By Esther Lee–
Flashing bright lights. Loud roars from chainsaws. Unexpected movement around the corner. Creepy dolls playing patty cake. Blood-covered walls. I felt my heart pound at a slow steady rate. I took deep breaths to calm myself as I closely followed my friends, who were walking a little too slowly for my liking. I tried to keep my attention to our small conversations, but I felt something brush against my leg. Without thinking, I turned around only to be greeted by a red-eyed monster.
Welcome to the Field of Screams.
Field of Screams celebrated its 11th year scaring visitors in the Kentuckyana area and was voted No#1 Halloween attraction in Kentucky and Indiana. About an hour drive away from the familiar buildings and streets of Louisville to the rural, gravel roads, Brandenburg offered a great attraction for the September and October months.
Take a creepy walk through a six-acre haunted cornfield maze. But don’t let the maze scene lull you into a false sense of security,” the website explained. “Experience the Field of Screams! Not only is this a challenging maze, it’s also haunted- visitors will encounter numerous creeps, freak, and ghouls.”
The Field of Screams offered a set pathway in a cornfield for visitors to follow that led them to different sites such as a haunted doll house, school bus, and barn. Each site offered dressed actors who frightened visitors as they walked through the designated location. For instance, when inside the school bus, the continuous flashing white lights distorted the visitors’ visions and at the exit, a creepily dressed actor would patiently wait for the perfect time to pop out to startle the partially-blinded visitors. Also, in the haunted barn, there was a mini-maze with tight corridors and even an inflated balloon tunnel that forced people to walk by themselves.
The eerie and suspenseful atmosphere was set by the setting and details, such as props and costumes. The light and music distorted the sight and hearing, which made the visitors much more vulnerable. Also, we definitely can’t forget about the actors who carried out their characters to the fullest.
“[It was] one of the better haunted locations I have been to. I really enjoyed the diverse setting,” Kshitij Thapa, age 18, majoring in electrical engineering stated when asked about his experience at the halloween attraction. “But I wasn’t scared for the most part.”
The Field of Screams exploited various reactions from people. While going through the maze, I heard some people cry out in fear as they tightly clung onto an arm of a friend, who probably almost lost feeling. But others walked in front of the group and laughed at the tacky and cliché costumes. “After going to it so many times, it’s lost its fright. I’m not afraid of the people or the sounds of chainsaws anymore. It’s the same thing every year, so it wasn’t as fun as the other times,” Bianca Unzueta, age 18, undecided major, said.
Whether or not you are easily startled or enjoy suspense, Field of Screams is definitely worth a visit. “It’s something great to do with a couple of friends. Overall I had fun. Was it scary? No. But totally worth it,” Unzueta stated.
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Photo courtesy Field of Screams
