Friday, October 26, 2007

Chapter 69.3: Happy Halloween!


My wife and I, who both enjoy a good horror film or episode of Ghost Hunters, went with some friends to the Nightmare Haunted House in New York. It was a blast! The Lower East Side venue looked like an old church, though I don't believe that's what it was.

Groups of twelve were allowed into the haunted house at one time. We wove our way through cramped hallways, never knowing when a masked person might pop out. In many rooms the the looming presence was quite obvious, standing before us or waiting in a corner for the right moment to make a person jump or scream. Each room had a different theme. In one, we had to walk over a bed that looked like someone it had been the scene of a bloodletting. I was in the lead at that point, and a woman dressed completely in black jumped upon the bed; there was nowhere to go, so I had to follow her up over the bed. In another room, at least a dozen bodies in white shrouds stood blocking the path; the room was filled with them. I wasn't sure whether I was allowed to walk through them or if they'd eventually open up some space. When I tried to go around one of them, he moved into my direction -- several times. He wouldn't let me go. It wasn't scary so much as it was confusing. But it was fun.

Also a lot of fun was the bar. Once you had your ticket, you could pre-game in the bar and get a pleasant buzz before entering the haunted house. (In addition to the basic generic beer choices, a nice touch was the brand of wine they served: Gato Negro -- black cat.) But if you're looking for a nice scare, get your tickets soon; the house closes after November 3.

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