𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗗• 𝗦. 𝗞𝗔𝗡𝗚

𝑠 𝑖 𝑥 𝑡 𝑒 𝑒 𝑛

- maybe I wish to die more than I wish to live

[K a n g  S a e - b y e o k]

I feel my spine tingle. The cells in my shoulders loosen and the veins along my arms draped in the laced poison as I look out towards the people in front of me. Each time all I see is the blood, their dirtied and marked faces as their bullets cover each and every inch within their bodies.

It almost feels dream like. Like I'm floating into a euphoric fantasy I can only wish to be let out of. I feel 66 next to me, I can hear or breaths but I can't feel her. I know it's her but I physically can't touch her or grasp her. It's like I'm stuck. Stuck between the crevices and gaps of my mind, their venomous words etching me further into their never ending grip just out of distraught. It's not like I'm stopping them but I don't want them to continue either.

"I will now announce the results of the second game. Out of 187 players, 79 were eliminated." The money effortlessly sped into the piggy bank. The melodic sounds, bless my ears. "I'm not focused on the money anymore, look at that asshole 101 and that bitch 212. What a match made in heaven." 66 scoffs. Looking at the two adults as their faces mush together into a perfect array. "You really are an idiot." She looks at me with a pointed look, rolling her eyes at my words spitefully. "Shut up," Her teeth grit together as she looks out at the drawings. Her head leaning against my shoulder as her words rapidly travel out of her mouth.

"What do you think the next game could be?" I feel the tailbone of my back tingle. The redness of my cheeks spreading across my neck, the sweat trickles down my forehead just thinking about the possible life or death situation. But still no frown carcks the surface of my skin. Nor does the arch of my lips falter. "You're asking the wrong person." Her hands placed on her shoulders as she rubs the blades of her body. Her neck rolled as she closes her eyes nodding at my statement. "Yeah, well we have to find out quickly or else my back will kill me before they do." 66 groans, wobbling to her bed stand.

--"7.9 billion won has been accumalted in this round. The prize money accumalated so far is 34.8 billion won."

If my feet didn't hurt I would be climbing my way up to that piggy bank, just trying to reach for the papered cash to skim my fingers.

::::::::::::::

"Your mealtime begine now. All players please line up in the centre." 66 walks to the end of the line. Her hands in her pockets as she looks at the guards in front of her with dazed eyes. I see the faint marks of her fingernail staining her palm. "Relax, I doubt these assholes have enough energy to poison us anyway." 66 just nods uncertainly.

My eyes linger on the tray. "They may not be poisoning us but they certainly might be starving us to death." 66 whines. Her pout subtle between her crowned lips. The smaller girl traces her fingers around the rim of her bottle. "Stop being a baby and just eat it." I take the egg into my hands, peeling the shell of the egg. Her tilted backwards as she takes long sips from her bottle. Leaning her head against her forearm. "I love money and all... but I love food more." Her voice slurs against the tip of her tongue.

"They don't have any food left? Give me my food!" My eyes dart to the loud sounds. The constant mutters and whispers being shared across each bunk as people silently judge the man, cursing him for breaking the peaceful silence.

I watch player 271 carefully his steps moving behind him as the guards lift their gunes to his head. His mouth curling into a frightful frown. Hie eyes dulled down into a darkened state.

"We prepared the exact amount of food for each player." The guard states. "Excuase me, those people... They took the food twice. I saw them." 198 voice shrivels against her chest. Her fingers trembles as she looks out towards the group in fornt of her. Her feet tap the ground, trying to regain the last of her sanity.

Everyone's natuarlly fall onto them. Their heads held down, shamelessly eating with full mouths. The oil on their skin evident as the substance bundles into a puddle, the wetness dripping to their shirts as they wipe it with the inner corner of their forearms. "Dman it, this is fucking annoying. You've never seen a person eat before?" He laughs snidely. Shoving the egg between his yellowed teeth. 271 walks wide legged towards him. His teeth bit together.

"Who do you think you are? Why are you stealing other people's food?" His voice falters. His throat bobbing with his sentence as he spoke. "Oh, this is yours? What's your name? Is your name written on this? I don't see it." 101 takes the bottle to his lips. Clasping them tightly around the bottle with an airy chuckle. 271 looked at the him as if darkness had casted upon his head, raining on him til he pleads death.

The shorter man run to Deok-su his hands flung into the air as he tries to reach for the bottle. "Give it back! It's mine! Give it back to me!" He shouted. I look at 66 who seemed to be throughly bothered by the situation. Her face twists, as her eyes wrinkle at the mere sight of the scene. Her lips crinkled as she takes a lengthened gulp.

"I feel like we should do something." She whispers. Shielding her profound face with the transparent substance. I shake my head, craning my neck downwards. We'd die trying to get ourselves invovlved in this. We'd be tangling it into tighter knots than it's already in. I wanted to say, but of course I just shake my head. Bringing myself closer to the edge of the bunk.

Gasps gaped at peoples faces as the sound of the glass colliding with the ground rung in my ears. The lightly tinted water spilling around the hues of grey. "You son of a bitch." Deok-su takes him by the collar. Pulling his body closer to his own, slowly dragging his feet upwards offf the ground.

"You fucking broke the bottle!How come a scrawny fucker like you is so obsessed with food?" His knuckles seared into his palm, dropping his body back. The crack underneath the vessel of his fingers sparks. You could hear his body making amends with the floor as his skin skimmed the sleek ground.

"Hey, I'm trying to say we need to share." His feet hitting his ribcage in contious patters. His groans strained out and yet the guards stood there, still. As if they were waiting for his fate. The bones crashing against one another, no blood is enough to tell the pain he may be feeling within. Again, and again he goes. "Is that so hard? You fucking son of a bitch." My teeth clench together. My tongue damp. My legs beneath me rock back and fourth in some what of a cradle motion.

"We should do something." 66 tells me. But this time she says it as if there isn't any choice. But she still stays still when she hears no reply. It's like she's begging me to say yes but also pleading for no.

Deok-su pants softly to himself. Tucking the hem of his shirt as he returns to his place, leavong the body to colden underneath the raucous light.

218, wwalks up to the limp man. His hands shake as he places two palms against him. Trying to shake him awake but there is an empty space between his questions. He puts two fingers against hsi neck. Looking shock , every inch of his face whiten. His expression palpable. H elooks up at 456, his eyes water. Voices trembling with an eeery frown.

"He's dead." 218 looks donw at the body beside him.

"Holy shi-"