Chapter 1, Pre-Game

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Violet and Aspen were in the bathroom off the Training Room together. Violet was running cold water over her hands in the sink. Aspen was standing behind her. 

"You okay?" Aspen asked, "Backing away from the Gamemaker like that, you looked seriously afraid of her, and there's no need to be scared of her until-"

"The demons are coming."

"I can see them too." Whether this was a lie on Aspen's part, I do not know. I never asked. I am this Gamemaker they're referring to. Gamemaker Z. I run the Hunger Games. Because of the Capitol's vast amount of money, I was able to decorate and modify my body in interesting ways - because of a bionic ear, I could hear them through the bathroom door. 

Violet continued. "My family, the demons, are coming. The demons are coming. My family, they're watching me. The demons, they're watching me."

This muttering of "family" and "demons" continued for some time, with Aspen confirming each claim for Violet whether or not Aspen believed them herself, until I realized that this girl, Violet, was crazy. Absolutely insane. But I can't take her out of the Games. And, I realize, I shouldn't. Maybe her insanity could help her - I mean, sure, it would give her a fear of fire, but it could help her in the Games. Somehow. She's too clever and in control for her to let it get the best of her. 

That was all I needed to know. I turned my bionic ear off and walked away from the door. 

But then I heard something that would have made my supersensitive bionic ear turn off temporarily to recalibrate itself - the mirror broke and fell to the floor. A crash, then another loud crash. I turned my bionic ear back on. 

"Oh my gosh, Violet, your hand!" I heard Aspen say, shocked. 

I turned it off again. And with this new fact in my head, I was sure Violet would use her insanity to her advantage at least once in the Game - Violet had punched the mirror.     

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