Gamemakers: Seven Devils

Seven Devils by Florence + The Machine

All your love will be exorcised

We will find you saints to be canonized

It's an even song

It's a melody

It's a battle cry

It's a symphony…

Control Room

Isadora "Izzy" Stone (25) Tribute Parade Coordinator and Interviewer

"No, no, no, no," Icelynne yells as she faces Hunter as he tries desperately to practice using the video and audio machines needed for the Games. His fingers fumble and slip from the wires and buttons as he tries his hardest not to break down under Icelynne's deteriorating patience.

"Icelynne… maybe Hunter shouldn't be in charge of Video and Audio."

"No shit," she mutters as she heads to the laptop at the corner of the long oak table. Ky shifts uncomfortably in his seat as Icelynne begins to type. "If things don't go right I'm going to get in trouble. Not Hunter."

"Well… didn't you do it last year?"

She looks up from the screen and at me, her icy blue eyes filled with tears. "Yes." She inhales deeply and relaxes. "Handling three Arenas is already enough work."

"What if…"

All of our heads snap to Lucina who sits erect in her chair and points to the picture of us that we take each year to commerate our time together. "What if we just recruit two more people to our team?"

My mouth hangs open as I stare into her blood red eyes, the crimson color sending panic through me.

"Two more…?"

"Yes, you could get them from 3 and 5."

I turn my attention to Icelynne whose face lights up and she slowly nods, a smile stretching across her face. "That's a great idea, Lucina… you should stay awake more often."

She snorts. "Yeah right. I'm going back to sleep." She crosses her arms on the table and rests her head, her long black hair resting all around her and finally rests. Her chest slowly falling and rising with each breath she takes.

"Looks like Lucina just saved your ass Hunter. You should appreciate her a bit more," Icelynne whispers as she returns back to her laptop.

He snorts and takes his place at the far end of the table and points to Lucina. "She will never get my respect or attention."

"Whatever," Lucina retorts.

"Okay. Here's the database for available employees at the best companies in District 3 and 5. Let's see…" Icelynne stays silent for several minutes as she browses through profiles. "Ah! Here."

She opens the window and reveals a young man who in his picture smiles and has the clearest blue eyes I've ever seen. His skin is pale like most in District 3 and his brown hair is kept at an appropriate length.

"His name is Caleb Bronx. He's twenty-two years old and lives in the poorest part of the District. He works at District 3's largest tech company. He became a father at sixteen and his girlfriend later abandoned him and their son, Demetri for another man."

"Perfect," Ky states as he points to Caleb's picture. "Obviously he would see this job as an opportunity to recover his financial situation for him and his son. You pick them well, Icelynne."

"Of course I do," she smirks as she opens another window, this time however with a picture of a young woman with long, straight blonde hair that cascades down her small frame. Her large blue eyes shine and fill with surprise and confusion as it seems they caught her in a bad moment.

"Her name is Mimzi Garrison. She is twenty-two years old and lives in District 5. Her IQ is 145 and she's tested positive for a photographic memory. Her past history is unknown…"

"Ohhh. Mysterious," I say teasingly and wink at Hunter. "Seems like your job is in good hands."

He nods and smiles. "Seems like it is…"

"You can help me with mutts, Hunter. They're a lot this year," Ky comments as he holds up his fist. "Brofist?"

"Brofist," Hunter laughs as they pound their fists together.

"Well it's settled! Here's the new responsibility list…"

Icelynne- Arena Creator/Controller

Ky- Mutt Creator

Izzy (me!)- Tribute Parade Coordinator/Interviewer

Lucina- Death Observer

Hunter- Mutt Controller

Calloway- Sponsors and Sponsor Gifts

Caleb- Video Tech

Mimzi- Audio Tech

"What if they don't want to be a Gamemaker, Icelynne?"

She turns her head slowly towards me and smiles, her teeth gleaming brighter than any pearl in District 4. "That's why I'm having President Echo talk to them. They couldn't refuse her," she laughs as she gathers her belongings in her arms and runs to the door. "I'll be back in a few!"

Icelynne gracefully waltzes out of the room, her long blonde hair billowing out behind her and the door slams behind her. I turn my attention back to Ky and Hunter who turn to the empty chair besides them: Calloway's.

"Haven't you noticed Calloway's a bit… off," Ky murmurs as he faces me. "Almost as if he was a rebel…"

"A rebel?!"

"Precisely. He just has that… aura about him, you know? Quite surprising considering his mother."

"His father was a Victor," Hunter comments as he retrieves his book from his burlap sack at the front of his chair.

"Yes… all Victors develop the mentality that they can take down the Capitol," Lucina hisses as she picks her head up. "They think they can just go around and fuck with people."

"Most are sex slaves so it would only make sense…" Ky grunts as he whips out his sketchbook.

"You know what I mean," Lucina snaps as she relaxes in her chair. "Calloway to me is just quiet and troubled. That's all."

"Maybe he's worried about River… and him being a mentor for 12 and everything," I blurt feeling the warmth rush to my face. I feel the awkward grin begin to form on my face as Ky and Hunter look up from their papers.

"True… but this was before her pregnancy and the mentorship. Remember after his wedding? How he kept pacing and murmuring to himself. It was unsettling; I'm surprised he didn't run out of the room after Icelynne dismissed early a few weeks ago."

"Well his mother wanted him to do this. I don't think he had a choice otherwise."

"Why are you defending him," Hunter blurts, his voice edged and rugged. He looks up from his book and his brown eyes seem to burn into my blue ones. "He's the son of a President and a Victor, he should know better."

I open my mouth and quickly shut it, feeling the metallic taste of my blood fill my mouth. Nothing I would say would defend my case. You may see me as wrong to defend him, but… part of me admires him. After really studying him and watching him I noticed he is very strong, mentally. I see it when his mother threatens him, I saw it at the wedding, and I noticed it most when we were discussing ways for the tributes to die this year. The way he held his breath the whole time, and just kept his eyes closed as Lucina went on about how Auger how been ripped to shreds by that Crooked Man Mutt that Ky created. He reminds me a lot of Iri in a weird sense, his strength on the inside and his unique light that shines differently from the rest of us.

"Izzy… are you okay," Ky asks concerned as he wraps his strong arms around me. I just nod and smile, looking deep into his dark green eyes.

"I'm fine," I whisper barely audible as he nods back and returns to his seat. "I was just-"

I exhale shakily. "I was just thinking about after the Games… the serum President Echo is giving us…"

"Ah,"Ky chimes as he faces the doorway. "I know who Icelynne will bring back… I'm assuming you'll bring back Iri?"

"Yes… Icelynne has someone to bring back," I ask feeling the edge of mystery and fear cloud my mind as I face him. He slowly nods and carefully fingers out a small photograph of Icelynne and an older boy who looks exactly like her except he sports short brown hair.

"Her brother, Paxton. He was reaped for the 93rd Games at eighteen and died in the Bloodbath. Icelynne's mother went to a dark place and became abusive. Her father moved out and left her behind." He stops for a second to breathe and continues his voice barely above a whisper. "Of course her father told me this when we visited during the winter."

"What happened to Icelynne?"

"She fled to the forest and trained with knives. She planned on volunteering for the 98th Games to show her mother that she wouldn't end up like her brother and to show her how strong she was. Another girl ended up volunteering for the small girl that Icelynne planned on taking the place of."

"Oh…"

"That's why she wanted this job so badly, to show her mother how strong she was."

"There are other ways…"

"Icelynne didn't see it and now… well she's faltering. That's why she's been on edge lately, because her mom is healing."

"Healing?"

"She's getting better. For Icelynne's sake… for her dead son too."

I gulp and inhale shakily. "I never knew that…"

"She didn't tell anyone. Not even me…"

A rippling pain spreads throughout my body as I stare at the aged photo of her and her brother. The thought that she was relating to me when I told her about Iri makes me feel even worse about not asking about her family.

"Goodnight, Izzy."'

" 'Night."

As soon as he closes the grand oak doors I collapse into my chair and cry. I begin to realize that I have grown, blossoming with new found knowledge of the truth behind the Games. The very Games I was chosen to represent. I was just scared of dying, but now I know why Victors Jewel and Emerald were always staring with empty eyes. Why they seemed distant and reserved, I always thought it was because they thought they were better than everyone else because of the Games, but it's far more dangerous than that…

How do you feel about the new additions to the Gamemaker team?

Which District's Awakening would you like to see next?

Love Always, Domi