ISOLATED • squid game

[ THREE ]

( season 1, episode 2 : hell )

After all the players had arrived back at the bedroom, they sat in silence, traumatised from the recent events.

Jiwon sat beside the girl who had made it through after her, a fair distance between them. It's not like she knew the girl.

Jiwon's legs were jittery, and she felt restless. She hadn't been nervous like this since she was literally fighting for her life seven months ago.

A beep sounded out, and all the players quickly stood as the same men from before walked in. But this time, they were armed with guns.

" You have all made it through the first game. Congratulations. I will now announce the results of the first game." The masked man spoke, and Jiwon looked up at the electronic board as the numbers started to go down.

It stopped at 201.

" Out of 456 players, 255 were eliminated, and 201 players completed the first game." Gasps and scared whispers broke out between the players, and Jiwon fiddled with her fingers nervously.

" Mister! Please." A sudden shout startled the girl, and she moved to look where it came from.

A woman with dark, curly hair stepped forward, facing the masked guards. She was crying.

" Listen. I'm so sorry. I swear I will pay what I owe. I'll do it, I'll pay it all." She cried, a thud sounding out as she dropped to her knees.

" Please, sir. I have a child. Oh! So young, I need to register, and I still need to name my child, sir. Please! Let me leave." She begged, and another woman stepped forward, doing the same.

" Sir, I'm begging you. Let me leave and I swear I'll find a way to pay it all. Let me go home." More and more people climbed forward, and Jiwon looked away. She couldn't watch.

" There seems to be a misunderstanding. We are not trying to hurt you or collect your debts. Let me remind you, that we are here to give you a chance." Jiwon rolled her eyes. Not trying to hurt them? What a joke.

" A chance?" A man repeated, laughing in denial.

" We play some kids games. And your shoot us. You want me to choose that? That's some chance." He scoffed.

"We may be in debt, sir...but that doesn't justify killing us all." Another man spoke up, voice shaking and cracking.

" This is just a game." Jiwon huffed and stepped away from the pole she was leaning against.

" Just a game? What kind of drugs are you on?" Eyes landed on her, and she almost hid from the attention.

" Killing these people is just a game to you? These people have families, friends, people who love them. This isn't fair!" She exclaimed, waving her arms around. Many players shouted in agreement.

" The players were simply eliminated for breaking the rules of the game. If you just follow the rules, you can leave this place safely with the prize money we promised." Yeah, no shit.

" Just keep your damn money. I don't care!" Number 66 shouted.

" Just let me go home. That's all I want." The crowd started to murmur again, and Jiwon sighed. They were getting nowhere like this.

" Consent form clause 1. A player is not allowed to start playing." The masked man recited, over the noise.

A few of the man started to talk about the police, and how they'd track them down because they all went missing.