Chapter 7 - Scream
All the actors are prepped and ready for the night. As the seconds tick by, I feel the increased intensity of my heart palpitations. The whole night I've been a nervous wreck. Rose tried to give me a little pep talk, but it didn't help. If anything, she sent me into my gory imagination making my condition worse.
This whole week I've been a nervous wreck anticipating tonight. It's closer to Halloween now so it's more crowded which I'm hoping will help me out and the actors will be occupied with other guests. Emmett boasted that actors have the sixth sense to locate who actually doesn't like what's going on around them and single those guests out which prompted Rose to smack him again.
I'm freaking myself out over nothing. I've seen a lot of the actors throughout the season already in full costume and makeup in complete light and in a non-ominous setting, but each attraction will be completely different. I've seen the attractions from the outside, but none in the inside. Now I'm regretting not going into the Den that one day for at least an idea of what's in there. The internet has some shots of the interior of the attractions, but I'm sure they're lit up more than usual and mostly focusing on the screaming guests. Who knows how reliable those are for this year anyway? They probably change the layout each year.
The memory of Mike scaring me that night nearly two decades ago comes spiraling through my mind over and over. Amazing what one seemingly insignificant night can do to a person, right? Of course, this isn't the only event, but it likely is the core of my current predicament.
I try rubbing my face and eyes, willing my mind to just shut off. The anticipation is going to kill me.
"Hey," Edward greets softly from behind me.
I turn to find him in his street clothes. "Hey, how come you're not dressed up yet?"
He shrugs. "Had to stay behind at work a little longer than usual." He pauses and shuffles his feet. "Look, I know we've had our differences, but I hope you have a great time tonight. I see tons of groups every night where there's that one friend that got peer pressured into coming here, and although that friend screams their head off all night, is all smiles and happy they came and got new memories with the group by the end of the night."
"And should I personally call you if I have to kill Alice and hide the body?"
"You're on your own if you do that." He graces me with a little smile. He reaches for my hand and takes it, giving it a little squeeze. "I've gotta go, but I'll see you at the end of the night?"
"Definitely."
With a final squeeze of my hand, I think he's going to leave, but then he leans in and kisses my check quickly then scurries off.
I'm left surprised and dazed. I look around to find no one else watching our exchange, reliving me. All it was was a kiss on the cheek. Nothing scandalous. I kind of want to keep that side of Edward to myself though.
Later, Alice and I walk to the entrance and get tickets. There are already hordes of people unintentionally herding one another through the entrance. And of course, nobody can miss the warning signs.
Caution! Do not enter if you can't handle terror. Don't bring your kids. Don't bring your grandparents. And most importantly, don't come alone. You will cry. You will jump. And most importantly, you will scream. This is your final warning!
Mike and Jess are caught up in some traffic so Alice and I are forced to wait for them.
It smells like a carnival with fried foods, cotton candy, and lemonade, but intertwined with that are people screaming, shrieking, and running out of the attractions. The pounding of feet, chainsaws, screaming, and cheering draws my attention to the exit of the Asylum of Anarchy where a guy wearing a hockey mask with a fake chainsaw and a guy with an axe are chasing a trio of friends out of the attraction. Two of them fall down and get attacked by the one with the axe and the other friend runs a bit further until the guy with the chainsaw gets his victim on the backside.
There's a booming voice heard from the Den of Misfits, and I can guess who it is, but I can't make out what he's saying. In the distance I see a flare up of fake flames from what looks like a huge ass pumpkin near the entrance of the Sinister Hayride. I can't see anything from the Farmer's Wasteland besides the entrance sign, but somewhere there's ominous wind sounds and banging and clanging.
Various characters walk around the food court and entertainment area giving their own scares. I'm correct about the grandma actor. Towards the entrance is a very realistic looking grandma in a wheelchair with a regular looking guy behind her. Every now and then, grandma is ejected from her seat to scare the poor sucker who is in grandma's face. The guy wonders the areas and blends in and then boom! Scares people right out of their seats.
I finally spot Mike and Jess coming in. I call out to them and wave at them. They're just about past grandma when the guy pulls the trigger and grandma jumps out towards Mike and Jess. They both jump, but Mike looks more rattled than Jess about it. The sight of that makes me smile.
We decide to do the Sinister Hayride first since that'll be very popular as the night goes on.
Alice takes a seat next to me on the wagon. I'm wearing jeans and a flannel shirt, but I can feel the rough hay through my clothing. Everyone's chattering as the wagons loads like this is a normal everyday occurrence.
The tractor sounds and begins pulling us through a set of wooden doors until it closes. We're surrounded by darkness and cornfields. Cheers ring out like it's the new year. It sounds like our tractors breaks down, and we stop moving.
"What are you cheering about?" a bloody farmer yells as he jumps on board and walks down the vacant middle of the wagon, looking at each and every one of us. "You're trespassing on Platt's farm! You think the inhabitants are going to welcome you?" Mike is the poor sucker who gets practically spit on by the farmer.
I can't hear if he responds to him or not, but he looks like he may have pissed himself by the death grip on Jess's arm and vicious shaking of his head.
"I warned all of you!" he warns, finally jumping off the wagon. Seconds later, a warning bell is struck, signaling to everyone there's trespassers as the tractor starts up again.
Crackling of the tractor pulling through the dirt is heard until that damn pumpkin on the other side of the gate flares up again, making me scream and grab a hold of Alice. I'm in huge trouble if I jump at a flaming pumpkin.
We're pulling into an enclosure, and although I haven't seen any of them, I know what it means. Doors closes in the front and back, locking all of us in the wagon in while the driver has the pleasure of being locked out of all the horrors.
It's pitch black. My heart's beating out of my chest. For a few seconds bright lights flash on, showing some sort of demented emo like room. It's all black and white with dolls and actors alike, but I can't tell what's real and what's fake. The lights flash back off. The wagon creaks as some actors jump in the middle. The lights begin flickering in and out as the actors all being yelling different things about wanting to play and death.
"Play with me!"
"Death is upon you!"
"Abandon all hope! You aint' getting out of here alive!"
As all that's going on, the actors in the middle are crawling on all fours and touching random people's feet. Several times I have that honor and cringe each time, trying to make myself as small as possible and clinging to Alice like a lifeline.
Something's petting the back of my head. Like an idiot, I turn my head to find some guy that looks like a vampire. "Such a pretty face? I want to suck all the blood out of your jugular, pretty."
"No, no, no, thank you. I like my jugular just like it is." I rapidly shake my head like that's going to stop him.
Finally, the doors open and the actors pull back, but don't stop with their excessive warnings.
"Dirty Dan's gonna get ya!"
"Your screams are only encouraging them!"
"Keep your eyes closed!"
On the way over to the next enclosure, we're subjected to zombies. That isn't so bad, but they were all sprayed with something that really smells dead, making me a little sick to my stomach. Except that isn't the worst of it.
Just as we're pulling up to a barn like structure, a disgusting creature jumps onto our cart and right in front of me. Except I've that creature before. We're entering the slaughterhouse.
The smell of blood, manure, and pig cries over speakers is overwhelming. Once again, we're trapped in the slaughterhouse and the creature is still on the cart, sniffing on all fours up and down the center. It's not pitch black in here, but the minimal light leaves nothing to the imagination. Numerous bloody, dead pig carcasses hang from the rafters.
"Ah, I see you've met my dear friend, Beast." One of the farmers I did makeup for earlier greets under a flicker light. He's at a wooden table with a pig thrown across it with a huge butcher's knife that he's chopping the pig with, splattering blood everywhere. "Very loyal he is. Who will he choose tonight for me to feed my pigs? Sick 'em boys!"
Pops go off and we're left with minimal lighting again. Pig screams and wails, the mad farmers, and the pig mutants arrive. More pig carcasses drop from the rafters. I have the great honor of being chosen by Beast who is growling at me and pawing at my feet. I'm flailing about, screaming. It's seems like a century until the doors finally open and we begin moving again.
"Haul back, Beast!" Beast growls right in my face before scampering off on all fours to his master.
The rest of the hayride doesn't go much better. Clowns, rednecks, serial killers, insects, a guillotine, Dirty Dan and mutants are some of the other creatures we encounter here. The thing is that this is an open attraction. The Den of Misfits and Asylum of Anarchy are closed attractions in an actual house. If the Sinister Hayride is freaking me out this much, I can't imagine what the others will hold.
"How're you feeling, Bella?" Alice asks nonchalantly as we take a breather in the food court.
"Scared shitless!" Mike laughs a bit and I glare at him.
"They weren't kidding when they said this is one of the best haunted attractions," Jess comments. She doesn't look shaken like me.
We decide to do the Den of Misfits next. I'm assuming the lighting isn't good in there either so I'm hoping Rose and Emmett don't see me and give me "special" attention like Beast.
A loud bang is heard from above where we're waiting in line. Low and behold, it's Mrs. Moore leaning out the top story window.
"Where's my child? Which of you took him? Return him!" she screeches, pointing an accusing finger towards the crowd. "This is your final warning!" She slams the window shut.
I've seen Rose in costume and makeup, I know her character's story, but I never saw her acting her act. That was only a taste of it. Please, lord, don't let them see me.
Us four are paired up with another group of four friends, three guys and a girl. Like a champ, the girl volunteers to lead us all in through the narrow hallway. I gladly stay in the middle with Alice and Jess and Mike bringing up the rear. It seems like a normal house, dark, but normal.
"Momma and Papa are going to eat good tonight." It's a whisper of a young girl, but amplified. "They're waiting. And so is everyone else." Suddenly, a girl jumps out in front of Alice from a dark crevice, making her scream and everyone else in our group jump. The girl begins laughing manically and contorting her body creepily. "You won't get out!"
The first room we approach that's kind of lit up holds two actors in plain sight which seems uncanny. One is a youngish looking guy who looks like he's gotten the beating of a lifetime in a tuxedo and the other is a guy dressed as a doctor with a skull mask on.
The guy approaches our fearless leader, touching her hair. "Such pretty hair. I know the guys would love the opportunity to add your limbs and organs to our priceless collection." Suddenly, he pulls a fake knife. "They locked me in here you know! Invite me to dinner, accusing me of assaulting and abusing her when we were kids! They locked me in here! If I can't leave, neither can you!"
The doctor runs over and grabs the man. "Save yourselves! I can't hold Royce for long!"
We begin fast walking again only to hear the doctor's fading voice. "Your flesh will buy my way out of this place!"
We encounter a checkered room with a checkered man called Spider. He's pretty harmless besides getting in each and every one of our faces while in his space. That is until the room goes up in fake flames and he cackles evilly. The next room is similar with a black and white theme except there are fake, possessed dolls everywhere. They look just like the one Edward sent as a joke. Except, they're not fake. All the "dolls" jolt up and talk in sync, and twist and turn their heads at us.
There's an outcast butcher that isn't allowed in the slaughterhouse with fake carcasses of all sorts of animals. There's a display of items that disorient my sense of smell. Maids, elite wealthy folks trapped for eternity, criminals, farmers. They're all misfits.
A draft overtakes me causing me to shiver. I can't tell if it's real or manmade, but I'm thinking the latter. Then the creepy voices being in a room where draws and cabinets randomly get pushed open and closed on each side of us.
"One."
"Two."
"Three."
"Four."
"Five."
"Six."
"Where's seven?"
"Seven's dead!" All the voices scream. Seven doors that I didn't even notice slam open. Three on each side open, revealing a tormented child. The last door is at the end of the hallway, empty and rotting away. "Seven's dead! Seven's dead! Free us!" Everything slams shut.
I think we're nearing the end of the Den of Misfits finally. My heart's pounding, but in this big group, I haven't been singled out as much as on the Sinister Hayride. That's until I realize something in the next room.
It's huge. It reminds me of an old British house. There's an old wooden staircase off to the side with an ominous chandelier hanging above, the only lighting there is.
The staircase creaks loudly. It's a signal. From out of nowhere, I see my own terrifying, bloody work with my own eyes at the top of the staircase. Mrs. Moore doesn't look pleased at all.
"You!" she storms down the staircase, getting in the face of the girl so much that she has to lean back and hang onto the railing. "You dare disturb my children!" She stomps up a few steps then turns back to our group. "Climb!"
When we're all off the steps, she looks at each and every one of us. I know she sees me and Alice because she hesitates for a moment on us. "Which of you shall I keep to feed my children?" She appraises each and every one of us again, touching everyone's face in some manner. I think she's going to choose me until she grabs Mike by the arm, pulling him closer to her. "Oh darling, come help me prepare dinner."
A chainsaw sounds the room, and from a dark corner emerges Mr. Moore. He looks huge and menacing in this room.
"Lovely choice, darling." He makes a show of his chainsaw, reeving it. "Scram the rest of you if you don't want the same fate as others you've already seen!" He whacks me on the thigh with the chainsaw, and I scream.
We all run through the door off to the side which is a dark staircase. It leads to the exit, but not without one last scare. Right by the only well lit doorway in this place is a coffin with a decomposing body in it. I really think it's fakes until it jolts up.
"Find Seven!" he screeches, flailing his arm about towards us.
Outside, I take several deep breaths to calm down as well as everyone else.
"Thanks for leaving me behind guys!" Mike groans, walking up to us. I didn't even realize he was missing.
"Farmer's Wasteland next!" Alice chirps, ignoring Mike and practically skipping to the next attraction.
The Farmer's Wasteland is definitely different than the other two attractions. Rather than relying on enclosed spaces, it relies more on sound and paranoia of the wilderness.
A lot of the actors are dirty and have gaping farming cuts and burns. Since I'm not in an enclosed space when a burned farmer jumps me, I scream, but feel better since I have more space to jump back.
We're crossing through a school bus when a guy dressed in warpaint and camo jumps in front of us. He says nothing, but walks backwards as we maneuver through and out of the bus. We're nearly out of range when he calls out.
"Beware! The tire field is mysterious and shall take victims."
Low and behold, there's a maze of tire towers of various heights. I'm looking one way when a hand covers my mouth and pulls me back into a secret space. I'm face to face with someone that looks like a tall goblin.
He introduces himself as Griffin the Goblin and laughs evilly at my expense. He says I have to find my way out of the Farmer's Wasteland myself. When he pushes me out of the shack, I call out for Alice and it's true, there's no path to reunite with her.
My heart pounds in my chest every step I take in the dark wilderness. Every little sound, every scream has me on edge, ready to fight or flee. I don't have anyone by my side to hide behind.
I finally find a lowly lit path that looks like it merges with the main path. It might as well be an oasis in the desert as I begin running towards it. Except I let my guard down, and a farmer with a mangled face takes the opportunity dangle a very realistic dead chicken corpse from a string in front of my face, making me shriek.
Alice and the others find me from my shriek as they were close to the connecting point.
"When I scared you when we were six doesn't seem so scary now does it?" Mike teases. I glare at him as we exit, but the bastard's right.
The final attraction is the Asylum of Anarchy. Inside we're met with the usual darkness, but this is an all new creepy. There's medical equipment everywhere and strange body parts in jars floating in fluids. Nurses, doctors, and psychotic patients run amok with strange ailments and medical procedures. All bloody of course and smelling like that distinct hospital yet decaying and disgusting, the complete opposite of what a hospital should be.
A particularly disturbing scene is one with a young girl screaming jumbled sentences strapped down to the table and the doctor probing her body with instruments and his hands.
"Top of the line diagnostic, children. We don't know what's wrong with her, but we're going to continue to internally investigate."
Yeah, I'm very thankful doctors don't actually do that.
Throughout the whole experience, I keep reminding myself that we're almost done. This is the last attraction. There can't be more than five or so more minutes in here.
Through a pair of curtains, I hear a vicious banging. Almost like a body is being repeatedly slammed in the wall.
"Who dares enter our chambers?" a deep voice questions behind me. I glance back to see that poor Jess has been cut off from us. "Bo, get them!"
The unquestionable sound of chainsaws start up. Around the corner, we see the light from the outside and begin running. All I hear are the chainsaws behind us. Alice and Mike are running in front of me down the ramp to the outside world. Those waiting in line are cheering on the chainsaw guys to get us.
I don't realize how slow I'm running until a chainsaw gets the back of my leg, causing me to stumble to the ground. The guy doesn't let up though. I crawl backwards as the guy continues hitting my legs and feet with the chainsaw. He's got a hockey mask on, but when his other goons retreat back up the exit ramp, he flips it up to reveal his mangled face.
It's fucking Edward.
He's the fucking chainsaw guy.
I should've guessed.
He has the audacity to smirk at me with one last hit to my foot before lightly jogging back. It wouldn't be Edward without making a statement though.
"You want some of this?" he yells, reeving the chainsaw at the crowd that cheers loudly. "Who's next?"
He continues to rev the chainsaw his whole way back in.
My experience of first-hand experiencing all the attractions at Field of Screams is finally over.
Posted: October 16, 2020
Storytime! I have been the friend that has been peer pressured into visiting a haunted attraction even though I don't really like this type of stuff. Last time I went to FoS, my friend's boyfriend did in fact get separated from us in the Wasteland and she was in tears until the end and was reunited. Me and two of my friends did get chased out by the chainsaw guys in the Asylum. Most of the events I described closely resemble what Field of Screams really does in real life. Just Google it, I dare you. It's in Mountville, PA. There's also Jason's Woods in my area, but I haven't visited there before.
Heads up, posting schedule gets a little wonky here on out so if you haven't yet, I'd recommend following the story. Buckle up, we've got 6 more chapters to finish in about 3 weeks.