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Have you ever seen a place that's a bit eerie, unsettling, or even downright creepy? Maybe it's due to the lighting, the objects that are around you, or just an overall unnerving vibe? Perhaps you've actually been to a similar place? A place that seems like a portal between this world and somewhere else.

If you have, then you've probably been to a liminal space. On the Internet, that usually refers to empty rooms, corridors, and even streets that look surreal for some reason. Here we have a compilation of some intriguing liminal spaces, so, if you're looking for some weirdness, scroll away.

To know more about what liminality actually is, Bored Panda reached out to Lecturer in English at the University of Hull Dr. Kevin Corstorphine. He gave us some examples of liminal spaces from classical Gothic texts and explained why the concept is so important to the genre. Read his expert insights below!

#1

Lovely Winter's Day In Amsterdam

Lovely Winter's Day In Amsterdam

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Dr. Kevin Corstorphine, Lecturer in English at the University of Hull, tells us that the term 'liminality' comes from anthropology. Anthropologists used it to describe a period of life, adolescence, for instance, "which is between social roles but also where in many cultures people are separated from society in a ritual way."

"This sense of being 'in-between' has become a useful way of thinking about the way that Gothic literature often focuses on areas that are often taken for granted: the boundary between life and [beyond] being an obvious one, with supernatural entities existing somewhere between these two states."

On the Internet, of course, the term means something different. "In modern aesthetic terms, it has taken on the meaning of the eerie feeling that you can get in a space that is neither here nor there, like an empty train station or an abandoned playground," Dr. Corstorphine says.

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    #3

    Found A Portal To Elsewhere

    Found A Portal To Elsewhere

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    Dr. Corstorphine points to Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897) as one of the classical examples of the use of liminal spaces in Gothic fiction. "[It's] full of liminal spaces that dictate the story," he says. "Van Helsing says that 'He may not enter anywhere at the first, unless there be some one of the household who bid him to come', so in other words, he has to be willingly invited across the threshold."

    "It is also a novel that shows an obsession with the boundaries between life and [beyond], the integrity of the human body, animal and human, the past and the present, and the liminal spaces between all of these dichotomies. Dracula is threatening because he exists in this space," the Lecturer in English explains. "The way that the novel is told through letters and newspaper reports even puts his existence for the reader in a liminal space."

    #5

    My Husband Sent Me This. It Was Taken On His Way To Work This Morning

    My Husband Sent Me This. It Was Taken On His Way To Work This Morning

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    #6

    My Mother-In-Law’s House Flooded Last Night. Took This Pic Before We Started Pumping Water Out, Thought It Looked Surreal

    My Mother-In-Law’s House Flooded Last Night. Took This Pic Before We Started Pumping Water Out, Thought It Looked Surreal

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    According to Dr. Kevin Corstorphine, liminality was an important concept in Gothic fiction from the very start. "The Gothic tradition begins with a fascination with architecture and physical spaces: way back in The Castle of Otranto (1764) Horace Walpole gives us a story about a young woman trapped in underground passages and a ghostly figure returning to smash his giant fist through the castle walls."

    "The Gothic attempts to disturb the reader by blurring categories and asking questions about the boundaries that make us feel secure," the lecturer explains. "H.P. Lovecraft, in Supernatural Horror in Literature (1927), writes of cosmic horror as the feeling of listening to 'the scratching of outside shapes and entities on the known universe's utmost rim.' The Gothic thrives in those gaps between our understanding, for example between religion and science."

    #8

    I Am Currently Working Construction At A New Amazon Fulfillment Center (650,000 Square Feet). This Is The Fourth Of Five Floor. That Is Fog In The Background

    I Am Currently Working Construction At A New Amazon Fulfillment Center (650,000 Square Feet). This Is The Fourth Of Five Floor. That Is Fog In The Background

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    Val
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    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Amazon is a terrible company to work for. They treat their employees like dirt.

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    On the Internet, however, liminal spaces are surreal, eerie, and unsettling. In most cases, they're abandoned or empty (of people) spaces: offices, streets, corridors, hotel hallways, etc. Liminal spaces gained a lot of popularity in 2019 when a post on 4chan about The Backrooms, a particular liminal space, went viral.

    #10

    I Think This Belongs Here

    I Think This Belongs Here

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    #11

    Unsure If These Fit Here But It Was Quite A Walk Last Night

    Unsure If These Fit Here But It Was Quite A Walk Last Night

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    The Internet is very fond of liminal spaces. Twitter page @SpaceLiminalBot has 1.2M followers. The Instagram account @liminalmoods boasts 463k followers. The Reddit community r/LiminalSpaces has almost 800k members. They pride themselves on The Matrix-like aesthetics, with descriptions like "Trip on the verge of reality" and "You've been here before. Wake up."

    #13

    This Empty Beach Me And My Girlfriend Saw While Taking A Walk Last Night

    This Empty Beach Me And My Girlfriend Saw While Taking A Walk Last Night

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    #14

    The Building Next To The Hotel I'm Staying At

    The Building Next To The Hotel I'm Staying At

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    #15

    It’s Been 38 Hours And It’s Still Dark Out. Everyone Else On The Cruise Seemingly Vanished

    It’s Been 38 Hours And It’s Still Dark Out. Everyone Else On The Cruise Seemingly Vanished

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    The surrealism of a liminal space comes from its familiarity. Just like with the concept of the uncanny valley, liminal spaces creep us out and attract us so much at the same time because it's a mix of the known and the unknown. Some point to Giorgio de Chirico's "The Tower" as an example of liminal space in art, yet others say the place for that to work should be more recognizable.

    #16

    The Creepiest Gas Station On Earth

    The Creepiest Gas Station On Earth

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    To those living in current times, the aesthetic and concept of liminal spaces seem especially attractive because of the current state of uncertainty our world and society give us. As Jake Pitre writes for The Atlantic, "The pace of modern life seems impossible to keep up with, yet our lived reality does not change. So as society waits for the breaking point to come, liminal spaces make the anticipation of those fears visible, and reaffirm that other people are looking at the world the same way."

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    #19

    New Fear Unlocked: Indoor Pools With Dim Lighting

    New Fear Unlocked: Indoor Pools With Dim Lighting

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    #20

    Abandoned Hospital, No Power, No One Inside For Decades. A Light Always On In One Window

    Abandoned Hospital, No Power, No One Inside For Decades. A Light Always On In One Window

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    #21

    Imagine Being The First And Only Person To Show Up Early To Work, Walking Down A Dark Hallway, And As You Walk Past The Break Room You See This From The Corner Of Your Eye

    Imagine Being The First And Only Person To Show Up Early To Work, Walking Down A Dark Hallway, And As You Walk Past The Break Room You See This From The Corner Of Your Eye

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    You might notice that we're struggling with getting to a proper definition for 'liminal spaces' here. That's because it's hard to pin down what they mean exactly. That's why it might be helpful to note what they're not. According to the r/LiminalSpace subreddit, they're not just creepy, surreal, or simply nostalgic. 

    #22

    Iron Mine In Virginia That Was Abandoned In The Early 1900s

    Iron Mine In Virginia That Was Abandoned In The Early 1900s

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    #23

    Standing Under The Avala TV Tower, Mountain Avala, Serbia

    Standing Under The Avala TV Tower, Mountain Avala, Serbia

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    #24

    This Does Not Look Real

    This Does Not Look Real

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    To people who prefer to learn by looking at visuals, The Shining can be a good example of what the Internet means when they talk about liminal spaces. The abandoned and decaying Overlook Hotel with its many hallways evokes a forlorn and uneasy feeling. As the camera follows little Danny riding his tricycle, the fear of the unknown grows even stronger.

    #25

    This Was My Neighborhood Today

    This Was My Neighborhood Today

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    #26

    Birthday Room In My Local Movie Theater

    Birthday Room In My Local Movie Theater

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    The urban legend of The Backrooms is also what inspired the TV series Severance. The show's creator took the idea of a place composed of infinite office spaces and hallways and explored what would happen if we actually put people there; what would happen if we transitioned from our reality to some other?

    #28

    Time To Take Your Exam, Pick A Seat

    Time To Take Your Exam, Pick A Seat

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    #29

    Escalators To Darkness

    Escalators To Darkness

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    #30

    The View I Had From The Bus Stop At 5 AM This Morning

    The View I Had From The Bus Stop At 5 AM This Morning

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    But, to me personally, the most interesting representation of a liminal space would be The Black Lodge in Twin Peaks (although a lot of folks on the r/LiminalSpace subreddit would disagree with that). You can't deny how stylish and cool David Lynch's version of an in-between place looks—a waiting room between this life and the next, between reality and the dreamworld.

    #31

    Something Feels Off

    Something Feels Off

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    #35

    Took This In A Gym, Close To Where I Work

    Took This In A Gym, Close To Where I Work

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    #37

    Was Exploring The Massive Old Hilton In Chicago, And Came Across This Room In The Basement

    Was Exploring The Massive Old Hilton In Chicago, And Came Across This Room In The Basement

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    #39

    Stairs In An Abandoned Orphanage, Italy

    Stairs In An Abandoned Orphanage, Italy

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    #40

    The Toilet At My Work

    The Toilet At My Work

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    #42

    Lobby Of An Abandoned Paul Rudolph Masterpiece

    Lobby Of An Abandoned Paul Rudolph Masterpiece

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    #44

    I Got Lost In This Weird Concrete Area. No One Was Around And The Doors Were Locked

    I Got Lost In This Weird Concrete Area. No One Was Around And The Doors Were Locked

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    #45

    Empty Mall (Yes, Believe It Or Not This Really Is A Mall)

    Empty Mall (Yes, Believe It Or Not This Really Is A Mall)

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    #46

    I Took This Picture And Left As Quick As Possible This Room

    I Took This Picture And Left As Quick As Possible This Room

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    #47

    This Pool At A Hotel I’m Staying At - It Was Quiet

    This Pool At A Hotel I’m Staying At - It Was Quiet

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    #48

    My Father's Office At Night

    My Father's Office At Night

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    Oops
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hey, i was working as a student sometimes in the anatomy section of the university, corpses laying next door in the morgue.It was an old building, crackling and rattling sometimes, i never was fearful, but when there was a sound at the entrance, i was alarmed. The living!

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    #49

    I Just Wanted To Buy Chocolate

    I Just Wanted To Buy Chocolate

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    Savahax
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    C̷̠̟̪̗̙̯̗̦͈̭̝͙̹̲̍H̵̙̝̠̥͈̆̋̅̀̔̀͆̈́̀̔̈́̂͛͑͗́̃̑̈́̅̆͑͝Ǫ̷̧̡̧̧̛̖̲͓͚̻̖͙̟̤̙̪̖̗̗̻̗̤̗̠̠̝̫̜̯̭̯̔͊̉̆́̑̎̒̈͗̽̀͊͛͌̈͘͜͝͠C̸̡̢̡̘͙̝͈̮̩̮̤̣͖̹̞͚̖̩̰̬̮̯̳̻͓͍͓͑́̓̄̊͐̓̀̊̎̚ͅƠ̵̢̢̨̡͉̺͓̪͕̼͈̲͈̎̈́̒̎̓̀̀̿̂̕͜͝ͅͅͅL̶̛̖͈̳̻̥̦͉̣͒̈̾̂́͌͆͐͂͑͛́̽̽̈́͋̈̕̚͝Ą̴̨̧̡̨̣̩̼̠͔͚͉̠̲̞͓͖̼̱̣͖̮̻́̓̽͜T̵̢̛̳̳͓̺̖͇̱̲͙̗̖̦͖̞̪̰̪̹̟̺͈͓̙̳͚̍̂̔̓̋̉̈́̐̄͛͒̅̓́͒̊̑̂̔̄̎̚̚̚͝͠ͅͅȨ̴̢̢̢̢̧̢̢̠̝̩͉͓͓̞̯̩̥̞̳̅͊̿̐̃̑͂̐̅̋̽̈́̆͆̊͒̈́́̌̓̍̏̆͗̾͝͝?̴̨̢̡̪̦̰̰̰̞̦̦̰͉̟͕̼̣͍̠͕̦͙̩̘͎̘͙̙̺̘̣͙͙̋͜

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    #50

    Accommodation At My School

    Accommodation At My School

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    Rich Black
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    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I live in the blue room. It's right over the green room. You cant miss it.

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    #51

    You Came A Long Way, And All Is Finally Quiet

    You Came A Long Way, And All Is Finally Quiet

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    G A
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They walk at night, when no one watches them, giants striding across the landscape....

    #52

    My Place This Morning

    My Place This Morning

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    #53

    This Tall Guy In My Neighbor’s Yard Always Scares The Hell Out Of Me. It’s 2 Small Trees And A Satellite Dish

    This Tall Guy In My Neighbor’s Yard Always Scares The Hell Out Of Me. It’s 2 Small Trees And A Satellite Dish

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    #54

    Hey Buddy, Sidewalk Ends Here

    Hey Buddy, Sidewalk Ends Here

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    Mrs.C
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There is a place where the sidewalk ends And before the street begins, And there the grass grows soft and white, And there the sun burns crimson bright, And there the moon-bird rests from his flight To cool in the peppermint wind. Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black And the dark street winds and bends. Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And watch where the chalk-white arrows go To the place where the sidewalk ends. Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go, For the children, they mark, and the children, they know The place where the sidewalk ends.

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    #55

    It's Always So Quiet This Time Of The Day

    It's Always So Quiet This Time Of The Day

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    #56

    The Night Bus

    The Night Bus

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    Savahax
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Those might be anti junky lights. Lots of toilets and tunnels here have them

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    #62

    Took This Pic While Delivering Pizza To An Apartment. Definitely Had A Cool Eerie Vibe

    Took This Pic While Delivering Pizza To An Apartment. Definitely Had A Cool Eerie Vibe

    Next_Ranger_8759 Report

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    G A
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Rear of property communal area. Weird green filter makes it look sinister. Otherwise normal.

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    #63

    My Workplace Is Looking A Little Like A Liminal Space

    My Workplace Is Looking A Little Like A Liminal Space

    1IcedC0ffee Report

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    Mrs.C
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks like a drawing Escher abandoned before finishing.

    #65

    Funeral Home Is Being Turned Into Housing, Totally Empty Except For These In The Basement

    Funeral Home Is Being Turned Into Housing, Totally Empty Except For These In The Basement

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    Savahax
    Community Member
    1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So you get a free water-saving bathtub with toilet. Stop complaining

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    #70

    Captured This With My Drone

    Captured This With My Drone

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    #72

    I Just Woke Up, What Is This Place? This Feels... Familiar (It's Stuttgart Library By The Way)

    I Just Woke Up, What Is This Place? This Feels... Familiar (It's Stuttgart Library By The Way)

    uvulol Report

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    Savahax
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Die Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart sieht aus wie 'ne verficktes Krankenhaus mit Bücher. SAU hässlich

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    #73

    My Local Indoor Playground Is Really Creepy In My Opinion

    My Local Indoor Playground Is Really Creepy In My Opinion

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    #74

    Does This Count As Liminal? Shut Down Bowling Alley

    Does This Count As Liminal? Shut Down Bowling Alley

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    #75

    Calm Day At The Beach

    Calm Day At The Beach

    denny_tObOr22 Report

    #76

    Took This Photo In A Store While On A Road Trip. Fake Skylights Are So Uncomfortable

    Took This Photo In A Store While On A Road Trip. Fake Skylights Are So Uncomfortable

    Illythekitty Report

    #78

    Anyone Wants A Dr. Pepper?

    Anyone Wants A Dr. Pepper?

    Liminalcorespacess Report

    #79

    I Was At A Bus Station The Other Day, And They Had Windows To This Weird Kitchen

    I Was At A Bus Station The Other Day, And They Had Windows To This Weird Kitchen

    Kaaeni_ Report

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    #80

    Stopped By A Gas Station In The Middle Of Nowhere To Refuel, It Eerily Gave A Liminal Vibe

    Stopped By A Gas Station In The Middle Of Nowhere To Refuel, It Eerily Gave A Liminal Vibe

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    #82

    Infinite Path

    Infinite Path

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    Alvia Vseobecna
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    meanwhile my residential neighborhood does not even turn on the streetlights at crossings.. .

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    #83

    I Clean Offices At Night, Always Feels A Bit Off

    I Clean Offices At Night, Always Feels A Bit Off

    reddit.com Report

    #84

    Toys R Us… In The Middle Of Nowhere?

    Toys R Us… In The Middle Of Nowhere?

    creatlings Report

    #85

    This Is A Toilet From My Friend’s Campus

    This Is A Toilet From My Friend’s Campus

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    #87

    Uncanny-Looking Resort I Visited In Kosovo

    Uncanny-Looking Resort I Visited In Kosovo

    reddit.com Report

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    Koalafied to komment
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks like any area built for workers in the 20. century. Every european city has one, different decades, just add more plants

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    #88

    This Laundromat Gives Me Nostalgic Liminal Vibes

    This Laundromat Gives Me Nostalgic Liminal Vibes

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    #89

    A Friend Just Sent Me This Photo From Delaware And It Looks Like It Would Fit Here

    A Friend Just Sent Me This Photo From Delaware And It Looks Like It Would Fit Here

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    #90

    I Am Literally Staying In The Liminal Hotel

    I Am Literally Staying In The Liminal Hotel

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    #91

    The Hotel We Are Staying In On Our Road Trip

    The Hotel We Are Staying In On Our Road Trip

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    #94

    You Entered The Wrong Room, And Now You Are Stuck In The Backrooms

    You Entered The Wrong Room, And Now You Are Stuck In The Backrooms

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    #95

    My Depressing Visit To Chuck E. Cheese Back In 2020

    My Depressing Visit To Chuck E. Cheese Back In 2020

    PathMapper Report

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    Bay Bo
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yeeaaahhh... Turns out kids these days don't like giant rodents, who could've foreseen it?

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    #96

    The Barn I Work At Gets A Bit Liminal Sometimes

    The Barn I Work At Gets A Bit Liminal Sometimes

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    Jesse
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Do you keep horses in there? The stalls are way too small for a fully grown horse

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    #97

    You Better Be Safe

    You Better Be Safe

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    #98

    POV: You Wake Up In Poland

    POV: You Wake Up In Poland

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    #99

    Even On A Beautiful Day Something Felt Off About My Apartment Complex

    Even On A Beautiful Day Something Felt Off About My Apartment Complex

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    Marie BellaDonna
    Community Member
    1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Where's the parking area? That's what's off. There's no parking area, no asphalt or concrete at all. It's prettier that way. But not really feasible. Wouldn't be surprised if this one's AI too. Or maybe it's a cultural thing? Or, I suppose maybe we just can't see the parking area. But it still looks weird. I think that's why.

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    #100

    My Church Early In The Morning

    My Church Early In The Morning

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