By Journalism 101.002RL
“I hate seeing clowns. Their makeup, their attire, the red noses. I’ve always had a fear of them and their honking horns,” said Ismony Darbouze, an 18-year-old journalism major from Freehold.
Hate them or not, clowns and other frightening creatures will be chasing Brookdale students around a variety of haunted attractions throughout October, and while many students will pay for the privilege, others will be among the haunters.
In fact, an award-winning attraction has possessed the campus now through Oct. 29 as students and community members present the 20th anniversary edition of Haunted Theater. A 20-minute, walk-through frightening maze, Haunted Theater runs 6:30 to 10 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. Visit Brookdalehauntedtheater.com.
“I believe in ghosts because I have experienced it,” said Ryan Bannerman, an 18-year-old business major from Avon-By-The-Sea, discussing the upcoming holiday.
“It happened at The Columns. My friend was on the third floor. Someone knocked on the door while he was in the bathroom. We opened the door, and nobody was there, so we ran downstairs as fast as we could. When we got downstairs, the lights shut off, and we were so scared.”
Ash Khan, an 18-year-old criminal justice major from Middletown, is among many students who can relate. “I am a big believer in the paranormal,” Khan said.
Among the most whispered-about frights is a “haunted” road not too far from campus. Whipporwill Valley Road, located in the Chapel Hill section of Middletown, is just under two miles of unpaved dirt and gravel road that according to the NJPatch is nothing more than the remnants of a time gone by, the last unpaved road in the area, winding its way past some remaining farms. But locals know what happens once the sun sets.
WeirdNJ is packed full of stories ranging from crying babies in the distance to white-robed men in trucks chasing them off the road. Will you make the drive?
Nestled in Leonardo is an overgrown property that a visitor might mistake for a patch of woods left untouched by suburban expansion. Loosely covered by the natural encroachment are the remainders of the Dempsey estate. The only remaining building visible from the road was built as a pump house in 1923, but over the past 100 years, local legends surrounding it have grown.
The legend passed around local high schools for the past 50 years was that ‘Old Man Dempsey’ took out his anger on his family one Halloween eve. Once the realization of what he’d done settled in, he took his own life via hanging from the front tree. Mistaken for a Halloween decoration, his body wasn’t removed for weeks, according to the legend. They say that if you visit around Halloween you can hear the cracking of a neck in the trees. Or perhaps there’s something coming in the woods? (Rest assured, however, that township officials have repeatedly told media outlets that there’s no truth to the story.)
“Fear is all around you” says Six Flags about its 31st Fright Fest spectacular; a Halloween-themed attraction featuring horrifying decor and scare actors activated by what the park calls “power hours,” starting at sundown, or typically around 7:30 p.m.
A blood-red fountain at the park’s entrance sets the tone. Fright Fest is a top choice for Brookdale students. “I plan on going in two weeks with my friends because they always loved it,” said Sonni Valasquez, a 19-year-old, psychology major from Manalapan.
“Fright Fest is a good option around Halloween time. I just love the environment, I mean, who doesn’t?” said Thomas Sharpe, an 18-year-old undecided student from Colts Neck.
“The acting in scary attractions is good, but it’s less scary when surrounded by others who are there to view the attraction as well,” said health science major Noemi Ranci, 30, from Nutley, which might be a good piece of advice for more timid students to remember.
Meanwhile, many other students plan to get their frights at home through holiday movie viewing. Classics and favorites include “Beetlejuice,” “Friday the 13th,” “Halloween,” “Scream,” “Saw” and “Scary Movie,” as well as “Hocus Pocus,” “Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Coraline,” and “The Conjuring.”
Ismony Darbouze suggested “Scream,” for more than a quick watch. “It changed the horror genre forever. In earlier years teenagers and adults were subjected to cliche horror tropes, like Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers, mythical icons that died and ALWAYS came back. But ‘Scream’ provided an even scarier villain, an average human being. It taught us that we shouldn’t be afraid of the monsters under our bed, but instead, the person next door.”
For those who prefer less-terrifying activities, the county offers plenty of other holiday-themed options. “I always go pumpkin picking during the fall season and have gone since I was very little,” said Brianna Dudley, a 19-year-old social work major from Wall. “I either go with my family or my boyfriend, and it really gets me into the fall spirit. I always try to get an orange or white one.”
Some Brookdale students can’t help getting a little nostalgic about the candy they coveted during long ago trick-or-treating trips.
“I always think of Dots and Whoppers on Halloween. I think of them so much because my candy bag was always filled with them,” said Lio Valasquez, a 19-year-old, undecided major from Manalapan.
“When I was a kid, I would always want Reese’s. I don’t have a specific reason I just always liked them,” said Oliva Elia, a 19-year-old undecided major from Old Bridge.
In fact, Ava Mace, a 19-year-old media studies major from Howell, said her favorite childhood Halloween tradition was “finishing trick-or-treating,” and sorting and counting “to see who had the most and trading with each other.”
Some students said they plan to dress up this season for parties, work or events. Yet, many are still unsure what costumes they’ll choose.
Many BCC students recall trick-or-treating memories when they think about Halloween, but most say they are too old to knock on doors now. Still, that doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy the ritual.
“Can’t wait to see the creative costumes that trick-or-treaters have. I’m going to hand out candy to kids that stop at my house,” said Moises Meza, a 17-year-old media studies major from Long Branch.
