Staired in Horror story
Clyde Beaudreaux is a fugitive on the run for murder. After being chased by a mob of angry townspeople led by the town sheriff toward a dead end near a large house, he begs for help from the house's owner, Lilian Charbonnet, a seemingly senile old woman. Once he is let inside, the sheriff tells Lilian, through the door, that Clyde is wanted for the killing of a shopkeeper, but Lilian does not tell him that Clyde is inside. Once the sheriff leaves, Clyde discovers that Lilian has suddenly become younger when after going upstairs, where she reveals that her jealous husband put a curse on the house's staircase, aging any man and de-aging any woman that travels up it. Directed by: Stephen Hopkins. Story by: Teller.
12 total · 1 choice · 5 major · 6 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| coping with aging | choice | Clyde expressed his disgust and contempt for Lilian and her advanced age. In fact, Lilian had been cursed to be old downstairs and young upstairs in their house. When Clyde ascended the stairs, he got a taste of his own medicine. In the end, Clyde foolishly hid in the attic, where he grew so old he could no longer move. |
| being on the run from the law | major | Clyde was on the run after committing murder, and tried to evade the sheriff searching for him. |
| hexes and curses | major | Lilian explained that her husband had once caught her in flagrante delicto with another man, upon which he had attacked the man and she had shot her husband. With his dying breath he had placed a curse upon her. She was cursed to be old when downstairs and young when upstairs in their house. |
| infatuation | major | Clyde and young Lilian became somewhat besotted with each other. Lilian must have known what would happen when she went up into the attic. |
| law enforcement | major | The sheriff was searching for Clyde. |
| what if I were not subject to the normal process of aging | major | People in Lilian's house aged rapidly as they ascended the stairs, and turned gradually young again as they descended. |
| husband and wife | minor | Lilian explained that her husband had once caught her in flagrante delicto with another man, upon which he had attacked the man and she had shot her husband. With his dying breath he had placed a curse upon her. |
| living corpse | minor | The story is presented by the Crypt Keeper, a cackling, wisecracking cadaver. |
| murder | minor | The sheriff and his men were out to round up Clyde on a murder charge. According to the sheriff, a man died after being beaten and robbed by Clyde. Thus, Clyde was on the hook for murder. |
| poetry | minor | In his sketch, the Crypt Keeper, donned in full beatnik garb, recited a groovy poem in front of some beatnik skeletons. |