Craze Halloween News
TRICK VOL. 7- Issue 1.5
OMAHA, NEBRASKA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2015
Discover the Scariest Haunted Houses in Town on PAGE 20-21 What’s Halloween without a Horrorscope? on PAGE 24-25 2nd Grader Scarred For Life on PAGE 14-15 Scary Shorts That Will Make You Scream on PAGE 4-5 The Most Mysterious Video Games on PAGE 10-13 Obituaries on PAGE 2-3
HALLOWEEN
OR
TREAT
Obituaries VOL. 7- Issue 1.5
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OBITUARIES COURTESY OF BRIDGET MIZENER KIRSTEN MCCORMACK
JENNA HYNEK
Editor-in-chief Kirsten McCormack, grade 12, passed away, leaving her bandmates in the smash hit Winter Formal Battle of the Bands sensation, “Jamie Lee Curtis,” behind. In life, Kirsten was the zestiest girl to ever drive a forest green ‘90s hunk of junk and still rock it.
Editor-in-chief Jenna Hynek, grade 12, died on Wednesday, October 15, 2015 when Josh Peck tweeted “See you guys in chemistry,” repeating his line from “Drake and Josh,” Jenna is survived by her beagle, Roxy, and her crushes, John Stamos and Anthony Hopkins.
AUDREY MCCANN
LAUREN CHESIRE
Managing editor Audrey McCann, grade 11, left us on September 24, 2015, when the senior class demolished her junior Powderpuff team. Audrey had been fighting a long, brave battle with a giant pile of homework and responsibilities. She was loved and admired for her fabulous hair and impeccable fall fashion style.
Managing editor Lauren Chesire, grade 12, passed away on October 21, 2015, at 4:29 p.m., the exact time to which Marty McFly travels to the future in “Back to the Future II.” Lauren will be remembered for dressing up as the aforementioned character on the day of her death, and for nailing said costume.
CLAIRE WILSON Design editor Claire Wilson, grade 12, died last month when she suffocated in the trapped white space in the Craze staff’s first-draft designs. In life, Claire was generous with her time and her prom dresses, even loaning one to this very obituary writer, a favor for which she will be forever grateful.
ABEGALE HEADLEE Photo editor Abegale “Babs” Headlee, grade 12, will be fondly remembered by friends and family for her adorable haircut and sassy attitude. I had to rack my brain for Babs’ real name—we will keep Abegale in our hearts. RIP “Babs.”
BRIDGET MIZENER Copy editor Bridget Mizener, grade 12, died on an unspecified date this summer when she learned that “Rascal Flatts” is not, as she previously believed, the name of the frontman of a pop country band, but the name of the band itself. “Doctor Bridge,” as she was known to her basketball team, aspired to be a surf instructor when she grew up.
AARON CASEY Staff member Aaron Casey, grade 12, died on October 25, 2015, when he purchased a pair of Star Wars-themed Crocs. Casey, a known Crocs aficionado, was often seen rocking an Under Armor sweatshirt and cargo shorts, sometimes even pairing this outfit with said Crocs to complete the look.
MADELINE LOOK Staff member Maddie Look, grade 12, died on September 13, 2015, when she was dealt a knockout blow by her homecoming date under the pretense of what is known as a “cute ask.” Autopsy technicians failed to pinpoint the cause of death as the punch itself, or sheer cuteness.
KATI STANZEL Staff member Kati Stanzel, grade 11, has been missing for a few months. We don’t know if she is alive or dead. She was last seen taking a picture of herself and there was a resembelence to a thumb. If you see Kati, please contact Craze on twitter at @WHSCraze_mag, whscrazemag on Snapchat, or email us at whscrazemag@gmail.com.
Reviews Section VOL. 7- Issue 1.5
OMAHA, NEBRASKA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2015
WELCOME TO A
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(SHORT-BUT-SWEET) HELL SCARY SHORTS THAT WILL MAKE YOU SCREAM
M
y heart stopped. When the crescendo of the suspense music filled my ears and the camera flashed to the ghost’s gruesome face, my heart stopped. It was when my gaze locked with the two dark holes she had for eyes, I felt a rush of anxiety, terror, and—most of all—fear. Then the screen faded to black. I’m definitely a scaredy-cat. I’ve never been inside a haunted house
and the only scary movie I’ve watched is “The Poltergeist” from the ‘80s. But while watching these two short films, I experienced a type of fear that I never could’ve imagined. But there was something alluring about these spooky shorts, something that made me want to watch more. The rush of fear I felt while watching them was the same I get while going down the biggest drop of a rollercoaster: a gut-wrenching
feeling mixed with an overwhelming sense of doom. Whether I’m an adrenaline junkie or not, at least now I know what I’m really afraid of. I’m not afraid of ghosts or something popping out from behind my door. No, these films showed me that I’m truly terrified of the unknown—and you should be, too. STORY BY KATI STANZEL, DESIGN BY CLAIRE WILSON, PHOTO BY KIRSTEN MCCORMACK
Length: 7 mins, 50 secs
WEBCAM
Scare Factor:
by Amazzzzing Videozzzz The main reason why this film was scary is because of how it can be applied to real life. Julia, a cute but seriously naïve girl, just moved into her new apartment and started college. The only way we can see her is when her computer is on—the whole film is shot through the webcam. When I finally realized that there was no other outside camera filming, I got pretty freaked out; there was somebody
Length: 2 mins, 41 secs I couldn’t sleep for a week after watching this. This short film is based off of movies like “Paranormal Activity” and “The Conjuring,” using the element of the supernatural to scare the pants off people. It starts out with a woman walking to her room; the hallway is silent except for the faint squeak of her shoes on the floorboards. A chill races up my spine as I wonder what is going to happen to her. She shuts the light off, and a silhouette of a girl appears. The woman flicks the light on and off but gets the same result: when the lights
else watching Julia besides me. This real-life situation is what makes the film really disturbing. The way you watch Julia’s life through her webcam with somebody else, just waiting for something bad to happen, builds anxiety. The most terrifying moment is when her computer starts to glitch. Her recent video chats over Skype pop up, but the voices are distorted. Despite this, the ending wasn’t as
lights out
powerful as I thought it would be: a man hovers over Julia while she sleeps and slowly shuts her computer screen, cutting me off from seeing what he’s going to do to her. After the screen went black, facts about webcam hacking were shown—probably to make people even more disturbed— but they didn’t frighten me at all. The real-life application of this scary story is what made it creepy, not the visual aspect.
Scare Factor:
by xmad81x
are off, the girl appears, when the lights are on, the hallway is empty. This is enough to freak me out, but I continue watching anyway. The woman runs to her bed and cowers under her covers as the lights flick on and off, controlled by a mysterious force. The filmmaker is trying to build suspense and it works really well, because by this point, I’m definitely considering not watching the rest of the video. But the ending of the film is what made me wet my pants. The woman thinks she’s safe when all the lights return to normal, but when she reaches out to turn
her lamp off, the girl’s face is staring right at her. I only saw her face for two seconds before it faded to black, but I remember exactly what it looked like: two black holes where her eyes should be, a dark smile spread farther than her cheeks, and grey skin covering every inch of her face. The way the film ended is terrifying because you always remember what you saw last, and it’s psychologically scarring. Every night after watching this scary short, I was afraid to shut my eyes for the fear that I would see the girl’s face when the lights went out.
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be afraid, be very afraid RECREATING MOVIE SCENES THAT MAKE YOUR SKIN CRAWL PHOTOS AND DESIGN BY KIRSTEN MCCORMACK
MODELS FEATURED: MORGAN STOUFFER (2), NICK YOUNG (TOP 3), NATALIE DAY (BOTTOM RIGHT 3), LAUREN CHESIRE (BOTTOM LEFT 4), JENNA HYNEK (5)
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Jack Torrence, The Shining
Review Section VOL. 7- Issue 1.5
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most mysterious video games WHAT MAKES THESE STAND-OUTS EXTRA SPOOKY
D
ucking behind a tree for cover, I whip out a pair of binoculars and focus them on the bonfire at the center of town. To my disgust, a police officer is hoisted above it, already dead. The villagers don’t seem to notice this grotesque centerpiece of their community; they continue to bundle hay and herd chickens. Stealthily, I move away from the tree and jog behind the wooden buildings. At the other side of the village, a woman points and shouts a phrase in Spanish I can’t quite make out. Everyone’s heads turn. The woman runs at me, knife
in hand. I fumble with my gun and fire off a few rounds, but in vain— the woman lunges at me, slashing my side. Doubled over in pain, the others advance and in just moments I’m overwhelmed by the villagers. I let out a pained, dying gasp before everything goes black. The words “You Are Dead” float onto the screen, followed by the prompt “Continue?” I let out an exasperated sigh and set down the controller. Though I failed the opening sequence of “Resident Evil 4,” I was hooked to horror video games from that moment on. And
with Halloween just around the corner, horror games get even more horrifying, making it the perfect time to branch out and get spooked by a different brand of fear. In this Halloween issue of Craze, Aaron and I each picked a game that made our palms sweat, our hearts beat faster and our mouths go dry. Then we reviewed each other’s scary video game picks, judging whether or not these games have what it takes to keep us awake at night. STORY BY AARON CASEY AND LAUREN CHESIRE, DESIGN BY CLAIRE WILSON
GAME #1: outlast
After receiving a tip from an unknown source that a company called Murkoff Psychiatric Systems is conducting illegal operations at Mount Massive Asylum, journalist Miles Upshur goes to investigate. He finds the asylum has been overrun by homicidal patients, and his only goal is to escape. The gameplay is simple— armed only with a battery-powered camera, the player must solve puzzles and avoid inmates to survive. Xbox One controller in hand, I entered Mount Massive Asylum to test my odds against the horrors inside. “Outlast” has a lot of elements that are outstanding right from the start. In the style of classic survival horror, the game has no combat. My inability to attack or defend myself from the enemies made me feel helpless. The only tool with which I was armed was a night vision camera with an ever-dwindling battery life. This gimmick created a fear of running out of juice and being stuck in the dark, so I was reluctant to use the camera unless absolutely necessary (to the point where Aaron actually
had to tell me to use it). I spent a lot of time wandering around in the dark, and thinking twice before using the camera to find out what was in the shadows. I traveled through the winding halls and many doors of the labyrinthine asylum, but the game didn’t employ jump scares at every possible avenue. There were actually fewer pop-outs than I expected, which caused me to feel more comfortable in the environment. My misplaced trust only made the jump scares in the game that much more effective. However, despite the potency of the jump scares, I had an odd sense of relaxation during the game. From what I heard, I expected to feel overpowering dread while playing, but it never came. Part of my calm demeanor was due to the fact that the game felt too linear. My goals were always pretty clear, and I never had to wander around big areas to advance the plot. Whenever there was a specific threat to my character, I knew right away. The lack of surprise and confusion took away any sense of fear when there wasn’t an immediate
threat present, and when it was present, the gameplay felt more like a stealth section of an action game as opposed to survival horror. In the absence of attacks or hands-on scares, there were several attempts at disturbing imagery, but they didn’t quite hit the mark. Mostly, they were displays of blood and gore, but the excessive carnage didn’t make me feel uncomfortable. (In fact, the multiple instances of severed arms in toilets became comical.) It ended up being a way to decorate the rooms. The images that stuck with me were the simpler, less graphic ones, such as a small grouping of patients staring intently at a static television. Overall, “Outlast” is a fun survival horror game. The gameplay is fastpaced and exciting; it’s definitely the type of game that makes you want to keep playing. The graphics are beautiful (y’know, as beautiful as a horrible asylum can look). I didn’t get the bone-chilling terror I expected, but the game is still unsettling and definitely worth the playthrough.
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GAME #2: FATAL FRAME I’ve dabbled in the dark arts of survival horror for a few years now, and I’ve taken on critically acclaimed giants like “Resident Evil” and “Silent Hill.” Surprisingly, I had never heard of “Fatal Frame” before Lauren had introduced me to it. It’s got a reputation of being one of the preeminent games in the survival horror genre. Searching for a lost writer he admired, Mafuyu Hinasaki, brother to the main protagonist, Miku Hinasaki, comes to a decrepit and haunted mansion. Inside, he is faced with visions of the past and encounters with spirits. In the mansion, he finds a camera with the ability to pacify spirits. This camera then becomes the player’s only support when it comes to combating the dead. Despite this being a horror game, I couldn’t help but laugh when I realized what I had gotten myself into. “Fatal Frame,” released by TECMO back in the early 2000s, was both old and Japanese. Not to make light or poke fun at the term, but it was all very Japanese. There are deep cultural influences behind the story of the game, and
they confused and captivated me at the same time. Culture shock is perhaps in its own way a brand of horror, and I had just as hard a time with PlayStation as I did with the Japanese. I hadn’t used a PlayStation controller in a very long time, and just as Mafuyu and Miku wielded their camera awkwardly, I dove into this game fumbling with the controls. As clumsy as I was, I was able to walk about the mansion pretty smoothly. I could tell after a short time that this game wasn’t going to rely on jump scares. Jump scares, although fun, can often take away from a game when overplayed. Once something becomes expected and normal, it tends to be less scary. “Fatal Frame” does a nice job of establishing right off the bat that there is going to be a story present with a constant build-up to a horror climax. For those with an eagerness to reach that climax, the journey is all that more fun. Although I was confused as to who I was and what I was doing in this mansion, I felt very in the moment and able to understand
my surroundings. I still couldn’t escape how hilarious some things were, whether they were just a little bit cheesy, or incredibly Japanese. For instance, Miku has a vision where a man is trapped in a closet, and a spirit outside the door is trying reach in and seize him. As the camera swapped back and forth between the man and the spirit, the man’s mouth enlarged to form a scream. This dragged on for about a half a minute, and I couldn’t help but to burst out laughing. What makes “Fatal Frame” a mainstay of the survival horror genre is its approach to horror. It established that slow buildups are just as effective as jump scares. Playing the game first hand, I found myself questioning so much and being given so little, being forced to find ways to get through it by myself. That’s really what survival horror is all about: relying on yourself and your understanding to come through terrifying situations. Although old, “Fatal Frame” obviously isn’t outdated. Modern developers of survival horror could really learn a thing or two from this gem.
Opinion VOL. 7- Issue 1.5
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2ND GRADER SCARRED FOR LIFE IT’S MORE THAN JUST YOUR AVERAGE MONSTER
I
I was in second grade when I experienced real fear for the first time. I was sitting at my tiny desk in religion class at Holy Cross Elementary as Mrs. Kluthe taught us the story of Moses and the burning bush. Mrs. Kluthe was an intimidating, authoritative figure; at a good 6 feet tall and seemingly always wearing floor-length denim dresses, she commanded the attention of 30 snot-nosed 8-year-olds. As she read from the Book of Exodus, everyone in the class looked at her in awe like she was a prophet herself. But I thought something was off with this story. I raised my hand. Mistake number one. “Mrs. Kluthe, plants can’t speak—there’s no way that could have happened.” Mistake number two. The whole class turned and looked at me with their eyes popping out of their heads in horror. Whispers filled the room. “Did she really just say that?” “She’s gonna die, man.” Click. Click. Click. Mrs. Kluthe stalked down the aisle toward me in her heels. Sweat started to bead on my freckled forehead and my throat felt as hot and dry as that stupid burning bush.
“Jenna Marie, if you aren’t going to listen to what I have to say, then you can go sit out in the hall.” My face instantly flushed red and I stumbled to get out of my desk, scrambling out of the classroom.
“Even as an 18-year-old, I still canít handle any form of confrontation.”
-terrified student, Jenna Hynek
I sat in that cold hallway trembling. In all my time at school (three whole years!), I had never been yelled at like that. I never thought that one day I would be that kid who got sent into the hall, but there I was. I’d dealt with confrontation for the first time in my life and it killed me. Even as an 18-year-old, I still can’t handle any form of confrontation. Whether it comes from my teachers or my friends, I metaphorically (or physically, if possible) run and hide, and
honestly, that’s okay. Just because we are growing up doesn’t mean we aren’t afraid of anything. This is a time in our lives that can seem like a waking nightmare we can’t shake. College is just around the corner, our lifelong friends will be hundreds of miles away, and the nagging flashbacks of that terrible moment in second grade just don’t seem to leave us alone. However, when our fears start to feel like they’re swallowing us, we have to take a step back— everything is going to be okay. Let’s be real: the scariest things in life aren’t monsters our spiders, but taking a leap into the unknown or anticipating the future. But we don’t have to face spiders or the future alone. Surround yourself with people who force you to face your fears everyday, take them by the hand, and conquer what scares you the most one step at a time. It’s not going to be easy. I’m nearly a legal adult and I still almost cry when I get yelled at. Growing up doesn’t mean getting heartless; it means figuring out who’s going to hold your hand when things get scary. STORY AND DESIGN BY JENNA HYNEK
ILLUSTRATION AND PLAYLIST BY MADELINE LOOK
SUPER SPOOKY HALLOWEEN PARTY GHOSTBUSTERS // RAY PARKER JR. THRILLER // MICHAEL JACKSON I PUT A SPELL ON YOU // THE ACADEMY ALLSTARS MONSTER MASH // BOBBY PICKETT
THIS IS HALLOWEEN // TIM BURTON WITCH DOCTOR // SHA NA NA SUPERSTITION // STEVIE WONDER ADDAM’S FAMILY // CHILDRENS CLASSICS
Short Stories VOL. 7- Issue 1.5
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DEEP WEB DIVING A FICTION SHORT ABOUT THE HORRORS OF THE DEEP WEB STORY BY LAUREN CHESIRE, PHOTO BY KIRSTEN MCCORMACK
W
e were just playing a game. Deep Web Diving— that’s what we called it. It wasn’t supposed to hurt anyone. I guess we took it too far. I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me start over. I don’t know if you know this, but the part of the Internet that we use everyday—Google, YouTube, reddit, whatever— that’s only like 4% of the whole Internet. This is cliché, but think of it like an iceberg. The top of the iceberg that’s above water is the Internet that we waste all of our time on. Even the stuff I’ve always considered “illegal,” like WikiLeaks and The Pirate Bay, that’s only where the water breaks on the iceberg. But underneath the surface… They call it the Invisible Internet. Or the Deep Web. I guess that’s not really important. Anyway, I came to hear about it in one of those graduationrequirement technology classes. The only reason I survived a whole semester of that class was because my best friend Patrick
was in it with me. One day, we were grudgingly waiting for class to start when we overheard the kids in front us: “—yeah, you can buy anything on there. I mean anything.” “How come everyone doesn’t just get arrested? If everything is illegal…” “It’s completely anonymous. To even get on it you have to get this software that blocks your IP address. It’s all top secret. The FBI can’t even crack it, it’s that high-tech.” I exchanged intrigued glances with Patrick. He leaned forward, physically putting himself between the two of them. “And what top secret illegal marketplace are we referring to?” Patrick asked. They were more than happy to tell us. I wish we never asked. Patrick and I became obsessed. We inhaled all things Deep Web. I even got Nicole (who was my best friend until she moved halfway across the continent in middle school) involved. We were still so close
that when Patrick and I couldn’t get enough Dark Web, neither could she. It started out as a joke. Patrick said that one day the three of us would run an opium ring on the Deep Web. We all laughed at that. After all, it was just a joke. But then we started to talk about how actually easy it would be to get on there. Then, one night when I couldn’t sleep, I came up with the idea. “It’ll be just an explorationtype thing—totally innocent, right?” I explained to Patrick. “We don’t buy anything, we don’t get involved with anything too serious, we just see how far down we can travel. Just see what’s out there.” Deep Web Diving. He smirked, “Hey, what’s the worst that could happen?” *** Our faces were lit by bluetinted light emanating from our respective computer screens. Staring down at my laptop, I could see Nicole and Patrick’s excited faces over our video chat.
We had already downloaded the software that we needed—I won’t bore you with the details, but we were ready to go. I was amazed by how normal it looked. All the websites were basic designs, and for their infamous sinister content, it looked just like they were websites made in the early 2000’s. “Huh…” Nicole mumbled. “Not as spooky as I would have imagined.” She was leaning in close to her computer, so that the majority of the little box on my screen broadcasted from her webcam was her face. I glanced over to Patrick, who was sitting back in his chair at a distance from the computer, biting the index finger of his left hand. We started out by all going to the same chat room. A big part of the Deep Web are these chat rooms; people share links to hidden sites. Usually, it’s people asking for drugs or porn, but all kinds of illegal things get trafficked through here. Nicole devoured every piece of information she could get. It had only been a few minutes, and I had only started talking with a user called “shadows241” and Nicole had already left the
chat room. “Guys,” she whispered excitedly. “I got a page where people buy and sell credit card information. This is insane.” “I don’t know about this—“ Patrick interjected. His hands cupped his ghastly pale face. “Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this.” I ignored Patrick, mostly because I was still talking to shadows241. He asked me what I was looking for, and I decided to tell him about our game. He seemed interested, and I used it as an excuse not to venture out into more sinister parts of the Deep Web. I was apprehensive to mess around with whatever was out there, but I also refused to accept defeat. Plus, this shadows241 guy seemed to know a lot about the Deep Web. shadows241: you’re testing the “depths” of the deep web, so to speak? see how serious it can get? cause it can get pretty serious. Next to my keyboard, my phone lit up and vibrated the wood of the table underneath it. I answered it without taking my eyes from the screen. “Hello?” No response. I pulled my phone away from my face and stared at it. The call was from a restricted number. I tried
talking to the caller again, but the line remained silent. Shrugging it off, I set my phone back down. “Who was that?” Nicole asked. “I don’t know,” I said. “It was a blocked call. Probably a prank or something.” Patrick threw up his hands and shook his head. “I’m sorry, guys. I can’t do this.” He grabbed the lid of his laptop and quickly shut it, causing the screen to go black. We were quiet for a moment, mostly because of our collective disbelief that Patrick had bailed out. Patrick’s quick departure startled me. Maybe he had a point. This was all super-illegal stuff, maybe we shouldn’t be treating it like a game. “Well, well, well,” Nicole said, breaking the silence, “I guess that just leaves you and me. And I just found one of those sites that sell drugs. Those kids weren’t lying, you really can buy anything here.” I laughed nervously, but I was starting to get a little freaked out by the reality of everything. Before, we were just telling stories. Sure they were freaky, but they had no power to them. Now, I had to face the fact that all these horrible things were fact—not fiction. The whole thing gave
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me a headache. shadows241: listen, kid. this isn’t the sort of stuff you want to get mixed up with. “Oh my god,” Taylor’s voice came over my laptop speakers. “I’m on an arms dealing site. You can buy, like, militarygrade weapons.” Next to me, my phone rang again. The number was restricted. I ignored the call. “Uhm, Nicole?” I started. All the sudden, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. We made a mistake. We shouldn’t have done this. shadows241: Patrick Kelly. Nicole Gray. My breath caught in my throat. Whoever he was, shadows241 started to list off our personal information. It started with just our names, but he had everything: home addresses, phone numbers, family members. He had everything. “Nicole. We need to stop.” shadows241: leave. now. She looked up from her screen, finally looking at me since we first started. “I found this. It’s really freaky. It’s a site to hire a hitman. You put in all this information, and they give you a figure and they do it. You can assassinate someone.” “Nicole, this isn’t a game
anymore. Log off.” “But—“ Then, the screen went black. My connection with Kelly was lost. I could only see my own terrified face on the screen, and a little chat window. shadows241: run, run as fast as you can… I slammed my laptop lid shut and sprinted up the steps to my bedroom. That night, I lay awake, terrified, until the sun started to peak through the cracks in my curtains and my eyes couldn’t fight to stay open anymore. *** It’s been about a week since we went Deep Web Diving. Patrick won’t leave me alone. He’s dying to know what happened. I can’t explain it. I don’t want to think about it, let alone talk about it. I stopped going to school. With Patrick’s nonstop interrogations, and the constant feeling of being watched, I couldn’t take it any longer. I can’t even bring myself to look at my phone anymore. The night after, I had two missed calls from Nicole. In the first, she was distraught and told me that people kept sending her messages and that she didn’t know how
they found her. The second voicemail was mostly the sound of her sobbing, and begging me to please help her. I tried to contact her endlessly, but the only calls I got were from blocked numbers. They all leave voicemails of someone either breathing or laughing on the other end. My laptop has sat on the desk in the study since that night. I haven’t opened it since. But I thought maybe, it might help me connect with Nicole, so today I went in to give it a shot. It was the last thing I wanted to do, but I was running out of options. I opened the lid, and I found myself staring at the desktop. I stared at it for a couple of minutes, still terrified to attempt to use it. After nothing had happened, I touched my finger to the track pad and moused over to Skype. Before I could click, a dialogue box popped up with text, but no “OK” or “Cancel” buttons. It started with just one, but then another popped up, and another until they were coming in endlessly and covering my screen. Tears began to roll down my face as I watched them take over. Each one read: This isn’t a game.
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Review Section VOL. 7- Issue 1.5
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staged scares
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STORY BY BRIDGET MIZENER, PHOTOS BY TAYLOR SCHENDT
shadows edge 3457 S 84th St
Adminstion Cost: $12 Scare Factor: Just when I thought I was off the hook for the night, my friends decided to pay a visit to The Shadow’s Edge. Just hearing its name made me anxious; it’s the preeminent haunted house in the city and has gladly scared people senseless for 13 years. Despite its location—it’s held in what looks like a giant, badly-pitched tent in the Mangelsen’s parking lot—this haunted house is truly professional. Even standing in line scared the bejesus out of me. Thick fog rolled underneath my feet, distracting me long enough for an elaborately costumed performer to lunge at me. The employee manning the door
laughed at the obvious dread on my face and gave me a look that was pity mixed with barely-disguised glee. I was going to get scared in there and we both knew it. The worst (and by that I mean scariest) thing about The Shadow’s Edge is the variety of scares. Everyone has a different pressure point, something that can make them scream like a little girl, and The Shadow’s Edge truly has something for everyone. The very first room is pitch dark—blackness so deep and profound it makes you stick out your hands and try to swim in it, push through it, pull it away so some shred
of light can reach your eyes, but to no avail. There are bloodthirsty butchers, heinous hillbillies, loathsome lab experiments, and malevolent murderers, all expertly decked out and trained, revving up chainsaws or crouched in the darkness waiting for you to scamper by. The freakiest room by far was the last one. It’s brightly lit and filled from floor to ceiling with billowing white smoke, making it impossible to spot potential threats, let alone your friends. Forget tiptoeing at the edge of the shadows—The Shadow’s Edge will make you scared of the dark.
carnival of terror 1209 Jackson St
Adminstion Cost: $13 Scare Factor: By day, Hollywood Candy is bright, shiny, whimsical—it’s fun. But housed in its basement is the gruesome-sounding Carnival of Terror. I am a giant scaredycat, so when my friends showed me its website—proclaiming “From the producers of MTV’s ‘House of Terror’ ” and “Bloodthirsty clowns at every turn!”—I was not thrilled. I practically had to be dragged to the door. After I entered through the arcade (can’t I just stay here and play
Galaga?) and coughed up the entrance fee, I descended the ominous, baleful concrete staircase already clutching my friends. This was the creepiest basement I had ever seen. I was ready to cry. And then I actually got into the haunted house. To my relief, I’ve never been more underwhelmed by a scare. After the first actor, a loud, vulgar clown, the characters were decidedly halfhearted. The route was a simple snake pattern,
from one end to the other and back again, with no twists and turns. The only thing that made me truly jump with fright was the air horn as we were leaving. Like the wimp that I am, I emerged from the bowels of Hollywood Candy breathing a sigh of relief, while my friends voiced disgruntled groans. The Carnival of Terror could have lived up to its name if its makers didn’t clown around.
Photo Essay VOL. 7- Issue 1.5
OMAHA, NEBRASKA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2015
FALL’S FOLIAGE
TAKE A GLANCE AT SOME OF THIS AUTUMNS TRUE COLORS PHOTOS BY ABEGALE HEADLEE
PAGE 22
Horrorscopes VOL. 7- Issue 1.5
OMAHA, NEBRASKA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2015
PAGE 24
ARIES
CANCER
External stresses can cause internal tensions to rise. This Halloween, don’t scare others with your temper—remember to take a step back and let others lead you through the haunted house that is life. Your sense of independence will lead you to believe that you are safe in the dark. Sure, you can walk home alone from the spooky party you will attend on the 31st, but just remember to look over your shoulder every once and in while—you know, just in case.
This week, the stars can’t decide if you’ll be a moody mess or a party animal. Best you stay in on Halloween night and watch some old-timey horror movies. However, if you decide to go out, remember to keep your cool. Cancer is a very unpredictable sign. You could be having a blast on the dance floor with your closest besties…until some sweaty girl dressed a nurse bumps into you. The stars declare she should run—fast.
MARCH 21 - APRIL 19
TAURUS
APRIL 20 - MAY 20 For your Halloween costume this year, don’t be lazy. Halloween is the perfect night to get out of your comfort zone with a fun and elaborate costume. You will be the life of the party with your positive energy. However, your stubborn attitude might cause some problems. Be careful with this type of thinking. I hear demons aren’t fond of skeptics.
GEMINI
MAY 21 - JUNE 20
Gemini are very independent, so for your Halloween costume this year, stand out with a bold, powerful figure. You might fall into a pickle this week, but your quick thinking and leadership skills will help you and your friends out of any sticky situation that presents itself. If you happen to encounter a strange person, ghost, or spirit, don’t fret. Your ability to chat and make friends will come in handy! Hopefully you come in contact with a friendly ghost!
JUNE 21 - JULY 22
LEO
JULY 23 - AUGUST 22 The center of attention is where Leo is used to being, but this week, be prepared for the exact opposite. That’s right—the tables have turned. The full moon will cause a shift in self-confidence. Wearing a mask and laying low will be the best bet for Leo’s reputation. If you’re thinking, “This is a load of candy corn! I’m going to go out and be the hot topic at my party!” you’d better be ready to get embarassed! Better luck next time Leos.
VIRGO
AUGUST 23 - SEPTEMBER 22 Someone might feel the need to bring up an past embarrassment this week, but don’t dwell on the horrifying, awful, terrible moment that everyone definitely remembers. Instead, keep it real. No matter how awful it was and no matter how many people are now talking about it, it’s no biggie! Dance like no one’s watching, right? Maybe not. The digging up of these embarrassing stories is actually too much for you to handle this week. Stay inside.
LIBRA
CAPRICORN
Get over yourself. Your friends will prove to be very important this week, so remember to put yourself in other people’s shoes and be mindful of who sass. Halloween is a very spooky time of year and many of the other signs are wimps and can’t handle the attitude a few ghouls have. Despite the fact that you might be scared too, you have the ability to help calm people down and take control, which makes you the perfect leader in a haunted house.
You have always been a compassionate companion, even to your irresponsible friends. On Halloween, someone will most likely need your assistance in some way. It is in your best interest to give a helping hand. In these situations you will want to take charge, but take the backseat and do what you can as follower for a change.
SEPTEMBER 23 - OCTOBER 22
SCORPIO
OCTOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 21 You may be feeling a bit moody with the seasonal shift from bright, crisp afternoons, to dark, frightening nights. Don’t let your mood affect your Halloween night! This week is a good time to break out of your comfort zone and meet new people, or maybe even reunite with old friends. Someone from your past may try to squeeze their way back into your life. Remember that sometimes this can be positive. People change. Let go of grudges.
SAGITTARIUS
NOVEMBER 22 - DECEMBER 21 It’s a good time to explore new things and find some adventure. Grab a couple brave buddies on Halloween night and go to a cemetery instead of a lame party. Ghost hunting is the perfect activity to fulfill your daring desires. While you’re out on these spooky grounds, you might have some close encounters with the Grim Reaper. Don’t be so shocked! You’re the one who decided to go to a cemetery on Halloween.
DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 19
AQUARIUS
JANUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 18 Your independence may be threatened this week, especially on the full moon. Don’t let others take charge in life. Advice and critiques are helpful and should be accepted, but the final decision is always up to you! You may find yourself in a crowded basement full of unfamiliar people in strange costumes. Remember not to be afraid to branch out. When meeting new people be sure to hold back your sarcasm until you get to know them a little better.
PISCES
FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 20 You may be finding yourself feeling like the sidekick—the Robin to someone’s Batman. Though you might start Halloween off dressed as the lesser accomplice, you will end the night a hero. A spirit may try to contact you this week. Don’t be alarmed. Your spiritual strength will help you build a bond with this figure and you could find something out about yourself or a close friend. The news could be earth-shattering or heartwarming. Hope for the best!
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