Explore Halloween’s connection to the World of the Dead with AMERICA HAUNTS Halloween Countdown #3!
It is widely believed that Halloween delivers more than tricks or treats – beyond the lavish costumes and plastic pumpkins full of candy lies a realm inhabited by the lost souls of entities evil and unfortunate, all seeking a chance to return to the world of the living. On October 31, the dead are said to return to the mortal plane, seeking retribution and closure for the cruelties of death, searching for familiar loved ones or those responsible for their fate in a desperate attempt to cling to their former lives. Unable to rest peacefully, they are forever doomed to journey back once each year, hoping against hope to reclaim what was stolen all too soon…
Most of us don costumes at Halloween as a symbol of festive celebration and a chance to break away from our daily routine, but for many years this habit was considered the only way to disguise one’s self against these spirits. Remaining unrecognizable staved off the ghosts of family, friends and foes, and ensured a safe passing of the holiday. Out-of-sight meant out-of-mind to the out-of-body, as it were. Yet as the ages pass, these restless wraiths have grown mighty in number, and the world beyond the living has become greatly overpopulated. Eventually, the barrier between our two planes of existence weakened, and key “hot spots” have developed. It is around these crucial fissures between the living and dead that some of the most notorious haunted destinations have formed.
In the heart of the south, Atlanta, Georgia’s “Netherworld Haunted House” has become a virtual battleground for the forces of darkness seeking re-entry to the mortal plane. Foul banshees tear down the barriers with their hideous wailing, unleashing monstrosities bent on destruction. Feeding off the dark energy of the dying, they are just one more threat among the hideous Netherspawn which relentlessly attack the forces of the living. Ghastly gargoyles, ancient vampires, krampus, goblins, armies of undead zombies and creations of science gone horribly awry continue to lay siege to the entrance to our world. How much longer the bloodthirsty creatures dwelling within can be held at bay is difficult to say, but the battle rages on…
Pontiac, Michigan’s “Erebus Haunted House” shares its name with the darkness beneath the Earth that the dead must pass to reach Hades. Holding the Guinness Book’s World Record for the world’s largest walk-through haunted house from 2005 to 2009, it features four stories of sheer terror, with diabolical beings of all kinds lurking around every corner. Texas Chainsaw Massacre star Gunnar Hansen calls Erebus “an unequaled masterpiece of horror”.
http://www.hauntedpontiac.com/
“Edge of Hell” in Kansas City delivers on its name: visitors to this Missouri haunted attraction are plunged five stories down into the dark embrace of pure evil. Now housing the world’s longest snake ever held in captivity – a reticulated python measuring over 25 feet in length – Edge of Hell takes brave mortals on a quarter-mile walk through legions of ghastly creatures too horrific to imagine, claiming this converted warehouse on 13th Street as their dark domain.
“7 Floors of Hell” – Ohio’s largest haunted event – presents seven unique haunted houses, all designed to deliver visitors to the very brink of terror. Long known as a Cleveland urban legend, 7 Floors of Hell was finally brought to life through a heavy mix of high-tech animations and flesh-and-blood actors. Featuring houses such as ‘Blood Barn’, ‘Jigsaw’, and ‘Mausoleum’, this amusement park-style haunted attraction offers a variety of themed houses rife with fiends and fears designed to elicit screams from unsuspecting mortals of every ilk.
Visitors to Baton Rouge’s “Necropolis 13” are sure to experience the true flavor of Louisiana’s mystical legacy as they wander about a haunted New Orleans-style Cemetery, complete with over 400 crypts overflowing with zombies and other horrifying undead entities. As you descend 13 steps into an open grave you encounter a menacing underground catacomb that has become the stalking grounds of flesh-hungry fiends, recently awakened by Baron Samedi, the Voodoo Lord of the Dead. Encompassing an entire city block, this final un-resting place of the dead is a nightmare for any and all who dare enter.
