The last time I went to a haunted house, I was so scared, I bit one of my classmates. Friday night proved that some things never change when I toured the Pennshurst Haunted Asylum in Spring City, Pennsylvania.
I usually don’t like anything scary or gore-y especially in movies. That is when I usually close my eyes. The slightest sound makes me jump and I am just an all-around punk. But when I received a text about the event, I figured it would be something different to do.
The entire drive there, my nerves were getting the best of me. I knew that the site was once an institution for mentally and physically disabled people so I thought how bad could it be, right? Wrong. I read the history before writing this post and it is creepy.
Anyway, the boyfriend and I arrived about 20 minutes before our college friends and the anticipation alone was worth it. We kept being detoured down these long and dark roads with only the event staff there to guide us. The same was true after we parked as the light from small bonfires like the ones you see homeless people surrounding in movies, showed us the way.
As we waited, we could smell the scent that is emitted from fog machines. We kept hearing the sound of a chain saw being started and immediately after, the sounds of shrill screams before droves of people descended from their location. I thought that would prepare us for that part because we knew it was coming. So not the case.
The entire event was very well orchestrated as headless monkeys and dolled up zombies walked amongst us on our way to each site. Playing up the legend of tortured souls at an insane asylum, zombies played with their bed pans oblivious to the lines of humans. Some contorted their bodies while making very awkward and strange noises. Some followed us making their presence known and others, hid in the dark as we toured three of the four sites.
While inside, we were most definitely no longer in Kansas anymore, so to speak. Every single turn was a fright in itself because you just didn’t know who or what you would encounter. Was it going to be some insane and half-dead dentist trying to do oral surgery on you when his other patient clearly didn’t make it? Or the fast talking woman in the tv room who just wanted somebody and anybody to talk to. Or some other faceless zombie that you couldn’t see because of the dark and foggy rooms that you slowly traveled into as if you were trying to creep into the danger. Yeah, like that is going to work.
Our group remained intact for the most part. Everyone handled the event differently and it was because of those differences that made the event both scary and hilarious at the same time. We were even given VIP treatment as a couple mistakenly gave the event staff their names so at each site, the people at the door informed the zombies waiting for us that they were coming. Hilarious.
For a girl who doesn’t normally like scary things, I am impressed and would definitely go back.
