Chapter I: Before the Rebellion
My father used to be head gamemaker for the Hunger Games. He designed arenas, traps, and mutts. Life was easy in those days. He brought home a large paycheck and we lived comfortably, able to enjoy many of the luxuries that the Capitol had to offer. My mother, my father and I lived in a large estate outside of the city. The acres we owned allowed for him to test new ideas for traps. Ever since I could remember, he would take me out to the field and show me his latest creations. One time when I was seven, he showed me how he made an artificial earthquake. I could identify a tripwire or activation pad from far away. I knew how they all worked.
My father wasn't always around, though. Especially when the games were in progress, we never saw him. He was busy being a gamemaker and all. My mother and I would watch on the television his latest mutt tear apart an unsuspecting tribute. We would point out some of the traps or even poisonous plants mixed in with other, edible plants. The years flew by. Before I knew it, I was no longer a child learning from my father. I had begun designing my own traps to show my father. I once created a tree that when climbed, resulted in the ground underneath it to fall into a deep abyss. He almost used it in an arena, but the panel of gamemakers denied it. They prefer tribute to tribute deaths. I never saw the point in fighting. I always sided with those who stayed out of the fighting and let everyone else fight each other.
I'll never forget the 74th Hunger Games. That bitch Katniss and that damn loverboy Peeta ruined my father's career, and his life. By pulling out those berries, they signed my father's death sentence. No matter what he did, as long as there wasn't one victor he was dead. My father never returned home after those Games. My mother was unemployed so we had to move to a cramped apartment in the city.
She had to get a job at a gym, so she and I both got free memberships. I found that the more I worked out, the less I thought about my father. I lifted weights, ran, and got in shape. Before, I was small and weak. Now, well, I'm still small and less weak.
Samantha won the vote! I just wanted to get something out tonight, so enjoy this part of Chapter One. The rest is probably going to be out tomorrow or the next day. As always, reviews, suggestions, and messages of any kind are encouraged and appreciated. I think we can have a great story with Samantha here, tell me what you think!