The Shadow Game

There has been said to be a game out there, if you can call it that, called The Shadow Game. It's a... high risk high reward deal. The following is the procedure to complete this particular ritual, for it is indeed a ritual. Before we start, I highly recommend for anyone remotely wise to stop reading and enjoy their lives.  As for the rest of you, please understand that if you do not execute this perfectly, a fate worse than death awaits you, but I'll get into that later. If you succeed however, you get one wish. The wish does not have any of those silly catches you see in movies, you will get your wish, and be satisfied with the result. The ever so big catch, is the terrible consequences if you fail. Before you start, follow these rules to the letter. Details of the context of these rules will be explained later. Failure to comply to these rules will result in making you fail the game, and whatever you do, do NOT fail the game!

1. Do NOT take your eyes off your shadow. You are allowed to blink briefly, but keep your attention focused. 

2. Keep focused on your shadow for 66 minutes and 6 seconds. 

3. Throw the salt only in the last six seconds of the game

4. Do not let any shadow cross yours.

5. Do not let ANYONE touch your sphere

As for the game, all you will need is a large empty area, a timer, salt, and very good concentration. It is very important that you have no shadows or anything that casts shadows around you.  Be at your location at noon sharp. When your shadow is not visible, say the phrase, "Without a shadow of a doubt, my wish is worth putting my soul at risk."  If you did this correctly, you should hear a bone chilling noise worse than anything you've ever heard before. Recover from the shock of this sound quickly and lock your eyes on your shadow. In the following minutes, you will notice that your own shadow has grown red, hateful eyes, and contorted into the horrific shape of a demon. It will seem familiar, yet foriegn. You must keep your attention on this creature, a doppelganger of your shadow, for one hour, six minutes, and six seconds. This shadow will grow as the sun passes. It will try as hard as it can to make you break the above rules, and will attempt to distract you any way it can. At first, it will simply conjure noises to make you break eye contact, then it will get more aggressive and start manipulating your senses, making you want to turn, making you need to turn. It will try to lure creatures near you to cross your shadow. You cannot let this happen no matter what, for if you do, you are doomed to a fate that can barely be imagined. If you manage to keep eye contact for a little more than one of the most horrifying hours you've ever experienced in your life, throw salt at the shadow and say the phrase, "My wish is granted." You have the six seconds at the end to do this. If done correctly, your shadow will shimmer back to normal, leaving an enchanted obsidian sphere. This sphere is for your hands and your hands alone. You are mostly safe at this point, however, do NOT let anyone else touch this sphere, otherwise the consequences of failing the ritual will come to haunt you.

If you did everything correctly, then you may break the sphere at your convenience and wish for anything you want. There is no time limit but I suggest you wish quickly, for any off statement even lined with desire may waste your wish, or worse, accidentally curse you. You may demand anything you want, money, power, love, knowledge, anything. The world, no, universe is yours. The wish can grant you everything short of becoming a god.  The shear value of this opportunity is uncomprehendable, and could make you the happiest person in history.

If you fail to follow this procedure anywhere along the line however, the following will happen. Your shadow will disappear, and you will hear maniacal laughter. You are now this abomination's toy, it's plaything. Several days, maybe even weeks will pass, and... nothing will happen. Everything will seem normal besides your lack of a shadow and the constant feeling of being watched. Do not doubt that you are being watched, for your now rouge and mutated shadow is indeed stealthily monitoring you, noting your fears, your weaknesses, and, those who are dear to you. You are now it's number one pray, it's center of attention. It will devote all of its time to make you as miserable as possible. This beginning phase will simply be observation and attempts to make you paranoid. It can and will include random noises, and items moving on their own. On the next full moon, the next phase, your true punishment, will truly initiate. That night, right before you drift into sleep, you will see it watching you from the corner of your room, grinning like the fiend it is. In the following weeks, it will start crawling closer and closer,  night after night. This will continue until it hovers inches from your face, intimate as a lover, staying there every night for the rest of your wretched life. 

This is only the beginning however. You will shortly notice people you care for start dying off. It will start out slowly and tame. Elderly family members will start dying in their sleep. A friend with cancer will pass away. As time goes on, people who mean more to you will start being killed more and more frequently. Every six months, then every three, then every month, and so on. The deaths will become more and more gruesome. From peaceful release in sleep, to poisoning, to perhaps an accident, or murder. It is unknown what this demon has in store for you.  This will continue until you are left alone, mentally broken beyond repair. You will find that you are unable to die, for The Shadow enjoys your torment.  No form of suicide will kill you. You will be left to suffer on this cruel, lonely desert of an Earth, regretting your decision for many years to come. One day, your immortality will wear off, and a horrible accident will occur, claiming you as the victim. When you are laying there alone, broken in mind, body, and spirit, your shadow will come to you. The Shadow, your only remaining companion, who has been with you and made your life a living hell. It will loom over you, and when you think you will be able to enjoy the sweet escape of death, it will take your soul. 

From there, a near eternal torture bearing pain beyond reckoning awaits. You will be stored in The Shadow. In there is an inky black abyss. You will free fall in this horrible plane, feeling the combined mental and physical pain of all The Shadow's victims throughout history, including your precious loved ones. Imagine the sensation of being constantly strapped to a scalding surface from all sides while having the anguish of thousands of people bombarding your mind for close to an eternity. Your spiritual body will convulse, trying to escape the pain, only to find that there is no way to alleviate this punishment. You will become exhausted from writhing in agony, but it will not stop. As you become more and more anguished from this pain and fatigue, your soul will start to corrupt. Your already present insanity ridden mind will be ripped and torn asunder until your soul is nothing but pure darkness.

Now if you were listening closely, as you should be, you will notice I said a near eternal torture. After this squalid soul is razed past the point of no return, they are reborn as a new shadow. And once that happens, the only thing we desire, all we hope for...  are new challengers to play our game. So please, try your luck with us, and may the best player win.