The Girl on Fire
I had a sleepless night and day to come. I was on the phone with everyone.
" Well, how could you let it be used as a weapon!"
" I assure you, President Snow, we've had our top engineers on the case. No idea how the mines could've been reactivated."
" Well, Since its the careers, its ok for now....but if anything else strays from your control, it will be your head!" The other line went dead.
I talked with some of the other technicians by riding the underground cart through long winding tunnels until I was far outside the arena.
" Nuh, sir, Mr. Crane, sir. No idea how it happened. Kid must be a genius or somethin'."
Sighing, I rode the dark, deep underground tunnels back to Headquarters. I was mad now. I strode past the other Gamemakers into a back room. A large screen and control panel lie waiting. " Cato Dystrophy, District 2." Cato's face appeared on the large screen. He was deep in the forest, blood thirsty now, hunting with the careers. My eyes filled with hatred and my emotions snapped.
I pressed a red button and expanded the red everywhere. A wall of fire appeared right behind the careers. I smiled as they screamed and ran, keeping the fire hot on their heels, but not letting it harm them....too much.
Coral's hair was set ablaze. Screaming, she flung herself to the ground while the other's ran. Glimmer shrieked something, reappeared, grabbing Coral and dragging her along. I let out a loud burst of laughter.
Even after the Careers slipped away, I kept the wall of flames continue, determined to let my rage burn away with it.
A little while after, in the corner of the screen was a spring of water. A figure was in it. Grrrr....I would punish those Careers yet.
The fire blazed onward, until the figure came into focus. As Katniss filled the screen, I gasped, reaching to stop the fire.
"Turning it off so soon..."
I turned to see a young Gamemaker, a particularly bloodthirsty one, Levi Crocket, standing in the room.
" Umm....yes, Levi, I believe the tributes have had enough."
" Oh no, come off it Seneca..."
" Mr. Crane," I said sternly.
" Fine...Mr. Crane." Levi sneered. "I wouldn't be biased...come on....drive them together...Let their blood flood the forest floor."
" Fine, fine." I said, twitching at the disturbing comment. I drove the fire onward. Katniss pulled herself slowly together and bolted.
Levi's eyes filled with glee as Katniss ran, watching her move across the screen. She had practically out run it. I put the fire on slow and turned away, to see Levi jump forward and press a glowing orange button.
The fire ball launched at Katniss. I took control, at least I wasn't a bloodthirsty sociopathic maniac. I launched the fireballs carefully, able to control them with a joystick. After what seemed like an eternity, Katniss made it out ok. I turned everything off and walked back into the main room.
On Katniss's screen, she was wading in a small pond. Good. I turned to see the Careers, wandering out of smoldering trees. As night fell, I returned to my bed. The Tv showed Doris Nightly. She interviewed District 3 escort a while about the mines, then began discussing the fire. Caesar made a joke about Katniss, the Girl on fire.
Literally.