The broken hand of the clock...moved.
From 12...to 12:01.
Mukesh stopped breathing.
" That's not possible...." He whispered .
Geeta stared at the clock, her eyes wide with fear ." It was broken....it hasn't worked for years..."
The second the minute hand clicked forward
Tick.
A loud sound echoed through the room.
Not from the clock.
From the walls.
Mukesh slowly turned around.
The classroom...had changed.
The desks were were no longer covered in dust.
The board was was clean.
The windows...shut tight.
And outside -
It was no longer night.
It was 12:01 p.m.
Bright sunlight flooded the room.
Geeta stepped back. " We were just here at night....how is it daytime!"
Before Astha could respond -
The classroom door opened on its own.
CREEEEAK.
Footsteps.
Slow. Heavy.
Someone... Was walking in.
Mukesh's heartbeat pounded in his ears.
The footsteps stopped right at the entrance.
And then-
A girl stepped inside.
Same uniform.
Same bag.
Same face.
Mukesh's face.
Riya gasped." That's - you-".
The second Mukesh stood frozen.
Confused.
Looking around like he had just arrived.
" I... I don't remember coming here," the second Mukesh said.
The first Mukesh stepped back.
" No...this can't be happening..."
Then suddenly -
The clock ticked again.
12:02.
Everything glitched.
For a split second -
The room flickered between day and night.
Between empty...and full.
Between silence....and whispers.
And in that flicker -
Mukesh saw something terrifying .
Dozens of versions of himself.
Standing.
Sitting.
Watching.
All inside the same room.
Geeta screamed, " Mukesh, what is this?"
A voice answered.
Not his.
Not hers.
From the clock.
Cold. Mechanical.
" Cycle 18 has begun."
Mukesh slowly looked up at it.
His voice shook.
" What.... happens at the end of the cycle?"
Silence.
Then-
Every version of Mukesh in the room turned their heads at the same time.
And spoke together:
" Only one of us leaves."