October 10, 2021: A spooky fright night will bring you delight as you read the tale of two blind daters who dared to face their fears in the name of love.

It’s once again that time of year, leaves are falling, the air is.  getting crisp and cold, and a new addition to the blind date series has arrived. This month our specially selected bearcats faced their fears and bravely entered into a house of horrors. Sparks flew, screams escaped, and a match was made. Spooky season of 2021 made for the perfect date opportunity.

Saturday, Oct. 23 the autumn sunset lit up the sky with strokes of orange, purple and pink. Parr showed up in his shiny bright red Jeep wrangler to The Haunt, an Atascadero haunted house that is known for its intense scare level. He waited with excitement to finally find out who his other half would be for the night. After what seemed like an eternity, he spotted a girl with bouncing curls and a big smile approaching him out of his peripheral vision.

They greeted each other enthusiastically and realized that they were acquaintances all along, but tonight would mark a shift in their relationship. Side by side, Hodel and Parr walked up and got their tickets, and as they noticed the line into The Haunt growing, they decided it would be best to join the masses.

The couple connected over shared classes, college applications, and their time on the PRHS water polo team.

To break the ice, they played two lies and a truth. Their laughter tinkling over the sporadic shrieks emanating from The Haunt. Seeing the frightened faces emerging from the house, their hearts began to beat a little faster. As they drew closer and closer to the entrance, the proximity between the duo shortened in kind.

The hour wait was long but it was well worth what was to come inside.  A large man standing at the entrance doors took their tickets, looked at Parr,and exclaimed “The blonde one typically dies first so don’t stress out.” Jackson chuckled and seemed to calm down, but Hailey on the other hand grew more uneasy. 

At once, the big black doors opened and they emerged into a bone chilling hallway. Out of the fog a creature emerged to jump scare them. Shrieks were heard and the couple held onto each other tightly with fear…or was it something more? Continuing through another door, they were led to a dark bridge, as they crossed it steadily, it suddenly plummeted and more screams let out. 

Each room they entered seemed to be more bone chilling than the last, full of the couple’s worst nightmares. As they exited the haunted elevator, Hodel grasped Parr’s hand and they took on the rest of the horrors together. Blood splattered mirrors, crawling creatures, and tangled claws hung from the ceiling greeted them as the couple made their way through the house with growing terror.

Relief shone on their faces when they finally saw the bright moonlight outside. They had made it. The pair posed for a picture of victory in front of the haunt sign, leaning in close with adrenaline still pumping through them. For a final scare, a porcelain doll with a bloody axe came up behind them and photobombed them. 

Parr took Hodel to his car but on the way there they were intercepted by a nervous family questioning their experience in the house, contemplating going in. They laughed as they reflected on their night together and Parr honestly told them “it wasn’t too bad.” Hodel respectfully disagreed as she was not a thrillseeker. 

As the two approached Parr’s Jeep, Hailey exclaimed “I love your car!” Then for a few minutes they conversed and finally said their goodbyes. A big hug was shared with a lingering feeling of not wanting the night to end. As Hodel crossed the street to her vehicle she left Parr in the same way she had entered, with bouncing curls and a big smile. Until next time…