Last Halloween I found out there was a haunted house being set up in an old warehouse near where I lived, and they were looking for volunteers. I’ve always loved scary movies and horror-related things, although I’m not easily scared, so I thought it would be a fun experience. And it was! I walked to the warehouse and signed up, and was assigned to a portion of the house. Wooden pallets, tarps, and all sorts of items were used to create winding hallways throughout the building with small rooms spotted along the path for larger scare groups to be. I was put into the clown-themed room, and while I personally find the fear of clowns to be silly, it was a very effective area! I had a lot of fun there, hiding inside a crate with demented toys perched on top and reaching out at people as they walked by. Although, from this position and the makeup, it was incredibly hot inside the warehouse. There were fans set up in certain areas to help circulate the air but it didn’t have a functioning HVAC system. There was an autumn chill outdoors but we really could have used an air conditioner in the building. Without cooling some of us scare actors would end up with running makeup by the end of the night due to sweating, and we’d have to peel out of our sticky costumes. Installing an air conditioner was put at the top of the expenses list for next Halloween, which I’m sure any returning volunteers will be grateful for. A nice, spooky chill to the air from the air conditioning may also help to create a more enjoyable atmosphere for the people walking through the house. I can’t wait until next Halloween to work there again.