A strange and exciting mystery has gripped the town of Miramichi, attracting residents from their homes to forests and fields, sometimes in broad daylight, sometimes under cover of night.
They follow mysterious clues posted to a Facebook group called the Miramichi Mystery Machine, a hot trail of the same thing: $ 100 and $ 50 bills hidden across the northern city of New Brunswick.
The game began six days ago with the creation of the band Mystery Machine and a single clue: “May 1, 19:00, $ 100 hidden in Ritchie Wharf.”
Dozens of residents flocked to the pier and the money was found in hours.
Since then, the creator of the mysterious game has published clues a day, and the number of participants has grown to hundreds.
Evidence has become more enigmatic, often involving sinister, voice-distorted videos or photos of horror movie scenes.
Sometimes the mysterious poster makes comments suggesting that he or she is watching the hunters as they search for the money. “Plaid shirt. You’re not close at all.” “The yellow hood is on the stadium.” “Savannah, how did you get so smart?”
And the hunters themselves are becoming more and more involved.
The Facebook group, which initially had only a handful of members, boasted more than 700 by Friday night, with the number growing by the hour.
No one is sure who is behind the hidden money game. But quite well, everyone is fascinated by him.
Tim Sutton says the hidden money game has caused “incredible noise” among the city’s residents. “This has been the most exciting week in Miramichi in a long time,” he said. (Submitted by Tim Sutton)
“The most exciting week in Miramichi in a long time”
Tim Sutton has been involved in the game from the beginning and says it has caused an “incredible” noise among the city’s residents.
“This has been the most exciting week in Miramichi in a long time,” Sutton told CBC News. “I’m still excited about today’s game and I can’t sit still.”
Sutton said he hasn’t found the money yet, but says it’s really more about the community and the thrill of the persecution.
“Since it started, I’ve made a lot of new friends, as well as old friends I haven’t seen in a long time,” he said. “Everyone helps each other, trying not to reveal all their secrets … Tomorrow it’s my turn!”
Amanda Rolfe and her husband Dave also went hunting for money almost every day.
Rolf said they were skeptical at first and even discussed whether the game was a scam. But when players began posting comments about their search and photos of their victories, they were attracted.
On the third day, they were paid.
They noticed that the first clue – a photo from the 1980s horror film Prom Night with Jamie Lee Curtis – had a setting that was very similar to the former Harkins Elementary School.
This poster from the horror movie Prom Night was the first clue to Game 3. Amanda Rolf and her family thought the scenery looked like an abandoned school in Miramichi, and headed there, eventually finding the $ 100. (Miramichi Mystery Machine / Facebook)
“Don’t leave a stone unturned”
A few more clues followed, and “we’ve begun to understand the location,” so they headed to the old school, Rolf told CBC’s Maritime Noon.
At that time, a lot of people started showing up, “because they were starting to understand that, too,” she said.
After hunting for a while, they ran home to check for more clues, but Rolf’s teenage daughter was beginning to get angry.
“She was like jumping, she said, ‘Let’s go, let’s go, I’m going without you if you don’t come.’
So they returned to the scene, and at that time another piece of evidence had already been published: “Do not leave a stone unturned.”
Rolf said her partner, Dave, overturned a rock he kicked, “and of course he was there.
“And then everyone knew we found him because there was a loud roar.”
Amanda Rolfe, her teenage daughter, and her partner Dave set out to raise money on the third day of the Miramichi Mystery Machine game. (Amanda Rolf / Facebook)
Please, the real Roman Dungarvan will stand up?
So who’s hiding hundreds of dollars in town? And why?
These are excellent questions that almost no one in Miramichi has answered.
The creator of the Facebook page is called Roman Dungarvan.
He notes in his biography that he is correcting himself for his family’s haunting past, a reference to a ghost story about an alleged 19th-century murder on the Dungarvon River in New Brunswick.
His profile picture shows a black hood worn by something that looks like an impersonal ghost.
But for all his love of horror and shadow drama clues, he seems to be kind.
Good luck identifying Miramichi Mystery Machine creator Roman Dungarvan based on this profile picture. (Miramichi Mystery Machine / Facebook)
He urges money hunters to be careful, repeatedly reminding them that money is not hidden in trash cans or around broken glass. He reminds them to “respect” private property. He sends encouraging comments.
And of course, there is the fact that he distributes cash, and a lot of it. The last part of the game, which will take place next week on Friday the 13th, will have a higher salary than usual, Dungarvan said on Facebook.
Sutton said he had no idea who the creator of the game was and wasn’t sure it even mattered.
“I am grateful that they took the people out of the house and were active,” he said.
Rolf agreed.
She said everyone was wondering who could be behind this strange and seductive game, with theories ranging from the city’s business district to a single generous person.
But whoever, she said, they have done something very special for their city.
“It kind of connects social media and activity,” she said, taking people out and communicating.
“I think what they’ve done is absolutely wonderful.”
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