It's a Ouija board for the 21st century with the same goal of contacting the spirits.

Charlie Charlie Challenge
Two pencils crossed to take the Charlie Charlie Challenge (PIX 11)
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Teens in New Jersey and across the country are taking the "Charlie Charlie Challenge" in an effort to contact a supposed Mexican spirit of the same name and get their questions answered.

The "game" is simple to play: form a cross by taking a piece of paper and writing "yes" or "no" in the corners and balancing two pencils on top of each either in an effort to communicate with Charlie, who responds to questions by moving the pencils. If he answers yes, the possible responses to a question are written on the paper.

Many players are taken by surprise when the pencils start moving and run out of the room. Those playing the game have to say goodbye at the end of their session or be plagued by "paranormal situations" such as things moving, sinister laughing and shadows.

The session is recorded and posted on social media at #charliecharliechallenge, joining 2 million other people who have played the game in the last 48 hours alone according to the BBC.

But the game's premise is full of holes thanks to the laws of gravity. And there is no Charlie in Mexican folklore.

"There's no demon called 'Charlie' in Mexico," says Maria Elena Navez of BBC Mundo. "Mexican legends often come from ancient Aztec and Maya history, or from the many beliefs that began circulating during the Spanish conquest. In Mexican mythology you can find gods with names like 'Tlaltecuhtli' or 'Tezcatlipoca' in the Nahuatl language. But if this legend began after the Spanish conquest, I'm sure it would've been called 'Carlitos' (Charlie in Spanish)." Navez adds, "Mexican demons are usually American inventions,"

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