I sighed as I clicked the green button, once I did, I could hear angry groans and or cheers of anyone in the crowd, I nervously walked to the empty side, trying to ignore everyone's gaze "player 457, please cast a vote" oh that's Eun-Hee's number, she walked up, and... clicked the green button as well, not a great start "Eun-Hee" I waved to her, she nodded at me, why is she suddenly really cold? we've been friends forever, we live with each other, I just sighed and watched everyone start to vote, the guy I helped, picked red, but about 5 people after that voted green "c'mon you guys! if we stay here we will die!" someone yelled out "well, my life out there is worse, and I'd rather die in here then live out there" the person at the buttons yelled back, after pressing the green button
after what felt like forever, the majority voted to
stay
people cried out, some even cheered "now rest up, and get prepared for tomorrows game" the masked people who stood on the platform turned around and left "wait what about food?" someone yelled, but they ignored those people, even though I was hungry, I just slumped back on my bed and silently cried, trying not to let anyone hear, I quickly calmed down when the triangle mask rubbed my back, trying to calm me down
he looked side to side, then pulled something out of his pocket, it was a pocket knife, I tilted my head, but I still took the knife before he left, just as soon as the lights turn off, and right as they do, I could hear screaming, clattering of metal, and splattering noises, I fell asleep with the pillow covering my ears
when I woke up, a few circle masks came into the room, carrying coffins
I look down at my pocket, as the triangle masks came back in the room, bringing food, I quickly got up, as I haven't eaten in 24 hours, I wanted to get food quickly, and also so I have time to go to the washroom and clean my clothes. I sat down on my bed, with my food, but then the dude I saved came up to me "hey, wanna join our group? We wanna make strategies before the games" he smiled, I nodded, and then he left after telling me to meet them once in the game room. Once I was finished eating I got off my bed, the triangle mask followed me to the bathroom doors "I'll be quick...I just want to clean my clothes" I walk into the women's empty restroom, so I decided I'd just get undressed near the sinks
While I was taking off my shirt, the announcer turned on "the second game will begin in one minute, please gather up and head to the room" I sighed, as I dunked my shirt into the water, outside the washroom I could hear fast footsteps coming to the door before it opened, it was a triangle mask. I quickly covered up as he closed the door, even though I was wearing a white sports bra and tracksuit pants, it was still embarrassing. I took my shirt out and placed it on a stall door to dry, then putting my sweater on and zipping it up, once I left the bathroom, the triangle mask was leaning against the wall, his arms were crossed and he was looking down, we both awkwardly walked out "agree to never talk about that?" I looked over at him "deal" he talked "you're allowed to talk?" he nodded "I just didn't want to in front of any of the others, the frontman is all about equality, he might think that I'm helping you with the games" we walked up the colorful stairs "frontman? whose that?" I held onto the railings, the stairs were nice but very steep, it took him a second to respond, as though he was hesitating to respond "he is the man behind all of this" he said, as he opened the door, the game room was odd, it looks like a giant playground, the walls were painted like a kids bedroom, and there was huge playground equipment
while I was looking around, 456 came up to me "Sang-woo said that we should split up to pick shapes" he pointed to 218, then to the doors, which had four shapes, a circle, triangle, star, and an umbrella "I picked the umbrella, the old man picked star, and Ali picked the circle, so you can pick any" he smiled "uh I'll pick the umbrella" I felt pressured so I just picked whichever "we better hurry and line up then" we both quickly got in line for the umbrella with our triangle mask, and once we got our tin case, I went to go sit on one of the swings "please take a moment to open the case and check the contents" the announcer lady spoke as I did what I was told, taking off the lid, inside was melted honeycomb with an umbrella shape cut into it with a needle next to it, I tilted my head "the second game is sugar honeycombs" my pupils shrunk as I slowly looked up at the triangle mask "the shape you have chosen, is the shape you must remove from the honeycomb" I look over at 456, who was looking at 218, or sang-woo, of course I picked the hardest shape! I'm such an idiot! I'm dead! "the time limit is ten minutes, you will pass if you trim the shape without it breaking or cracking, with that, let the game begin"
I quickly got to work, licking the needle then poking at the shape "I'm going to die, so I might as well use up all the leftover time I have "do you think I'm a bad person?" I could hear a silent huh? from the triangle mask "for voting to stay, I feel like if we all left, anyone who voted to stay could get another choice to come back, the people who voted to leave probably had families they had to go back to, and they didn't know they could've died, god I feel so b-" I got interrupted by a gunshot, which caused me to flinch
which caused me to break my shape
my eyes watered as the triangle mask put his hand out, I gave him the tin case and he didn't check it, he just closes it up and places it in his pocket, then slowly pulled it back out and passed it back to me? I wiped my tears and I opened the case, it was an untouched honeycomb with a triangle, I looked back up at him and he ruffled my hair, I then quickly went to poking the cookie and snapping pieces of it, I felt my eyes water again as I snap the final piece off of it, I got up and showed the triangle mask, he just nodded "player 458, pass" I smiled as I hugged the triangle mask then walking back through the doors, eating the cookie
