Night Screams

NightScreams

By Allan Olson

This weekend was only about half as busy as normal as I only left home twice over the weekend both on Saturday rather than running on both Saturday and Sunday.

Unfortunately I never headed out on a geocaching run over the weekend and while I suggested it once, I knew the work that needed to be done at home was going to trump it – that and just a little bit of the desire to stay home – knowing what the rest of the month will bring.

On Saturday evening we did something very unusual for us on a Halloween night – we went out. I haven’t celebrated Halloween or went trick or treating in over 25 years when I was younger we went to church and had fun with games and friends but since adulthood and longer – we haven’t done much of anything. So this year, I decided that we would try the Haunted House – NightScreams at the Big Winnie Store in Bena. I contacted a friend about this place and she assured me that it was indeed a fun time. I discussed it with my wife about taking my niece and Nikolai to it and she suggested that perhaps the whole family should go.

So on Saturday night my niece did our makeup – another first for me – and we headed out to Bena to be scared. My friend and her husband decided to meet us there and go through it again – but lagged behind so we would get the full experience. We were finally allowed through to the first trailer and while waiting to be let in someone was knocking on the outside of the wall – my niece told Abigail to pound on the wall back  - so she did  - and that changed her whole outlook on the haunted house from the onset.

I said from the beginning if anyone needed a good scare it was her and she got it.

Just like the carefree girl she is – she marched in front of all us leading the foray into the haunted house and then she was grabbed. “You were knocking on my hall,” an actor said in a scary voice as he latched on to her. From that moment on she was terrified – the actor let her go and she clung to her mother the entire time. I was taking up the rear and just laughed the entire time, from one stage to the next. At one point as we were nearing the end – Marcus grabbed my hand and I could feel his heart pound throw his hands onto mine – instead of feeling sorry for him being scared I was amused.

We neared the end of the stage and a woman was calling for help attached to a house and suddenly someone came running at us with a running chain saw as the final scare – poor Nikolai took off like a young deer sprinting away the other kids in my party weren’t exactly thrilled about it either, just didn’t have the opportunity to run away. At first I hesitated when I saw it and then I laughed – after all it was just noise and not any actual danger the final act was great and I’m certain it terrified many a guest that dared enter the haunted house.

There were several other notable mentions in the entire act as the cast of volunteers worked hard to scare all that entered. The lady in white – who screamed so loud it was piercing making the little kids jump, someone who lurked behind a curtain and made my niece scream because it startled her so bad, and those who came out of nowhere onto the trail of fears startling those carefully walking, wondering who or what might come after them next. To everyone involved – thanks for making my families first haunted house experience a great one.

While my kids have said – never again, after they discussed the scariest aspects of the haunted house, I’m ready to see what they will bring back next year.

On Sunday – it was laundry day, we used the day to finally get caught up on that never ending daunting task, but as frustrating as that job is, we are thankful we have clean clothes to put on. The evening was spent largely relaxing after enjoying a meal of fish and potatoes and of course putting more clothes away. The kids after their work was done played some games of their own before heading to bed.

This weekend – Nikolai and I are heading north for the big hunt, hopefully we will do just as well as last year, and most importantly we will once again emphasize the importance of safety.

Please remember to watch out for the buses that are carrying our most precious cargo. Also snap a photo or two to preserve a lifetime of memories. Thanks for reading, and have a great week! Feel free to drop me a line at cltimes1@arvig.net or stop by the office for a visit.