A Dungeon Motel Night Out
Created | Updated May 31, 2010
Well, it started like any other Friday – with one slight difference: a group of people were preparing to spend a night down in the Pontefract Castle dungeons for a charity event. All were meeting for a last – err – drink and natter in a local pub before heading to the castle. About half an hour before the convoy of cars was to set off, a certain person (Me) said "I'll have to head home for some sandwiches I'd forgot and a friend is taking me, I'll meet/see you at the castle", and off we went.
Now a couple of friends knew I was planning something, but not what. 
So moving on, my friend dropped me in the castle grounds and I started to prepare. I had in my possession theatrical stick on warts and scars and a quantity of theatrical blood, plus foaming mouth and blood capsules. (Other items will appear later in the story, I'd stashed a little case of err "accessories" in a corner.)
Where I worked (in the chemical industry) a fitter friend made and welded two lengths of chain and manufactured some manacles for me, added to that, I'd ripped up a pair of denim jeans, so after a few minutes, the transformation was complete and I was now a prisoner in a dungeon.
To give an insight to the dungeon, there is a "hole" in the ground that leads to narrow steps approximately one and a half person wide, leading down into the dungeon area. Part way down on either side of the steps are shelves cut into the walls. Most local folk acknowledge this as the dungeons, but I think that it is actually the powder storage area, as no matter what the weather or temperature outside, down inside it is constant all year round; ideal for dry gunpowder (and other factors show the real dungeons elsewhere in the grounds, yet to be excavated). Anyhow! Onward, I positioned myself on one of the shelves and waited, but I didn't have to wait for long. Now the two friends who knew I was about sent three ladies down first, unaware of what was about to unfold. Each having a torch, they came very sheepishly down and down, scanning every inch with the torch beams. THEN! One beam hit me and there was a scream.
One of the ladies, after a short pause and gasp, said: "Bloody hell! It's a good job it's only a dummy" at which, just having the best cue anyone could ever have, I moved slowly towards them and uttered painfully: "Water! Water!" At this I beheld a sight of three women trying vainly to dig their way out of the opposite stonewall and, being unsuccessful, didn't know whether to have an instant baby or which way to run, in any direction, as it just looked from my perspective like the cartoon dog Scoobie Doo running on the spot and getting nowhere.
Now those up top, on hearing the crescendo of screams, came hurtling down the narrow passage, maybe thinking of someone slipping on the stone steps etc; they met the women coming up 
finally. Total chaos is fun when you're watching.
Afterwards, I found out that one of the screaming ladies was 'about' 17 years old and it took her friends approximately 45 minutes to talk her into staying the rest of the night, so I kept away from her.
Things sort of started to calm down and all the party ventured down the steps and past me, and all in a nervous state, I may add (better than I could have hoped, plus knowing I had more to come).
I found out, that staying up top in the grounds was a friend of a friend, who was an off duty police officer, and he was going to stay on guard for any trouble caused by the Friday night's boozing in town, and that he was curious as to what was happening down in the dark hole (it was pitch black and you could put your hand on your nose and still not see it). So! I thought I'd go have a talk with him; all he could hear was the sound of chinking chains on stone, until I emerged to where he could see me. Mmmh! Even he jumped back about a yard.
Now I'd promised myself that no one would sleep that night, apart from two people who were a little not of the jovial mood; I let those alone. As stated earlier, with no light source, you couldn't see your hand on your nose. With that in mind, some started doing an Ouija board, and guess who had a box of those little paper packets that banged when dropped or thrown at an object... So when they asked: "Is there anyone there?" I, in the darkness behind them, lobbed handfuls to the ceiling and more screams erupted and folk fell off their various seating. 
Another thing I shall inform you of, is that another friend also worked at the same chemical firm as I and he had "borrowed" a nice-sized chunk of dry ice, and in a puddle of water within the dungeon area when added... well, the effect of mist crawling like in the horror films helped with the ambiance of the place.
In the dark, even a simple thing as a blown up balloon can give eerie sounds when the neck is tweaked. For those who don't know, if you touch dry ice, it is that cold that it burns the skin. But knowing this fact and knowing how to handle it, one can put their hand on it for a short while and really get the hand cold. If it is pitch black and a freezing cold hand touches your neck/face – OH DEAR! Screams! Again 
. One lady friend told me, that no matter how long it takes; she shall have revenge on me! She was one of the first three to be sent down.
To end with, on the Saturday morning my friend was running me home and for some unknown reason would not like me hang out of the car boot. So I leant out of the passenger window and shouted to a postman "good morning postie". After he started to pick his bag of post that fell to the ground, I don't think he said morning back... Tthen we went past our general hospital and there just happened to be this Asian doctor outside having a cigarette break and as we drove past, I called that "I'll be back in about 5minutes as I'm just going for a cup of tea". I've never seen an Asian person go white before.
All in all, a most enjoyable night was had, by ME!
Oh! And someone asked me: "Are there 
s down there?" I said there was only one spirit going to be there and that was in my back pocket (half a bottle of whisky).
