The snowstorm season is upon us, and with it, we find warnings of imminent doom on every news station and weather article. But provided you’re in the comfort of your own home, it could always be worse. You could be trapped somewhere particularly scary. For your mitten-loving, ghost-fearing pleasure, here are the four creepiest places to be stranded in a snowstorm. The spirits do not bid you welcome.
Abandoned hospitals
Whether a conventional hospital like the one at Ellis Island or a former mental hospital like the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, the places where people used to convalesce are among the scariest on Earth. After all, if anywhere has ghosts, it’s the floor where individuals shuffled their mortal coil. Throw a snowstorm into the mix, and this scenario sounds so creepy that destinations might be missing out on a golden marketing opportunity. I submit for the approval of those who can never be scared: one night of snowstorm doom alone in a former psychiatric ward. If that doesn’t give you goose bumps, nothing will.
Off-season Hotels (& Motels)
As Stephen King’s Jack Torrance taught us in The Shining, a vacant hotel is rife with spectral possibility. And even if there are a few other (living) tenants staying in nearby rooms, the general emptiness where there should be swaths of tourists can create a pervading sense of unease. Add in a storm of the century, and the superstitious among us might say you’ve got a recipe for a modern-day Agatha Christie story.
Remote Cabins
Other than the obvious dangers of being so close to the elements while staying at a cabin, there is the added creep factor of things that go bump in the woods. While outdoorsy types enjoy communing with nature during the day, the howls of coyotes and wolves and the rustling of branches in the darkness aren’t exactly the usual domain of tree lovers. Plus, those clearly defined footprints in the snow don’t make you feel any safer…
Any haunted house
If you’ve managed to eschew freaky hospitals, barren hotels, and wooded landscapes, there’s always a chance you’ll be stranded in a regular haunted house. And while that might not strike fear in the hearts of some, those with a penchant for Amityville might be a little restless. But do your best to kick back with a blanket and a nice book. And if something starts wailing or comes rattling chains, try and ignore it, won’t you?
Happy haunting, and be safe during this snowy season!