12:40 AM – Six days after the disappearance.
The watchtower creaked around them like an old ship in a storm. Dust motes danced in the narrow beam of Kaiya's phone flashlight as he swept it across the cramped upper platform.
"This place is huge," Ren muttered, voice echoing slightly.
"It's old too," Kaiya added, running his fingers along the weathered wood.
"Yeah, and dusty," Mio said, coughing into her sleeve.
"How long do we have to wait here?" Nakayama asked, tension tight in his shoulders. "That thing will find us if we don't move fast."
"Until dawn," Matthew replied, his voice low and certain. "They can't attack at dawn. They're weak to sunlight."
"Like vampires?" Ren asked.
Everyone turned to look at him.
"What?" Ren said defensively, raising his hands. "I've watched a lot of vampire movies. I bet we could kill it with garlic."
"No," Matthew said flatly.
"Take this more seriously, Ren," Kaiya said as he continued scanning the dusty room for anything useful.
"I still have a bar on my phone. How about we contact the police?" Nakayama suggested.
"We've tried that before. They don't listen," Yui said, arms crossed.
"So we're just going to stay here doing nothing?"
"Yes," Yui replied without hesitation.
The group fell into an uneasy silence, the only sounds the distant creak of wood and the faint rustle of wind through the trees outside.
---
**3 hours later**
3:40 AM – Six days after the disappearance.
The air inside the tower had grown stiflingly hot and stale. Sweat beaded on everyone's skin.
"It's getting hot," Ren complained, his shirt already pulled up to his chest. He looked like he hadn't moved from his spot the entire time.
"Big bro, I'm getting hungry," Riko complained softly, leaning against Kaiya's side.
"Yeah, me too," someone muttered.
Kaiya tried to keep his voice steady, reassuring. "Let's be patient, guys. We'll be out of this soon."
Ren suddenly stood up, restless and visibly exhausted. His movements were jerky, agitated.
"What are you doing?" Kaiya asked, alarm creeping into his tone.
"The heat and everything is getting to him," Matthew said quietly, watching Ren with narrowed eyes.
"Ren, sit down. Don't touch anything," Kaiya warned.
But Ren ignored him. He walked over to the hatch, muttering under his breath, and yanked it open.
The rotten wood gave way with a sharp crack.
Ren fell through.
A sickening thud echoed from below, followed immediately by a piercing scream of pain.
Kaiya and the others rushed to the edge of the hatch. Below, Ren lay sprawled on the lower floor, clutching his leg and screaming. Even in the dim light, the unnatural angle of his shin made it clear — the bone was broken.
"What are we going to do?" Mio asked, voice flustered and rising with panic.
Kaiya made up his mind in an instant. "I'm going down for him."
Unbeknownst to them, the monster had heard the screaming.
Far off in the forest, its six enormous legs paused mid-stride. The grotesque head — still wearing Haru's empty black eyes — tilted slowly.
Then it began crashing through the trees, rushing straight toward the tower with terrifying speed.
To be continued…