Squid Game: A New game 5

*************** Colossus ****************

Seong Gi-hun sat in his hotel room…eyes focused on the television. He was waiting for the first game of this new "contest of games" to begin. However, before the game began the ground-rules were being establish.

A synthetic-female voice was broadcasting loudly over a speaker system which had been set up at different locations around the Coliseum. She was explaining the rules, she was indicating what would be allowed by the contestants, and what would be considered an infraction.

The first rule was…that there would be no movement off of the platform the contestants were standing on. If a player moved away from their assigned spot, then…that would be considered a violation and the player would be eliminated.

(There was that word, eliminated…it seemed to be the word often used in this game. It gave people the impression that if they were beaten in the game, then they would simply be asked to leave. Requiring them to return to the dormitory. At least until the next game. In reality, no one knew that the word "eliminated" actually meant death)

Rule two….this was going to be a game of choice. A contestant would make a selection… and once made, the player owned that choice. There was no changing their selection.

Rule three… players were required to participate. There was no changing of one's mind. Once the game started then the players must follow through. If a contestant refused to play, for any reason….then they would be eliminated.

So there it was. Three simple rules. Not hard to understand or follow, were they?

Looking at the players and other things around the arena, Gi was taking in many of the similarities. All the contestants were dressed alike (just as they had been in the game he'd participated in). The only difference here was that these sport-suits were blue instead of green.

Another thing that he noticed was that there was a number written on the wall. The number was 350. It took him a moment but finally he realized that that number corresponded to the number of players in the game. There were 350 contestants. Not as many as in "Squid Game", but still a large number.

Then Gi-hun noticed movement. Something was starting to happen. In a short moment two giant sliding doors (across the arena from the contestants) were slid open. And then, from out of the darkness…a giant contraption rolled forward.

Seong eyes widened. He sat in his hotel room in total shocked amazement. He was just as astounded as the contestants.

This thing, this beast….Well, it resembled a great siege machine from the European middle-ages. However, it was motor driven like some kind of giant earth moving equipment. Still, what really garnered everyone's attention was what was sitting on top.

There, sitting atop was mounted a giant arm. From elbow to hand this thing was colossal (and it looked to be hinged to the motorized base at its elbow).

This behemoth moved forward on four wheels…slowly but convincingly. It covered the ground meter by meter on a quad of four massive rubber tires. It inched closer and closer toward the players until it came to a halt fifty feet away from them. Just the sight of this thing had people wide-eyed with fear.

It was at this time that the synthetic voice began to speak again.

"This is Colossus. It is a mechanism especially designed and constructed to play this game…..specifically the PRS game. Which in a while will be explained. However for now, everyone take in a deep breath and wish yourself luck. Make yourself ready for the judgment of the gods."

************** Game 1-PRS *************

PRS….

No one knew what it meant. However, soon things were explained. PRS actually the game Paper, Rock, Scissors. This game was an old game and its origins could be traced back to 200BC China.

Seong knew this game and he knew how to play it…as well as most of the players. Still, it was explained in detail so that any uninformed contestant, who may not know how to play, was brought up to speed (a fair playing field-that was the Squid Game motto).

Anyway, all aside…the game was set to commence. The giant arm was raised and the premise was….that when it lowered….on its third descent the hand would transform into some kind of choice (either paper, rock or scissors). The contestants, at this same time, should have also made a choice (one of the three). If a player's selection resulted in a win or tie with the hand…then that player was safe. However, if a contestant's selection was beaten by Colossus, then that player would be eliminated. Simple right? There would be a total of ten rounds before the game would reach it conclusion.

This game reminded Seong of the Red Light/Green Light game. It was a giant intimidating structure that was used to initiate the players into the understanding of how these games would progress. Anxiety was setting in for Gi-hun. He knew the slaughter was about to begin.

He watched as the contestants looked around at each other. He could see the confidence in their demeanor. Many of them brazenly thought that they would be able to defeat the game. However, he also knew that the confidence they were now showing would soon fade, after the first elimination round.

A buzzer sounded and the voice spoke that the game was underway. The giant arm lifted and at its pinnacle it paused. It conformed into a fist and then within a second it angled itself down toward a cushioned platform below. It struck the platform and then reversed itself and headed back up. It repeated this move, striking the cushion for a second time, and then started back up again. Now the animated arm arced down for its final descent.

As he watched, Seong noticed that all of the contestants were mirroring the monstrosity's moves. Then, at its conclusion of striking the cushion the final time, Colossus rested with its selection. Palm down, hand flat, fingers spread…..PAPER.

Before the group could react (either with happiness or sadness about their choice) gunfire erupted. Some contestants dropped immediately to the ground (the first casualties of the game). Some were shot through the head. Some through the chest. However, all were fatal. Still, even though the rules had been explained…the shock of what had just happened caused panic. There was disbelief. Some contestants made a mad rush towards the door to try to escape. Gunfire accompanied them and bodies littered the floor of the Coliseum.

The sight of it, the sound of it…it all brought back the nightmarish scene to Gi-hun. His eyes began to water. He closed them. He cupped his hands over his ears to muffle the screams. He could hardly stand it. He could not watch. He lowered his head. Reality had come to roost.

************ A Simple Surprise ***********

Before long the next round began. Players understood at this time that they were playing for their life. They realized that trying to flee would not help. Best thing to do was to try to anticipate the robots move. A few contestants were caught trying to cheat and were shot.

Seong could see the sweat pouring down peoples' faces. The horror he knew they were feeling. He couldn't sit there he had to stand. He paced back and forth for a time while the carnage kept going. Finally he used the television remote to reduce the sound. He had to get away from this torment. He remembered the hot-tub. Yes, that was something he could do to get his mind off of this craziness. In a couple of minutes he was sitting in solace. Gi eased himself down into chest-deep warm water. The madness of the television could barely be heard from the bathroom. And then it hit him….

"He could make a run for it. Leave tonight. Sneak away from the hotel room and make his way to his family before morning. He would try to convince them that they were in danger. Yes, that's what he would do."

Just at that moment the lights flickered and the television went off. Gi-hum was a little confused. He exited the tub, dried, and redressed. He walked into the other room but found nothing…..well, except that the television had remained off. It was at that time that there came a knock on the door. Seong went over to it.

"Who's there," he asked?

"We're having some complaints about the electrical system. Could I come in and have a look sir?"

Gi was a little hesitant. However he opened the door. A decision he immediately regretted. There he stood, face to face…..with a masked, Red Suited Soldier. The guy raised a pistol and aimed it directly at Gi-hun's head.

"Don't make a sound," the fellow said in a voice augmented by the mask.

"Back-up into your room."

The frightened Korean man did as he was told. The Red Soldier followed him in….stride for stride. He closed the door behind him. The soldier then turned slightly and noticed that the television was off.

"So, did you watch the full game?"

Seong said that he did.

"Well then, what is the code." the guy asked?

"Well, I didn't see the end of it. The electricity went off."

"The code was given well before that."

Seong had actually forgotten about the code, and it had come back to haunt him now. Still, he had to think of something quickly.

"I didn't hear it."

The guy stood there a moment.

"It was a visual code. You had to see it with your eyes," He said.

Gi broke down. He had been caught. Just like with Il-nam….he wasn't very good at lying. Still, he tried again.

"I'm sorry sir. I got up to get me a bottle of beer. I guessed that I missed it."

The soldier, never lowered his gun. He looked around. There was no signs of a bottle. No indication of any kind that Gi had been drinking. Seong realized that he had been caught lying again. It was time to fess up. Maybe if he appealed to this guy's humanity.

"Okay….I'm sorry. I lied. I just can't deal with this. Watching people die. It's not my nature. You can kill me. Just tell your superiors that I couldn't do it….but, please spare my family."

Seong could see that maybe his plea had worked. It may have stirred something within the solder. The fellow lowered his weapon and then began to unzip his uniform. From collar to mid-chest he brought the zipper down about eight inches.

Gi-hun stood there in disbelief. What was this guy doing?

The guy then reached up and pulled the collar aside. Gi could see a visible scar at the neck. And then the fellow reached and withdrew his mask.

Seong was aghast. He stood there in shocked disbelief.

"KANG SAE-BYEOK…!," he was finally able to speak.

The woman in the red suit looked at him and smiled.

"Hello Mr. Fox," she said.

END PART 5