Whether it’s the telltale tinge of sickness foretold by scarlet in a handkerchief, or the arterial spray from a silently-slit throat, few things make your heart beat faster than the sight of blood. It drips, it flows and it gurgles in your throat as you choke out your last tortured breath, and nothing makes a Halloween costume scream like realistic blood.

Here’s a recipe for making your own batch, courtesy of Actors Theatre:

1 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1/4 cup water
1 tsp red food coloring
2 drops blue food coloring
Stir viciously…

The blood is edible and nontoxic, but it is likely to stain clothes, so be sure to presoak garments for 24 hours before wash.