Holder of the Shadow Song

In any city, in any country, there should be an old time theater. Find yourself there. You mustn't plan this visit. It should be serendipitous. Though it might not end up being very fortunate for you. When you reach the box office, ask the ticket seller to see "The Singer of the Shadow Song." If the attendant is absent, you did not come in an acceptable spirit.

Take a seat in the third row and wait. The first two are already reserved for things you'd rather not talk to. The rest of the theater has gone to ruin. The walls will fall apart and the roof will collapse. Above will be the dark summer night. The sky will fill with constellations you don't recognize. Looking around you'll notice the horizon has gotten very close. The theater is now on a small planet.

It will snow with red flakes of blood. The flakes will land in the first two rows. From the cushions grotesque people will grow. A bell will herald The Singer of the Shadow Song.

A girl will walk out on stage and ask "What song would you like?" She will sing any song you ask beautifully. At the end the creatures will moo and jeer your choice. They will tear you apart. They only want to hear one song, "The Trials". Ask and she will smile a small smile and say "That is a good one."

She will sing. It is a long song, filled with verses of gore and lyrics of torture, of mutilation, of hot fire and evil needles. Pain will be very real to you, and you will scream and convulse. You may ask the girl to stop the song prematurely but the creatures will eat you. The song is a long session beyond a hundred murders.

After the song the small girl will bow to you. You must yell encore with the gurgled cry of the creatures. She may agree and you will not survive a extra performance. Or she may take her leave. Before she does, she will appear in a seat behind you. She will shove your head down on the floor. She will scratch music in deep red lines on your back. Once it is finished you will wake up in the gutter. The scratches will have scarred.

The object you sought is long gone. Never let anyone play the music on your back.

Credited to FelixDay