the halloween edition
volume 4 issue 2 october 2012
the halloween edition
photos by ally stark, design by eva phillips
001 cover 002 contents 004 bone-chilling tale 006 omahaunts 010 lichtenstein costumes 014 acid, legends, comics, oh my! 018 don’t turn out the lights 020 trick in the treat 022 who you gonna call? 026 a picture’s worth 1000 scares 028 shady players 032 don’t look under the ballot 038 wickedly delicious 042 menacing music 044 gory details 046 contributers
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a letter from the editors...
shopping, haunted houses and candy, don’t forget the candy. All things that we look forward C ostume to during the tenth month of the year. The leaves crunch under the feet of trick-or-treaters as they
partake in the time-honored tradition. For those who have grown out of going door to door begging for candy, parties and bobbing for apples, as well as caramel popcorn and scary movies are all wonderful options. These options are all slightly cliche, so if you’re looking for the true nitty gritty Halloween without the cutesy ghost costumes, but actual ghost hunters (page 18), the people behind the masks of haunted houses (page 24) as well as the truly haunted places around Omaha we’ve got you covered. Either way, sit back with your hot chocolate and don’t turn out the lights as you enjoy the latest edition of Craze.
Craze Vol 4 | Issue 2 | Oct. 2012 Omaha Westside High School 8701 Pacific Street Omaha, NE 68114
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The world’s shortest horror story... The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door. - Frederic Brown
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haunts
omaha’s haunted places
story by rebecca boocker, design by samie steed, photos by ally stark
E very October, haunted houses are flooded with people ready to be scared by harmless actors.
However, the idea of taking a trip to a genuinely haunted place rarely crosses our minds, and if it does, dangerously dark graveyards and neglected, run down buildings are typically what we think of. Believe it or not, Omaha is full of ghosts hiding in places that you might have gone inside of hundreds of times.
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brother sebastian’s
Brother Sebastian’s, a steakhouse not far from Westside, is known for both its history and its hauntings even today. The ghost’s name is Bill, and the man not only ate every night at Brother Sebastian’s before he died, but he is still known to be a regular today. “There was one night when I was in the upper part of the restaurant, setting all the tables,” said Assistant Manager Matthew Boone. “There were no customers in the restaurant, just one other coworker at least 30 feet away. I heard silverware clinging together in the next room, but I looked in and no one was there.” Interestingly enough, there is one booth that Bill always sat in, which is where people typically claim to see him. He has even been seen in the stone wall directly behind the booth. “The busboys put out candles at night and come
back in the morning and they will be burning again, especially in the booth that he sits in,” Boone explains. “Also, once, the cleaning lady came in and said that she saw the ghost just sitting in the booth. Of course, she ran out.” Boone and his fellow staff members are not the only ones who claim to have witnessed evidence of the ghost. Even customers have had suspicious experiences. “Once, somebody was at the bar,” said Boone. “He kept asking ‘Why aren’t you going to serve him?’ and pointing to an empty stool. Actually, two customers did that that night.” It is clear that Brother Sebastian’s has had its fair share of suspicious experiences. But if you are doubtful and don’t believe that it is really haunted, go check it out. If nothing else, you’ll get a delicious steak out of it.
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haunts
omaha central high school Central High School is also famous for its mysterious activities, as it is known to be haunted by both a former dean of the school and a former custodian. However, the students at Central are a bit skeptical of the hauntings. “I’ve heard stories about janitors seeing shadows at night,” Central senior Tal Margalit said. “I don’t believe it. I’m pretty sure that the seniors just use it to scare the freshmen.” Although Margalit claims that students just use these stories as scare tactics, there are some teachers that are convinced that they’ve encountered the ghosts. “Some teachers have seen womanly figures walking around early before many people show up,” Central
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senior Jake Stiehl says. Stiehl is a bit more convinced than Margalit, due to the age and long history of his school. “The most well known story is that the janitors will leave things around or leave a light off at night, and they’ll come back to an area that will be cleaned up or the light will be on,” said Stiehl. “None of it would surprise me though. I mean, it is such an old school.” Central is not just an old school, however. It is the oldest high school building in Omaha. So whether you believe in only what you can see, or believe that ghosts are as real as the ground we walk on, you can’t deny that Central has a long and mysterious history.
hummel park
One of the most well known places in Omaha that is dubbed to be haunted is Hummel Park. In fact, there is a long history dating back to the early twentieth century that suggests it is haunted by ghosts. Not only were people supposedly lynched in the park’s trees a hundred years ago, there was evidently an old Native American burial ground at the park, and you can hear Native Americans playing drums at night. There is also a ghost that people have witnessed, who used to live in the woods. He is known as “The Hermit.” “There was this guy who had a really mutilated face,” said sophomore Evan Piquette. “You had to cover your face when you walked by out of respect to prevent him from attacking you.” “The Hermit” isn’t the only ghost that people have witnessed within the park, however.
“There was a woman who was engaged to be married,” said Piquette. “She was accidentally pushed off a bridge and drowned. At night you can see a woman in a very fancy blue dress just drifting down the river.” There is even a set of stairs that has a bit of an eerie history, known as the stairway to hell. “If you walk down the stairs and come back up, and you count, you will not get the same number,” said Callie Caudell. “Apparently, if you get the same number going up and down the devil will show up.” As intriguing as Hummel Park is, going there and looking for the ghosts yourself might not be the best idea. The stairs are run down, and the park is known to be home to a dangerous cult. So sit back, relax, and let’s just research this one online.
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diy
roy lichtenstein comic character
story and design by allie laing, photos courtesy of laura.moncur.org
F inding the perfect Halloween costume can always be a challenge. If you’re like most
teens, on a budget, searching through countless costume stores only to pay huge amounts of money for something you’ll only wear once isn’t on the top of your to do list. So why wouldn’t you just make your own? With this tutorial, learn how to become a Roy Lichtenstein comic book character from the 1960’s.
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diy
roy lichtenstein
R oy Lichtenstein was a prominent American pop artist. His comics have been around for
over 50 years now, but not everyone has seen the great pieces he’s created. His comics are known for the “benday dot” technique, which was based off of Benjamen Day. This technique is essentially the same thing as pointillism. By Lichtenstein using the technique of closely spaced dots, an illusion of 3D art is created. Recreating a comic book character is easier then you think, whether you’re a guy or a girl. By using our step by step directions, you can make a Lichtenstein comic book character come to life, literally.
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1
The first step is to lighten up your face and skin. You can do this with white or peach paint, or even light makeup. You also want to use black paint to darken your eyebrows and red paint on your lips to make them more defined. You can add makeup around your eyes for extra definition. This step is about setting up the base for your face and the rest of your body for when you add the dots.
2
The second step is outline certain parts of your face with black. You want to take a paint brush and black paint and trace around your nose, eyes, hair line, lips, chin, fingers, or any other distinctive body parts. Next you want to take the round side of the end of the paint brush and use it to paint small red dots all over any skin that is visible. These dots should be in diagonal lines and about one centimeter apart from each other.
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The final step is just to dress it up. Wear any clothes with polka dots, and add accessories such as earrings or a wig. You can even cut out a speech bubble with one of Lichtensteins comic book quotes and tape it to yourself for an extra effect.
*
This costume is great for both women and men. If you are a boy, just follow the same concept except instead of adding the lipstick, wear a black shirt and pants and add black hair!
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story and design by samie steed, photos by ally stark
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hidden gem
more than meets the eye
story and design by samie steed, photos by ally stark
L ining the walls are hundreds of comics,
from cult classics to newly released modern ones which are soon to be considered classics. Some are shiny and new, some dull from wear, but all the comics seem to have character. They contain hidden adventures and unknown worlds ready to be read and experienced, not just imagined. This is Legend Comics, where fantasies can come alive. If you’re not into comics - which, come on, who isn’t - then there is still something to be enjoyed in the store: the coffee lounge. While your friends are delving into a battle of good and evil you can be diving into something a little more sweet like a mocha latte. This latte along with more treats can be found in the cafe located within the shop. What’s even sweeter is their own homebrewed unique drink. Their phosphate soda is something truly unique that you won’t find anywhere else in Omaha. Basically they take acid phosphate and mix it with various flavors - something straight out of a evil geniuses science laboratory. They also sell t-shirts and trinkets straight out of a cartoon. Who wouldn’t want to boast about their new superhero’s threads. From the classic superman to Finn and Jake from
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adventure time, there is shirt to tickle your nerdy fancy. Then downstairs there is an open area to further let your inner nerd out. There is a full basement reserved as a game room. It hasn’t been renewed yet; it’s just a simple table and chairs set-up. But with a little imagination it can transform into a plethora of lands. Different games have are reserved for different days such as one day for world of warcraft. Legend Comics hasn’t always had a coffee lounge and a dungeon for gaming. In fact, a few years ago, Legend Comics looked a lot different. They have just recently moved locations to the old Wohner’s grocery store. It’s nothing like the old 50th and L basic comic store. Now the environment is completely family friendly with kids intermixed with adults. At the same time students can come and get work done utilizing the free wi-fi. Legend Comics gets a lot more business now, but they have the same simple love of comics as they did when they first got started. The colorful interior and the colorful people make the shop what it is. People stop by for the food, fun, and just simple love of comics. Whatever the case, Legend Comics just hopes to share the joy of story telling.
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horror movies
looking for a new scare? check out these movies. story and design by jill hoppe
W hether you’re a long time fan or just getting into the holiday spirit, horror movies are a great way to get
that bone-chilling feeling of Halloween. Since there are so many different genres of horror movies, from gore-filled 80s slashers to more recent psychological thrillers, there is going to be something for everyone to enjoy.
if you like...
Director Jonathan Demme’s “Silence of the Lambs” is a gruesome, timeless book-to-film adaptation about a captured serial killer who teams up with an aspiring FBI agent to catch, surprisingly, another serial killer who is on the loose. If you’re interested in similar serial killer mysteries, check out Suspect Zero, in which another FBI agent is hot on the trail of a serial killer… who’s victims of choice are other murderers.
Blockbuster hit “Paranormal Activity” has been a nationwide hit since 2009, spawning multiple sequels and a fourth movie due this month. If you’re looking for another “haunting caught on film” type of movie, look for “Grave Encounters.” “Grave Encounters” features a group of people who are filming a reality television show about ghost hunting. Their latest task is to explore the supposedly haunted insane asylum, but as the night goes on, the group discovers the dark truth behind the asylum’s past, capturing everything on film.
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then try...
if you like...
“Nightmare on Elm Street” is a Halloween classic your parents probably watched when they were teenagers. Everyone knows Freddy Krueger, the sadistically humorous man who invades your dreams. If you’re searching for another gory slasher movie this Halloween, check out “Jeepers Creepers,” in which a monster disguises himself as a man, and literally consumes the parts of people he needs to function. For example, he will eat eyes in order to see. Not advised for the squeamish.
then try...
After the multi-million dollar book and movie series “Harry Potter” ended, Daniel Radcliff needed a fresh start. “The Woman in Black” seemed to be exactly what he needed. Playing a lawyer searching for legal documents in an abandoned home in the late 1800s, he realizes that the house isn’t what it seems. These Victorian era horror movies are few and far between, but seem to have quality scare factor. “The Awakening” is another recent British horror movie about a woman in the early 1900s who debunks supposedly haunted places with her old fashioned equipment. That is, until she finds one she can’t. We all know that in horror movies, children mean bad news. “Case 39” is your typical evil child movie. It’s about a girl who was abused by her parents and taken in by a CPS worker, until things start getting weird. If you’re in for another psychological movie with twists and turns at every end, try “Gothika.” Halle Berry plays as a psychologist who ends up in her own psychiatric hospital because she starts to see ghosts. Watch out for the ending—it’s one you’d never see coming!
One of the scariest exorcism movies since “The Exorcist” is the recent theatrical release, The Possession. It collected numerous positive reviews from critics, which is a rare sight in typical horror movie reviews. Taking a twist on the typical Catholic exorcism, a father enlists the help of a Jewish rabbi to rid the demon taking over his daughter after opening a box found at a garage sale. The movie will keep you on your toes, and once you think one bad thing is over, you realize the true horror is only beginning.
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food trickery
four easy ways to freak out your friends
story and design by ellie anderson-smith, photos by ally stark
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spam scam
You’ll need:
One packet raspberry Jell-O Two cups of hot water, Two cups of cold water One empty Spam container
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1. Boil water and pour into a bowl. 2. Empty the contents of the Jell-O packet into the bowl. 3. Stir with a wooden spoon until dissolved. 4. Pour mixture into your CLEAN Spam container. 5. Place into the refrigerator until jelled. 6. Eat!
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pop some pills
You’ll need:
One empty prescription bottle (the freakier the medicine, the better) A handful of candy (Smarties or TicTacs work best) 1. Replace your meds with candy.
3 spoiled You’ll need:
milk
One empty Pepto Bismol bottle One bottle of Nestle strawberry milk 1. Pour strawberry milk into your empy Pepto Bismol bottle.
4 minty You’ll need:
fresh
An empty 500 ml Listerine bottle One 20-ounce Gatorade in Cool Blue 1. It’s ridiculously simple - refill your Listerine bottle with blue Gatorade.
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instructor with a passion for the paranormal story by laurel oetken, design by jordan meradith, photos by ally stark up in front and behind the L ined small, old beat up Volkswagen are cars filled with people from Texas and surrounding states. They have all come to witness the paranormal activity that this bridge, known as the “Old Scout Bridge” supposedly holds. The unexplainable begins to happen when the keys are taken out of the ignition and yet, the cars begin to move across. The next car in line is the Volkswagen, and as the engine shuts off, silence overcomes the vehicle as the unusual hobby of one of Westside’s own continues. Finding a Drama instructor who has an interest in ghost hunting isn’t exactly common at most high schools. But, Westside High School
is lucky enough to have an instructor with these unique aspects to his personality, that instructor being Jeremy Stoll. “I started in high school because there was supposedly a haunted house. It was really just a farm house near us,” Stoll said. “So I got some friends of mine, and we all decided to hike out near there one night to check it out, but we were scared off by the raccoons that lived inside.” Unlike leaving and never exploring again, the way that some would react, Stoll made a choice that one unsuccessful trip was not going to put an end to his paranormal adventures.
“I decided that just because that one had raccoons and not ghosts, it didn’t mean that others wouldn’t, and so I began my career in ghost hunting,” he said. When Stoll moved to Omaha later on in his life to pursue his teaching career and begin to start a family, his ghost hunting also tagged along. “In Omaha, the Bohemian Cemetery on about 52nd and Center Street supposedly has a ghost story around it, and it’s an old cemetery so its definitely got the right look,” Stoll said. “The Rose supposedly has a ghost too and we’ve poked around there a little bit.” Stoll however, does not do his ghost hunts specifically with a local
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ghostbusters association such as MAPS, the UNO Paranormal Society or Ghost Hunters of the Heartland, but rather Stoll does his searching with a group of long time friends. “I have a group of friends, from college mostly, and we’ve done it together both in college and afterwards,” Stoll said. “I’ve even recruited my wife to go on one with us, which took a lot of convincing. We went to Breckenridge as a family this summer and checked out a supposed haunted saloon in Breckenridge. That was pretty cool.” Along with some of the experiences that Stoll has had in Omaha and Colorado with ghost hunting, some of his most profound and startling experiences with unexplainable events took place during his college days. “The Old Scout Bridge is probably my most popular story and that’s always the one that sticks out whenever I think about doing this kind of stuff,” Stoll said. The Old Scout Bridge, a bridge nicknamed by locals, is located just outside of Georgetown, Texas. It is known for being a ghost town, and draws attention to many ghost hunters, including Stoll. “The story says that there was a man that lived out there during the turn of the century, and for whatever reason he went crazy and killed his wife and children. He then threw his children over this bridge into the reservoir below. Afterwards he hung himself off of the bridge,” Stoll said. “As legend has it, if you drive your car onto the bridge facing north and turn the engine off, the ghosts of the children will push your car across the bridge to get away from the phantom of their father.” While living in Texas, Stoll decided to check out the tale of the bridge with a group of friends. He wanted to find out first hand if the stories and rumors about the bridge were in fact true, or if they were just exaggerated to draw attention to the area. “We drove out to the bridge in this
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guy’s little Volkswagen. It’s like a 45 minute drive outside of Georgetown. It was maybe 10 or 11 o’clock at night so it was dark,” Stoll said. “Before we pulled onto the bridge, we stopped, and my friend took out a container of baby powder. I asked him, ‘Ed, what are you doing?’ As he sprinkled baby powder on the back bumper he said, ‘You’ll totally understand when you see what happens.’” As you could imagine, the anticipation to find out what was happening continued to rise as Stoll and his friends made their way onto the bridge. What occurred next seemed to be almost unreal. “We pull onto the bridge, and he not only put the car in neutral but he turns the car off so we were just sitting there in the dark on the bridge not saying anything,” he said.
“
You could see something like a thumb and two fingers.. impressed onto the baby powder.
”
After turning the car off, Stoll described the rules that went along with sitting in the silent car while on the bridge. “You weren’t allowed to look in the rear view mirror, and you weren’t allowed to make any noise. Anything like that and you would scare the ghosts off,” said Stoll. “We sat there for a little while, and we felt the car being to rock a little bit, and then it began to roll. In my mind I’m thinking. ‘Okay, this is gravity. There’s an incline in the bridge, and that’s why we’re rolling. This is not as crazy as it feels.’” However, Stoll soon found out that rationalizing the situation was useless. “We rolled very slowly, and you can tell the difference between when a car is being pushed and when it’s just rolling on its own because
when its being pushed, the force is uneven,” said Stoll. “There’s a little bit of rock to it, and I totally felt that as we were going, but my mind didn’t want to believe that there are ghosts of little children pushing the car.” “But when we got to the end of the bridge, the car didn’t stop, it kept going and going up an incline, and Ed had to grab the steering wheel and start turning the car so that it wouldn’t go off the road,” Stoll said. “Then the car stopped, and Ed threw the emergency brake on. After that we sat there for a little bit. There was some choice language because we were all very surprised.” What happened next made a lasting impression on Stoll and urged him to continue his ghosthunting hobby. “We got out of the car and the first thing that I noticed was the pickup truck that was rolling up behind us on the road, its lights off, engine off and two really surprised looking guys,” Stoll said. “We never saw any ghosts, it was just this freaky, crazy, energy that pushed the cars across the bridge and up the hill.” “We then went to the back of the car and looked at the baby powder that Ed put on the bumper. You couldn’t see a definite hand print, almost like that would be too easy, but you could see something like a thumb and two fingers or the heal of the hand and a couple of fingers impressed onto the baby powder,” Stoll said. After seeing what had happened to the baby powder and watching the same thing happen over and over again to multiple cars on the Old Scout Bridge, Stoll knew that what he had experienced was real, and it is still a great story that he likes to share. Stoll continued to hunt after his experience at the Old Scout Bridge, and in recent years he has even run into paranormal activity in the old Elkhorn Hall building on Dana College’s old campus. This story,
along with others, has given Stoll a new outlook on what he perceives to be the unexplainable. “There is always that idea that there could be something that we don’t understand,” Stoll said, “The world that we live in is almost all explained, and I like the idea that there might be something left out there that nobody really understands.” Although Stoll is now focusing
mainly on his career as a drama and English teacher at Westside, he still experiences fun times with paranormal happenings when the opportunity presents itself. “I wouldn’t say that I’m an active ghost hunter,” Stoll said. “If I happen to be in an area, and I don’t have anything else going on after someone has told me that there is something scary nearby, we’ll go check it out” Although the frequency of Stoll
encounters has dwindled, his stories from previous experiences make a great example of how others, including high school students, can and should try similar things to put them outside of their comfort zone. “As long as it’s safe, respectful and responsible, I would encourage high school students to indulge their curiosities, no matter what it looks like,” Stoll said.
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the season of scares design by eva phillips, photos by ally stark
Oozing blood and covered in makeup, the employees at our local haunted houses look otherworldly. Still, they’re hiding a secret behind their scares. They know that under the eerie light of the moon, we can all be the monster in the closet.
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student q&a
the kids behind the scares
story and design by cassie mccormick, photos by ally stark and courtesy of christina smith
most people, going through a haunted house once is scary in itself, but these kids just can’t F or seem to get enough. Spending evenings scaring people isn’t for everyone, but someone has
to do it. By day, these kids are average Westside students, but by night they transform into the things nightmares are made of. Don’t be afraid as we get to know the things that go bump in the night.
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jared cvetas
senior
years in the business: 4 q: What kind of character do you play? a: I tend to carry myself all throughout the house, but usually I spend most of the time in the butcher room or the utility room.
q: What’s been the craziest night you’ve had in the haunted house? a: Last year around the 27th it was pretty crazy because a lot of people started coming in, and we actually had to stop a couple people from going into the next room because it was just getting too crowded.
q: How scared have you ever made someone? a: Sadly it was a little girl who looked about 6 years old or so, and she was with her
family at the tail end of the group. I scared her, and she stopped, backed up and looked all scared. I felt really bad afterwards.
q: Do you have any tips for people interested in working in a haunted house? a: Go down there and be committed because once you’re in that house, you’re in there for the whole night. Stay committed, and if you want to do it, do it.
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student q&a
christina smith before
after
senior
years in the business: 1 q: What kind of character do you play? a: My favorite was being a victim. Whether I was the the girl in the hospital chair or the person tied up on the couch, I was always the one that was all bloody and looking nasty.
q: What’s the craziest night you’ve had in the haunted house? a: Whenever we have radio stations broadcasting out front it gets really crazy, and if you’re in the last half of the house you’ll get groups that smush together, so instead of getting one group at a time you’ll get five groups all together, and you have to go up to all those people and try to scare them.
q: How scared have you ever made someone? a: I felt really bad, but there was this one chick that just stopped and started crying. We had to break character to comfort her and get her out of the room.
q: Do you have any tips for people interested in working in a haunted house? a: Ask for help because the seniors will give it to you. It’s like being a freshman, don’t 30
try to be cool just go in and meet people, and be ready to give it all you’ve got.
cecilia glass before
after
freshman
years in the business: 2 q: What kind of character do you play? a: Usually I try to get inside the bedroom or inside the kitchen because in the bedroom I can play the creepy little girl, and in the kitchen I can play the screaming mom.
q: What’s been the craziest night you’ve had in the haunted house? a: On Halloween we were there until one in the morning because party buses started showing up, and we had people coming from different haunted houses coming through so we had to be our best.
q: How scared have you ever made someone? a: I made someone run into a corner and start crying. It was one of my friends so I felt bad about it, but it was still really funny.
q: Do you have any tips for people interested in working in a haunted house? a: You definitely have to have a special personality to work inside the house. You have to be kind of weird, and you have to make sure you’re on your toes all the time. You can’t take anything too seriously, but you still have to take the criticism and learn from it.
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story, photo illustrations and design by lia hagen, photo by ally stark
matter what your political party, we all have N othings we’re afraid of. In the following pages, you’ll
be led through a haunted house designed specifically for you and others who share your views. On page 30 is a horrifically haunted experience made for the conservative teen; page 32 contains an equally terrifying tale for the more liberal Westsiders. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, one thing is inevitable: paralyzing fear. Prepare to enter.
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petrifying politics
a terrifying tale of america’s moral decay you, a straight-laced young Still, as you approach, you begin to wander the city in a desperate ForRepublican, true terror lies to notice that there is something attempt to find another good, hidden in the deepest depths of the inner-city. There’s a certain smell in the air; ethnic food-stands line the dilapidated, government run streets. Lost and alone, you feel in your heart the tug of homesickness. Where is your mother now, the picture perfect image of traditional womanhood with her apple pie and sewing needles? Squeezing your eyes shut tightly, you take a deep breath and continue walking. Above the cramped apartment buildings, there is a sign of hope. It’s a great American skyscraper, the kind that could only be the home to some sort of corporation. With any luck, it will be full of business executives.
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wrong with the building. What you previously assumed was rust on the sleek, silver metal is becoming more and more prominent as you walk on. In fact, at this distance, it almost looks like... paint. Your heart sinks. Spread across the previously proud, capitalist metal of this corporation’s headquarters, there is the unmistakable glare of red paint. In lieu of a sign, a flag hangs. It is decorated with a small hammer. The Communists have invaded. You can hear the wails of government dependents within the walls. They’re calling for more money, more welfare, more healthcare. You pause. There are few options left to you now. You can continue
patriotic American like yourself, or you can seek help from the godless heathens. With no other options, you move closer to the entrance. The door swings open as soon as you draw near, crashing into the wall with a startling boom. The screams inside become more and more audible the closer you get. Somewhere within, you hear the echoes of a protest song. You enter the building. The walls are a collage of offensive imagery, from rainbow flags to informational signs on recycling. Cursing the dim lighting, you edge along the wall. Your hand runs across the decorations in search of some sort of light switch.
Instead, you feel a small sheet of paper. You unfold it with shaky hands and hold it up to the room’s only light source: a neon sign that begs the viewer to “Make love, not war.” Once unfolded, it becomes apparent that it’s some sort of check. The small, rectangular shape is familiar to you, and you breathe a sigh of relief. If the people who live here manage to maintain a checking account, they can’t be too bad. The signs must be a mere ploy to make money from the ignorant liberals. You squint as you fight to discover who the check is written to. Standing on your toes to absorb more light, you finally get a good look at the “pay to” line. It’s... your name. You’re surprised, but perhaps you shouldn’t be. People do tend to pay you a lot, if the government doesn’t take it all in taxes, that is. The corners of your lips turn upwards. You turn your attention to the writer of the check. As soon as you see the header of the check, you freeze. You’re disbelieving, but there is no other answer. It’s a welfare check. Somehow, somewhere, someone decided that you needed... a government handout. You can barely contain your horror. But it’s okay, right? You never cashed the check. You can always just rip it up now; no one will have to know about this. Relieved at your genius, you tear the check in half... and in quarters, and then in eighths. After all, you can never be too careful. As the pieces drift to the ground, you notice a strange discoloration. The previously light check pieces look almost like they’re darkening. By the time they hit the ground, they’ve elongated too; their edges have straightened, forming a rectangle. You drop to your knees to examine them, and promptly fall back on your butt, scrambling to get away. It’s cash, and not the good kind. It’s the kind reserved for the lazy and the criminals; the kind of cash
that’s ripped straight out of the hands of the one percent and given to the less deserving. After the initial shock, you begin to think. They are your tax dollars. If the welfare system couldn’t manage their money correctly, did they really deserve to keep it? Of course not. You smile as you reach out and grab the cash. The crisp bills will look fantastic in your shiny new wallet. As you move to pocket your new bills, they burst from your hand and shred as they fly. Screaming, you rush for the door. This is the final straw. You can take the hippie love decor and the mysterious checks, but destroying money? What kind of cruel home was this? Your hands shake the doorknob, but it won’t budge. You groan and move to rub your temples; you’re fighting a killer headache. Something on your hands stops you.
This’d never “ happen if we just
increased military spending.
”
They’re coated with glitter, every inch of them. The silver shimmers are embedded in the lines of your hand. They sweep across your fingers and are caught inside your fingernails. You turn back towards the room and lean against the doorway. This can only mean one thing. The gays are here. They come marching through the remnants of the shredded bills, their own sick brand of confetti. Glitter coats the floor wherever they go, saturating the carpets. Their rainbow flags are draped across their shoulders like capes. They wave recruitment forms in one hand and lead innocent children with the other. As they strut towards you, they whisper; their chants are set to an unknown tune, undoubtedly club music of some kind. “We’re coming for your marriages,” they call in unison. “We’re in your
schools, we’re in your homes, we’re in your churches. Say goodbye to religious freedom!” “No,” you mumble, pressing yourself against the door as tightly as possible. “Anything but this. Anything but them.” You quickly regret your words. The door behind you begins to shake; a loud thud frightens you away. Even as the gays come closer, an even worse threat emerges from behind you. The socialists. You were a fool to worry about the communists before. Socialists are a much sneakier breed, infiltrating your government under the guise of liberalism. The ones entering the building are no different. They hold their insurance cards like a weapon. Along with their universal health care, they bring with them a frightening amount of diplomas. With a start, you realize why - in their sick, socialist world, the government pays for university. One of them carries a strange machine on his shoulder. Before you can get a good look, it begins to shoot at you. You dodge the projectile, but not before recognizing the packaging. It’s a contraception cannon. The only way they could get more evil would be if... Another container of birth control pills rushes past you, and this time your scream is positively shrill. Worse even than its horrible contents, there is an Obama campaign ad stamped on the lid. You always knew he was a socialist. Realizing that you’re caught between two evils, you briefly contemplate your chances. Blocking the door are success-haters who want to force you to be healed on the government’s dime. The only other potential exit is through the parade of gay villains. They continue to advance. Caught without your trusty handgun, you hold up your fists, determined to go down fighting. “This’d never happen if we just increased military spending,” you mumble. The fight begins.
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petrifying politics
a spooky story with a side of superiority a socially conscious liberal with businessmen and women. Their body; like the rest of you, they are Asyouth, your greatest fears disguise suits, all in shades of black and grey, filled with fear. themselves in a large corporation, hidden in the shiny metal of headquarters and purposeful folds of a CEO’s suit. There is a prominent sign along the toll roads, displaying its logo proudly. You wince and rush past it. Nothing good ever comes from a recognizable brand. That’s why you buy all your food from the man with the questionable beard at the farmer’s market. This place, however, is nothing like the small, dirty, organic shops from whence you came. In place of the small and unsanitary tables, there are towering glass windows and corporate greed. The doors slide open as you walk towards them. The horror within is worse than you could ever have expected. The lobby is positively crawling
36
are ironed and clearly expensive. Proud and conceited, they hold their heads high and their briefcases firmly. You can almost smell the green devil in the air. Money is at work here, at this institution dedicated to greasing the wheels of capitalism. “Can I help you?” You spin on your heels and face the mysterious speaker. She’s a naturally tall woman, and her solid stature and businesslike pumps only accentuate the fact. Her eyes are friendly, but she’s clearly preoccupied. She watches her phone like a hawk; you can see that her screen is displaying the stocks. You shake your head at her and back away slowly in order to avoid drawing attention to yourself. Your veins are pumping ice through your
The woman is quickly distracted. She shrugs and walks away, presumably to one of the expansive offices lining the halls. You graze the reception desk and jump for fear of the corruption rubbing up on you. Your sleeve catches the candy bowl, and it falls to the ground. The receptionist offers you help, her voice concerned, and you grimace. “I don’t need any help from a Fortune 500 company, thank you very much.” Still, you can’t seem to leave. Every time you attempt to step towards the door, an unknown presence pulls you back, drawing you closer and closer to the money making machine. Even as you ponder fleeing, a new threat blocks the door.
A gunshot rings in the air. Immediately the workers begin to scream and run away from the entrance. You avoid the rush of bodies and focus in on the source of the chaos. Before the crowds of fleeing business people block your view, you manage to note the thin frame and cruel features. Vicious and unfeeling, you also see them take a moment to smoke and then continue to fire. Screaming with the rest, you rush backwards with the crowd, shuddering at the thought of what must be going on inside. Still, the sick, twisted inner workings of anything that would cause something like this is beyond you. Yes, you’ll never understand guns like this one. There is someone holding it, certainly, but they are comparatively unremarkable. The real threat is clutched tightly in their hand, several pounds of metal and death. It goes off again, and now you flee faster, shoving past the people clambering into the elevator and instead running to the stairwell. Stopping halfway up, you ponder the situation. As a bleeding heart liberal, you know that you must play the hero. Still, you can see no other way to stop the gun other than violence, and you are not a fan. Near the gun, you see a shining flash. You frown. “What’s that?” you ask, turning to a man standing next to you. It is only desperation that makes you ask him; his high quality suit, shiny blackberry (dialing 911), and charming face indicate that he is a higher up in the company. “Oh god, it’s a knife! He has a knife too!” the businessman screams. You ignore him and focus back on the task at hand. So what if there’s a knife around? Knives are nonthreatening. Guns, now those are the killers. Another gunshot goes off, and you let out a shrill scream. Forget helping the innocents! You have your own hide to save! You dash up the stairs, pushing down anyone in your path. When you reach the third floor,
you call yourself safe and stop running. Instead, you search for an exit. On your way, you see a man standing with a gun pointed at the lobby. “Stop!” you screech. “What are you doing?!” “Don’t worry,” he replies. “I’m stopping the shooter!” That does it, you think to yourself before promptly tackling him to the ground. The man yelps as he falls, and the gun hits the floor with him. You grin at yourself, a hero. “Why’d you do that? People are dying down there!” Still lying under you from the tackle, he is clearly frustrated. “So you’ll kill someone else? That’s capital punishment. Capital punishment is wrong.” You
This blatant “ lack of political correctness is too much for you.
”
infuse your voice with as much condescension as possible and give him your absolute best scolding look. There’s nothing better at stopping your opponents in their tracks. You’ve used it too many times to count, on far too many foes to measure. Litterers? They get a scolding look. People who release CO2? They also get a scolding look. Kids who pray in school? Even they get a scolding look. Anyone who disagrees with you on any topic in any situation? They too get a scolding look. Sometimes they even get a condescending comment and long, winding speech, just in case they won’t stay silent! You gasp, suddenly inspired. You know how to stop the shooter! Jumping off of the man, you lean over the railing to stare at the lobby. Focusing in on the shooter, you narrow your eyes just so and set your mouth. There! Totally better than
killing anyone. That gun will never, ever even think aboutAnother gunshot rings in the air. You scream and drop to the ground, hiding behind the railing and landing uncomfortably on the man’s foot. Business people, guns, and your scolding look doesn’t work? This place is a nightmare. The man pulls his foot out from under you and begins his attempt to coerce you into joining his sinful ways. “Listen,” he begs. His voice is pitiful. “This is my job. I became a cop to help people. If I kill that man, he may be dead, but other people will get to live. Don’t you want that? How many people has he killed already? How many more wil-” You interrupt him and begin to recite the victims. “One bl- a woman, with uhdark-” He interrupts you. “A black woman?” “Shhh!” You shriek, covering your ears. “That’s not politically correct!” “What?” he exclaims, his eyes full of revulsion. “That’s so dumb!” “Shhh!” “I can’t even say dumb now? That’s the craziest thi-” This blatant lack of political correctness is too much for you. You fall apart, sobbing fully and openly. The man pats your back awkwardly. Another gunshot rings through the air. “I understand that you’re upset, but I have to do this. You need to think of this like war-” Your sobs grow louder. As if this weren’t bad enough, he had to mention that, the most horrendous of America’s sins? “No war has ever been just or will ever be just!” The man shoots you one final look and stands, clutching his gun in his hand. You close your eyes and allow the tears to swell, rolling down your chin and out your eyes. You scream as the final gunshot sounds, but you don’t make a move. You are a Democrat, after all.
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fall treats
38
new twists on halloween snacks story and design by allie laing, photos by ally stark
A s you all know, Halloween is coming up. The season is full
of crazy costumes, haunted houses, but most importantly delicious food. But Halloween snacks shouldn’t be about the typical cheesy spider cupcakes or ghost cookies. Here are some easy recipes of your Halloween favorites that don’t take much time at all. Our delicious recipe for home made caramel popcorn will have your mouth watering and craving more. The mix of sweet and salty is balanced out by the perfect crunch of the popcorn. Add different toppings such as pecans or some dark chocolate for an extra pop! Plus, there’s nothing like a light pumpkin cookie filled with a sweet fluffy marshmallow center. These homemade Pumpkin Spice Cookie sandwiches are irresistible, and will leave you wanting more, and take only about 30 minutes. 39
fall treats
pumpkin whoopie pie ingredients:
1 cup canned pumpkin 1/3 cup softened butter 1 package 2 layer spice cake mix 1/2 cup milk 2 eggs
cookie directions:
1. preheat oven to 375 degrees 2. spray cooking sheet with cooking
spray 3. mix pumpkin and butter until smooth 4. add cake mix, eggs, and milk 5. mix until combined, medium speed 1 min 6. add mounds of batter onto cooking sheet 7. bake 15 minutes or until edges are browned 8. store at room temperature for 24 hours
filling ingredients:
1/2 cup softened butter 1 8 ounce packaged of softened cream cheese 2 cups sifted powdered sugar 1/2 7 ounce jar marshmallow cream 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
filling directions:
1. beat butter and cream cheese until
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smooth 2. add powdered sugar, marshmallow cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg 3. beat until well combined and smooth 4. spread filling between 2 pumpkin cookies
caramel corn
ingredients:
12 cups non salted popcorn cooking spray cooking sheets 1/3 cup butter 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon light molasses 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt
directions:
1. preheat oven to 250 degrees 2. coat a large pan with cooking
spray 3. mix sugar, corn syrup, butter, & molasses in saucepan. 4. cook 5 minutes over medium heat stove 5. remove from heat 6. add vanilla, baking soda, and salt 7. place popcorn in bowl, pour mixture over 8. spread popcorn into pan, cook for 1 hour (stir every 15 minutes) 9. remove from oven and stir, cool for 15 mins
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music
freaky artists to add to your ipod story and design by ellie anderson-smith
black sabbath
While they may seem relatively tame in comparison to more recent bands, there’s no denying that they’re a classic. After all, Black Sabbath was one of the first groups to use horror ideals in their lyrics and shows. They also introduced the world to Ozzy Osbourne, who later went on to display pretty freaky shows of his own. Bat decapitations anyone?
listen to: black sabbath
marilyn manson
Marilyn Manson gained popularity in the ‘90s for his shock-rock genre and controversial actions, imagery and lyrics. Throughout his career, he has been frequently attacked by religious groups for his music, and he has even been blamed for influencing the Columbine shootings. While Manson’s scary act has been deemed less and less controversial in recent years, there were few artists in the ’90s as scary as him.
listen to: sweet dreams (are made of this)
gorgoroth
The black metal band Gorgoroth reportedly began after the lead guitarist made a deal with the devil. At a concert held in Poland, they put sheep heads on stakes and featured over 80 liters of animal blood. The police charged the band, but they were let off when Gorgoroth admitted they didn’t know what they were doing was illegal. Pegged as one of their most horrifying concerts, they later went on to recreate the concert for a music video.
listen to: carving giant
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aphex twin
Specializing in electronic music, Aphex Twin has established himself as a frightening icon through more modern techniques. The most common image of the artist, a grimace that eerily resembles the Cheshire Cat, is scary on its own, but his music videos are especially haunting. He has even found a way to display his face in his music as some songs feature a digital image of his face when put through a spectral analysis.
listen to: windowlicker
mercyful fate
The band’s lead singer, King Diamond, has professed to be a practicing Satanist and filtered his belief through his songs. “Melissa”, one of the band’s more popular songs, provided a back story for a human skull the lead singer used to bring onstage. During shows, he also used a microphone handle consisting of a human femur bone and a tibia bone in the shape of a cross.
listen to: melissa
kiss
Though more amusing than horrifying, KISS has made a name for themselves as one of the most iconic scary bands of all time. Keep in mind that lead singer Gene Simmons frequently breathed fire and spit blood at concerts. And while the make up might be freaky, they’re even more frightening without it.
listen to: god of thunder
mayhem
This band lives up to its name through its truly insane band members. The lead singer, Dead, would use knives and glass to scare concert-goers and impale pig and sheep heads onstage. When he later committed suicide, band member Euronymous took pictures of the disturbing scene and used it for an album cover. Rumor has it, he also made necklaces from Dead’s skull fragments and wore them to shows to pay tribute to the singer. Mayhem really is chaotic and terrifying, and it dsnags the spot as perhaps the scariest band ever.
listen to: freezing moon
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calendar of events
sunday
cabaret night whs | 7 pm
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monday
tuesday
14
15
21
22
28 @
varsity volleyball metro tournament @ papillion-la vista south
29
16
german exchange students arrive @ whs
23
all time low | slow down @ 7:30 pm | $20
30
helio sequence @ slow down | 9 pm | $10
wednesday end of first quarter
17
24
needtobreathe | sokol auditorium @ 7:30 | $25
31
happy halloween
thursday varsity volleyball vs millard west
friday 18
25
varsity volleyball metro tournament @ papillion-la vista south
01
mr. whs tryouts @ whs auditorium
varsity football vs papillion-la vista south | 7 pm
saturday 19
26
varsity football first round playoff game | 7 pm
02
varsity football quarterfinal playoff game @ 7 pm
20
celebration of mind nebrasksa @ strategic air and space museum from 10 am to 4 pm
27
salvation army red kettle run | zorinsky lake park @ 9 am
03
refugee dash @ towl park | 11 am
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us on facebook!
craze staff’s favorite sites to check out
creativity:
sports and news:
tunes and games:
miscellaneousness:
craftgawker.com vector.tutsplus.com cutoutandkeep.net cactusquid.blogspot.com pitchfork.com bandcamp.com stereogum.com drawastickman.com
theonion.com yardbarker.com vice.com
cracked.com vectorpark.com reddit.com onecoolthingaday.com
contributors to this issue: editor-in-chief: jordan meradith
managing editor: samie steed
YOUR AD HERE!
design editor: eva phillips copy editor: jill hoppe
photo editor: ally stark business manager: ellie
Do you want to advertise with Craze?
anderson-smith writers/designers for this issue: lia hagen, rebecca
boocker, allie laing, cassie
Contact our staff at xanadustaff@gmail.com 46
mccormick, laurel oetken,
ellie anderson-smith, jill hoppe, sammie steed, eva
phillips, jordan meradith advisor: nathan moseley
p.s. of you are interested in submitting your artwork, writing, photogrphy, or music to Xanadu, please email laurel oetken via first class 47