In the latest episode of Horror Heals, Corey Stulce sits down with Laura Inlow, a horror aficionado who has brought her love for the genre to life with a new horror club at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, Illinois. Nestled next to one of the most haunted towns in America, Alton, Illinois, Laura’s passion for horror is deeply rooted in both her personal life and her community. From finding mental wellness through horror to her ghostly experiences in Alton, Laura’s story is a journey of personal healing, building connections, and embracing horror as a unique form of therapy.
Corey, with his usual charm and enthusiasm, introduces Laura as someone who brings “chills and thrills into everyday life.” And she’s certainly earned that title. Not only has Laura started a horror club—fittingly named LC Scars—on her college campus, but she’s also made horror a core part of her personal wellness journey. For her, horror offers both an escape and a safe way to confront life’s fears. It’s a sentiment Corey resonates with, as the two dive into the genre’s unique allure and how it’s become a tool for self-care and connection, especially during difficult times like the pandemic.
The conversation quickly moves into Alton’s haunted history, a place Laura knows well. With a half-joking, half-believing tone, she describes the “spooky shenanigans” she’s experienced over the years in a town known for its ghost lore. Laura recalls her eerie encounter at the Enos Apartments, once a stop on the Underground Railroad. During a ghost tour, she felt a presence, a light touch on her shoulder. Surprisingly, rather than fear, she was filled with a sense of calm. For Corey, Laura’s ghostly experience is all too relatable. He shares his own encounter at the McPike Mansion, a reputedly haunted site, where he too felt something brush against him in a pitch-dark basement. Their stories highlight a shared fascination with the unknown, underpinned by both skepticism and an openness to the unexplained.
But Horror Heals isn’t just about ghost stories and supernatural thrills. Corey and Laura delve into how horror serves as a vital, cathartic experience for fans. Laura reveals how, during the pandemic, horror movies offered her a unique kind of relief from everyday stress. “Horror puts things into perspective,” she explains. “When the world is scary, I’ve found it’s best to take a break from that reality, and horror lets me do that.” As she describes, horror’s controlled adrenaline rush is much like the thrill of a roller coaster: it’s intense and exhilarating, but ultimately safe. In that temporary thrill lies an escape, and even a form of therapy. Movies like Nightmare on Elm Street, with their outlandish supernatural scares, help her confront fears in a contained space, providing relief from the uncertainties of real life.
For Laura, horror fandom extends beyond her own wellness—it’s about building a community. Her work in the horror club at Lewis and Clark has been a labor of love, bringing horror fans together to share in their passion. Through LC Scars, Laura hopes to foster a sense of belonging for students who might otherwise feel isolated in their interests. The club, which has already gained interest on campus, aims to explore the horror genre in many forms, from classic and contemporary films to horror novels and even board games. Laura sees LC Scars as a way to introduce students to horror as an art form, something they can analyze, appreciate, and connect over. Plans are in motion for a haunted house on campus, movie screenings, and possible field trips to haunted locations, making the club both a place for horror fans and a potential hub for community bonding.
Corey, who’s no stranger to horror conventions and fandoms, relates to Laura’s passion for creating connections through horror. He talks about his own experiences at horror conventions, where fans and creators alike gather to celebrate the genre. The camaraderie he’s found in these spaces has been a vital part of his horror journey, and it’s something he wishes he’d had growing up. Now, seeing people like Laura create those opportunities for younger generations, he feels a sense of pride and joy in knowing that horror is helping people find their “chosen families.”
As the conversation wraps up, Corey and Laura dive into the lighter side of horror, particularly how Laura is passing her love for the genre onto her daughters. As a parent, Laura is careful about the films she introduces to her kids, opting for “gateway horror” and age-appropriate frights. Corey, ever the horror enthusiast, loves hearing how she’s found ways to make horror accessible and fun, starting with lighter films that still capture the spirit of the genre. They share laughs about how “nursery rhymes are terrifying” and discuss kid-friendly horror options that don’t venture too close to the genuinely disturbing side of the genre.
Corey and Laura also swap favorite horror memories, including tales of haunted houses, jump scares, and even horror-themed board games. Laura shares how she introduced her daughter to a haunted trail event, only to have her daughter bolt at the sound of a chainsaw—a classic scare that Laura recalls with a smile. Corey and Laura bond over their love for the thrill of haunted attractions, agreeing that even knowing something is staged doesn’t stop the heart-pounding rush of a good scare.
The episode ends with Corey reminding listeners of horror’s power to bring people together, not just for scares, but for shared healing. Laura’s work at Lewis and Clark, her pandemic horror “therapy,” and her efforts to create a horror family on campus are a testament to horror’s transformative power. It’s a genre that allows us to face our fears, find our communities, and experience relief, joy, and a renewed sense of courage.
So, whether you’re a lifelong horror fan or just curious about the genre’s healing magic, Laura’s journey in Horror Heals is an inspiring one. As Corey wraps up, he encourages listeners to share the episode and spread the horror love. After all, horror fans know that a good scare is even better when shared, and Horror Heals is here to remind us all that sometimes, a little fright can be exactly what we need.
