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INTRODUCTION
Let’s start with a question: if you knew your house was haunted, what would you do to stop haunting? Are you willing to do anything to exorcise the spirits residing in your home? Let me frame it this way: to date, we’ve covered stories about demonic possession—and in each one, the possessed and their loved ones were willing to go to extreme lengths to cast out the evil spirits. But what if, instead of a person, your home needed exorcising.
A few episodes back, we heard 6 scary stories about haunted staircases. And it got me thinking—is there anything a person can do to rid themselves of the ghosts haunting their staircases? Because, for me, a ghost roaming a staircase is infinitely more terrifying than a ghost roaming a bedroom. And as I got to thinking, I also got to reading and researching—and sure enough, I came across a fascinating—and creepy—ritual for exorcising your staircase.
Let me say up front, this ritual takes time—a lot of time—and needs to be done in two parts over two days. The first day is preparation for the ritual itself and can likely be done in 10-15 minutes. But the second part—the actual ritual—takes 13 hours to complete and requires a steady resolve to see it through and nerves of steel; because, honestly, it’s creepy as hell.
In this episode of The Red Treehouse, we’re going to explore the unsettling Staircase Ritual. Do you have the courage to complete this ritual and to face the unknown entity—or entities—inhabiting your home?
I’ll share the details. You decide for yourself.
I’m your host, Will. Welcome to The Red Treehouse.
THE STAIRCASE RITUAL
There are a few requirements to play the Staircase Ritual:
Only one player can play at a time.
You’ll need a staircase with no fewer than 11 steps, but no more than 16.
The landings don’t count as steps.
A staircase with 12 or 13 steps is best.
You’ll also need the following items:
A small, battery-operated fan.
A glass of water.
A handful of dirt.
A candle.
Matches or lighter.
An old picture of the land on which your home rests.
A current picture of your home.
A die.
2 timekeeping devices.
An animal or animal byproduct to use as a food offering.
A mirror.
A handful of ash.
2 to 3 dust bunnies.
A live insect.
A fingernail or lock of hair from your own body.
Do not use blood.
Salt
1 sharp object, preferably made of silver.
Once you’ve gathered all these items, you’re ready to begin the prelude. It’s important to follow each of these steps exactly as you hear them. Here we go:
Begin the prelude in the afternoon.
When you start is not important, but you MUST take note of the exact time you begin.
At the selected time, stand at the bottom of the staircase.
Say aloud: “It is from here whenceforth I shall commence.”
Place the small fan on the first step.
Say aloud: “Here is the air that mortal breathes.”
Place the glass of water on the second step.
Say aloud: “Here is the water that mortal drinks.”
Spread the handful of dirt on the third step.
Be sure to cover as much of the step as possible.
Say aloud: “Here is the earth on which the mortal stands.”
Place the unlit candle and matches or lighter on the fourth step.
Say aloud: “Here is the fire that burns mortal’s hands.”
Place the old picture of your home on the fifth step.
Say aloud: “Here is the time that has come to pass.”
Place the current picture of your home on the sixth step.
Roll the die beside it.
Say aloud: “Here is the present and the die is cast.”
Place one of the timekeeping devices on the seventh step.
Say aloud: “Here comes the future, the time ticks now.”
Place the food offering on the eighth step.
Say aloud: “Here is the offering for Devil’s mouth.”
Place the mirror on the ninth step.
Say aloud: “Here is my image, in God’s likeness I trust.”
Place the handful of ash and the dust bunnies on the tenth step.
Say aloud: “Here is mortality, ashes, and dust.”
Place the live insect on the eleventh step.
Say aloud: “Here is a life I present unto thee.”
Place the fingernail or lock of hair on the twelfth step.
Say aloud: “And here is the essence extracted from me.”
Draw a line of salt on the thirteenth step or landing.
Say aloud: “No further than here.”
Then, leave the items in place overnight.
There’s something important: when you wake up the next morning, inspect each step closely. If everything seems like it was left, you can continue with the ritual. But if something—anything—seems out of place—you MUST NOT PROCEED WITH THE RITUAL.
If you’re convinced everything looks normal, you may continue with the ritual.
You must follow these steps exactly as I’ll tell you:
Have everyone leave the house. You should be the only one left in the house.
Gather your timekeeping device and sharp object—they must stay with you at all times.
Begin the ritual at the exact time as you started the prelude.
Stand at the bottom of the staircase. Make sure your footing is firm. Remain still.
After one hour has passed, go onto the first step and turn on the small fan.
Face the top of the staircase. Make sure your footing is firm. Remain still. Don’t turn around or look behind you.
After the second hour has passed, go onto the second step and drink the entire class of water.
Face the top of the staircase. Make sure your footing is firm. Remain still. Don’t turn around or look behind you.
After the third hour has passed, go onto the third step and make sure you’re standing in the dirt.
Face the top of the staircase. Make sure your footing is firm. Remain still. Don’t turn around or look behind you.
After the fourth hour has passed, go onto the fourth step and, using the lighter/matches, light the candle.
Face the top of the staircase. Make sure your footing is firm. Remain still. Don’t turn around or look behind you.
After the fifth hour has passed, go onto the fifth step and, using the candle, burn the old picture of your home.
Face the top of the staircase. Make sure your footing is firm. Remain still. Don’t turn around or look behind you.
After the sixth hour has passed, go onto the sixth step and rip up the current picture as many times as the number on the die.
Do not let the torn picture pieces fall to the ground.
Face the top of the staircase. Make sure your footing is firm. Remain still. Don’t turn around or look behind you.
After the seventh hour has passed, go onto the seventh step and move the clock forward as many hours as number on the die.
DO NOT TURN THE CLOCK BACKWARDS.
Face the top of the staircase. Make sure your footing is firm. Remain still. Don’t turn around or look behind you.
After the eighth hour has passed, go onto the eighth step and take a bite of the food offering and swallow it.
Make sure your face does not betray disgust.
Show as much enjoyment of the food as possible.
Face the top of the staircase. Make sure your footing is firm. Remain still. Don’t turn around or look behind you.
After the ninth hour has passed, go onto the ninth step and pick up the mirror and look into it.
Focus only on your face and avoid looking at anything else—no matter how much it tries to distract you.
Face the top of the staircase. Make sure your footing is firm. Remain still. Don’t turn around or look behind you.
After the tenth hour has passed, smash the mirror and go onto the tenth step.
Use the sharp object to draw a drop of your own blood.
Let the blood fall on the piles of ashes and dust.
Face the top of the staircase. Make sure your footing is firm. Remain still. Don’t turn around or look behind you.
After the eleventh hour has passed, go onto the eleventh step and kill the insect.
Face the top of the staircase. Make sure your footing is firm. Remain still. Don’t turn around or look behind you.
After the twelfth hour has passed, go onto the twelfth step and swallow the fingernail or lock of hair.
Face the top of the staircase. Make sure your footing is firm. Remain still. Don’t turn around or look behind you.
After the thirteenth hour has passed, go onto the thirteenth step and keep the sharp object close.
NOW TURN AROUND—JUST BE PREPARED FOR WHATEVER YOURE ABOUT TO FACE.
CONCLUSION
I’m still trying to wrap my head around this ritual—the sheer length of time it takes to complete requires extreme patience and self-control. On the one hand, this feels entirely too long, and the payoff leaves me unsatisfied—after an exhausting 13 hours, you still must fight and defeat the spirit in your home. But on the other hand, here’s why the Staircase Ritual may be more terrifying than any other game or ritual we’ve covered so far:
You start the game in the afternoon—it’s bright and the sun is shining.
But as you move further up the staircase, the sun creeps to the horizon.
The bright afternoon light fades into dusk, which fades into the night.
Your house goes through the same transition—bright light to shadows to pitch black darkness.
You must fight the urge to turn around, and with your eyes and mind playing tricks on you, that’s easier said than done.
You know that feeling of pulling the covers over your head when you hop into bed? Or not wanting to stick your foot out from under the covers? Or not turning your back to the open side of the mattress for fear something could creep up next to you? You’ll have to fight each of those impulses to run—not for seconds, but for hours.
And, when you finally turn around—who knows what you’re going to face.
Have you completed The Staircase Ritual? If so, email redtreehousepod@gmail.com and I’ll feature your story in an upcoming episode!
As we close this episode of The Red Treehouse, we’re left with these lingering questions: do you have the courage to play this ritual and to face the unknown entity—or entities—inhabiting your home?
I’ve shared the details. Now, you decide for yourself.
I’m your host, Will. Thanks for joining me in The Red Treehouse.
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