A Shocking Development

by Mercedes Mooers

Looking for a thrill in your neighborhood? Is your local haunt not filling your horror needs? Well, there is an excellent haunted house nestled in the New Orleans metro area. It is close enough to venture to with ease, and, considering what you get for the price of a single ticket, it is generally inexpensive. From a live source of music to the haunted house itself, the whole event amps up your nerves and gives you the chills, even before you enter the gate. What's the name of this place? House of Shock.

          The first thing you see when coming to the House of Shock is cars- rows and rows, parked along the surrounding streets and officers roaming to keep away any mischief. Now, the line to get your ticket may be long, but don't fret. People, decked out in gore and costumes, are roaming to 'play.' You can take pictures with these characters or, if you are like the majority of the bystanders, be spooked. After you buy your ticket and explore, you'll come across live music, as well as food and drink places (including, but not limited to, Hell's Kitchen). The Arachnaride (imagine the bull ride, only in the form of a creepy spider) is a fun feature. Lastly, who could forget the Haunted House. The heavy metal and clever horror film clips raise your excitement even before entering. The whole show is well put together, and if you miss the stage show you can always wait around for another. As far as the inside of the haunted house goes, I cannot disclose details. Just know that this is not a place for the faint of heart, and be prepared to be touched or brushed against. Even the person behind you may scream and grab onto you, using you as a human shield. 

           Overall, this local haunted house is spooky enough to fill even the most horror-obssessed person's needs, and puts together an excellent show with an excellent cast -as they like to call their crew members. They are also not for profit, all the money going to keeping the attraction running. They are a model for other haunted houses, their fire safety standards rewriting the code for haunted houses of Louisiana, basically. So go support the local haunted house, get scared, and enjoy yourself.