Callister Donieu 24, Head Gamemaker
I re-read over my plan, every fine detail, every sketch to make sure it's perfect, to make certain this year will be perfect, every year has to be perfect.
Not that I wanted this job, but I was thrust into it several years ago after the boy from 5 stumbled over victory without getting a kill; the president wanted an intellectual with a cunning nature to help make the games one in a million. He wants each year to be better than the first, drama, bloodshed, sadness, even if I choose the arena, the twists I didn't choose the tributes.
I don't intervene in my eyes; the past few years have been predictable, I guess the Victor even before they stepped foot into the arena.
The city folks who watch, wouldn't know who the winner is until the name is announced; they wouldn't know that people can be different. They see on in the screens and cheer for the extraordinary ones, ones like the sadistic career boy who trained years for that moment to make his district proud.
The slightly unhinged and emotionally rattled career boy who volunteered to die but ended up winning, The street boy from two who was a genius didn't use knives and swords, didn't use brawns, used traps and poison, broke the kill record as well.
Even last year, the boy from 7, I knew he would win, maniacs have a way of gaining attention, of inflicting fear, the careers in the previous year were disappointing, the system, in general, is dying.
District 1 is growing weaker by the second, bringing in a boy and girl who were fed with a golden spoon all their years and crumble under the precious the second they make the arena. The system in four might be growing, but only with the males. They have a more of the kid wanting to do anything to get home mentality than the one they have in district one, which is wanting fame in fortune. The female of district four is similar to the ones in two, want nothing to do with the system. Both districts barely get a female volunteer, and if they do, it's a girl who doesn't know what she is getting into.
In general, the female situation is concerning; most districts have an 80% to 20% male, female ratio district two the largest district, have a 98% male population, but I'm not in charge of the districts, I couldn't care less all I care about is to make sure I don't die, and I know if this quarter quell, a quell that the districts don't even know about is a fail I am dead.
Then the District 2 boys are the ones who make the games what they are, and whether it's a maniac, an evil genius or just a villain, he usually is the one that forms the games' storyline.
I didn't want this, I wanted to be a scientist, I wasn't into the glamour and money, I wanted to be the best person I can be, now I'm in charge of a game that kills children, it is wrong, isn't fair, but I can't care, the Capitol don't.
As long as a kid doesn't stumble across victory, I should be fine. The Capitol are happy that District 2 have won four years in my reign, four years in a row; they like district 2, and I do too; they bring in a male tribute that makes my job easy. I would have tried to rig the games a few years ago to ensure a female tribute wins, we haven't had one in 46 years, but I don't think the president cares; all he wants is the Capitol to be happy and make the districts suffer.
And what makes them suffer more than watching children get brutally murdered and become brutal killers? These games aren't what they used to be. Even the trained careers find it hard.
It's about survivors.
It's about the special ones.
That's why this year it's going to be about the special ones, most years. We have one or two different from what everyone expects, separate from the district stereotypes, but not this year.
I knock on the door as a peacekeeper opens it, gripping onto the paper. The president isn't afraid of killing someone on the spot who angers or disagrees with him. This man is brutal, of course, he would be, every president after the Capitol took back the power are from the same bloodline, have seen the damage that rebels, that the districts have done they want vengeance, they want to torture the ones who changed the tide, who almost destroyed the Capitol even if the rebellion was over 200 years ago.
But the Capitol never forget, never forgive.
"Callister, I was almost concerned you fled on me," he says.
Believe me, I considered it, but like how there is no escape from the districts, there is no escape from the Capitol, especially if you have a job like this, even if we live the easy life here, we get the luxuries, the things that district kids will never see or experience in their life, it's still an oppressed world.
"Of course not. I wanted this year to be perfect," I say. If I achieve this, I know I'm safe for years. I put months into these games, making sure I get inside to talk about the best tributes to put in. I found out that some of the districts have secrets, that some kids really should have been killed years ago. Clearly, some peacekeepers don't do their job correctly.
Of course, they don't, and if the Capitol and the ones who are meant to protect this society, we wouldn't have a population as we have. Adults barely live past 40 in the districts, and over hundreds die every day.
Poverty, Illness, Freak Accidents, Murder, Suicide, you name it.
"You have done a good job tricking the districts beside district 9. Most believe the quell is in a few years," he says
"Adds to the shock factor, reapings have been boring lately," I say
"Tell me about it, so what is your first twist," he says
"The twenty-four rule, I know you especially like males dominance," I say. It shows in the districts, even in the capital, women can work. Still, the jobs they work fits the stereotypes. In most districts, females barely work; they stay at home. For most districts, it is for safety, especially Districts like two where the younger females are easy targets for the young males, they may be the wealthiest district, but they are also one of the most unsafe ones.
"Oh yes, I do; females these days barely have a killer instinct, and if they do, they are quite boring, males just fit the villain character better, Wouldn't mind a female Victor, though," he says
Like most Capitol Men, he believes that males are superior to their female counterparts. After the second rebellion, one an female started, the Capitol wanted to bring back that mentality.
"Twenty Males, Four Females, I already have the Districts Decided," I say
"I like that idea, I want blood," he says; of course, he does, he doesn't want cute little friendships or whatever the females bring; we have had a few that have won that hearts of the Capitol and made it far but just fell short, could happen again this year with the girl I hand chose.
"No volunteers, Ages must be 17 or 18, and I have either chosen multiple tributes, using information from the Districts, I know the capitol love the extraordinary ones, ones with a story, a cause, they seem to love the manic ones, the rest are just going to be a random draw but will be done before the reapings," I say handing him the list, it was hard to find the perfect list. Still, I did have to hire people, almost be Private Investigators.
But I found a unique group of tributes.
A set of twins
A brother of a Victor with an Antagonistic Side who has a pure hatred for his District Partner
A sister of an Victor, the girl who is stuck between wanting to survive and wanting to redeem herself.
A rebel from four, don't know how the Capitol let the district four rebel group run for so long.
A conflicted career boy.
A boy from suicidal Boy from Five who can end up being the underdog or lose his mind.
An insane Serial killer Assassin from six Again, I don't know how the district has left him to roam around with his body count for so long.
A world hating street boy from 9.
And a cannibal from 10, again not going to ask the president how the districts are allowing kids like him to live, District 6 and 10 should thank me.
"How did you find half these kids, a cannibal, a serial killer, a REBEL," he says
"I have my sources; this group will bring entertainment. All of them have a story apart from 6, and 10 have some redeeming qualities it's anyone's games," I say, I don't know who would win, we are going to make sure 6 and 10 don't, it is the only time we rig the games, but it could be anyone else, as long as it is one on my list these games would be a success.
"This is Genius; I think you are the best one yet."
Tribute List
District 1
Male 1: Torin Zalens, 18
Male 2: Merrick Zalens, 18
District 2
Male: Ansel Shenton, 18
Female: Adelyn Berinar, 17
District 3
Male 1: Samual Harris, 17
Male 2: Harlen Theron, 17
District 4
Male 1: Finn Cromon, 18
Male 2: Asher Summons, 18
District 5
Male: Edison Drake, 17
Female: Imogen Elion, 17
District 6
Male 1: Noah Alson, 18
Male 2: Caden Nenon, 17
District 7
Male 1: Xavier Rylen, 18
Male 2: Ryker Felion, 17
District 8
Male: Kaleb Orson, 18
Female: Elise Carlson, 17
District 9
Male: Beckham Alrain, 18
Female: Eva Nerion, 17
District 10
Male 1: Oscar Everest, 18
Male 2: Aiden Nilson, 17
District 11
Male 1: Tarquin Zenight, 17
Male 2: Edwin Der, 17
District 12
Male 1: Miller Locran, 17
Male 2: Ari Gen, 18