Realty office's haunted house delights kids

A group of children in costumes eyed five scarecrows warily. They huddled against an icy breeze, watching the scarecrows stand guard over freshly dug graves. Suddenly, one came alive - walking clumsily toward the kids. Their shrill screams echoed in the night as they ran toward the school bus.

Seventy children from the Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada toured a haunted house put together by Realty Executives, Nevada's Choice on Thursday night. The free house will be open to the public tonight.

After passing chalk body outlines on the driveway, visitors will see a witch stirring a massive steaming caldron and a fortune teller with a pet raven. In the formal living room, a dead man sits with a huge knife stuck in his chest while scary movies play.

"I like this room," said 9-year-old Cheyenne Litherland with blood dripping from the corners of her mouth and blonde hair pulled behind her ears. She sat at the dining room table under a chandelier strung with cobwebs. "I like the way it glows, and I like the dark lights."

Her sister Nicole, 8, had long, green hair and a black witch hat.

In the kitchen, children stuck their hands into boxes full of what felt like eyeballs, brains and fingers.

It was Heidi Schneider's idea. She and another Realty Executive employee, Nicole Chessor, were dressed as cats - not Cat Woman -just black cats.

Schneider got the idea for the boxes when a teacher did it when she was a student. Did it scare her then?

"I didn't actually do it because I was too scared," she said with a laugh.

"You're not Cat Woman, you're a scaredy-cat," Chessor said.

This is the first year for the haunted house.

"It's kind of a way to give back," said Chick James, owner of Realty Executives. The haunted house is in James' home at the end of Ash Canyon.

"Being way out here on Ash Canyon, we don't usually get any trick-or-treaters," he said.

The house is a safe alternative to letting children trick or treat in a neighborhood, said Realty Executive agent Kathy Dean.

"It's neat to have a safe Halloween," she said, snacking on a piece of candy in white makeup. "The candy's all good - we've been eating it all day."

The house, at 180 Cogorno Way, will be open tonight from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

If You Go

What: Realty Executives' haunted house

When: 5:30-8 p.m. tonight

Where: 180 Cogorno Way at the end of Ash Canyon

Cost: Free

Call: 885-7653