The Life Of Gamemaker Z

March 12th age 15

One and Two took me and Zoey away two years ago. I found out why over time. Zoey had secretly been writing a blog full of weird, outrageous, plans which coincided nicely with One and Two's. They had read that I was one of the only people she cared about, so of course, when they took her, they decided to take me too. I'm not completely unhappy about that. 

I also found out how they knew my father, Max. One and Two are rebels. The leaders of rebels. It's quite a large, underground group. Max and One had faced off multiple times whenever One tried to get his hands on secret documents.   

I remember Zoey asking me what I would do to save the world. 

I guess this is it. 

Send 24 children, between the ages of 12 and 18, 12 females and 12 males, to their death. Create an atmosphere of fear. Use that fear for the best good you can use it for while simultaneously sending children to their death. 

I guess I'm okay with that. Zoey told me to just "Think of it like a game." 

Alright, then, I guess I will.

And I am the Gamemaker. She decided that. Zoey. Today's our birthday. That was my present. She gets to be President. Not that I would want that position anyways.  

. . . 

Demi sits on my bed. She came over an hour ago. She's my best friend from school. I'm showing her my mutt prototypes. I've been scrolling through the images on my tablet and explaining each one. We're on the last one. The Piranha Puppy. Tends to swarm, and has awfully sharp teeth like a piranha. But has the basic appearance of a Labrador puppy. You can differentiate it from a normal one, because its eyes are yellow, then a circle of red, then a dot of brighter yellow. 

"So this one is my best one so far. It's a tiny dog, but with huge teeth. They normally come in swarms." 

"It's awesome! Are you going to use them?" 

"Yeah, yeah. One said that I'd have to wait at least a few years, because the country isn't ready yet, but our plan will work." 

"I hope it will," She smiles at me, twirling her blonde hair, "but just know that I am here to help you." 

"Thanks. Hey - what was that noise?"

I'd heard a banging, crashing noise coming from the basement...we keep our mutt prototypes in the basement. We only have one of each, so we're not in danger of a swarm, but still.

Demi listens in. "I...don't know."

"I think one of the mutts got out." 

"We should take a look." 

Well duh. Of course I'm gonna take a look. "Alright, let me see..."

I open my bedroom door and the mutt is there. Not as clean cut as my goal mutt, there's still some things to work out, but here it is in the flesh. And it's looking at me like it wants flesh. I scream. Fear won over. I should be in awe, but looking at its wide open mouth...Demi runs up and pushes the mutt to the floor just as it prepares to lunge. 

"Z!" She yells. "Are you okay?"

"Demi..." I pause. She seemed to know exactly what to do. Push the animal down at the shoulders, and it gives way and relaxes. Easy. "Would you like to be a Gamemaker?"

..."Yes."