House of Horrors offers Christian message along with scares

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - One of the biggest haunted houses in the Southeast is ready to spook visitors through Halloween night.

Dozens of volunteers transformed themselves into creepy characters for the 13 ^th annual House of Horrors.

Organizers said they spend months brainstorming ideas and creating chilling scenes within the house.

The House of Horrors was created to scare people with the typical Halloween antics, but it's also designed to inspire visitors to take a closer look at their lives.

 It’s a haunted house with a message: poor decisions can lead to scary consequences.

"What you'll see in our storyline for example is Scotty, a young man who made terrible choices and as a result you will see the way his life unraveled,” said House of Horrors volunteer, Shawn Marcelle.

Reality Church on Cottage Hill Road coordinates the event. Organizers said the goal is to provide some fun for the community and give the church a chance to share its message of faith.

"They come in, they don't know what to expect so, at first, they are scared and people are jumping out at them and different things are happening. When they get towards the end they realize really what they've come to,” said Volunteer Renee Jordan.

After the thrills and chills of the haunted house, visitors enter a room where a volunteer shares a Christian message.

"What this room represents is really their life. You’ll see this dash on almost every tombstone and every graveyard. The day you were born and the day you pass; the dash represents your life. It represents how you raise your family,” said Marcelle.

The haunted house has the highs and lows of a roller coaster ride. One minute, you’re screaming at a bloody face and, at the next, you're thinking about eternity.

It’s an unusual mix that has kept the House of Horrors open for more than 13 years. It’s located in the Springdale mall and is open Tuesday and Halloween night from 6 p.m.  until midnight.

Admission is a $12 donation at the door.