Decorations scaring up fun for Halloween season

For the past few weeks, persons traveling along Highway 90 just north of Rector have most likely seen a unique graveyard from the roadway. The Halloween display features several graves complete with partially buried occupants along with ghosts hanging down from the limbs of the surrounding trees.

Cary Clayton built the spooky attraction on his farm, keeping it in view of the highway for all to enjoy. He created the graveyard as the hallmark of a Halloween party held by his daughter Emily, a seventh grader at Rector High School, for her friends.

"She wanted to have a scary Halloween party for her friends and we decided this would be a good way to add to the fun," Cary said.

The graveyard was built over the course of an entire day a little over two weeks ago, an amazing feat, especially considering this was Cary's first foray into building a haunted attraction.

"I hadn't done anything like this before," Cary said. "Honestly, I wouldn't have been able to do this without a lot of help from my friends. I had a lot of help making the headstones and the bodies. Everyone worked real hard and it turned out real nice."

During Emily's party, all 16 girls in attendance toured the graveyard. The event was made more memorable through the help of Scott Bucy and Cary's son, Eric, who added to the surroundings. Scott played a chainsaw-wielding maniac, while Eric portrayed a shotgun-toting ghoul, complete with thundering caps to support the illusion.

"It was so much fun," Emily said. "It was really scary."

Emily's friend, Harmony Brown, was one of the fortunate attendees.

"We had a lot of fun," Harmony said. "We were scaring each other before we even got there. It was hilarious."

The girls aren't the only people who have enjoyed the scenery. Cary said he has seen several drivers pull over to the side of the road to take pictures of his graveyard.

"There have been a lot of people stop and take a look," Cary said. "I couldn't even begin to tell you how many. It's been a big hit."

With all the fun, Emily says she plans to have another party before Halloween arrives.

"We definitely want to do it again," Emily said. "Not just for this year, but from now on."

Cary has found himself in the spirit, as well.

"It's been a blast. I wasn't real sure about it before we got started, but since then, I've enjoyed it as much as the kids."