Those who follow We Are Indie Horror have heard us speak about and share updates on the latest in interactive horror theater (at least I think it is such) – The Tension Experience. For those who have not caught up you can check out part one and part two by clicking the appropriate links.
Yesterday, May 29, 2016, saw the fourth live event from The Tension Experience and I am left buzzing after almost 24 hours of letting it all sink in. Yesterday’s event was an elaborate and intense addition to the ongoing story that is the recruitment of The O.O.A. Participants left yesterday with a better understanding of the narrative presented in front of us and leaves all of us excited for the future. What happened you may ask? Well, lucky for you, I have been instructed to tell my story.
First and foremost, the invitation for yesterday came to me later than most. Word was going out early May that there was an event at the end of the month and invites were starting to go out via phone call. The close group of friends that I have formed through the experience were starting to receive their calls. After the last event, which I did not participate in due to time, I was really hoping I would be invited to whatever they had in store. The curiosity and the need to be a part of this overtook any rational thinking. The process of waiting for the invitation to come through was brutal. I was one of the last ones of my close group to get the phone call, but when I did – OH GLORY BE – was I happy. The phone invite told me a date and a time but no other idea in mind.
A few days before the event, the official invitation goes out and it is an invite to the annual O.O.A. Mixer. We were instructed to “dress to respect” and not invite any outsiders. We were told that the address would be sent to us the morning of.
Fast forward to Sunday morning, the address arrives in the email and off to Sun Valley I go. Given a 15 minute window to arrive, I made sure to get there on time. When I arrived everyone was there. A lot of faces I recognize from the forums and other Tension discussion, a lot of friends, and a few new people awaited outside as the sign on the door instructed. 1:30 PM the doors open and we file into the community center turned O.O.A. meeting space. Upon being greeted with a name tag everyone was handed a yellow (or white but the difference did not come into play) flower. Already inside were a few members of The O.O.A. already dancing and having a good time with smiles on their face. One particular girl greeted us named Addison, a pretty younger girl with a look of unease. Participants are familiar with her voice as she is the young woman who answers the phone when you call. When approached to ask a name of one of the guys he automatically responded with “You know I can’t tell you that” he continued to smile and dance.
The participants settle themselves down. Coffee, doughnuts, veggie platters, juice, and water were offered. I went for the sealed bottle of water looking out for my safety. Once everyone settled down things began to happen. The members of the O.O.A. started grabbing people and taking them off to the side to speak with them while some were taken through the back doors. Addison grabbed me right away and asked “Does anybody know where you are right now?” I replied with “I don’t know, I think so. Why?” “Always tell someone where you are going, this is not what it seems.” She parted from the conversation as fast as the conversation got started. Others had other messages delivered. One participant even went as far as being told to call his parents and tell them he loves them. Addison came back up to me and gave a big X across my name tag – why? I still do not know. But as the event went on, others were given x’s as well.
Finally the leader gets up on stage and begins to speak. He speaks of us and how were are the start of something special. He speaks about our questions and how the answer is there are no answers. He tells us we are all on our own individual paths and they are what we make them to be. He introduced the newly named scribe, Mike Fontaine of the My Haunt Life podcast. Mike get’s up and speaks about community and how being a part of The Tension Experience has bonded him with new friends and the importance is within the community and standing up for each other. Everything he spoke of was truth. The Tension Experience has created an amazing community where I personally have made new friends and my life is forever changed regardless of what happens from here on out.
After Mike spoke we welcomed the entertainment for the afternoon – a cellist. She plays some beautiful dissonant music that makes everyone’s nerves a little uneasy. After the musical performance the head speaker comes back. He stands in front of us and shouts to the back “Bring out the traitor!” The other members of The O.O.A. burst through the back doors wearing new white and orange robes. In hand is a man with a bag over his head. The leader removes the bag and reveals a friend of ours from the forums on the website, Mike Rizzo. The leader presents to us his case. Mike Rizzo outwardly said “F*ck The O.O.A. They Are frauds!” Now it was up to us to decide to bring him back into our graces or deny him and have him banished forever. As a supportive community most of us voted to keep him in.
Following this bit of intensity is when the real heat began. “Bring forth the initiate so we can de-robe her for all to judge. Bring forth Addison.” The members of The O.O.A. bring to the front a fighting Addison. Just as the ceremony was about to begin a man burst through the doors in the back. “Addy! Addy”. She responds with “Dad?”. The next few moments had everyone silent and intrigued with the unfolding events. It went by so fast it was a blur. The man who turned out to be Addison’s father begins shouting about how this guy stole his daughter and we are the ones who are stealing the children away from their parents (we are not… we are on a path to enlightenment). He pulls out his phone and begins recording us. Luckily before we got too exposed our security guard grabbed Addison’s father by the collar and slammed him against the wall which put a decent size crack and dent into the wall. Pretty impressive strength from the security guard, I might say. After a few moments of scuffles the man is tossed from the room and Addison along with most of the members of The O.O.A. have fled the scene. The leader says the location has been comprised and next time it will not happen. He instructs us to remain and wait further instruction. He exits.
The room is silent for a few moments as we all process what just happened. Finally we begin to stir and realize all that just happened. We begin swapping stories and start looking for clues around the room. The tables were lined with books and folders and tapes. We inspected everything we could. Eventually a woman runs in and asks for an Andrew Kasch who then hands Andrew a phone. He goes out through the back and disappears for about 10 to 15 minutes. Upon his return, where he looked worn out as if a marathon was just ran, he tells all of us that we all must leave now. So we do.
That concluded the fourth event in The Tension Experience and it seems things are really beginning to heat up. Personally I cannot wait to see what happens next. I cannot wait to continue my path to enlightenment and be offered some incredible opportunities along the path. Some participants had incredibly personal experiences occur on Sunday. I will not discuss those here but you may see for yourself over at www.thetensionexperience.com/forums.
The Tension Experience continues to shock, surprise, and intrigue. The future of these events will only become more intense and this writer sits on the edge of his seat constantly waiting for the next phone call or post. I have never been a part of something like this and every day that passes I become prouder to be an Apostle of the Beginning.
You have until June 1st to sign up at www.thetensionexperience.com. After that date, we have no idea what comes next. Tickets for something go available July 1st. Stay tuned to the links below for the latest from all things The Tension Experience.
Glory Be!