TAE-RI WAS IN HELL. It had to be, no sort of other explanation, a very uniformized, crowded hell. So many bunk bads, so many voices, luckily the room was cooled enough to have them all in, but besides that, she had no idea where she was.

No windows, nowhere to spot the sun outside, unaware it was night or day, only those walls.

Now she was there, in a bed with another on top of hers, panicking over the clothes.

"Oh my God did someone see me naked?" She mumbled to herself, as she looked to her side, where another woman found herself in the same situation, uncomfortably trying to process what happened. "Hello?" She called her, as the woman turned to her. "Um..sorry, do you know where are we?"

"I...I actually have no idea. Maybe at the game." She responded, her voice a bit low, as she pulled a strand of her short hair behind her ear.

Tae-Ri sighed, nervous. "Is it weird I'm mostly panicking about the clothes and not the fact that I'm kidnapped?"

The woman laughed, nodding in agreement. "Same here." She seemed rather shy and reserved, unlike Tae-Ri, much taller, with jet black painted nails.

"I'm Son Tae-Ri" She offered her hand.

The woman with the number 120 on her uniform looked at her slightly surprised, but still shook her hand. "Cho Hyun-ju"

"Oh." Tae-Ri gasped as she held fiercely her hand, twice bigger than hers, taking a closer look. Hyun-ju froze into place waiting for the worst. "I love your nails, did you them yourself?"

The fellow player looked at her in a visible relief, visualizing a pleasant suprise she did not often receive from others "I...yes, yes, I did. Thank you."

"I never have time to do mine. "Tae-Ri showed hers, short and simple, some even smallee than others. "I wouldn't even clean vomit in aisles if I hands so pretty like yours, I wouldn't do anything to not ruin them actually." She joked and the other one laughed in return.

That's when the doors opened suddenly, interrupting conversations or questions, bringing in a team of pink guards all in syncrony, as they stopped right in front of them all.

Player 120 walked with Tae-Ri until the center, where all the players were gathered, so they could see the next actions.

"I would like to extend a hearty welcome to all of you." The guard announced. "Everyone here will participate in six different games over six days. Those who win all six games will receive a handsome cash prize."

Tae-Ri curved her mouth, still frustrated, 6 days? What about her father? He would be scared, worried, 6 days without giving any sort of news, he would probably think she was dead! If she could she would leave that place immediatly, there was a bad feeling she couldn't ignore. Besides, she was still taken against her will, dressed up, and pratically drugged to be there, now waking up in a strange place.

Something awful had to be hidden below the surface.

"Excuse me." Cho Hyun-ju stepped forward, courgerous. "You said I'd be playing games, but you practically kidnapped me. So how can I believe that?"

People stared back at her, some in shock, others amusement, for different reasons in general, but Tae-Ri could only think about one thing: Finally someone was being reasonable.

After all, who'd be kidnapped all of sudden, and not ask what happened?!

"I apologize. Please understand that it was necessary to maintain the game's security." The guard informed calmly.

"What's with the mask then? Is your face also a secret?" Another player asked.

"To ensure fair gameplay and confidentiality, it is our policy not to reveal the faces and identities of staff. Please understand."

"What about our clothes?" Another person shouted. "And our stuff?"

Tae-Ri internally celebrated, she couldn't be the only one bothered by that after all. She looked around the room, where most players complained, now wondering how they'd even leave that place, in case of an emergency, if the only doors were blocked by the guards. A paranoid person, some would say, but always a careful one.

"You must be in your uniforms for the games. We're keeping your belongings safe. We'll return them once the games are over."

6 Days. It would take entirely 6 days for her to communicate back with her father, she couldn't afford that time, people like her didn't have the priviledge to simply disappear, fuck it all, and join games. She had responsabilities, a home to take care of.

"At least give me my phone. I need to check the crypto market." A young man stepped foward, shouting to the guards. "I need to monitor the realtime prices! Do you know how much I've invested?"

The monitor in front of them suddenly lightned, up showing the image of the same young man now playing ddakji and being slapped on the face multiple times.

It startled Tae-Ri, was that what happened to her father? Is that why one side of his face was red and he had extra cash yesterday? It made her heart ache. She couldn't bare stand the fact that he hurt himself to help her.

"Player 333, Lee Myunggi. Age 30, used to run a YouTube channel called MG Coin." The guard begun spilling out information about the man. "After convincing subscribers to invest in a new crypto coin called Dalmatian, causing losses of approximately 15.2 billion won, you shut down and disappeared." The crowd gasped. "You're wanted for fraud and for violating telecom and financial investment laws. Current debt levels, 1.8 billion won."

"Oh my God-" Tae-Ri mumbled to herself. She had debts, some she was not proud of, but that much? That was insanity, who could spend so much money?

As if things couldn't get even more insane, the guard begun to show multiple people in the same situation as the previous man on the TV. All being slapped and asking for another match, it was painful to watch.

"Player 006, Park Mihwa, 3.1 billion won in debt." He spoke out loud. "Player 283, Lee Eunju, 4.02 billion won in debt. Player 100, Im Jeongdae..."He finally showed a middled aged white haired man on the screen. "...10 billion won in debt."

"What the fuck..." Hyun-ju whispered next to Tae-Ri. "Who is that?" She asked.

The crowd found oyt for themselves as now they all stared at the same man in the middle. "What are you looking at?" He snapped, clearly angry. "Do you think it's easy to get a tenbillionwon loan?" He stuffed his chest. "They don't lend that kind of money to just anyone! Only to those who are capable of paying it back."

"If he's so fortunate then why is he here?" Tae-Ri whispered to Cho Hyun-ju.

"Tsk. Liar." She side eyed with disdain at the man. "Might be a gambler or something, and doesn't want to admit it."

The lights then were lowered, as a yellow ilumination covered the ceiling, where a huge glass piggy bank lowered itself, until their eyesight, shining as a mirrorball. All eyes dazzled to the image, it was almost magical.

"What you see now is the piggy bank where your valuable prize money will be stored." The square guard informed. "After each of the six games you will play, the prize money will accumulate in this piggy bank." There was more chattering and whispers. "The prize money for the games is 45.6 billion won in total."

45.6 billion won, her heart stopped. She didn't even know what to do with so much money. Who could even think of something like that? She wouldn't gain that momey in a million years of working, or even if another life, if it ever existed.

It was strange, of course, but only those immersed in their private hell knew the electrifying effect of staring back at that piggy bank with hope, helplessly imagining a better future.

In that moment, Tae-Ri was one of them.

"We will give you the details about the distribution of the prize money after the first game. For these games, you will be given a special new advantage." Suspense increased after the square guard's words. "After each game, you will be given a chance to vote on whether to continue the games or not. If the majority votes to stop the games, you can leave with the prize money accumulated up to that point."

Tae-Ri watched as people gossip and created lines to sign the papers so they could agree on joining the games. She was still rigid, on her place, an internal conflict as those terrible headaches came back, her legs weak as she sat down for a moment.

"Aren't you going to sign up?" Cho Hyun-ju asked.

"I'm still figuring it out.. you can go ahead." She insisted, as her newest colleague headed to the line.

It was strange to spot many strangers all together in a single goal. A game for money, maybe that was an universal language: money. Of course Tae-Ri didn't want to be a pessimist but everything felt too good, too simple.

What about those people who were slapped on the face? She could only remember the redness on her father's cheek...how much he sacrificed for money. Why would they select players by that? To test their limits, determination?

Her father...if she didnxm't get the card maybe he would be there, kidnapped to a strange place, drugged in a van. For once, she had the complete chance of changing her life, changing it for good.

Whatever was the money, she could gain, she knew she needed.

Didn't believe in a single chance of winning, but maybe she could still go back home with something.

Fine, she entered the line.

Her footsteps finally stopped when she reached up to the paper she'd have to sign, the rules already explained were all written on it, clear to sight. She hesitated. "So...if I lose the game, you guys drive me back home right?" She asked, the guard in front of her did not answer. "Oh, and could any of you call my father for me? He might be worried-"

He only pointed to the paper for her to sign. Looks like they weren't up for any conversations.

So this was it, the moment of picking up the paper, and signing up the deal. Oh, wait, she was still in her father's place: Son Jong-Su, she wrote, in a pretty caligraphy letter trying to copy his. Would that affect if she won the game? Tsk, won the game, now she was just dreaming to high.

456 People in this room, and her, a person with a disease barely able to stand on her feet, winning? That was funny.

"So, did you sign?" Cho Hyun-ju asked as she stood next to her again.

"I think so." She smiled. "Let's see how it goes."

...

"The first game will begin briefly. After having your picture taken, follow the staff's instructions to proceed to the gane site." A kind voice echoed through the sound system as they were all lined up.

It resembled a labyrinth, colorful, mostly bubblegum pink, as hundreds of fellow players followed the guards instructions on how to procceed through the many tunnels and stairs.

Tae-Ri was almost lost through it all, head spinning as she started coughing again, trying to keep up the rythm, Hyun-ju right behind her, always attentive to her surroundings.

Her gentle hand touched her shoulder. "Are you alright?" Hyun-ju asked, noticing her constant coughing.

"Y-Yeah, I just have a sore throat, that's all." She lied through her teeth.

Being already an object of pity at home was enough, but being seen as someone fragile also by people in the game would be too much humiliation for her, for now, Tae-Ri would keep it a secret.

After all, who says she would win the first game? As far as she was concerned, she could easily loose, so it was no use telling so many details.

She found herself now in front of many photo cabins, where each one pf them needed to have their picture taken. Some would make poses, other just stand there, in a corner, waiting for their turn.

"Please take a picture with me!" Someone shouted.

"Me too!" Someone followed.

"What's all this noise?" Hyun-ju asked, as she stood in line with Tae-Ri.

Their gaze landed on a purple haired man, all surrounded by joyful people, and, appearently, they were all his fans.

When Tae-Ri noticed, she gasped. "Oh my God, it's Thanos!" She shaked Hyun-Ju's shoulder.

"Who?" She furrowed her eyebrows, never ever seen such a ridiculous scene in front of her.

"You know Thanos, that famous rapper." She explained. "Wow, my friends and I would listen to his songs back in high school." Tae-Ri tried to mimic a rapper, hands up in the air making a face. "Switch up this loser atmosphere, so they can't hide this insanity! I'm the one, the legend, Thanos!"

Hyun-Ju bursted laughing, in middle of a crowded room Tae-Ri had started to dance (absolutely failed) and faked some beatboxing. Her friend begged her to stop, with almost tears in her eyes, and she finally did, with a victorious pose.

"Please don't do that ever again." Hyun-Ju asked, as she was now getting close to her turn to take the picture. "Looks like you've gained some attention"

Tae-Ri looked over her shoulder, where the purple hair idol tried to please the crowd and stared back at her with a smirk before dropping a well known wink to her. It just occured that he may have watcher her "little performance".

She instantly turned around, as Hyun-Ju laughed out loud. "Now that's embarrassing." Tae-Ro muttered, wishing to disappear at that moment.

Hyun Ju stepped forward, where a pannel with an emoji asked her to smile so it could take the picture. She tried to fix the clothes, and stand there, nervously waiting for the shot.

"Wait!" Tae-Ri hushed, and pulled a strand of her hair from her face. "Okay, goregous, go ahead."

Hyun Ju couldn't help but chuckle, and just then the came captured the moment, she stared marvelous at the picture, as Tae-Ri cheered. "You look so good, wow!" She jumped. "Okay, my turn"

Wide smile spread in a painful face, she held her coughing for a minute and done, the picture snapped, attaching player 321 one, supposed to eb her father, now on her face at the pannel an ominous enemy stepped on the floor in a control room.

Hyun Ju and her prepared to set away, following the guards, when Tae-Ri stopped, looking back at the person behind her in line, a man with somber eyes and straight mouth, walking over to the pannel, as the machine pratically begged for him to smile.

There was an undeniable sadness surrounding him, something so immersive that it was impossible to figure out. While so many were joyful to join the game, he seemed filled with rage and even...grief.

Once again, her and her stupid mouth started speaking. "Hey sir." She the short haired and a bit older, man who wore a tag of the number 456 in his clothes. He looked back at her, confused. "Do you know how the ocean says hi?"

The man furrowed his eyebrows, maybe slightly annoyed, or just thinking too much about the question. "...No." He muttered without much effort.

"It waves!" She responded, waving to him with such a silly grin that anyone would think they'd be talking to a 5 year old.

The joke wasn't funny, not even a bit, cheesy and maybe overused, but in a glimpse of that smile, so much joy in such a place, Player 456 caught himself giving a short laugh, as he shook his head and tried to look back at the pannel, where the picture was taken before he could notice.

"You didn't have to do that, you know." Hyun Ju said, with a tiny smile.

"I know...but it was worth it." Tae-Ri said, as they walked away before the man could approach or complain, her head down, and a slight blush across her cheeks indicated a small sign of happiness "He has a beautiful smile."

...

"Welcome to the first game. all players, please wait on the field." The speakers announced, as the doors opened to a wide field.

For the first time since she arruved, it was possible to see the sky, the sound of birds and the sea invading her ears. Were they in a beach? Probably far from her city. She hasn't visited the beach in years, wondered how it wpuld be like to feel the warm sand on her feet and the fresh water against her body again. The last time she was there, was probably back when her mother was still alive, even before her brother was even born.

But now, back to reality, a grand field, and four walls, almost resembling a chuldren's playground, more ahead a huge doll in yellow dress stood tall in front of a tree. Her eyes send shivers across Tae-Ri's spine.

'Welcome to the first game. You will be playing Red Light, Green Light." The speakers announced.

"Red light, green light?" Hyun-Ju asked. "Isn't that a children's game?"

"If it's the same one I'll be eliminated in the first round. I sucked on it." Tae-Ri chuckled.

As the voice was explaining the rules, quick steps interrupted her speech, as the player 456 stood in front of them, eyes widely spread as he started to shout.

"Everyone! Everybody, you need to pay attention! Hey, listen up!" The player sstared back at him, confused.

"Isn't that the guy you talked just ago?" Hyun Ju whispered to Tae-Ri"What is he doing?" The other one shrugged, unable to understand as well.

"I'm gonna tell you something and you gotta listen close!" He continued. "This isn't just a game, it's more than that. If you move after "red light," you're going to be shot!"

"Wait did he just say shot, like, gunfire?" Tae-Ri gasped.

"He might be crazy, or trying to scare people." Hyun Ju responded.

"If they catch you moving, you're going to be killed! There's guns in the walls" He continued to mumble as a maniac. "You see that big doll thing there? Look at it! Its eyes are like motion-tracking sensors! Motion-tracking eyes! If it sees you move, you die!"

No one believed in what he said, instead there was mockery, gossip, comments about his motives to do so, anything but pay attention to his shoutings. Tae-Ri didn't know in what to believe, that man seemed sincere, but still, a game that killed people? It felt too fictional, too unrealistic to her.

The doll suddenly moved, starting to sing the juvenile song in a haunting tone, as the players finally started to play. Tae-Ri gave some steps, and just before the door could move its' head, she stopped.

Player 456 also yelled "FREEZE!" While some complained.

The doll stood still, its' head turned to them for a few seconds until she turned around once again, restarting as the others advanced through the filed. "Red light, green light"

The process repeated once again, and Player 456 yelled "FREEZE!" Some were already impatient.

Tae-Ri tried to contain her coughs by the time she stopped, now far behind, loosing sight of Hyun Ju. A runnung game certainly wasn't the recommended for someone in her condition.

The doll's head turned around again, she used the time to cough and take some steps. Only one person didn't move, Player 456, and now he was there just by her side.

He glanced to his side, noticing her state, and instantly said "Speak with your mouth covered. It could be seen." He whispered, as he instantly covered his mouth his arm.

Tae-Ri just did in an impulse, following his instructions, and instantly covered her mouth, coughing as the doll now was turned to them. It worked.

"Aren't you going to run?" She whispered to him. "You're going to lose if you don't cross the line." He seemed more concerned in getting people to cross the line than himself.

As the last row of people passed, which included Tae-Ri, he followed close, until the doll suddenly turned again. Tae-Ri almost lost balance, her body almost stumbled back, until it touched a chest behind.

"Don't move." Player 456 whispered in her ear, his hands gripping on her arms, keeping her still.

In the front of the race, instead, a girl suddenly screamed, and from what Tae-Ri could observed, she seemed to be panicking at something that people were finding stupid.

It didn't take long for a loud sound echo through the air and suddenly her screams were gone. "She's dead." He suddenly declared in a whisper. "No matter what happens, don't move." He ordered.

His toen carried seriousness, he couldn't be lying, not with something so serious as death. Tae-Ri felt her heart race, but trid to remain still. At the front roll, it took 3 seconds for a woman to suddenly scream at her discovery.

Another shot.

"DON'T MOVE!" Player 456 shouted, almost in Tar-Ri's ear, as she struggled to keep still.

But his warnings were in vain, as soon as peoppe visualized the deaths happening, they started to run, push each other, scream, as a massive shooting continued.

Death.

The name she tried to avoid since her mother's and brother's. Now happening continuously, in front of her, and all she could do was watch, as bodies lied on the ground, staining the field in red.

The doll turned around, people were stuck in their places, still in schock, tears filled her eyes. This had to be a nightmare, all of this, she would wake up soom in her bed, smelling the tea her father had prepared, running downstairs and giving him a warm hug in the safetu of their home.

But for now, hell endured.

"Come!" Player 456 grabbed her wrist, and dragged her alomg.

"Wait! No!" She cried out loud, thinking he was sending her off to death.

"We need to cross the line before the time runs out or we'll die." He warned her, as they stopped just in time, him standing in front of her, as a shield. With his other arm, he covered his mouth. "YOU NEED TO CROSS THE LINE BEFORE THE TIME RUNS OUT OR THEY'LL KILL YOU!"

Now everyone listened, it took a massacre for someone to listen to the lunatic, the drunk, the trickster, as they called, and now it all made sense.

"Stand behind someone taller than you, and they won't capture your movements!" He yelled, instructing others.

At the next Green light, everyone started to gather around, getting in duos, lines even, Tar-Ri still with him, his hand never leaving her wrist, as he stopped at each warning of the doll.

"How do you know all of this?" She whispered at one pause, swallowing the tears as occasional shootings happened.

"Don't look back." He warned, his grip tightning.

Her eyes turned to the side briefly, noticing the rapper she was such a fan i her teens now pushing three players in a row, all of them shot as he gave a maniac blood thirsty smile.

"Oh my God..-"Tae-Ri could feel herself breathing faster, surroundings dizzy, that was not the best moment to have a panic attack.

"Don't be distracted, follow my lead." 456 oriented again.

More running, always close behind, legs failing, head aching, almosy blind by the sun above, sweating in that stupid uniform while trying to escape death. Why the fuck she thought joining these games a good idea. If she ever made it alive, she would give a whole damn speech to her father for being so irresponsible, he wouldn't have lasted a minute there.

Well, she wouldn't either, if it wasn't for 456 dragging her around, having pity at such an easy target.

So it happened, as a miracle, just when the doll was about to turn around, he pulled her fastly, turning around, pratically hugging Tae-Ri so she could make it in time.

She was hiperventilating, almost unable to stand still as she felt 456 arms around her looking up for a moment. "It's okay, you're safe, you've made it." He reassured, nodding fastly, even he was trembling, staring back at the players still tried to reach the line. "DON'T STOP! YOU CAN DO IT!" He yelled at them.

Tae-Ri looked back, visualizing her friend between them. "HYUN JU!!" She shouted with the last strentgh she had in her body, as the brave player 120 met her gaze, hopeful. "COME ON!"

30 Seconds left, Tae-Ri had to sit down, not being able to stand still as an avalanche of anxiety took over, very few people to cross and even less time available, by her side, a man that seemed to be 456's friend also looked nervous at the ending of the deadly game.

"Help! Please!" A man, already on the ground, appeaently not shot to kill, crawled through the ground, bleeding.

What seemed fast, pratically happened in slow motion, Tae-Ri watched the exact moment, when the doll turned, 456 speeding back into the field, in a suicial mission beyond the line, where he squated on the ground, reaching for the man.

"What is he doing?" His friend gasped, horrified. "He's going to die. GIHUN!!" He yelled.

When he raised the man from the ground, with all his strentgh, it still wasn't enough, they'd stil fall, that is, until Hyun-Jun helped, holding the man on the other side.

Tae-Ri had already a and on her chest, feeling her lungs sick as she watched with anticipation, if she could, she would've run to maybe help, but a person like her would only slow down.

That wae the worst part of it all, stay, and watch as the timer slowly dissipated until the fatal ending.

She closed her eyes, unable to see it.

More steps, the timer ending, and then, nothing.

When she reopened, they were therex three victorious people. The man thanking the duo with enthusiasm, pure relief.

Tae-Ri raised from the ground, a smile across her face, ready to grin her friend, when something cut the air right next to her. Body on the ground.

She could feel it, the blood on her face, as the man just saved, now lied dead between them. She gazed at Hyun-Ju, with tears rolling down her cheeks, hands trembling.

She speeded to her, almost like a child, as Hyun-Ju promptly opened her arms and embraced her, the two scared as they looked up, while a wide, iron ceiling covered the soon, encaging them in the nightmare once again.

An endless hell.