Haunted Mansion opens at Breakheart

SAUGUS-With a full moon in the forecast and a good forecast in the future Breakheart Reservation is gearing up for a ghoulishly good time with its annual Haunted Mansion this weekend.The powers that be at behind the haunted happening have not had the best of luck weather-wise over the last two years. In 2006 the event suffered through a nor’easter and in 2005 it snowed.Friends of Breakheart Chairman Ed Murray, who can be found in the buffet room this year, said he is foreseeing a better run this weekend.”We’ve added a new school, Melrose High School and the (Northeast Metropolitian Regional) Vocational school is back after a two year absence – and they’re really deranged,” he said.Which is just what Murray counts on for his creepy campus. The event runs Friday and Saturday from 6-9 p.m. and costs $5 per person, “no exceptions.”For the fee, Murray said visitors can expect to be spooked by a botched electrocution, “a food related” scene, a cemetery with a lot of inside jokes on the tombstones and other chilling scenarios. Along with Melrose and the vocational school, Saugus High School, Wakefield High School’s senior class, a group from the Melrose Wakefield Hospital’s Records Department, a women’s group “Helping Others” and a few other adult groups will also be on hand to scare the daylights out of participants.Murray said while he expects the event to be a good time for all, he does caution that parts of it may not be suitable for all children. He said he often fields calls from parents wanting to know if the party is too scary for their children.”I don’t know,” Murray said. “It really depends on the kid. I’ve seen a 5-year-old walk through yawning and teens wet their pants. I leave it up to the individual family to decide.”There is, however, a pumpkin patch area designed specifically for children who might be too spooked to traverse the terrifying tundra. The patch will have music, cookies and coloring books to occupy children while the rest of the family makes its way through the eerie evening landscape.”It’s a really good thing,” Murray said regarding the event. “And the thing I like about it is it does produce money for charities or it goes back into the schools.”The proceeds of the night are split evenly among the participating groups who in turn either put back into their respective schools or, if it is an adult group, they must donate it to a charity of their choice.