No one knew who she really was. No one knew how she got here. No one knew how a once innocent young woman became such a merciless monster. But it all began with one, childish little game... a childish little game which caused new beginnings...
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"Just a Game"
┈┈ ☠ ┈┈
Did you ever get the feeling that you just buried your own grave when making a decision, but it's also a blessing that you had made the decision? Yeah, the feeling's mutual. I felt that when first joining this organisation that was filled with blood, gore, and a never ending truth.
At first, I believed that I would simply go through a little, childish survey, in return getting a few Won (Korean currency) so that I could pay off my debt. I was gravely mistaken. I never knew that I would be signing off my life, putting it on a tightrope in which the fate would be decided if I won or lost a few games. The games however were more than you ever thought would be simple.
To think that I stumbled across this very contract which would lead me to a new life when I was in a low budget café was bizarre. I had thought I would just simply buy some low-quality coffee and head my not-so-merry way to my shitty job which barely pays me because I am a woman.
What I didn't expect was the waiter to place a card after asking whether I preferred the colour red or blue, (I chose the latter). It wasn't any card. It wasn't a business card or a card asking for my number, (which I would have rejected anyway since I was so focused on earning enough money to provide for myself, rather than worrying about my love life).
It was... I don't even know how to explain it. It was a small, brown card which had three shapes: circle, triangle, square on one side, and a number on the other side. I was more than confused when I had gotten it. The waiter only spared me a wink, signalling to call the number before walking off to seemingly the kitchen. I didn't get a good look at his face. The only thing I did notice about him was that he looked like a wealthy person, due to his good looks and the suit he was wearing, despite working at a café.
But after calling the number... I felt like I made a huge mistake. I signed my life away to play games which are supposed to be for children, except when someone is 'out', or 'eliminated', they die... physically.
I surprised myself even more after I had chosen to play the game a second time, except choosing red this time. I wasn't thinking, I had tried to convince myself that. Just a week after the horrific experience I had gone through, I began to think about the pros and cons.
The pros, I would earn a lot of money. The person who made this organisation, someone who I don't yet know, was rich. He or she just had a lot of money which they didn't know what to do with and decided to use it by giving it to people who win ruthless games, and to pay the people who work there.
The cons, I'd probably develop a new fear, necrophobia after seeing so many people die. I mean, that did happen for a while... until I finally succumbed to the feeling of pain after seeing so many lifeless bodies falling to the ground.
I grew used to it and even wanted people to face the same fate.
One thing led to another, and now I found myself as the Front Man's secretary. Cliché, isn't it? I get to have more rights than the masked workers do, and I don't have to wear a mask either, like the man who first got me into this whole situation, who's name I for some reason don't know, due to the amount of traitors this place has.
And here I am now, in my own office, just typing away on my computer, monitoring the games again. It's the year 2021, two years after I had become a part of this place, and grew to appreciate it.
I often thought about my decision that I had made four years prior, sometimes even regretting it. But I was more than thankful either way for even getting myself in such a position. Who wouldn't? Working for an extremely wealthy person who pays their workers well is a blessing... not so much for the killing, though.
I looked up from my screen once I heard a knock on the door. "Come in." I spoke in a tone which was not too loud, but not too quiet either. Just enough for only the person at my door to hear.
The door handle slowly turned, eventually opening the black painted, wooden doors of my office. It was one of the workers who were responsible for doing some of the Front Man, my superior's, personal work.
It was a woman who I had known well. She was dressed well, and wore light makeup, her dark hair done into a low bun. She almost looked like a regular office worker. She held a pile of papers in her hands, walking towards me with a meaningless, but not fake smile which looked menacing, and could easily cause shivers down someone's spine.
"The Front Man would like to inform you that he would like to have a meeting with you around eight in the evening after the new players have come in." She spoke in an almost robotic voice, placing the papers on my desk. I mean, they were trained to exchange formal words to their superiors. Behind everyone's sight however, they were whoever they were behind the masks.
"I see. Thank you for delivering the message. You may be dismissed." I replied before turning back to my computer screen, not missing the short bow she gave before walking out of my office. It was normal for them to shortly bow like that in front of their superiors, in this case one of their superiors being me.
- ☠ -
"I guess you are aware of why you're here?" The Front Man spoke from across from me as we both sat in his personal lounge room where he could have a clear, TV view of the players as they went through the games. A masked worker poured a glass of expensive champagne in two wine glasses, placing them in the middle of the fancy table in front of us.
"This year's game, I'm assuming?" I replied, looking up at him. I was one of the few people who were allowed to see his face behind the black mask he wears all the time to conceal his identity. The Front Man was a fairly attractive person. He looked similar to his brother, who was looking for him ever since he had taken part in the game as well.
The Front Man had a similar life of having his current position like me. He was once a player of the games, took interest in running them, and eventually got one of the highest positions as time passed. He had been here way before I had.
"Correct. I want you to monitor the players this year very carefully. Not through the screens, but they will be monitored in front of your very eyes. This year's players aren't very gullible like last year's. They are more violent. You are much stronger than all the guards, even without a weapon, so I believe this job would be perfect for someone like you." He explained, taking a sip out of the champagne in his hand. I nodded in understanding.
"Yes sir, of course." I said calmly. "And may I request... I would like to run a few personal tests on some people. So may I collect samples of blood from deceased players?" I requested. Blood fascinated me a lot. There are just so many different variations and types of it. Some are weak, some are strong. It's just so interesting.
"Why not. Just be careful if any of the blood is bacterial, of course." The Front Man replied. I nodded in reply. "Thank you sir."
After a while, I had left his office and headed towards mine. On the way, I saw the new players through a huge window in one of the hallways.
They all laid straight on cold, hard hospital beds while they were changed out of their clothes into the uniform which was a green and white tracksuit with numbers on the sides of the jackets. The person with the number 001 on it was an old man who I swear I have seen somewhere.
Just then I remembered when the Front Man had informed me that an important person from the organisation was going to partake in this year's game to experience the thrill of what it was like since he didn't have much longer to live. I didn't know what position the man was in within the organisation, but I felt bad. He seemed like someone who was in the place for a while and he was suddenly going to pass away.
The person with the number 456 on their tracksuit was a man who looked to be in his forties. He was Seong Gi-hun, I believe. He is a divorced man who lives with his mother, jobless. The only way he gets money is by gambling. He sometimes meets up with his daughter, especially on her birthdays.
I looked away from the scene before heading back to my office, shutting the doors once I was there. I wasn't fully sober since I did have an alcoholic beverage. So I decided to just do paperwork instead of being on my computer to avoid myself doing anything stupid and accidentally causing havoc.
