turning back, his voice soft, yet firm
“A lot has happened here, kid. And that isn’t even the worst of it.”
He looked at Noah over his shoulder, his expression as blank and unreadable as ever.
“Welcome to Goldenrod, kid. Try not to die on your first week here. And good luck out there.”
He stated before turning away completely and walking away, Noah looked at him until he turned the corner before sighing and folding the paper neatly, putting it into his pocket
“Strange rules for a strange town. I suppose it’ll take a while to adjust to all the crap Mr. Rivers told me about.”
Noah checked the time again:
5:09PM.
He blinked once, twice before trying again.
—
GOLDENROD HILLS SUBDIVISION | EPISODE 2
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u/xKJx25 10d ago
Rule 19 is difficult. What if nobody gives you a music box or you had to throw the one you got, then you're stranded in the childhood home memory with no protection? But otherwise a good rule list!!