Love from the Control Room: A Gamemaker's Story

by lgkavanagh22

A Gamemaker's job is to produce a good show. But what happens when Panem's first female and youngest Head Gamemaker (at 19 years old) falls for a tribute that won't be able to win without help from the Control Room? She will need to separate her feelings from her job and figure out which is worse: losing the boy she loves or what would happen if she was caught cheating for him.

1. My Introduction

Author's Note: This story is going to start out slowly, but it will build as the story progresses. I've been working on this for months, so I hope you like it! :)

As I stood backstage waiting for President Snow to announce my name, my palms began to sweat. I was about to be announced as Head Gamemaker for the 42nd annual Hunger Games. The previous Gamemaker, Winky, had retired last year, and President Snow had selected me as his successor.

My name is Leta Constantine and not only am I Panem's youngest Head Gamemaker (I'm only 19), I am also the first female.

I've watched the Hunger Games my entire life and have even been able to watch Games from before I was born on tape.

I was selected as a potential Gamemaker when I was 12, and have been training to be one ever since.

I was a Co-Gamemaker last year, but my hours were 2-4 am, so I never really got to do anything besides knock a tree down to wake a tribute up. But this year was going to be different. This was my year as Head Gamemaker.

I had been selected as Head Gamemaker about a week after the 41st Hunger Games ended. The victor, a girl from District 4 named Capelin, had just been welcomed in the Capitol to end her Victory Tour. I was to be formally announced as Head Gamemaker at the banquet in the Capitol, a sort of grand finale to her Victory Tour.

I had taken about a month to create an arena and 4 months supervising the construction before the Victory Tour began.

That's where I was now, just waiting for Snow to finish his speech and introduce me.

I paced back and forth in my gold dress. It extended all the way to the floor, followed by a long train in the back. I hated to think about the embarrassment that would ensue if I tripped on it.

"I would now, without further ado, like to introduce to you and all of Panem," President Snow's voice boomed, "Leta Constantine, the Head Gamemaker of the 42nd Annual Hunger Games!"

I wiped my palms on my dress. This is it. I walked slowly out to the dinner hall. Cameras filled every corner and a long table filled with people applauding greeted me.

I smiled and waved as effortlessly as my nerves would allow. I could tell almost everyone was shocked by my age. I was the youngest Head Gamemaker by almost 15 years. Some looked skeptical, others were ecstatic. All were surprised.

The dinner that followed was a blur of people, congratulating me and wanting to get a picture with me. Some tried to get confidential information about the arena I had created, asking questions and prodding me for information. Most of the visitors, however, simply wanted to meet me. Head Gamemaker held celebrity status here in the Capitol and all of Panem. It was a big deal.

And I got to live it!