Now in its second year, the haunted trail, which begins at 153 Miller St., is being offered by the sophomore class. It is coordinated by Michelle Emory and Kelly Gable, parents of SCS 10th-graders. Those who dare can walk the Trail of Terrors from Friday to Sunday from 7 to 10 p.m.

“We’re just parents of two girls,” Gable said. “We were just brainstorming one night about how to support the class, and we decided to do a haunted trail.”

The first year was a “big success,” Emory said. It ran for four nights straight. “That was a lot for the kids, so we decided to run it on two weekends this year.”

Emory said about 15 members of the class, as well as adults and volunteers, are involved in the creation and presentation of the trail. Some of the students, such as William Spitzer, create their own costumes. “I wear all black and crawl around on all fours,” he said. “I come up at the group from behind when they least expect it.”

Members of the Sherman class of 2027 gather at the entrance to The Haunted Trail, now in its second year.

Brenda Mason, who works at the school, will be taking the part of a witch in the witches’ circle. “I have to cackle a lot,” she said. “I also like to ask people if we can have some of their fingers.”

Emory and Gable have been working on trail since July. “We work mostly in the evening and Sundays are our big days,” Emory said.

This year features many new displays to terrify those who have the courage to walk the trail. The center circle is the CarnEVIL, featuring games, a skeleton ticket seller, a clown selling ice cream, and a girl with gory carnival food. “All the carnival stuff is new,” Gable said. “Every year, we try to change things.”

Fred Gable is the leader of the tour. He guides about ten people at a time along the trail. “We have a good time. I try to make it interesting,” he said. “I try to build up the suspense, but I take it a little easier if I have a group of little kids.”

Gable went on to say that the most satisfying part is at the end of the trail. “The best thing is the looks you see on people’s faces,” he said. “You get to the end and people want to go through it again.”

Emory and Kelly Gable said they hunt for items throughout the year. While they do get a lot of donations, they have also had the good fortune to purchase items from other places that have either downsized or retired from Halloween activities.

For instance, Gable said, a woman named Bonnie Meeder in Ripley, who used to conduct a haunted hayride, called them and asked if they needed anything for their trail. They have obtained items from all around the county. “Michelle and I are kind of dumpster divers,” she said. “We will go anywhere to get stuff.”

Tickets for the trail can be purchased for $5 for ages 13 and under or $10 for ages 14 and up. Visitors are reminded to dress warmly, in layers, and to wear shoes that are appropriate for walking in the woods. Screams and shrieks are welcome, as are recommendations to friends and family to visit the Sherman Haunted Trail.