𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗗• 𝗦. 𝗞𝗔𝗡𝗚

𝑠 𝑒 𝑣 𝑒 𝑛

-the game of humanity

[N a r r a t o r]

SAE-BYEOK sat against the poles of her bunk bed. The silence devouring her into a dreary state. Ryung who had trampled over a small group of people sat beside her, with a weak smile.

"There's 456 people in this room and you choose to come to me?" The short-haired girl asks incredulously. Her lips tut together as she speaks through gritted teeth. "Because why not?"

"Because there's 456 people to bother instead of me. She murmurs, Sae-byeok sat with her knees tightly to her chest. Her mind flashing with only the images of those who had died in front of her.

Their bodies falling to the ground as their cheeks graze the dirt, and their torsos slid the surface. The light from their eyes fades into their pupils as their breaths no longer fill their lungs with the oxygen that once suffused their chests.

It made her hurt burn and her blood run cold to know that she had witness over two hundred people die today, and she did absolutely nothing about it. The worst part of it is that she couldn't let it go. She couldn't let that thought wash from her mind with the rest of the meaningless voices.

It was still there, ruing her and ridicule her for her sinful actions.

The lights had turned on, sending the warehouse into full abyss. As if on command everyone had stood on their feet. Well except Ryung who sulked as Sae-byeok pulled her to a stand.

"Congratulations for making it through the first game. Here are the results for the first game."

Each and every ding that ringed in Ryung's ears made her want to shrink further into the concrete. It was a reminder of what she had seen, what had happened at the sacrifice that had been made unknowingly as soon as her feet met with the field.

Her throat bobbed. Her hands fusing together as she plays with her fingers. Lacing them between each other as her jet black eyes never once met with the black screen. Not wanting to see the result of the first game. It made her think. If this is the result of only the first game what would happen through the course of six?

—"out of 456 players, 255 players have been eliminated. 201 players have completed the first game."

Her eyes fluttered open and closed. Trying to think of any place better than here. Any moment that could possibly fill that void that had grown between her heart and her chest. To space out her thoughts from her head.

"Sir! Forgive me. I'll pay off my debts no matter what. I'll pay back at all costs. Please sir." She rubbed her hands together in rapid motions, her knees dropping to cold floor, pleading for the last hope of humanity left in them to let her go.

Player 212, had always thought of herself higher. Thought herself far to superior in this society that she'd reach high limits in any. In her eyes she'd fit in any perception and image of those of meanings of perfection. Physically and mentally. It wasn't irregular for her to plead for pretty things or force for even a dollar in her pocket. Or in this case her life. She spent all her time pleasing and pleading than putting the effort in her dirty work.

Honestly, nobly even knows if she in fact, does have a child to care for.

"I have a child. I haven't even named my baby yet, so I couldn't register the baby's birth. Please let me leave."

Ryung stood shoulder to shoulder with Sae-byeok both girls silently hiding the men and women as they kneeled and shouted for their release. Their cries could be heard from miles as the group slowly escalated.

"Idiots." The duo muttered to themselves in hushed tones. "There seems to be a misunderstanding. We are not here to harm you or collect your debts. Let me remind you. We are presenting you with an opportunity."

—"an opportunity? You call this an opportunity? You make us play children's game and then kill us. How is this an opportunity?" The man shouted.

Player 119, wasn't poor nor did he have money to keep him stable but he had an "okay" life at the time. It was stable... not financially but stable. But the jobs had broken his back and made him lean to the edge of destruction. He gave up. He was mentally drained, so he waited til he was thrown to the streets and starved.

—"we may be in debt, but that doesn't mean we deserve to die."

"This is just a game." The guard explains blankly.

"You killed all those people. And yet you call this a game?" Player 369 forces a suppressed voice.

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

—"prize money or no prize money, I don't care. Just please let me out."

Ryung sat back down on the stair. Reacting her fingers along the paintings on the wall. Watching as her nails tap the white coated bricks. "You alright?" Sae-byeok sits by the girl. Her knees colliding with her own as they sat front faced.

"Yeah course I'm fine, we just witnessed hundreds of people die." The sarcasm in her voice apparent. And her attention occupied with only thoughts of last game. And the sounds of each gunshot that rung in the air.

"Clause one. A player is not allowed to voluntarily quit the games."

Although it didn't seem like it, Ryung had been listening to every word and sentence that had been spoken. But she had stayed silent. Silently agreeing whilst nodding a subtle head towards Sae-Byeok who just shook hers in response.

A gunshot yet again lingered in the air. The guards pointing their guns towards the huddle of people who crouched into a ball. Their state much too similar to the ones before.

"Clause two of the consent form: a player who refuses to play will be eliminated."

"Clause three of the consent form: the games may be determined, upon a majority vote. Is that correct?" Player 218 hadn't hesitated to stand in front of the guards. His glasses falling to the nip of his nose as he tries failed attempts to rest it back on the arch of it.

"That is correct." The guards agree, with a nod. "Then let us take a vote. If the majority wishes to quit, you will have to let us go."

The red guard nods sternly. His awakened position hasn't wavered for even a moment since they walked through the doors. "As you wish, we will take a vote on whether or not to terminate the games. But before we vote, we will reveal the prize amount for the first game."

The room shield into a deep black, the only source of light up above. The sound reviling in Ryung's ear as she looked at the money above. The glowing lights hiting the soft tissue of Sae-byeok's skin as she stared up in awe. Her mouth watered at the mere thoughts of the cash in her hands, the way it would skim her fingertips and bless her palms with such amount of money.

Regardless, to Ryung lives cost more then that, they are priceless. And she had taken them away, but looking at stacks of cash as they fell from the ceiling. Watching as it contiued to pile up into the piggy bank made her forget about all the guilt, clearing minde from the choke hold thoughts that chained her wrists.

Ryung's eyes shifted upon Sae-byeok, if she wasn't there at the games and hadn't witness what they had done she would be convinced that she was an innocent angel. But as many truths come with a lie, that can't be anymore far from the truth then it already is.

"The number of players elminated in the first game, 255. Allocated prize money for each player, 100 million won. Therefore a current total of 25.5 billion won has been accumulated into the piggy bank. If you quit the games now, the 25.5 billion won will be sent to the families of the eliminated players, 100 million won each. However all of you will return home empty handed."

Player 212 raised her hand shakily. Her eyes puffy and red from the consistent pleading from before. Yet now her voice is at rest and lower. And well more.... bareable. "Excuse me, if we make it through all six games, how much do we get?"

"There're 456 players. So the total is 45.6 billion won. We will begin the vote."