I slowly opened my eyes.
I looked down at my clothes. I don't remember changing. I looked around me to see that I was surrounded by hundreds of other people. Why were we all dressed the same? "Welcome participants" I heard a voice through a speaker. "We hope you all have rested well and are ready to start our first game in a bit".
"Game?" I mumbled to myself. "If you look up, you will see a piggy bank attached to the ceiling. We will fill this with money that you guys earn. The rules are simple. The games are fair" "There are a few simple guidelines that you guys have to agree to first, fill in the forms and sign them to agree with the terms and conditions"
I watched as everyone lined up to sign the papers. I hesitantly made my way over to the queu. "Excuse me" I said to the person in front of me. "What do we have to sign for?" I asked. "Apparently the game can be dangerous, you need to agree that you won't sue them if something happens to you" she said. "Ah.. is that all?" I asked. She nodded. I waited for my turn and read the paper. "By signing this you agree that you will NOT be able to leave the game. If a voting takes place and the majority votes to stop, all players are free to go" I read.
My hands were shaking as I pressed the pen onto the paper. I took a deep breath. "I have nothing to lose" I said to myself before signing the paper. I made my way back to the rest of the participants and waited for the process to be over.
"Now, we shall prepare for the first game. Follow the guards to the playground" we heard through the speakers. I put my hands in my pockets and followed the rest of the people outside. We stopped once we arrived at a big field. I looked behind the guards to see a huge doll. I recognised it. It was a character from a children's book back in elementary school.
"The first game will be red light, green light. The rules are simple. If the doll says green light you are allowed to move forward, if it says red light, you have to stop. Any movement means that u lost. You win once you cross the finish line"
I knew this game. I used to play it a lot when I was little. It was one of my favorite games to play with my friends during recess. All players lined up and the start sign went off. I took position and waited for the right moment to go.
"Green light" I heard. I slowly moved forward. Everyone stood still. The doll turned around to scan the field. It seemed like no one moved. The doll turned around again. "Green light" I moved forward again and stood still. The doll turned to face us. A guy in front of me lost his balance and fell to the ground. A woman next to him started laughing. "How can you lose so quick-" she started but suddenly we heard two gun shots and the next thing I saw were the two people laying on the floor.
"Player 54 eliminated"
"Player 378 eliminated"
I stared at their bodies, completely frozen. I didn't notice the doll saying "Green light". I stood there, looking at the dead bodies on the ground. Everyone around me seemed just as shocked.
"Are they actually dead!?" someone in the back yelled. My legs were shaking. I didn't want to believe that they actually got shot. I snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of multiple gun shots. I froze. More people collapsed onto the floor.
"What kind of game is this!?" someone yelled in the back. "I'm leaving!" someone else yelled. I watched as people massively started running towards the door. "Let us go!" they cried out in fear as they banged on the door.
I closed my eyes when I saw the doll turn around. I didn't want to witness what was about happen. Everyone who moved was killed, including the people standing at the door.
What have I gotten myself into?