My palms sweat, my legs shook and I stuttered when I took my first trip to Popes Haunted Farm Friday night. While it was my first experience with anything haunted or spooky, I was there to do a job: take a behind-the-scenes tour of the frightful farm.
Popes offers several events such as walks through the haunted forest and barn, a haunted hayride and 3-D clown maze.
I was able to see the inner workings of the clown maze with veteran clowns Jacob and Jonathan as my guides.
Scared out of my mind to enter, Jacob and Jonathan took me inside.
The background music was the tune clowns use when entering the circus, except more creepy than joyful.
I watched as clowns jumped in front of groups traveling through the different scenes, observing the participants' terror.
Sections of the maze include various moving props, loud or creepy noises and bursts of air--additional scares to the clowns jumping in the path.
While I didn't put on a costume, I wanted my go at the festivities.
My first task was to put my arm through a hole and dangle it in front of a passing group. I wore a white sock with blood and guts on the end to keep the group on its toes.
Totally over-analyzing and wanting to do it right--meaning I wanted screams--I asked tons of questions: "When do I go? What if I hit them? Do I do it like this?"
Jonathan gave me the best advice.
"Don't get the first person," he said. "Always get the middle of the group."
Jonathan said the first person in the group is usually a guy, and they aren't scared as easily.
On cue, I shoved my arm through the hole and another clown simultaneously jumped into the area. There were a few squeals.
Next, Jacob showed me the air pump and the moving rat. Minus my lack of a costume, I began to feel like I was part of the group.
It was really cool to watch the groups come through and see how much joy they found while still being terrified.
Jacob said that night someone had even peed their pants.
I was able to watch multiple groups come through scenes, and, best of all, they had no idea I was there.
The last task I was assigned was using the air hammer, my first attempt at using a power tool. Jacob said it's used to create extra-loud noise during the scene.
Pressing it against a metal sheet, it made a louder noise than I anticipated, even causing me to jump.
On the way out, Jacob and Jonathan took me on a VIP tour of the haunted barn.
The rules were no extra light, stay in a single-file line and no cursing.
Needless to say I broke one of those rules before even leaving the gate.
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