Hauntingly delightful

Nervous laughter, clinched fists and screams from deep down in the belly were the order of the evening as the Phillips County Ambulance Annual Haunted House took over the basement of Stretch's on Friday and Saturday nights in Malta.

"I'm thinking that there are clowns in there," Mia Moore, 8, said as she stood online for her trip through the house. "If there are, I will probably cry."

Moore said she had just eaten dinner before coming down to visit the haunted house and hoped she wouldn't be scared to the point of losing her dinner.

"But it was tomato soup, so maybe it would be okay," she added.

As many as 11 volunteers spent the afternoons before the event setting up several creepy scenes in the basement prior to the event and Gina Lamb – Head Ghoul – said there would be more volunteers during the four hours the haunted house was open.

"During the event we get at least 20 volunteers and then Heather Jenkins comes and does people's makeup and she does an awesome job," Lamb said. "Everyone comes dressed and ready to scare."

The haunted house was started in 2002 and most years the profit made during the two days goes back into supplies for next Halloween, but this year the PC Ambulance will donate $500 to the Malta Pool project. In order to get $1 off the price of admission to haunted house, patrons were able to donate canned goods which are then donated to the Malta Food Bank. All told, a total of 284 visitors walked the halls of the haunted house, some more than others.

"I came through last night and there are a lot of jump-scares," said James Waters, 12, while standing in line for the second of two nights. "The best part had to be the entry and I was in the middle of my group so I didn't get scared very much."

Jaidyn Campuzano and her five friends got through the haunted house once and then turned around to run back into line. She said the group had a blast the first time through and were ready for another go.

"It was scary and fun," she said. "The more scary it is the more fun it is."

Elly Anderson agreed, citing the clowns at the end as the most nerve racking part.

"It was even more scary today than it was yesterday," she said.

All told, everyone seemed to enjoy the spooky event and Lamb thanked those who make the PC Ambulance Haunted House a success each year.

"PC Ambulance Association would like to thank everyone who attended our House, the volunteers who helped set it up and the spooks and ghouls who haunted it," Lamb said. "A special Thank you to Earl and Shonna Smith (owners of Stretch's) for allowing us to haunt the basement year after year!"