Features Editor
Halloween originated thousands of years ago from a Celtic farmer superstition that one day a year spirits could rise from the dead and walk with the living. It was then called Samhain and was celebrated out of genuine concern rather than for joy. Farmers would build large fires and wear masks to stay safe and scare spirits away.
This was a tradition that carried on throughout the times, changing names from Samhain (Celtic word for summer’s end) to All Hallow’s Eve and eventually to Halloween. It made its way to the United States in the mid 1800s and has slowly transformed into the Halloween we know today and one of the most profitable holidays of the year.
It is the one time of year people are allowed to dress in alarming costumes, pass out candy, and try to scare the living crap out of each other without looking insane. Every year, people like the thrill of being scared and flock to haunted houses, corn mazes and scary movies to see if they can get the adrenaline pumping.
For over 10 years, the Express All Stars has helped scare willing participants with their Trail of Terror haunted house. Along with getting as many frights as possible, it helps fund the many dance and cheer competitions the All Stars attend each year.
“I think it is our twelth annual,” Express All Stars Programming Director Tena Preuss said. “We always start traditional, have a haunted mansion, chainsaws and try to have scenes from a couple recent movies.”
The 14,000 square foot warehouse gone spook is filled with 26 unnerving rooms and 100 costumed actors. The rooms are all different, varying in size and theme. A life-size Ouija board with a talking skull fills the room that starts the adventure, a western town with undead residents toting pistols, a young girl being exorcised, and a family eating their live child’s brain are some of the scenes that greet guests on their way to the mineshaft finale.
“Some of the rooms are the size of half a house and take a lot of work,” Preuss said. “Each family sponsors a room and is responsible for its operation.”
20-year-old Chris Robinson visited the haunted house on Saturday, and although he hasn’t been to a lot of haunted houses, he said it was probably the best one he had ever been to.
“I definitely jumped more than I thought I was going to,” Robinson said. “The screaming girls were the best, but everyone really acted their part and put a lot of effort into it, which made for a good experience.”
The house is set up, run and maintained by girls in the program ranging in age from nine to 18 along with their families. After three weeks of set-up and in the middle of 12 days of full entertainment, everyone volunteering said they didn’t even want to think about how many hours they had or will spend in the warehouse.
Kaytrianna Edrias is an eighth grader and is an Express All Star, a several year veteran of the Trail and a roamer.
“A roamer is someone that just roams around and try’s to freak people out,” Edrias said.
Part of her duties are not only to scare people in the “haunted” area, but also those still waiting in line.
“Being able to hear the positive things people have to say about it [Trail of Terror] and how real things looked is probably the best part,” fellow house worker Alexandra Turner said. “Scaring them is just a bonus,” added Edrias.
Along with the fright activities on Halloween, they will be hosting a trick-or-treat event at the house as a safe place for kids to show off their costumes in exchange for candy. The Trail of Terror is located at 328 2nd Street in Clifton and is open Friday and Saturday as well as Monday through Wednesday next week.
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