Fredericton writer invites readers to go horror caching

A Fredericton man is hoping to give people a little fright along with some fresh air.

Joshua Paquin has written and hidden three different horror stories in Fredericton, New Maryland, and Lincoln. 

Paquin calls it horror caching.

"I'm a big fan of going outdoors, having some adventure out in the woods. I'm also a big fan of horror, so this idea was kind of a marriage between the two," said Paquin.

Paquin made a YouTube video explaining his project and directing people where to go.

The stories are about three witches who haunt the areas. He laminated them, put them in glass cylinders, and hid them. The YouTube video gives glimpses of the spots where the stories can be found. It also has coordinates that can be plugged into a GPS for further help.

The story hidden in Odell Park directly references the area where it's found. Paquin said he was inspired to write these stories while walking at night in the park.

He said the inspiration came on one night when his footsteps were a bit quicker than usual.

"I'm a big fan of Odell Park and I walk through these trails quite often, and sometimes my imagination just goes," said Paquin.

"Whenever you're walking up the trail here there's a row of trees. Depending on the light, which is often times blocked off … it just has an ambiance that's quite eerie."

Paquin says reading the story in the location where it's set adds some extra creepiness to it.

Usually Paquin puts his stories on his website, The Dark Opera. He uses the site as an outlet for his stories, but sayshaving to go out and look for them makes things more interesting. 

There is an added bonus for the first person to find a story. There is a Tim Hortons gift card in each cylinder. There is also a log book to sign, so Paquin can see who has read his stories. 

This isn't the first time Paquin has tried horror caching. A couple years ago he hid stories in Moncton, Saint John, and Fredericton. Then, it was mostly just friends and family who went looking for the stories. 

This time he has posted more on social media, with the hope that more people will go out and enjoy an adventure. 

"I thought it would be exciting if I could have people go out and try and find a horror story I've written in the woods, and both enjoy nature, as well as be a little unsettled by what I've written."