Heretic’s Sleep Offers a Cannabis-Induced Nightmare

Heretic is known for pushing the boundaries of immersive horror. Whether they are sending guests two hours into the desert to dig their own graves, to a cabin in the woods that was owned by a prolific snuff film director, or to explore their nightmares on a blood-soaked mattress, Heretic is constantly innovating. This legacy continues with Sleep, the latest venture into the realm of surreal horror.

Sleep is the first immersive horror experience that combines the horrors of an extreme haunt with the mind-altering capacity of cannabis. While Heretic is known for some the most brutality physical and intense experiences out there, Sleep promises to focus more on the mental journey that guests must take. In this article, Haunting sits down with Michael Gray, who shares some thoughts and details on his trip through Sleep.

But first, to appropriately understand how he felt in Sleep, let’s first discuss how cannabis works on the brain. Cannabis contains over sixty types of cannabinoids, which are chemical compounds that act on the brain. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is chemical responsible for most of the effects of marijuana, including the euphoric high and will affect mood, sleep, memory, and appetite. The cannabinoids work to keep your neurons firing, magnifying all thoughts and perception, keeping you fixated on them until another thought takes over and leads you down a different tangent. It can affect people differently; some may find it enjoyable and relaxing, while others may find their anxiety and panic exacerbated. Normally, it’s not recommended to drive, study, or do anything that requires coordination. But Heretic is not playing by any traditional rules—and Gray is one the first to test out this experience.

“It started with me eating an edible given to me by [the Heretic creator] Adrian and meeting a man. We smoked and smoked and smoked. Joints, bongs, dabs, and this extremely concentrated THC crystals. That shit got me so high.” Gray continues to tell us that the initial scene lasted half an hour, while he continued to get high. Once the medic gave him the okay, the experience was ready to begin.

While it was requested that we don’t reveal the specifics of the experience, Gray explains that the narrative brought him inside his own head. “I was the one going crazy—my progression into insanity kept getting worse as the night went on.” Various characters he met intensified emotions and feelings that the cannabis elicited: anxiety, isolation, paranoia. The experience cumulated in a stunning climax that symbolized his final breaking point.

“I’m still trying to piece it all together. I’ve never been that high before where I couldn’t differentiate between the story and what was real—and I mean that in the best way possible. I had to really think outside of myself to figure out what was happening.” Not only did Gray have to resist the physicality and horrors that were external, but he had to face what was happening inside—and sometimes that can be more frightening.

Gray praises the acting and visuals in the experience. Trees with flashing lights, maniacal laughter, and moments of complete darkness all helped enhance the themes of the performance. Characters felt like “old friends I hadn’t seen in a while.” Shifting roles and false realities “had me question if I was okay and if things I was seeing were part of the scene.” The cannabis produces a mental state that allows the narrative to shift and obfuscate in your mind. Gray’s anxiety and fear made the narrative real in his head and played with his memory. It’s a startlingly effective technique.

Following a round of successful beta tests, the next simulation of Sleep will occur on January 5^th with 3-4 slots. All guests must be 21 or older and have a medical marijuana card. Heretic further screens all guests prior to the event.

Heretic has proved they can produce physical fear time and time again; now, with Sleep, they have taken the first step into mental horror. If you feel you are strong enough, then please check out www.heretichorrorhouse.com for more information.