A loan car travels through twisty back roads and
along bridges and gullies. Inside
is Crazy Ray (yes, that's his real name) and his family: his wife Aida, his son Fluffy (whom Ray
insists on calling Roy), and his son Buttercup (who claims that he is actually
a girl). The family is about to
spend three weeks house-sitting the home of the Krutzles, situated deep in the
woods of Ashtabula County. Ray is
overjoyed at the opportunity because he will finally have free time to work on
his art.
Crazy Ray has a meeting with Mr.
Krutzle, at which it is revealed that the previous house sitter, Stumpy
McCutter, went insane and murdered his family (he put his wife in a blender and
drank her and mutilated his daughters with a pair of nail clippers). His insane rampage and subsequent
suicide may have had something to do with intense cabin fever: Mr. Krutzle doesnÕt allow house sitters
to leave the premises of the residence while on duty, and his house is full of
bizarre and maddening rules (thereÕs no television or Òany fun of any kindÓ)
and dietary restrictions (no sugar, salt, or caffine are allowed
After the tour, Mr. Tackert pulls Fluffy aside
and the two discuss the telepathic gift that they share
Once the Krutzles depart things immediately
begin getting stranger. Fluffy
begins having psychic episodes and sees images of McCutterÕs twin
daughters. Meanwhile, Buttercup
discovers something by the backyard grill that reveals even stranger eating
habits of the Krutzles. Crazy Ray
begins to long for something sweet and fattening, and suddenly is visited by a
spectral soda shop owner named Mr. Morgan who tempts him with a milkshake. After this episode he becomes
increasingly resentful and violent toward his family.
Soon Ray is visited by another spectral
figure: Stumpy McCutter himself,
who, after a messy upset, assures Ray that his family actually wanted him to
kill them. McCutter then declares that
heÕll see Ray again and promptly disappears.
While Buttercup amuses himself by throwing
objects into the fan and watching them fly in unpredictable directions, Fluffy
is assaulted by something in the bathroom that leaves him dazed and mute (and
covered in toilet paper and shaving cream). While Ray goes to check and see if anyoneÕs hiding in the
bathroom, Fluffy begins chanting backwards warnings
Even Stevens warns Fluffy that his dadÕs about
to snap, so he contacts Josh Tackert via the Bellyhoopy. Stumpy revisits an incredibly bored Ray
and convinces him that his family wants him to kill them. Finding himself with a purpose that
cuts through his boredom, Ray resolutely affirms that he will follow through on
it, and promptly dispatches Buttercup via his beloved ceiling fan.
Aida ventures into Rays study to suggest taking
Fluffy to a doctor, and discovers that the ÒartÓ that he has supposedly been
working on isnÕt all that impressive.
Suddenly she is confronted by Ray and is forced to defend herself with a
conveniently-placed zucchini as Ray advances up the stairs after her. After knocking him senseless, she
throws him into the laundry room and attempts an escape, only to find that he
has made it impossible by duct-taping the car doors shut. Stumpy frees Ray and passes him the
infamous nail clippers, and Ray comes after Aida and Fluffy to the ominous tune
of ÒI Have Lost My Mind.Ó Aida locks
herself and Fluffy in the bathroom, but the door proves no match for RayÕs
astounding rubberarms technique.
However, Ray proves no match for a plunger to the face, and Aida and
Fluffy escape again just in time for Josh Tackert to come barging in and yell
ÒHello? Is Anybody Here?,Ó
providing ample distraction (and nail clipper-fodder) for Ray. Aida and Fluffy then briefly part ways
