Unless you're the Addams family, not many would claim that the establishment of a ten thousand-square-foot haunted house is a "family affair." But in Tickfaw, Louisiana, the Laiche/Plaisance family has made it more than a family affair—they've made their haunt, The Rise, into a local institution.
Opened in 2011, Shontay Laiche explained that The Rise was borne out of some teenage fun, when her nephew decided one Halloween that he wanted to build a small haunt in the backyard for his friends. It must have been a wildly successful event, because his family—both immediate and extended—began to research the logistics of building and operating a haunted house. They traveled to haunted house conventions, hit all the major haunts, and spent many ghouling (er … grueling) hours planning the layout of the house and crafting the narrative that unfolds as one inches his or her way through the house's rooms.
The backstory of The Rise centers around wealthy entrepreneur Henry Riswell, who has lost his wife and son. Desperate to have them back, he contracts the help of his friend, a fringe scientist, to develop a process for resurrecting the dead. They experiment with exhumed bodies, but soon run out of grave stock. In a twist the likes of which Country Roads readers should pay special heed, Riswell opens his home up as a B&B to lure new bodies into his anything-but-a-relaxing-getaway net. It does not end well for the research team, as they soon realize they've unleashed an army of human-hungry zombies onto the world.
This story led quite naturally to the establishment of one of The Rise's most popular attractions: Zombie Paintball. Transported through Tickfaw's zombie-infested woods on a well-provisioned hay wagon, visitors are invited to join Operation Deadly Assault, which exists to rid the world of the undead with Paintball weaponry.
As Laiche explained, this portion of The Rise (ticketed separately from the house) is easy on the nerves, designed for those who don't have the stomach for the adrenaline lurch of a foray through the house. Though, as Laiche explained, they've even kept scenes in the house pretty family friendly. "It's scary, but it's not gory," she said.
The haunted house tour, which includes a 7,500-square-foot cemetery and the ministrations of dozens of horrifically outfitted volunteer actors, takes about twenty minutes. The busiest weekends are those closest to Halloween, so be prepared to wait in line along with hundreds of other adrenaline junkies.
Details. Details. Details.
The Rise 10342 Highway 442 Tickfaw, La. (near Hammond) risehauntedhouse.com Tickets: Haunted House: $17 Zombie Paintball: $15 Combo Haunted House and Paintball: $28 Open: September 26—November 2; check the website for specific dates and times.
