We gather here at the genesis of another season of screams; night has descended and the doors to many haunted attractions hungrily await the arrival of eager guests. Accompanied by a rush of excitement and a tinge of dizzied disbelief, the first night of haunting of any season is a special outing. For myself and my faithful cohorts the season will officially commence tomorrow evening although at present we have not yet decided exactly where it is that we’ll be headed. Rest assured that the haunted highway will carry us to a destination where the first memories of the 2015 haunt season will be minted.
As we peer from this precipice with an eye on the immediate future let us pause for a few moments and reflect on the year that was — submitted for your approval here are some of the most memorable moments from the 2014 haunt season as recorded here on Horrorlust.
On the atmosphere of Corpse Barn Shock Haunt, 10/04/14
“The interior of the barn was littered with corpses indeed, it was as if the barn itself had been eviscerated. All about the floor in every direction laid piles of dummies; I wasn’t sure if this was the ritual site for a serial killer or merely the dumping grounds for plague victims, but the bodies were scattered, torn and in abundance.”
On a curiosity spotted in the dark at Psycho Path, 10/10/14
“…a strange sight greeted us as we rounded a corner — was that a floating head mere yards in front of us? Indeed, it was floating and glowing a magical shade of green. Wait a second?! Did my eyes deceive me? Was that a second head bobbing beside the first? Did the Gosch Brothers possess siamese twins who were aglow in the gloom like a pair of monstrous stars?!!”
On an oddly comedic character at Psycho Path, 10/10/14
“…and were guided by a husky harlequin who was surprisingly spry and had the odd habit of honking his own nose.”
On a wonderfully ridiculous reaction of a party member at Psycho Path, 10/10/14
“One cannot be sure of such things but a member of our group may have possibly fled with arms flailing above head looking all the world like Olive Oyl from Popeye.”
On a striking actor inside District 13 at The Fear Experience, 10/17/14
“In one corner, a frightening mime repeated the same stuttered movements like an animatronic in need of repair — his eyes were cold, lifeless, soul-sucking orbs.”
On a fellow patron who commented that she felt as if she would both urinate and vomit from fear while waiting in line at Bloodview, 10/17/14
“I was convinced by her body language that her statements weren’t merely for dramatic flair and I thus stepped back a few paces in order to avoid the splashback from any potential spew.”
On the overall flavor of the Gore House at Bloodview, 10/17/14
“The Gore House was a galleria of gross-outs and no trip is complete without passage through the one-of-a-kind vortex tunnel near the end of the structure, a vortex tunnel with the color and consistency of molten flesh.”
On an inimitable creep who inhabited Baby Doll Island at Bloodview, 10/17/14
“I couldn’t decide if he was a vampire, demon or merely the town pervert but he elicited a response and looked good doing it.”
On the aftermath of Splattertown at Wiard’s Night Terrors, 10/18/14
“As we exited, I conferred with Maddie and she too had shamelessly peppered the private parts of some dim-witted zombie.”
On an excellent bit of interaction inside the Ultimate Haunted Barn at Wiard’s Night Terrors, 10/18/14
“Curtis spoke rapidly of his vast collection of goods which were displayed throughout the room. He intimated that he had amassed such a treasure trove by less than honest means but in the next breath stated plainly that any accusations of such would not be met with politeness. Curtis spoke with quickness and clarity; his voice possessed a mesmerizing cadence dashed with a pinch of wit.”
On the eye-popping finale of Hush, 10/30/14
“My eyes darted from her to the frosty fellow inside the chamber. Had I just saw it blink? Was the equipment about to malfunction?! Just as she reassured us of the stability of the machinery, the cryogenic freak lurched forward and secured a meaty paw around the throat of our loquacious host.”
On a superb illusion at Dark Legacy, 10/30/14
“Static filled the screen for a moment but then a shape began to emerge from the white noise, a human face forced itself from the snow-driven abyss!”
On a particularly wild scene at Exit 13, 11/01/14
“And most of that took place while we marveled at a hot, sadistic nurse who tortured a wailing amputee! On top of that, we would later discover that the missing leg was no gag.”
On a fearless haunt actress at 13 Feet Under, 11/01/14
“She locked eyes, leaned in slowly, bared her teeth and sunk them straight into my hand.”
On a waltzing weirdo at The Crypt, 11/01/14
“…and in one unforgettable instance, a stout and hairy man confined to an inaccessible room, treated us to the most unsettling dance number since Buffalo Bill cut a rug in The Silence of the Lambs.”
On a large, freakish doll at The Realm of Darkness, 11/01/14
“One in particular caught my attention, it was several feet tall with a bulbous, unnaturally large head, a rictus grin and bore more than a passing resemblance to Howdy Doody.”
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