No one moved after the number changed.
The screen still glowed faintly in front of them, the word 57 burned into their minds like something permanent. It wasn't just information anymore—it was confirmation. Someone had disappeared again. And this time, they had seen it happen. Not who. Not how. But the number had changed.
And that was enough.
Daniel stepped back slowly, shaking his head like he was trying to wake up from something.
"No… no, this isn't real," he muttered, his voice uneven and low.
Ethan didn't respond immediately, his eyes still locked on the screen.
Because if this wasn't real… then what were they?
"WE NEED TO LEAVE!" someone suddenly shouted, their voice echoing harshly inside the tower.
The panic snapped back instantly, louder this time, sharper, more desperate.
"I'm not staying here!"
"This place is tracking us!"
"Something's watching us!"
Ethan turned quickly, his voice cutting through the noise.
"Calm down! Running blindly won't help!"
But the control was slipping now.
Not just from the situation—
From the people.
One man rushed toward the stairs without waiting for anyone.
"I'm getting out of here!" he shouted, his footsteps echoing as he descended.
Two others followed immediately.
Then another.
And another.
Daniel looked at Ethan, fear clear in his eyes.
"This is falling apart."
Ethan nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
"And it's going to get worse."
They followed the others down the stairs, the atmosphere now completely different from before.
Earlier, there had been confusion.
Now there was urgency.
And beneath that—
Something darker.
When they stepped outside, the air felt even colder than before.
Sharper.
Like it was cutting through their skin.
The runway was still there.
The plane was still there.
But something about everything felt… shifted.
"…Does it look different to you?" Daniel asked quietly.
Ethan stared ahead, scanning every detail.
"…Yeah."
He didn't know what exactly.
But something had changed.
They walked back toward the plane in silence.
No one spoke now.
No one tried to lead.
The earlier confidence was gone.
The plane stood exactly where they left it.
Still damaged.
Still quiet.
Still waiting.
But as they got closer—
Ethan noticed something.
The door.
It was closed.
"…Wait," he said, stopping suddenly.
Daniel frowned. "What?"
"The door," Ethan said, pointing.
"…We left it open."
Everyone froze.
"No… no, we didn't," someone said quickly.
"Yes, we did," another replied.
"I remember that."
The group stood there, staring at the sealed door.
No one had touched it.
No one had gone back before them.
"…That's not possible," Daniel whispered.
Ethan stepped forward slowly.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
He reached the door.
Placed his hand on it.
Cold.
He pushed.
The door creaked open slowly.
Inside—
Darkness.
The red emergency lights flickered faintly again, just like before.
But the moment Ethan stepped inside—
He stopped.
Something was wrong.
Not with the lights.
Not with the seats.
With the people.
They were sitting differently.
Passengers who had been panicking before were now… still.
Too still.
Some sat upright, staring ahead.
Others leaned slightly to the side.
A few had their heads tilted at unnatural angles.
"…What the hell…" Daniel whispered.
Ethan stepped further inside, his eyes scanning quickly.
"…Hey," he said, louder now.
"…Are you okay?"
No response.
Not a single one.
A man near the aisle slowly turned his head.
Too slowly.
Too smoothly.
"…We're fine," he said.
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
Ethan felt a chill crawl up his spine.
"…You weren't like this before," he said carefully.
The man smiled.
A small, unnatural smile.
"…Before?" he repeated.
Ethan didn't like that.
Not at all.
Daniel stepped closer.
"…Ethan, I don't like this."
"Yeah," Ethan muttered.
"…Me neither."
More passengers turned now.
Slowly.
In sync.
All looking at them.
"…You should sit down," the same man said.
His tone was gentle.
Friendly.
But something about it felt wrong.
Very wrong.
"…No," Ethan said.
The man's smile didn't fade.
"…You should," he repeated.
A woman nearby spoke next.
"…It's safer if you stay."
Her voice matched his.
Calm.
Controlled.
Daniel took a step back.
"…We need to get out."
Ethan nodded.
"Now."
They turned—
And froze.
The door was gone.
Not closed.
Gone.
Just a blank wall where it had been.
"…No," Daniel whispered.
"…No, no, no—"
Ethan's heart slammed against his chest.
"That's not possible," he said, but his voice wasn't steady anymore.
Behind them—
The passengers stood up.
All at once.
Chairs scraped loudly against the floor.
And now—
They were all standing.
Watching.
"…You shouldn't leave," one of them said.
"…No one leaves," another added.
Their voices overlapped slightly.
Not perfectly.
But close enough to feel wrong.
Ethan grabbed Daniel's arm.
"Stay behind me."
"What are we going to do?!" Daniel whispered.
Ethan didn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
The passengers started moving.
Slow.
Measured steps.
Not rushing.
Not attacking.
Just… approaching.
"…Stop," Ethan said sharply.
They didn't.
"…I said STOP!"
Still—
They kept coming.
Their expressions didn't change.
Still calm.
Still smiling faintly.
But their eyes—
Empty.
Completely empty.
Ethan's breathing became uneven.
This wasn't panic anymore.
This was something else.
"…They're not…" Daniel started.
"…Not normal," Ethan finished.
The distance between them shrank.
Step by step.
Closer.
Closer.
Then—
The lights went out.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Screams erupted instantly.
But not just from Ethan and Daniel.
From everywhere.
Passengers.
All of them.
Screaming.
Not calm anymore.
Not controlled.
Something had changed.
Something had broken.
The red lights flickered back on.
And when they did—
Everyone was back in their seats.
Exactly where they had been before.
Still.
Silent.
Like nothing had happened.
Ethan stood frozen.
Daniel was breathing heavily beside him.
"…Did you see that?" Daniel whispered.
Ethan nodded slowly.
"…Yeah."
He looked around again.
The same passengers.
The same positions.
But now—
He knew.
They weren't the same.
Not anymore.
And whatever this place was—
It wasn't just taking people.
It was changing them.
(End of Chapter 10)