Alicia's POV-

We were brought to the main area, where previous winners were already there. I spot '067', I go near her and sit in front of her. I take a deep breath. "Thank you." we say, at the same time. "why?" I asked her before she even opened her mouth. "For dragging me into the triangle one," she explains. Well, I don't deserve that 'thank you'

'Attention players, I will now announce the results of the second game.' Everyone's eyes were glued to the screen.

The number of players goes from 187 to 108.

'out of the 187 players who participated, 79 were eliminated.' More money accumulated in the piggy bank. 'The prize money accumulated this round is 7.9 billion won. The total prize money accumulated so far is now 34.8 billion won.'

'Attention. Your mealtime begins now. All players please form a line in the centre of the room.' Everyone obliged and formed two lines in front of the table. I was standing behind '067'. soon it was my turn to take my meal. An egg and soda? Luxurious meal. I caught up with '067'. we both sat near our bed. We start having our 'meal'.

"Excuse me, where is our meal?"

"We didn't get our meal, either."

"But we made the meal according to the players." the square insisted.

"Excuse me," a young-looking woman raised her hand before pointing over to Player 101. "It was them, they.. they skipped the line and got seconds. I saw them." I looked at them, as he ate his last piece. "Damn it, what's the matter!? You've never seen a person eat before?" he scoffed.

Player 271 stormed over them, "Who do you think you are? That's my food and those other 4 people's food you just ate." "Oh really? This is yours? Is your name written on it?" '101' says as he took another drink of the soda.

'271' charged at him, attempted to take the bottle. The two of them struggled before 101 pushed '271' along with throwing the bottle down and it shattered on the ground. "You little shit," he growled and grabbed the collar of '271', "Why did you break it, dumbass?" He dragged him to the centre of the room then punched him in the face making him fall to the ground. "How come a scrawny jerk like you is so greedy with food?" He kicked onto the man's torso as he groaned in pain.

"We need to learn how to share," another kick after another. "Is it too hard?!" he stomps on his torso. He releases him after he lets out all of his anger.

I set my bottle down and rush to the man. I gently shake him. "sir, are you okay? Sir, wake up." Sang-woo checks his pulse. "He's gone" '456' knelled down beside me and started at '271'.

"Guards!! Can someone do something?" '456' starts panicking. He goes near the guards. "A man is dead." he points at the dead man. "He's dead. That bastard just killed him!" '101' just looked away. "He just killed someone!"

'456' began looking around for the cameras. "Can't you hear me?! A man just died! Help us now! We shouldn't be killing each other like this!" The only thing we can hear in this room is '456' breathing.

'Player 271, eliminated.' The number on the board changed from 108 to 107 and 34.8-billion to 34.9-billion, as more money dropped into the glass piggy bank. Even my breath gets heavier.

The door opens revealing 2 more staff with a black coffin with pink ribbon. The fact that I am shaking so much right now because the dead man was literally in front of me. The staff places the dead body in the coffin and takes it out of the room.

Only 30 minutes left for the blackout. '067' still sitting beside me. I zone out. I hear footsteps nearing us. "Hey girls." we look up and see '456'. he sighs. "Are you okay? You both almost put up a fight with that thug," he added. "Did you come here to say this?" I ask him. "Tonight, if something happens, we'll meet in my bed right there. Are you in?" he points at his bed. I look at her, she turns her head away. "I don't trust anyone," she says. "What about her?" '456' points at me. "We don't trust each other," she says. "You have to trust people because you don't have anybody else." he sighs and looks at me. "Just join, okay?" I nod at him.

Time's ticking. 'lights out in 30 seconds' Everyone goes to their respective beds.

10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1... the clock beeps. My eyes are wide open. Having insomnia is a bonus thing, for now. I am praying that it won't be chaotic.

Man, I was wrong. A woman's scream echoed the room, I gripped onto my blanket tight making sure that my breath wasn't loud. I couldn't see anything, I looked around, terrified. Just then I feel my bed moving. In a matter of time, I am on the floor struggling to get out. As soon as I get out, I feel sharp glass near my neck. "This is the best time to die, bitch." It is '101'voice. I punch him on his stomach using my elbow. He falls to the ground making me free from his grip.

The lights started to flash on and off, and I could barely see what's happening. And my eyes were hurting. Just then someone was about to stab me with a glass piece, I felt a rod near my leg. I quickly grabbed it and hit that person's face. Blood splattered from his mouth.

At a distance, I spot '067' struggling with '101', I rush there and push him to the side and punch him on the nose. He loses his balance. "Let us meet near '456' and his team. And it would be safe if we go separately." I quickly say and run where '456' and his gang were. As I was on my way there, a '101' team member was about to stab me with a knife, I duck and hit him with the rod I was holding on his back. But he scratched me on my face.

As I reached there, "you came!" '456' says. I hold my knees and try to catch my breath. But... I felt a jolt of pain in my head. I tried to balance, but my vision was getting blurrier. I could see Sang-woo hitting someone. I feel someone holding me. We all stand behind '456'. All I could hear was mumbling. But I heard 'teammate'. I was holding on to '067'.

"All of you, stop this." a shaky voice said. I looked up. It was the elderly man. "I'm... I... I'm scared. We are all gonna die here! Everyone is going to die here! Please, I am so scared. STOP THIS MADNESS!!" I almost tear up.

The lights are back on, the staff enter the room. Each of them checks on the players. I stand up straight. We raise our hands and turn our backs. A triangle staff checks on '456'.

'player 227, eliminated. Player 74, eliminated. Player 198, eliminated. Player 87, eliminated.'

A square staff comes near '456' and asks something that I can't hear. Then he comes near me.

He leans and whispers, "Player 315, hope you are not badly injured. But I have a question." I look at the staff with my mouth slightly open, still breathing heavily. "Is there a player named Hwang In-Ho here?" he asks. In-Ho? Why would he be here? "We don't use our names," I reply. I wanted to ask why he asked about In-ho, but I was scared that he would do something. He leaves.

After everything settled, '456' called me to the other side. "What did the staff ask you?" he inquired. "What did he ask you?" I ask back. "He asked about a person named 'Hwang In-Ho. Now tell me, what did he ask you?" he asked the same thing? Are they related somehow? "something like that." I say.

Right now I am sitting beside '067', my head on her shoulder. For the first time, she wrapped her hands around me. Tears rolled out of my eyes.

-flashback -

It's been a week since we shifted to Korea. And I'm 15 years old. I started going to school. I do struggle with Korean but I do manage with the help of my friends.

Right now I am cleaning my room, I hear my dad screaming. "I will pay for everything, just don't kill me!!" 

Then I hear footsteps. my mother enters the room and quickly shuts the door and locks it. Someone bangs at the door. We go and stand at the corner hoping that the door won't break open. But I was wrong. The masked dude breaks the door and drags me to them and points a gun near my head. I close my eyes, tears falling out.

They drag me and my mother outside to the living room. There was my dad, blood all over his face. Then those men stabbed him in front of us. "NOOO!!" It was my mother who screamed. They stab him, continuously. I try to get out of his grip so that I can go back to my room, the sight is making me gag, but his grip gets stronger around my neck, making it hard to breathe.

Then my mum begs those men to leave me alone. "I promise I'll pay the money."

"If you don't then, your daughter will be next." They threatened and left the place. 

-flashback end -

My grip around '067' gets stronger as my tears fall fast. She comforts me. '456' places a hand on my head and gently rubs. "shh... don't cry. It's okay. We are safe."He wipes my tears.

"Let us introduce ourselves," he suggests. "I know your name already. Ssangmun-Dong." Ali says. '456' chuckles. "Ssangmun-Dong is my hometown. The name is Seong Gi-hun." Then Sang-woo continues, "what about your name?" "Ali. Ali Abdul."

"Cho Sang-woo." Then Gi-hun taps on my shoulder. "What is your name?" "Alicia. Alicia Wag." He smiles. He looks at '067', waiting for her reply. "Come on!" "We are all teammates."

"Kang Sae-byeok."

"Sae-byeok. That's a pretty name. Though, I don't know how it suits you well." I crack a small smile. Sae-byeok just looks at him.

"What about you, sir? What is your name?" Ali asks the old man. "what? My name? oh...it...uh...let me think. Hold on...they call me." the old man tries to recall. Gi-hun chuckles, "you know when I'm stressed, my home address slips out of my head. It'll be okay once you get some rest."

The light flashes bright, I get up and see that we are in the same position. My head resting on Sae-byeok's shoulder and her head resting on mine.

'Attention players. The third game will begin momentarily. Please follow the staff's instructions and make your way towards the game hall.'

We are in a white room. 'players welcome to the third game. For this game, you will play in teams. All players, please divide yourselves into teams of ten. Your time limit will be ten minutes.'

We are in the corner. "Something that has teams of ten players. So maybe it's a tail tag or why did you come to my house?" Gi-hun lists. Sang-woo sighs. "Tail tag means running is involved. Or it might just end up based on luck. what do you think?" Gi-hun adds.

"Our team already has two girls and an older guy. I'm thinking we better get more men first." Sang-woo suggests " What if they make us play Gonggi or elastics? Then, what do we do? Girls are usually better at that stuff-" Sang-woo interrupts. "That's true, but when it comes down to it, usually men are better. Our lives are on the edge. And we gotta win." What's wrong with women? "4 more people are needed. I see that we each can bring one guy to join us. And Alicia and Sae-byeok can go together. Okay?" Sae-byeok just drags me somewhere.

We just roam around the room. "Why were you crying?" she asked me. "just my memory." "If you want to talk, I am here. I won't judge." I nod my head.

We climbed up a few stairs. We spot a girl sitting alone. "team?" I ask. "why?"

we all sat in a circle, "1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9... who didn't have another member?" Gi-hun asks. "It was me," the old man admits.

"you? Who brought you here?" Sang-woo asks the new girl. "They." "I said to bring only men, didn't I?"

"oh, you want me to go?" She was about to get up, but I stopped her. "All of us are equal," I say, looking at Sang-woo, blankly.

"well... nobody kicked me out!" a voice said. She sits in between me and Gi-hun. She looks at us girls. "aish... I'll be more helpful than these girls here." I just roll my eyes. I don't want to deal with her anymore. I was about to throw a punch on her face but the timer beeps.

'The time is over. All players, please line up with your teammates at the entrance to the game hall.'

"We are not gonna stay here?" We are standing in front of pole number 4. We looked around the room. Still do not know which game we are playing.

"I would now like to welcome you all to the third game. Today's game is Tug-of-war. To win, you must pull the rope towards your platform."

We will win. Even though our team has girls and an old man in it. "Now I will draw numbers to decide which two teams will play first. Everyone, please sit down." We all sit cross-legged. The circle staff pull out '1' from the black box and the other pulls the number '7' from the yellow box. I can see fear in team 7's eyes.

Now they both stand on the opposite towers. The game begins. All our eyes are on them. Team 7 gives all their might. But they get dragged. I knew from the beginning. The fear in their eyes, trembling legs.

All of them fall off the tower. The blade cuts the rope, making them fall to the ground. I close my eyes. I can't see this.

The staff pulls number '4'. we all stand up. The staff picks number '5'. That team only consists of only men. All the men were smiling as if they won already.

Right now we are in the elevator. "Come on, don't lose your spirit." 001 tries to lift the mood. "Tug of war needs more than just raw strength."

"Well then, what's it about, huh? We just go out and speak to them?" 196 scoffs. "All you need is a good strategy in the tug of war and combined with good teamwork, you'll be able to win when you are against stronger teams." the old man says.

"Only one thing can help us now. It's the lord himself, I know it." Now it is my turn to scoff.

"You can barely stay standing, old man. So shut up and keep all your strength, okay?"

"Hey, you are being rude. He may be old but he knows better than you." I snap.

"Okay, when I was young, we always liked tug of war. It's a game I know well. And back then, I would always win, even if there was a wrestler on the other team, and it seemed the odds were stacked against us."

'Listen closely, and I'll tell you how my team and I were able to win even when it seemed impossible.' we go to our spot, remembering all the words told by the old man.

'First off, having a good leader is important. The person at the front keeps an eye on how the other team is performing, and the rest of the team focuses on the back of their leader's head and follows their lead.' I recall all his words as my hands are being chained to the ropes.

'If the leader seems weak or looks like their spirit is beginning to falter, then the game is already over. At the end of the rope, you need someone strong and dependable, like the anchor of a ship.' We all stand up and get ready for the game.

'After that; it's all about how you arrange the rest of your team. If one player is on the right side of the rope, then the next one should always be on the left down the rope.'

'Both of your feet should be facing straight forward, and then, hold the rope in your armpits. That way, everyone can put in all their strength.' we position ourselves as if we were told to.

'Finally, and this is the most important thing, once the game begins, for the first ten seconds, you have to hold your ground.' We all lean back. Giving our best.

'If you do that, the other team won't be able to pull us to their side. Just hold like this for ten seconds. then the opposing team will start to get frustrated.' The other team is getting frustrated by our actions.

As soon as the other team lost their rhythm, we started pulling with all our strength, shouting and jumping. The opposite team began to slip and started to panic. Now we are the ones who are losing the rhythm.

"Get yourselves together and listen! Take three steps up when I signal." Sang-woo explained, panting.

"Up? What now? But that's the edge!" 212 yelled. "Look, just trust me and they'll fall!" Sang-woo yelled back. "There's no way I'll do that!" She sobbed, "We might as well try!" Gi-hun shouted.

"No way! I can't do it!" She cried louder. "It is better trying than giving up on them" I yell, frustrated.

"On the count of three!" Sang-woo announced.

"One!"

"Two!" Everyone braced themselves.

"Three!" We all stumble forward.