Scare together, stay together

Veronica Brown, 53, looks at props as the Brown family prepares for the Haunted House opening night. “It’s just really nice that people know, ‘Hey, the Browns are going to put on a haunted house,” she said.

Dakotah Brown, 28, remembers Sunday afternoons in her childhood spent watching scary movies with her father after returning home from church. That family ritual sparked a lifelong love of Halloween that has grown beyond the living room and into the heart of their community.

“I’ve always wanted to do a haunted house. I’ve always loved Halloween,” said Dakotah’s father, Thom Brown.

In 2012, the Browns began helping organize the community haunted house. “Halloween has always been my favorite holiday because you get to pretend to be something different,” said Veronica Brown, Dakotah’s mother.

The Browns begin planning nearly two months in advance, scheming elaborate tricks designed to catch visitors off guard. This year, Dakotah has drawn inspiration from contemporary horror trends, incorporating elements of Uncanny Valley — the unsettling feeling produced by figures that appear almost human, but not quite.

“Uncanny Valley is my favorite thing ever,” she said. “I love that vibe.”

Much of the attraction is built by hand, with Dakotah creating props out of everyday materials. Among them is Morty, a figure constructed from sticks, hot glue, rope and screws, with a head made from Styrofoam, paint and more hot glue.

“I absolutely love to make stuff,” she said. “I feel like that is my superpower. I can take nothing and turn it into something.”

But the scares do not rely on props alone. Dakotah creates her own soundscapes by combining music, distorted recordings and unsettling noises to heighten the experience for visitors.

Veronica likes helping younger visitors make their way through the haunted house, particularly those who might be frightened. “We want to be safe and mindful of others, especially in today’s world,” she said. “When the little people come through and I get to encourage them and help them go through the haunted house, that always just fills my cup.”

The haunted house has attracted as many as 200 visitors in a night over the years, Veronica said. Some children who once visited return as volunteers. “Some of those kids grow up to be in the haunted house,” Dwayne said.

For Veronica, the haunted house is also about the time it allows for the family to work alongside one another. “We’re not wealthy people by any means, so time is the thing for us,” she said. “It’s just getting to be together.”