PAWNS [squid game]

△11△

Jiah could tell that Saebyeok knew something.

Last night, Saebyeok and another woman went to the bathroom. It was a big show that made it impossible for Jiah to sleep. When they returned, Saebyeok had a strange look in her eyes.

The next game was starting.

Jiah trudges along in line. Whatever the next game was, she couldn't care less. Just get in there and get it over with. She did hope it was something outside again. It was stuffy in a singular room and she wanted some fresh air and sun.

The players reach the room meant for a playing field. Jiah scrunches her face at the brightly colored walls and playground equipment.

Sure they usually played kids' games, but come on. Could they be any more cliche?

A guard walks up behind her, nudging their boot into her sneakers.

"Sorry, geez," she scoffs, stepping further into the room.

The guard grabs her arm and she startles, snapping her head to look at the mask with a circle.

"What, circle? Aren't triangles and squares above you?" she hisses.

The guard doesn't say anything. They just stand there and stare at her.

"Before the second game begins, choose from one of the four shapes and stand in front of it," the intercom leads.

The guard squeezes Jiah's arm twice and takes a step back.

Jiah squints at the strange actions before shaking it off and turning around.

Circle, triangle, star, and umbrella.

Those were the shapes painted on the walls that players had to blindly choose.

Jiah glances back to the circle guard. With a roll of her eyes and an all-too-sweet smile, she skips to the circle.

The guard had a circle mask. Just to provoke him, she chose the circle.

Britney followed Saebyeok despite the other woman's dirty look. Britney figured foreigners should stick together. She was American and Saebyeok was from North Korea so maybe.. she had no rationale. She was just looking for someone to follow.

Dohyun made his choice with ease. The star.

He was an idol. People always called him a 'star'. It was like choosing his fandom's color for ddakji.

The lines moved faster than usual. Dohyun tried to not think about how that meant more people had died.

They're handed little metal tins. When everyone has their choice, it is announced to open the tin.

Careful, like it was a bomb inside, Dohyun peels the cover back on the tin. His heart drops to his stomach.

Dalgona? With a star in the middle? That didn't mean..

Dohyun picks the cookie up and a needle rolls around the empty tin. He closes his eyes and curses himself in his head.

When Jiah saw the circle cookie, her head snaps around to look for the guard that had touched her. But, it was hard to tell which one was which.

She looks over to the carts. The guard had squeezed her arm twice.

One.. Circle.

Two.. Triangle.

Three.. Star.

Four.. Umbrella.

Jiah looks at the cookie with confusion. Was the guard trying to tell her to choose the second row? Was the guard.. helping?