Derek Smith*, a senior health and human services major, lay on the front lawn of a house near South Campus.
Smith, who had just finished a bottle of J?_germeister, was motionless and sounded like a demon as he gasped for air. He didn't know what had hit him.
"My friend decided to walk a little behind me and I couldn't find out why," Smith said. "He was so far behind the group, about 30 yards, and got down in a four-point stance, sprinted and hit me from behind. My body jerked forward like a wacky, waving, inflatable-armed tube- man, and I fell so hard in the grass that my body left an imprint."
Smith now walks at a comfortable distance from anyone when he heads to an off-campus party. He added that he doesn't want to wind up like Peyton Manning and have four neck surgeries.
Halloween can be a time for students to enjoy the company of their friends. It can also be a time to create memories that will last forever. Some UB students shared stories with The Spectrum from Halloween nights they'll never forget - some of the craziest experiences they've ever had.
For Gordon Gross*, a junior biology major, a night of worry turned into a legendary evening when his friend pulled a prank.
Gross was a rising star on his high school soccer team. And after his freshman year, he was named team captain. His older peers began to notice him more and even invited him to parties his sophomore year.
That Halloween, one of Gross' friends was throwing a party while his parents were out of town. Gross and his friends did not want one kid to attend - he was known in the community as the one who trashed house parties - so they did everything they could to keep him from finding out about the party.
"I was all dressed up, everyone was having a good time and this girl who had a crush on me asked me where I was and I couldn't tell her, because I knew she was with the dude that's not supposed to come to this party," Gross said. "And I didn't text her back. She freaked out, then the dude she was with goes, 'Dude, I know where he is; he's at that party.'"
Gross didn't realize that not texting this girl back would lead to a night of drama. The girl arrived with an entourage of people who weren't supposed to be at the party, including the aforementioned 'dude.' They were dressed as pirates.
But before anyone could react to the situation, the police showed up.
Gross went into the basement with several other attendees in an attempt to hide. So, a Power Ranger, American Indian, cat, zombie girl and princess were all huddled in the corner of the basement.
The police entered the room with flashlights, and Gross began to question the decision he had made.
"And I'm like, 'Dude, my life's over,'" Gross said. "I'm on the soccer team. I'm gonna get kicked off. But the cops go, 'Hey, you guys should leave.' And I was like, 'Sick.'"
Gross and his cronies left as quickly as possible, high-tailing it to a local hangout. That is when his phone rang.
"My friend who threw the party calls me and he's like, 'Dude, come back to my house,'" Gross said. "I'm like, 'No, man, the cops were just there.' He wanted to party some more. He's like, 'No, man, come back. I'll explain when you get here.'"
Upon returning, Gross saw that the group of kids who weren't supposed to be there had fled.
"I get back there and this dude who had this party goes, 'Yeah, my cousin is a cop,'" Gross said. "So I just called him and told him these kids who I didn't want at my house were here.'"
The police department had staged a bust so the kids who weren't invited would leave and had let the other kids keep partying.
Talk about a treat after being tricked.
Other students' Halloween experiences contain a little bit more pleasure.
While attending a party at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, UB students Adrian Thomas* and Steve Gates* were dressed as Ninja Turtles when they were approached by a group of eight females.
"We really didn't know anyone at the party," Thomas said. "Steve and I met this girl who had a pet turtle and was in love with them. Her and all her hot-ass friends came and talked to us and wanted to hang out."
Over the course of a few hours, Thomas and Gates posed for more than 12 photos with what they called "the hottest girls at the party." To this day, they have not seen any of the pictures.
Before Thomas and Gates knew it, they were involved in an unexpected situation.
"We each hooked up with five of the eight girls," Gates said. "We were popping bottles [and] everyone was drunk. It was wild."
Gates and Thomas said they will always be the biggest fans of turtles.
Whether you're huddled in the basement with a Power Ranger, lying face down motionless on the front lawn of a random person's house or becoming acquainted with an animal lover, Halloween can get weird.
*These students' names have been changed to protect their privacy.
email: news@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Kimco Realty / Wikimedia Commons
