There was an old man who lived in a decrepit mansion on the outskirts of town. His smile was a permanent fixture on his face, but it was a smile that sent shivers down people's spines. One day, a group of kids decided to explore the mansion. The old man welcomed them with that eerie smile. As they walked through the halls, they heard strange noises. The old man led them to a locked room. He opened it with a key, and inside they saw a mirror. But when they looked into the mirror, they saw their own terrified faces, and behind them, the old man's smiling face was distorted into something demonic.
There was an old man in a haunted forest. He was often seen by hikers, just standing there, smiling. One hiker, curious, approached him. The old man's smile was like a rictus, not warm or friendly. As the hiker got closer, the old man started to tell a story about the forest, about how it was cursed long ago. His smile never faltered as he described the dark entities that lurked within the trees. Suddenly, the hiker felt a cold hand on his shoulder, but when he turned around, there was nothing. When he looked back at the old man, the old man's eyes had turned black, and his smile became even more menacing.
Hard to say for sure. Maybe it was inspired by real events but exaggerated or modified for the story. It's often a mix of truth and imagination in such tales.
There was an old man named Tom. Tom had a simple life. One day, he received a letter from an old friend he hadn't heard from in years. As he read the letter, a big smile spread across his face. He remembered all the good times they had shared. He decided to write back immediately. While writing, his smile remained, as if he was reliving those memories. His positive attitude and that smile were an inspiration to his neighbors.
There was an old man in a small village. His smile was so creepy. People said that he used to be a gravedigger. One day, a group of kids were playing near his hut. He came out with that smile and called them over. He told them about a treasure hidden in the old cemetery. The kids followed him out of curiosity. When they reached the cemetery, the old man's smile grew wider as he pointed at a freshly dug grave. Then, they heard strange noises coming from it, and the old man just stood there smiling as if he was waiting for something to happen.
Often, an old man's smile in a scary story is a contrast. His age gives an impression of wisdom and kindness, but a sinister smile shatters that expectation. It can be a sign that he has some dark secrets or evil intentions. Maybe he has been through some traumatic events that warped his mind, and his smile is the only way he shows his inner turmoil. It also makes the reader or viewer wonder what he is thinking, and that uncertainty is a big part of what makes it scary.
The unpredictability. A smile usually indicates friendliness or happiness, but when an old man smiles in a horror story, it goes against that expectation. It's like a false signal. You expect him to be benign, but in fact, he could be harboring evil intentions.
It's the contrast. An old man is often associated with wisdom and kindness, but a smiling old man in a horror story goes against that expectation. His smile might be a mask for something truly terrifying, like a sadistic nature or a connection to the undead. It plays on our trust of the elderly and twists it into something horrifying. For example, he could be luring people in with his smile, only to subject them to unspeakable horrors.
I'm not entirely sure as there could be various 'the smiling man story'. It might be a horror story where the smiling man is some sort of creepy character that haunts people. Or it could be a positive story about a man with a great smile who spreads joy in a community.