It’s back.

    The Wesson Haunted House will open its doors to victims, er,visitors, for a second Halloween season beginning Oct. 20.

    “This stuff is addictive,” said Stephen Ashley, Wesson Chamber ofCommerce president. “Once you get involved in scaring people it’sfun.”

    The chamber of commerce and the Wesson Volunteer Fire Departmenthosted the scare-themed attraction last year and drew bigcrowds.

    Estimates put last year’s attendance at 3,500 to 4,000. Peoplestood in long lines most nights of the event.

    Chamber leaders hope to build on that success with this year’ssequel. A repeat of that success seems likely, with a fan baseready and waiting for the house to reopen.

    “I probably get three or four calls a day on this,” said MelissaMeredith, the chamber’s secretary and treasurer.

    For its second year, though, the haunted house will show off somenew scenery.

    Last year the event was held in the basement of the old Wessonschool. Renovations to the school make that impossible thisyear.

    Instead, the chamber has set up its scare chamber in the old CustomSeed Feed Mill, located at 1029 Factory St. The change of venuebrings with it increased space.

    “This year’s is longer and bigger,” Ashley said of the hauntedhouse tours.

    The goal is to take groups of five through the house at once.

    The cost is $5 per person. The haunted house will be open from 6:30to 9:00 p.m. Oct. 20, 6:30 till midnight Oct. 21 and 22, 6:30 tomidnight Oct. 28 and 29 and 6:30 till 11:00 p.m on Oct. 31.

    The organizers emphasized that the house is scary. Last year, somepeople refused to finish the whole thing.

    Organizers are keeping details of what lurks within this year’shouse under wraps, but they believe it will be no less frighteningthan last year.

    The nightly terrors require a large team of volunteers.

    Ashley estimated 60-70 volunteers are required to fully staff thehaunted house every night. There are no paid staff.

    “We work countless hours for a few minutes of scaring people,”Ashley said.

    Ashley has scaring experience.

    He assisted with a previous Wesson haunted house attraction thattook place in the city more than 20 years ago. Remembering thatexperience sparked his idea for reviving the event last year.

    Experience has proved useful.

    Last year, the chamber started making plans and beginningpreparations for the haunted attraction in Mid-June. This year theystarted three weeks ago.

    They hope to move back in the school eventually.

    “The feel of the old school is just scary,” Meredith said. “Youjust drive by and it’s scary.”

    Since the goal of the renovations is to turn the school into acommunity center, Meredith remains optimistic that can happen.

    Wesson VFD member Lee Bradford, who is helping set up the hauntedhouse, believes the event is good for the whole community.

    “On Halloween a lot of mischief goes on,” he said. “This gives kidsa place to go to stay out of trouble.”