It was the autumn of 1991. I was a freshman at Nouvel Catholic High School. Part of our school requirements was volunteering so many hours per year depending on what grade you are in. I think as freshmen we had to volunteer 20 hours with something during the school year. An organization was putting together a community haunted house in a vacant store set in Green Acres Plaza in Saginaw, Michigan. He called the local private schools and put the word out that he needed volunteers. This was a great opportunity for students to get their volunteer hours.
The building was the corner store in the plaza. I remember at one time it was a restaurant called the Sweden House Buffet. Shortly after that it was called Duffy's Buffet. For the longest time it would stand empty. Last I knew it was a Powerhouse Gym but I think that even closed down. The whole strip mall which used to be packed with businesses is slowly dying but that is a different story.
On a particular day a crowd of people showed up to help volunteer from all different schools across Saginaw. Most of the haunted house was already set up. There was different stations where people would walk past in a dark labyrinth going from one side of the building to the other side led by zombie butler-type of people. We had to audition for different scenes set up in the haunted house. We had to scream in terror and cackle like a witch. Some, I must say, were impressing to hear.
The haunted house was 2 weekends long and I think it was even every night during the week around Halloween. It was a huge production. I played in several different scenes on different nights. One scene was a "live wall". Basically it was a canvas that was camouflaged with imatition vines and leaves. There was 8 of us working the wall, 4 on each side. When a group of people would pass through we would moan and groan while pushing the wall forward. The group of people really didn't expect that and we could hear them scream and scamper further forward to pass the area.
I was also a zombie monster. I had a scary rubber mask and dark trench coat. I sat in a corner almost invisible. When a group of people would pass on by I would follow them quietly. We weren't allowed to touch the people so I couldn't tap anyone on the shoulder. The "Butler" would give clues outloud telling people to be careful; that things can lurk up behind them. I would be there, arms stretched out in front like I was about to grab someone. The group would quickly turn the corner and another scary scene would begin for them.
The famous shower scene was another skit I worked on. We would listen for the cue of another scene going off. Then I hopped in a bathtub with the shower curtain around me. My killer would turn on the strobe lights. He would walk across the room, with his mask on, and act like he is stabbing me through the shower curtain. I, of course, would scream and fall down in the tub sticking my arm out with fake blood running down my arm. During one performance the killer tripped over something and fell into me causing us to fall in the tub and the shower curtain broke off from above. I was still covered with the shower curtain and I screamed because I did not expect that but afterwards it was hard to hold in our laughter.
One of my favorite scenes was the jungle girl. I had to wear a leaf style bikini top with a grass skirt. It had a cute leafy head wreath to complete the outfit. I stood on a four and a half foot platform tied up with vines to a leafy wall. I was able to tie myself up in the vines so it wasn't anything too restrictive. A man dressed up like an ape hid in the platform under me. As the line of people pass by I would scream out, "HELP ME! THE APE MAN IS GOING TO GET ME! I NEED SOMEONE TO SAVE ME!" and I would shriek out in bewteen while twisting and turning around in the ivy vines. Then the ape would jump out from under the platform and scare the crowd. I knew being up higher that there wasn't going to be any mishaps.
There were two scenes that stood out as really lame to me. One was the washing machine monster. There was a washing machine in the backgroud and pipes and rubber hoses were coming out of it. I would tangle myself in the hoses, and with strobe lights, I would act like I was being pulled into the washing machine. I remember wiggling around thinking how stupid I feel. No one is scared of washing machines. But I still played the part, screaming away.
The other scene was a radiation leak. I would wear one of those white radiation suits. There was a black light above to help cast off an eerie look. When the people were coming close I would hit a button which gave off a loud beeping warning. I would start trying to pull off the radiation uniform screaming, "THERE IS A CONTAMINATION LEAK! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!" I would drop to the floor, act like I was in agony and then die. Deep down I would think This is Saginaw. It is already contaminated with bad things. Radiation wouldn't seem so bad.
There were other scenes that I was not in but it was still fun to watch. One was the swinging ax pendulum. A woman would wear an outfit that looked like Princess Jasmine in the Dinsey cartoon Aladin. She was strapped down and the pendulum would swing back and forth. Of course she would scream out for help from those who passed by.
The witches scene from Shakespeare's MacBeth, although not scary, was one of the cues to listen to to know where the crowd is and when to set up certain scenes. Standing around a kettle stirring with a long wooden stick the three witches would chant, "Double, Double, Toil and trouble. Fire burn, and cauldron bubble" and then cackle. It was so catchy of a rhyme it was stuck in most of our heads for the longest time.
Every night there was a line of people waiting to get in. Half way through the night there would be an intermission and we would take a break, grab a bite to eat, fix some of the props and some would even switch scenes. Everyone had their own way of putting the scene to life. It was very interesting to be a part of it.
I remember this well, except I did not go in. I arrived with my twin sons and realized I also had my toddler baby girl and would never subject her to such frights. My boys were 8 (in 1991) Just as I was going to leave I saw a friend of mine with her son and his friend. I asked her if she would accompany my boys as well. She agreed but had no idea how 4 boys would react to some very, very scary stuff. She arrived coming through the exit dragging a boy on each arm and each leg. They were scared out of their wits. Finding out how frightening it was I probably would have passed on this. But they all survived! Thanks Mel!
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