Fall is in the air. Leaves are changing colors, nights are getting colder, and bloody mangled corpses are roaming the streets.
Oh, the joys of the season. Take a scenic drive through our beautiful mountains while the sun is up then stop by the scariest haunted houses in the state after sunset (just make sure and empty your bladder first).
So this year I decided to take my three boys to their first haunted house. I figured they could handle it. I mean seriously what could be scarier than living with their mother (ha I’m so just kidding). So we were in line opening night at the Castle of Chaos on 33rd. My boys where harnessing their courage and bragging how they would simply punch a monster in the face if one got to close. I started thinking to myself okay they can do this. I’m not going to cause permanent damage to my innocent kids that haven’t seen anything scarier than a SpongeBob’s Halloween episode.
All was going well right up to the point when the first monster came around the corner; this was while we were still outside waiting in line.
My oldest took one look, his face turned stark white and he took off running faster than I have ever seen him. My youngest scurried behind me gripping my jeans so tight I was having to battle keeping them on. My middle boy just froze, not knowing what to do glancing at me to gage my reaction. This was about the time I was questioning my parenting skills. Who was I kidding? They were not ready for this. My oldest was a block away now sitting on top of a metal box with a rock in his hand for protection, I had just about lost the battle of keeping my pants up against my youngest, and my middle boy was fighting back tears. After gathering my shocked and terrified children we regrouped around the corner where they felt safe.
I asked them if they wanted to go home or stay and go through the castle. Of course what full-blooded American boy would say let’s go home after witnessing first hand a live zombie. So, I took the time to teach them the golden rule of haunted houses--don’t show any fear. If you show any fear at all they will not leave you alone. Armed with this new information they put their game faces on and we went back to the line.
When we got to the ticket booth we learned that the castle had some cool options. First, they had a monster be gone. A glow stick that you could hold up if the monsters got to scary and they would back away. Second, they had a “hands on” experience. They give you a glow stick that you put around your wrist letting the monsters know you are no coward--in which case they could physically grab you. My boys chose the first without hesitation. Armed with their glow sticks we went through the whole castle laughing, and screaming. The only injury sustained was by my youngest. During a moment of weakness I tried pulling him in front of me and ran him smack into a solid wall (before you judge me understand that it was a natural instinct of self-preservation when being confronted by the undead). I learned that even the undead have a sense of humor.
So needless to say my kids and I loved it. They won’t stop asking to go to the next haunted, which is okay for my pocket book since the Castle of Chaos has three of them for one great price. We have two more to look forward to this season.
So if you’re looking for something fun to do. Click on their link on our homepage, grab some tickets and ask yourself, “Am I looking for a monster be gone experience, or a bring it on you creepy freaks--hit me with your best shot kind of night?”
