Eastern States Terror Behind The Walls Review: by Tammy Tattles

 

Limited moonlight brighten the sky over the streets of Philadelphia.  But beneath the moon’s glint, the soft hues failed to bring any solace to the stony walls of the old Eastern State Penitentiary. Opened in 1829, the old prison majestically stood, having weathered time and still boasting of a dire heritage that few had ever enjoyed in this once prosperous prison.  Vagrants and pillagers, murderers and debtors and just the woe-be-gones once claimed home in Eastern State’s confines. To step into its fortress, one steps back into time, back to a place where the hopeless and lost were held in chilly cells meant to punish the offenders with regret and solitude and enough despair to last an eternity where even the eye of God might have a hard time finding you. It’s easy to imagine it worked only too well in its cause.

As I stepped across the threshold of Eastern State into the Terror Behind the Walls attraction, my heart picked up its pace. I couldn’t help but wonder about the people who once spent their lives in such a dire atmosphere and now for a few minutes, I would share their fate. But I had little chance to gather my nerve since our VIP group was moved ahead in the lines. After a glowing red collar was added to my neck and a smear of an icky substance smeared on my check, I was soon off with my group and found myself entering the prison’s domain.  

Ghouls and prison guards and creatures of ill repute lurked through the dark hallways. Screams filled the air. Winding corridors and long hallways offered glimpses into old rooms and prison cells. If you were wearing the red glowing collar, you were inviting monsters to touch you. And they did. A lot. Blinded by a blinking light, I found myself trailing my group only to run into a ghoul pretending to slice my throat. As I hurried past him, he grabbed my arm and jerked me into a hidden corridor filled with two other creatures. After some jostling, they released me into another hallway. Now I had to retrace my steps which led me back into the same knife welding ghoul’s domain.  Once again, a slash across my throat.

“Ouch,” I cried, holding my neck. “That hurt.”

“Ahh,” he said. “Let me see.” He ducked his head down, staring up at my neck. Another slash as he smirked. “Did that make it better?”

Laughing, I hurried away to find my group.

Terror Behind the Walls is an exciting mix of terror and mischief. It never fails to impress. So make sure you add it to your to do list if you are a die heart Halloween fan that loves scary attractions.