FALLIN’ FOR YA

by Kalista Peterson & Sienna Ramos, Reporter

It’s once again that time of year, leaves are falling, the air is getting crisp and cold, and a new addition to the blind date series has arrived. This month our specially selected bearcats faced their fears as they bravely entered into a house of horrors. Sparks flew, screams escaped, and a match was made. Spooky season of 2021 made for the perfect date opportunity. After searching far and wide the candidates were found in the very same fourth period Honors Pre-Calculus class. Introducing the fall blind date couple: the charismatic water polo stud, senior Jackson Parr and the blonde bombshell, senior Hailey

Hodel

Saturday, Oct. 23 the autumn sunset lit up the sky with strokes of orange, purple and pink. Parr showed up in his shiny bright red Jeep wrangler to The Haunt, in Atascadero. The Haunt is a haunted house that is known for its intense scare level that is set up every year at 5805 El Camino Real. He waited with excitement to finally find out who his other half would be for the night. After what seemed like an eternity, he spotted a girl with bouncing curls and a big smile approaching him out of his peripheral vision.

They greeted each other enthusiastically and realized that they were acquaintances all along, but tonight would mark a shift in their relationship. Side by side, Hodel and Parr walked up and got their tickets, and as they noticed the line into The Haunt growing,they decided it would be best to join the masses.

The couple connected over shared classes, college applications, and their time on the PRHS water polo team. To break the ice, they played two truths and a lie. Their laughter tinkling over the sporadic shrieks emanating from The Haunt. Seeing the frightened faces emerging from the house, their hearts began to beat a little faster. As they drew closer and closer to the entrance, the proximity between the duo shortened in kind.

The hour wait was long but it was well worth what was to come inside. A large man standing at the entrance doors took their tickets, looked at Parr,and exclaimed “The blonde one typically dies first so don’t stress out.” Jackson chuckled and seemed to calm down, but Hailey on the other hand grew more uneasy.

At once, the big black doors opened and they emerged into a bone chilling hallway. Out of the fog a creature emerged to jump scare them. Shrieks were heard and the couple held onto each other tightly with fear or was it something more?

Continuing through another door, they were led to a dark bridge, as they crossed it steadily, it suddenly plummeted and more screams let out. Each room they entered seemed to be more bone chilling than the last, full of the couple’s worst nightmares. As they exited the haunted elevator, Hodel grasped Parr’s hand and they took on the rest of the horrors together. Blood splattered mirrors, crawling creatures, and tangled claws hung from the ceiling greeted them as the couple made their way through the house with growing terror.