It is eerily quiet- except for the sound of chainsaws, the nervous scurrying of feet, and endless frightening screams echoing throughout the long hallways.

Sweat trickles down the back of one’s neck, as they make their way through the winding haunted attraction. Not knowing what to expect, anything or anyone could jump out at any moment. Residing next to a dusty jail cell filled with cobwebs, the anticipation builds. Their heart starts to pound even louder than before. As if out of thin air, a woman appears with wispy gray hair.

From afar, she looked like any other frail elderly person you’d see walking along the street. Except, she wasn’t. Wearing a bloodstained black top shredded near her abdomen, she was limping, slowly dragging one foot in front of the other.

Smelling like a mixture of rotting meat and death, a large portion of her cheek was removed, exposing her raw flesh and decaying skeleton composure. Her right eye socket was nothing more than an empty black hole. Hundreds of pink and red stitches ran up and down both arms, down her collarbones in a ‘v’ like formation, cascaded down both shoulders, and all over her knuckles. Her hands were loosely wrapped in mummy-inspired gauze.

The historic Ohio State Reformatory is hosting a brand new spooky attraction this year called the Paranormal Penitentiary: Monster Lockdown. The idea behind the haunt revolves around a group of monster hunters, called Slayers of the Damned. The SOD has taken hundreds of evil monsters captive at the reformatory in an effort to study them for scientific purposes. Everything is fine until their plan goes horribly awry, when a crazed inmate set all of the malevolent ghouls free. The SOD is desperate to gain back their power over both the goblins and the prison before it is too late.

Additionally, along with a new lineup of gruesome monsters, the reformatory features a new route as well.

The master of horror himself and special-effects artist Robert Kurtzman is working closely with the reformatory this year. His love for all things Halloween stem from designing prosthetics, costumes, gory makeup, and more. Kurtzman is no stranger to Hollywood films, as his work has been displayed in many notorious films, including A Nightmare on Elm Street and Pulp Fiction.

Our staff was thrilled about the partnership we created with Robert Kurtzman and his team,” the director of creative marketing, Dan Smith, said. “With the backdrop of the of the prison alongside his Hollywood skill set, we knew we [would take] Halloween at OSR to another level. It a scare match-made-in-horror heaven.”

Kurtzman is an Ohio native. Before collaborating with the reformatory, he previously ran a haunt called Mad FX Lab in Crestline, Ohio. Smith says that while the haunt was very successful, Kurtzman wanted to do something even bigger, and better.

Kurtzman has been extremely busy this fall season, preparing for the reformatory’s big debut along with creating all sorts of spooky props and other items for horror films as well. Although, he still finds time to actively engage with the press, socialize, and take photos with many individuals who come to the haunt.

“He has had a hand in the making of everything you see,” Smith said. “Even if he’s not there when people stop out, you still can feel his influence on the haunt.”

Senior Zachary Leftenant is visiting the reformatory for his first time. Previously, he has gone to a few haunted houses, including Middletown Haunted Trail in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Halloween Haunt at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, and The USS Nightmare in Newport, Kentucky.

He described why he was eager to visit the penitentiary with friends.

“I’ve heard it is haunted; I like scary things, scary movies, and haunted houses,” Leftenant said. “It will be fun to finally go.”

Leftenant considers himself a big fan of the ‘horror’ genre, and is excited to see what this new haunt has to offer.

“I don’t scare easily,” Leftenant said. “I go to movies with people and they will be terrified, and I will be like, “Are you serious?”

Leftenant hopes the haunt will include lots of unpredictable jump-scares and realistic-looking gore.

While waiting in line at the penitentiary, individuals have the opportunity to listen to guitar players jamming out on the rooftop, as well as get scared by numerous monsters approaching them when they least expect it. The sneaky little creatures love to talk to people in line and take pictures as well, so make sure you come camera ready.

“I was amazed at the level of detail they put into makeup, creatures, and props,” Smith said. “The makeup is so good, you can’t see what’s fake and what’s real on the actors’ face. It’s unbelievable.”

Closer to Halloween, bands will play on the roof for all to enjoy on Friday and Saturday nights.

Additionally, the haunt will feature a variety of tasty food vendors, including Altered Eats, Cell Block Café, and Swat Food Truck.

To enter the haunt, individuals must be at least 13 years of age. The event runs through Sept. 23-Oct. 30 in Mansfield, Ohio at 100 Reformatory Rd. For those attending, doors open at 6 p.m. General admission tickets, speed passes, and the brand new, never-before-seen ultra-touch pass is available for purchase. Tickets range from $20-$45.

For more information, visit http://www.paranormalpenitentiary.com.