THE FACTORY
A DARK TF STORY
by HUGO PROSPERIO

PROLOGUE – THE FACTORY AND THE TOURISTS

The factory had been in the town for as long as anyone could remember. It churned out sweets and baked goods every day of the year, but no one knew who owned it, no one knew who ran it, and no one every saw anyone enter or leave. This wasn't the factory of a strange hermit. It was a local mystery, one no one dared to solve, for they knew what fate awaited them if they ever entered the walls of the old factory on the top of the hill.

Of course, only the locals knew anything about the factory, where as any visitors to the town only knew of the products it produced. The "Sweetums" Brand was known throughout the world for interesting and extremely delicious products, and was quickly catching up to more mainstream brands. Strangers to the town automatically flocked to the factory to try and take tours but were always disappointed when no such services were offered. The townsfolk kept to themselves, and never talked to strangers much.

Our tale is about strangers. Five of them to be exact, six if you count the man they suckered into driving them on a road trip. They certainly don't. Of course, they will soon be entering our story and their fate will be revealed.

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Five girls were packed into the large SUV, along with the hapless boyfriend of one of them, who agreed to take them on a trip in his new car. His name was Craig, and he stared out the window as the road flew by underneath his shiny car. He sighed as the girls in the car tittered loudly about some attractive male celebrity. He looked to his girlfriend, and smiled. She gave him a smile back. She patted his leg and grinned.

"Thank you, hun. This trip is just what the doctor ordered." She said smiling.

"No problem, Gemma." He said as he gazed at her. He often wondered what a beautiful girl like her was doing with him. He smiled and turned back to the road, hoping the other four girls wouldn't ruin his mood.

The other four girls were giggling loudly in the back seat, gossiping about whatever secrets they were privy to. The tallest of them wore her long brown hair in a loose pony tail, and giggled as she mentioned the boy who had asked her to prom the previous years.
"Yeah, Like I'd ever consider him. What an idiot." She laughed.

The girl to her left, a petite girl of Japanese heritage, smiled. "You don't have to be so mean." She said as she playfully punched the brunette's shoulder. "He was just trying to be a gentlemen, Susan."

"Yeah, well excuse me for having taste, Tori,"

Tori smirked and turned to girl on the other side of her and sighed. "Sometimes, she just can't get over herself, Carrie. What ever shall we do with her?"

"Put up with it. She's half the reason we get invited to anything we do." Carrie laughed. "Except this lovely excursion. Thank you, Gemma!" she shouted up to the front.

"Are we almost there?" The last girl said. She was the shortest of the bunch, but was also the bustiest, much to the other girls chagrin. Her firey ginger red hair flew around as she shook her head. Carrie got a face full of it, and groaned. "Do you have to shake your hair like that, Claire?"

"Oh, sorry, Carrie. " Claire laughed.

"We'll be there in about twenty mins." Craig shouted back. "If you ask again, I'll turn this thing right around. "

That got a round of laughter from all of the riders, one of the last laughs they would share before they walked right into their unfortunate fates.