pretty flower | 강새벽

004

They were gone. 

No, they didn't walk away, leaving us all behind to play this torturous game. They were dead. They had families, friends, lovers. They didn't get a chance to say goodbye. And they all died brutally. 

We were back in the rooms we started in, all numb and quiet from what we had just witnessed. Sang-woo, Gi-hun, Ali, and I all sat down close together, our heads down, just as silent as the rest. My body was tense and tears still threatened to pour from my eyes. Every time I blinked, memories from the past game came flooding back, causing the fear to resurface in my body. 

"Sang-woo." Gi-hun whispered, causing my ears to ring at the sound of a slight sound "Thanks." 

Sang-woo looked up at Gi-hun, not saying anything. Not responding at all. Gi-hun then turned to Ali.

"Thank you. You both saved my life." 

"I'm glad you're alive" Ali smiled slightly, attempting to raise our spirits. 

Before anyone could say anything else, a buzzing sound echoed throughout the room and the doors opened, letting nine masked men inside the room. Everyone rushed to stand up as the lights turned on, hoping to be stood up before the men stopped moving. Many people shied away from the door, hoping to be spared. 

As I stood, my whole body shook, making it hard to stay standing and still. 

"Congratulations for making it through the first game. Here are the results of the first game" The man with the square on his mask spoke before the screen above his head began to make noise. 

Our attention was drawn away from the masked men, towards the screen. We watched as the numbers began to change and the sound mimicked something similar to a slot machine. The screen finally froze, the number on the screen remaining at 201. 

"Out of 457 players, 256 players have been eliminated. 201 players have completed the first game." 

People began muttering things amongst each other. Their faces were scared and concerned. 

"Sir! Forgive me!" A lady ran out from the crowd, crying out to the masked men "I'll pay off my debts no matter what. I'll pay back at all costs." she drops to her knees, her hands pressed together. 

"Please, sir. I have... a child" she continued, not afraid to cry in front of all these people "I haven't even named my baby yet, so I couldn't register the baby's birth. Please let me leave!" 

Another woman emerged from the crowd "Sir, please forgive me. Please. Please spare my life. I'll find a way to pay my debts off." 

A third woman crawled out from the crowd "I want to stop here. Please let me go." 

One after another people from the first two rows began to kneel, begging for their lives to be spared. Begging to go home. Crying. 

"There seems to be a misunderstanding. We are not here to harm you or collect your debts." The square man spoke again "Let me remind you. We are presenting you with an opportunity." 

"An opportunity?" a man with the number '119' on his back spoke up "You call this an opportunity? You make us play children's games and then kill us! How is this an opportunity?"

Another man with '271' spoke up "We may be in debt, but that doesn't mean we deserve to die."

"This is just a game." the masked man spoke again, emotion lacking from his voice. 

"You killed all those people! And you call this a game?" '369' cried. 

"They were simply eliminated for breaking the rules of the game. As long as you follow the rules, you will safely exist in this place with the promised prize money."