| “ | Spread the word. | „ |
| ~ Smile Dog's most famous quote. |
Smile Dog (also known smile.jpg) is a supposedly "haunted" image dating back to the beginnings of the internet, smile.jpg has a reputation for driving those who view it insane, making its victims view it in their mind's eye at every turn. While it has been discovered that these images in victims' minds are the result of epileptic seizures, there is no clear understanding of just WHY the image causes this. All of the victims who spoke up about their experiences however, have said that they are also visited by the dog-like creature in the image, named "Smile Dog". When in these dreams, the only thing the victims can do is watch and listen as Smile Dog tells them that the only respite to their torment is to "spread the word", and many of them receive shortly thereafter a removable media via mail with no return address. Inside these media is said to be another copy or form of Smile Dog, which the victim is encouraged to spread to others.
Those who claim to have seen smile.jpg often weakly joke that they were far too busy to save a copy of the picture to their hard drive. However, all alleged victims offer the same description of the photo: A dog-like creature (usually described as appearing similar to a Siberian husky), illuminated by the flash of the camera, sits in a dim room, the only background detail that is visible being a human hand extending from the darkness near the left side of the frame. The hand is empty, but is usually described as "beckoning". Of course, most attention is given to the dog (or dog-creature, as some victims are more certain than others about what they claim to have seen). The muzzle of the beast is reputedly split in a wide grin, revealing two rows of very white, very straight, very sharp, very human-looking teeth.
This is, of course, not a description given immediately after viewing the picture, but rather a recollection of the victims, who claim to have seen the picture endlessly repeated in their mind's eye during the time they are, in reality, having epileptic fits. These fits are reported to continue indeterminably, often while the victims sleep, resulting in very vivid and disturbing nightmares. These may be treated with medication, though in some cases it is more effective than others.
Facts:
- The exact origin of the Smile.jpg Creepypasta is unknown but is rumored to have been first posted on the /x/ (paranormal) board on the imageboard 4chan in 2008. According to the occult-related blog Aether Paranormal, the earliest known image tied to the story is the one shown above.
- No one knows who his creator is.