Nightmare on Caroline Street: Haunted house terrorizes patrons in downtown Milton

Before stepping into the Nightmare House, you have to sign a form releasing liability, in case of a heart attack or tragic event. After entering the haunted house, you may wish you hadn't. The horrors inside test all of your senses and it'll get your heart racing. It's certainly a must see in downtown Milton.

The Nightmare House is a haunted house, put together by the Dream Players Theatre, a theatre group in Milton. It's a thrilling production, featuring live actors and thrills that will test the resolve of the most stoic individuals. It's part fun and mostly fright.

The theme is that you're part of a sleep study, entering the nightmares of a depraved individual, hand selected from an insane asylum. Once you enter their mind, there's no escape.

In the beginning, participants are warned there's going to be strobe lights, smoke and electric shock. There's one last chance to get out before it starts, for the scared. They also suggest that pregnant woman, anyone with a history of seizure or at risk of heart attack do not enter the Nightmare House.

For those that have the muster, you're escorted through a maze-like structure by a dark spirit that haunts the mind you entered. Every nightmare is a little different and you never know what might jump out, or grab you, or sneak up from behind in the darkness.

The organizers did an excellent job of using darkness and texture to arouse one's curiosities. Around every corner and of the 10,000 square foot building lies another nightmarish scenario. The sights and sounds inundate your awareness, driving your psyche into a heightened sense.

It's undecided if the anxiety and anticipation is worse than the actual scare. But the goose bumps and elevated blood pressure certainly means they're doing a proper job.

The price tag seems a little high at $20, but this gem is only here for a few weeks. Go ahead and immerse yourself. It's an unsettling and unnerving experience, but it's an exciting one.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Nightmare on Caroline Street: Haunted house terrorizes patrons in downtown Milton