Nothing Is Made Here Anymore
By Charles W. Gravelle
It wasn't always abandoned.
But by the time I went exploring in June of 2016, the factory had been left unoccupied for six years.
The front doors were shut and locked, but the back was entirely open. I went around and entered.
The entire place was absolutely quiet; only my footsteps broke the silence. Old notes, pictures, and equipment were still left here and there.
I kept waiting for sounds of movement or voices but the inside was even quieter than the outside. Dirty boot prints marked the floors, though it was hard to say whether they were fresh.
The walls outside were coming down; pieces of plaster and debris lay all around. I searched for entrances other than the revolving door by the entrance, however each side door was locked. Here and there, windows on the upper floor stood open, but opened by whom?
My first tour was cut short by the setting sun. It was another month before I could return and explore inside. It was like exploring a time capsule from six years prior. There were many strange items left behind: beds, food, clothes, even water guns! All were covered in layers of dust.
My first exploratory tour made me incredibly curious to know what else was inside; I had to know what was on the higher floors. I was dying to get back, but my schedule was so busy it was yet another month before I got another chance. I knew it would be my last for the year as the seasons were changing and the sun was setting earlier each day. I was therefore determined to go as deep as I felt was safe. Unlike the previous tours, I narrated this final adventure.
