Episode 3 | "Six-Legged Pentathlon"

EPISODE 3: "SIX-LEGGED PENTATHLON"

After Red Light Green Light, the players found their selves feeling trapped.. They finally realized how serious the situation really is. Some were crying and pleading the guards for mercy, some were emotionally numb, and some were fighting with other players. And then—a square masked guard shot the ceiling.

"The next game will start tomorrow. Here is your dinner for tonight."

The players lined up, waiting patiently for their food. Elijah got his, and he opened the container.. And he sighed.

"Trapped in this hellhole and they can't even get their selves to give us actual meals."

Luke was about to go in the line to get his food when he noticed Elijah's disappointed face. He asks Elijah what's wrong and Elijah sighed at him and told him about the food.. But Luke found nothing wrong with it.

"What? That's meatloaf, rice, and egg.. Pretty tasty if you ask me."

Elijah looked at Luke as if he did something very weird, and that's when Luke remembered— "Ohh.. Right.. You were born rich. Tell me, why did you even join here anyway?"

"..Can I not tell."

said Elijah, obviously tired.

Luke shushed his self and ruffled Elijah's hair, and went to the line.

Elijah watched as Luke lined up for food, his mind filled with regret and numbness..

Julie and Lily were both lined up for food as well, and when they got theirs, Julie offered her meatloaf to Lily,

"come on, you still need to grow.. You're still very young", said Julie with a motherly tone.

" w-what..? I'm 17 already.." said Lily

Julie chuckled, ruffling Lily's hair.

"still a baby", teased Julie.

They both laughed, as they ate their meals.

Meanwhile, Calhil was watching Elijah eat from afar, when suddenly, Elijah held tight to his chest.. his GERD was attacking him once again. Calhil approaches Elijah and asks him if he was okay, and Elijah brushed Calhil's hand off him, and tells him;

"I said I can take care of my self.."

Calhil looked annoyed, but still wanted to care for him. He held Elijah's hand, and calmly explained that he changed. He wasn't that humiliating bully anymore, and that he was sorry for rejecting him in front of everyone. Then Elijah yanked his hand away from him, and replied;

"CAN YOU REALLY SHRUG THAT OFF SO EASILY..?! IF YOUR SOCIAL REP WAS RUINED, EVERYBODY BULLIED YOU HORRENDOUSLY FOR IT, AND YOU WERE POSTED ONLINE AND WAS MADE A FOOL OF, COULD YOU REALLY SHRUG IT OFF EASILY?!"

Calhil's eyes widened, and Elijah started to tear up.. Calhil tried to apologize again, but Elijah cut him off, with a yell so painfully loud, it hurt his heart. "WE WERE NEVER A THING SO WHY ARE YOU ACTING NOW?!"

Luke noticed this and approached the two. He grabbed Calhil away from Elijah and asked him what happened.. Elijah refused to answer and just continued eating with teary eyes, and Luke hugged him, comforting him on his bed.

Calhil teared up, and just went back to his own bed.

Julie also noticed this, so she and Lily went to Elijah and comforted him.

Later after all the players was done eating.. The three allies, Luke, Elijah, and Julie discussed what could be the next game. But Luke simply said it was unpredictable because it could be a completely random children's game.

Then, Lily approached them.. Her hands shaking, and her eyes sincere.. She spoke up, "C-can I.. Join your alliance..?"

Luke made a 'tch' sound and replied; "you think it's that easy? You just ask and you expect your self to just be let in like that? Hah.. No-"

Then Julie cut him off, and she said "Yes. Yes you can."

Lily gave Julie a greatful, sincere smile. She hugged Julie, and told them this was the first time she was ever accepted into something..

Julie's heart broke after hearing that. And she told Lily, she reminded her of somebody precious.. Someone she still deeply love and cherish, despite being *dead*.

Lily apologized for that person's death, and asked who it was.. But Julie told her it didn't matter and what matters are the memories she made with that person..

The next day, they woke up from their beds.. The frontman announced that the next game will begin shortly, through the speakers.

Lily was still sleepy, and she was on the top bunker bed, so when she stood up, she almost fell

The players got ready and mentally prepared for the next game..

Rheon got up, fixing his clothes. He walked to the game arena with everybody.. Then Sai-chi approached Rheon..

"Sir! Can we team up for this next game? I feel like this next game is a team's game…"

"Why so?", replied Rheon.

Sai-chi's eyes lit up with excitement, being able to tell a "friend" his ideas and thoughts, even in a dark and cruel situation like this.

"Well, I just have really great intuition, and 90% of my guesses are right!"

"And you just disregard those other 10% chances?" replied Rheon coldly.

Sai-chi just froze there, feeling playfully betrayed..

"Wow sir, you are really cold.."

Rheon shook his head, and just continued to make his way to the next game arena.

As they stepped foot into the next game arena.. Rheon was surprised. It really was a teams game.

Rheon looked at Sai-chi who was amazed by his amazing intuition..

"Wow, guess it really was a teams game.. You're great at intuition, huh."

"Y-yes sir! Another accurate guess for me..!" said Sai-chi excitedly

Rheon looked at Sai-chi with a proud expression.. He reminded him of when he was still cheerful, and he felt the urge to protect that smile of his.

The frontman then started explaining the gamerules through the speaker,

"Welcome to the Six-Legged Pentathlon. In this game, you will have to be in teams of *5* to complete a series of childhood games in a race. You and your teammates' legs will be chained, and the mini games that will be played are Ddakji, Flying Stone, Gonggi, Spinning Top, and Jegi. Good luck and.. Advanced farewell."

Lily excitedly told Julie and the others that they were already a team of five so they didn't have to worry about finding another teammate part..

Then Elijah counted.. Luke, Lily, Julie, and.. Him.

"We're only four, Lily." said Elijah.

"A-ah! Right.. Wow.. I'm pretty bad at counting..", replied Lily.

Calhil approached Elijah and said he's willing to play with them, and Elijah said he was willing to refuse.

Calhil pleaded him to be a part of their team, but Elijah said they can just find another person..

Julie looked around.. No one else was left bur Calhil. So they had no choice but to let Calhil in.

They had five seconds to choose a game they'd want to play.

Luke went for Ddakji

Elijah chose Flying Stone

Lily wanted to play Gonggi

Calhil will do Spinning Top

leaving Julie with Jegi.

The team were playing the games, desperate.. Then they completed Ddakji! They all cheered, and Luke grinned for once, but immediately hid it..

Elijah noticed it and gave him a soft smile.

Flying Stone? 🙆‍♂️

Gonggi? 🙆‍♂️

Spinning Top? 🙆‍♂️

Jegi? 🙆‍♂️

They passed the game, and they all cheered.. Luke was also jumping up and down and cheering with them, not even realizing he just broke his "cold" exteriod. Elijah, seeing this, didn't tell him, and just felt good to see his soft side.

The second team was Rheon, Sai-chi, Su-nin, Ju-kyun, and Shu-jin, whom they found to be their teammate.. Shu-jin was stubborn and refused to play Jegi at first, but in the end, she accepted it.

Their team passed.

But sadly, 4 teams were eliminated.

170 players were remaining.

After the games, the players were all tired..

Sai-chi was talking to Rheon about how admirable and great he is, and that he completely believes him that he was framed for the crimes somebody else did. Ju-kyun did too, but Su-nin had some suspicions about Rheon.

Then Julie's team were all talking to each other, when a girl from afar was observing them.

"Ashley, do you want to join their alliance? They all seem very friendly" said Sheila, the older sister of Ashley.

Ashley rolled her eyes, saying it was just another "fake" alliance and that they'd be better off alone.

Sheila begged Ashley and after lots of begs, Ashley finally gave in.. She didn't want to see her sister constantly begging now.

Sheila and Ashley approached the alliance, and Sheila, with her "mean" yet sassy-like, very pretty face, intimidated Luke and Lily.

Sheila asked cheerfully if they could join their alliance.

Luke was about to shout no when Julie shushed him and accepted them in.

Luke looked at Julie then looked at the two girls then at Julie..

"You can't just accept anyone in our alliance!"

said Luke.

Julie looked at Luke seriously and said, "And you can't just criticize someone for their looks."

Calhil, after seeing them accept two girls in the alliance, gathered all his courage and walked over to them. He asked if he could be a part of the alliance. Luke and Elijah looked at him as if he was wearing an ugly clown makeup and a costume, then Elijah spoke up;

"Seriously? You still have the nerve to ask if you could be a part of our alliance?"

Luke nodded, agreeing with Elijah.

But Julie convinced Elijah that maybe Calhil was really trying to change. It took a little while but Elijah finally agreed and let Calhil in.

"Fine.. You can join in, but under one condition."

Calhil asked what the condition was..

"Don't talk to me unless it's needed."

Elijah coldly said.

Calhil nodded hesitatedly, but he wanted to be there for Elijah, so he had to hold in his pain.

Luke, after seeing Julie accepting just anyone into their alliance, rose suspicion from him..

"Is this really how transgender people act? They just trust whoever? Or are you trying to break this alliance down?", Luke bluntly said.

Julie said "Excuse me?"

Then before Luke got the chance to fight back, Sheila shushed them both, and gave them a painfully long lecture about friendship and morality, which genuinely helped Julie be more patient with Luke, while it just annoyed Luke even more.

"I don't like our new member." Luke whispered to Elijah

Elijah giggled at him and just shrugged him off.

As the lights turned off in their dorm, the players settled down to their beds and slept..

They are safe.. For now.

To be continued.. 🐶

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