"The Langoliers" is a horror science fiction novella by Stephen King, first published in 1990 as part of his four-story anthology collection Four Past Midnight. The story follows a group of ten passengers on a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Boston who awaken mid-flight to discover that most of the other passengers and the flight crew have vanished, leaving behind only their personal belongings. After the remaining passengers manage to land the plane at a deserted Bangor, Maine airport, they gradually realize they have passed through a time rip into the past, a world that is slowly being consumed by terrifying creatures known as the Langoliers, which devour the fabric of reality itself.
The novella explores themes of isolation, the nature of time, and psychological fear, as the disparate group of survivors must confront both the external threat of the Langoliers and their own inner demons. King blends science fiction concepts with his signature horror style, creating a tense, claustrophobic atmosphere. The story is notable for its memorable antagonist, the unhinged businessman Craig Toomy, whose childhood trauma manifests in a psychotic break that endangers the entire group. "The Langoliers" has remained one of King's most popular novellas and was adapted into a television miniseries in 1995.
