Chapter 2: Panic in the Streets
The trembling of the earth had stopped, but the unease that lingered in its wake was more potent than ever. Jin Oh stayed by the window, unable to tear his eyes away from the Torre on the horizon. His thoughts raced, trying to process the enormity of what had just happened. What did these towers want? Why had they appeared now, and why all over the world?
His phone vibrated again, and he snatched it from the table. It was another message from Ha-Yoon.
Ha-Yoon: The streets are chaos! People are going crazy out here. The military is nowhere in sight. What are you hearing on your end?
Jin's hands shook as he typed back.
Jin: Seoul's the same. A tower appeared this morning, and there's been a tremor here too. I don't know what's going on. Just stay indoors like I said.
The screen lit up with another news alert as soon as he sent the message. He ignored it, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on him. He needed to do something more than watch events unfold on his TV, but what could he do? Every time he imagined going outside, his mind conjured images of the monstrous towers swallowing up soldiers, planes, helicopters—entire armies. How could anyone fight something like that?
A loud crash from below jerked him out of his thoughts. Jin moved quickly to his balcony door, sliding it open to step outside. The city below, always bustling with life, was now descending into bedlam. Cars, previously stuck in the traffic jams Seoul was notorious for, were now abandoned in the middle of the street. People ran in all directions, carrying bags, their faces wild with fear.
The shaking had been enough to trigger mass panic, and now, with the looming shadow of the Torre hanging over them, the city's nerves had finally snapped. Jin could hear the wail of sirens in the distance—police trying to control the chaos, though it was clear they were overwhelmed.
A woman screamed down below, stumbling as she tried to run, her arms full of groceries that tumbled from her grasp. Two men rushed by her, pushing her aside in their haste. Nearby, a man was frantically loading his family into a battered old sedan, his shouts barely audible over the growing cacophony.
Jin gripped the railing of his balcony, his knuckles turning white. The air was heavy with something he couldn't quite place—an impending sense of doom that went beyond the obvious chaos. It was as if the world itself was holding its breath.
His phone buzzed again. He looked down to see another message from Ha-Yoon.
Ha-Yoon: I don't think the military can help. The news just showed soldiers entering the tower here, but no one's come out. People are saying they're all dead. What if they're right? What if…
Jin's chest tightened. What if they were right? He had seen the same reports, and while the newscasters tried to remain calm, their eyes betrayed them. Every soldier sent into the towers had disappeared without a trace. Whatever was inside those towers wasn't just dangerous—it was unknown, and that was perhaps the most terrifying thing of all.
He knew staying inside wasn't a solution. But running—where would he even go? The towers were everywhere.
Another tremor shook the ground beneath his feet, not as strong as the first but enough to make the buildings creak in protest. Jin steadied himself, then looked back at the street. The crowd was growing more frantic, drivers honking furiously as they tried to force their way through the traffic. It wouldn't be long before the streets became completely impassable.
Suddenly, the sound of helicopters overhead filled the air. Jin looked up, squinting against the bright afternoon sun. Military choppers, sleek and menacing, circled the Torre in the distance. More were arriving by the minute, as though drawn to the structure like moths to a flame.
He watched as one of them got closer, hovering at the base of the tower. Then, without warning, the chopper spun out of control. Jin's heart jumped in his chest as the machine began to spiral, its blades chopping through the air wildly. It veered to the side and crashed into a nearby building, exploding on impact. A massive fireball shot into the sky, followed by a thick plume of smoke.
The street below erupted into full-blown hysteria. Jin could barely hear anything over the deafening wail of sirens and the panicked screams of the citizens. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. There had been no warning, no attack—nothing. The helicopter had simply malfunctioned, as if the tower itself had rejected its approach.
Jin's legs felt weak as he stumbled back into his apartment. He paced the small space, running a hand through his hair, trying to think. His thoughts kept going back to Ha-Yoon and the terror she must be feeling on the other side of the world. She had always been the strong one, keeping him grounded when things got tough. But now, all he could offer her were empty reassurances, and that made him feel even more powerless.
His phone buzzed again, this time with a call. It was Ha-Yoon.
"Ha-Yoon!" Jin answered quickly, his voice tight with worry. "Are you okay?"
Her voice on the other end was shaky. "Jin, I don't know what's happening. The whole city is losing its mind. There are riots breaking out. People are saying the towers are some kind of… I don't know, some kind of weapon. But nothing's happening with them here. They're just… standing there."
Jin clenched his jaw. "It's the same here. The towers haven't done anything, but they've already caused enough destruction just by existing. I saw a helicopter crash. I think it was trying to get too close."
"They're saying the same thing here," Ha-Yoon replied. "No one who goes near the towers comes back."
Jin moved to the window again, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the Torre in the distance. The air around it still shimmered, distorting everything nearby. The tremors, the helicopter crash—none of it made sense. The towers were like black holes, drawing in everything around them and giving nothing back.
"We need to leave the city," Jin said finally, his voice firm. "It's not safe. We can't stay here."
"Where would we even go?" Ha-Yoon asked, her voice small.
Jin paused, realizing she was right. There was nowhere to run. The towers were everywhere, and no one knew their purpose. All he could do was stay alive long enough to figure it out.
Jin collapsed onto his couch, staring at the darkening sky outside. The air had changed again, growing heavier, more oppressive. The Torre stood in the distance, unmoving, unyielding, as if mocking the chaos it had caused. It felt like a silent countdown had begun, and every second that passed brought the world closer to some unseen, catastrophic event.
The night was falling, but sleep was the furthest thing from Jin's mind. The city's sirens were relentless, and the people's cries echoed through the streets. The towers had come without warning, and Jin had the sinking feeling that whatever they had brought with them was far worse than anyone could imagine.
He just didn't know how much worse things would get.