Being scared is a staple of Halloween. Between scary movies, haunted houses, and creepy lawn decorations in the neighborhood, it’s nearly impossible to not get a little scared. Normally people have to leave Cannon Falls to get to a haunted house, but what if there was one in town?

11th grader Grey Springer and their family created a haunted house of their very own in between their house and their neighbors. They had friends and family become scare actors. Junior Lillian McCusker and I got to act as scare actors both days. Springer’s mother provided hot cocoa, apple cider, soup, and pizza for all of the scare actors. 

The haunted house took place on October 25 from 7 PM to 10 PM and October 31 from 7 PM to 9 PM. All of the scare actors showed up at least an hour early to get ready in time. On Halloween, we had so many people lined up, we had to begin the haunted house around 6:30 instead of 7 that night. 

The haunted house itself consisted of 7 rooms that were open to the public, and an extra room for the scare actors that made it easier to navigate for them. There was an entry room, a witches room, a hallway that led into a dining room, a jail cell, and an exit. Springer, McCusker, and I all ended up in the dining room on both nights. No one was in the entry or exit rooms, but Grey’s dad was in the witches room, and their little sister was in the prison room. Out of everyone, she got the most screams out of anyone who came through.  

Acting in this haunted house was a super fun experience. I loved scaring people and seeing their reactions, or creating elaborate plans with my friends to do such. Overall, getting to do this was absolutely exciting, and I would definitely do it again.