Located just off Highway 5 in Carlisle is a long, gravel driveway leading to a large, old warehouse with a white sign. The words “Haunted House” are written in black paint. Near the entrance to the building, several monsters greet their visitors as they await their admission into Stalkers.

Before visitors have even gone inside of the house, they are already being prepared for what is about to come.

My friend and I decided to use their “outdoor” restrooms. We could hear loud shrieking as lights flashed in the windows, cascading on the empty fields behind them.

As we returned to the entrance, a friendly witch, who happened the manager’s wife, greets us. She informs us that this is Stalkers fifth year. It usually takes them September and the beginning of October to set up for the Halloween season.

After being ushered back into line, we are in a crowd of anxious people, not knowing what to expect. How scary was this haunted house going to be? Would my friend and I scream as hard as the people we had heard outside of the building? Would there be things reaching out at us in the dark that would give us scary nightmares? Or maybe I would drop my camera in horror as I tried to get a picture of one of the creatures that lurk inside.

As we finally entered the haunted house, a ghoul with an ax escorted us through a half-lit hallway, leading us to a dark staircase. Just after two minutes inside the house, I was already hanging onto my best friend for dear life as voices whispered my name in the pitch-black hallway. My heart pounding, we continued feeling our way around the dark walls in search of our next doorway. Unexpected characters came at us from unexpected places, in what seemed to be an unending dark maze.

So why is haunted house called “Stalkers?”

“If I told you, I’d be giving away the secret,” Griffin said.

Stalkers is open every weekend, Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and admittance is $10 per head