He told us the safe word is “mercy,” and for 50 minutes my worst nightmares were brought to life. Tears welled up in my eyes as I stood frozen in fear and terrified to death. He chose me to be his bride, and out of fear I screamed “mercy” and sprinted
out the door.
The people who brought the Haunted Plantation thriller here in Oahu created a new and interactive attraction known as 1706. Nineteen Chaminade students, including myself, hopped on a school bus to Kaneohe to come face to face with this horror.
Arriving to the 1706 location was like a scene from a horror film. The area was completely dark and surrounded by trees, with the only natural light source being the moon. It felt as if we were in an abandoned location because we were so closed off from the rest of the world. A record machine played old-fashioned music that gave a haunting and eerie vibe while we slowly stepped off the bus, unsure of what to make of all of it.
The rules were simple: if we are grabbed, touched or asked to do something, we must obey because this experience relies completely on audience participation. The more participation, the better the experience. Our tour guide said if for any reason it becomes too much to handle, just yell out “mercy” and the security guard would escort you out.
It was pitch black in the tunnel and everyone started holding on to one another. Right from the beginning we were led into a small house where we were told to kneel on the floor. The inside of the house was dark with a few candles lit. An old lady appeared from the corner of the room and started walking toward us. She was hunched over and looked at us with wide eyes and a cold look on her face.
She stood in front of us and smeared red paint on our faces and clothes. From out of nowhere, a cloth bag was then placed over our heads. At that point, we started becoming uneasy and some of us started screaming. Then we heard the door open and with the bag still over our heads, we all ran out of there in a panic.
The rest of the night consisted of us running into houses, doing whatever the actors told us to do, and constant jump scares and chases. The last house I went into belonged to a witch named Loretta who was looking for a bride. She chose three girls from the group, and I was one of them. She sat us down, sprayed us with this awful floral perfume, and prepared us to meet her son. I was hyperventilating and on the verge of tears.
Loretta brought the three of us into the next room and told us to stand in front of a closed door. Out of fear, I closed my eyes because I was afraid to see what would be on the other side. Just like the movies, I heard the door slowly creak open and heavy footsteps hit the hard wood floor. I started shaking and I grabbed on tightly to the girl beside me. I then felt a hand caress my face, and I cringed and started to cry. I looked up and saw Loretta’s son, he appeared like an evil creature with horns and hooves. Then under his breath I heard him say, “this one.”
I felt Loretta grab my arm, but I retaliated with tears streaming down my eyes. No words escaped my mouth as she continued to pull me to the room with her son. At that point I start freaking out and finally gained my voice and repeatedly cried “mercy.” Loretta then let go of me and commanded me to leave her house and to never come back. I ran as fast as I could through the front door, and right when I exited I see the security man there.
It’s true that they say the worst nightmares are created in the dark, and this was especially true for me at 1706. I have never experienced a more realistic horror attraction in my life. This thriller took me to the edge of my limits, which was exactly what it was meant to do. I was so close to completing the whole scavenger hunt with my group, but the intensity of the experience was too much for me to handle.
1706 ended its last show on Saturday, Feb. 28. The attraction lasted for a total of six days, with 10 shows per night.
