District 12:: PANEM:: 3429

KATNISS IS 16 YEARS OF AGE, PRIM IS 12

"Katniss, I'm bored!" Prim's voice echoes.

"That's nice, Prim," she responds. Prim collapses on the couch and turns on the TV.

"I'm really sick of living here," she says, "In District 12. It's dirty and poor, starving and just unpleasant."

"You do live here, though. Deal with it. Where are you going to go?"

Prim sighs, "I guess you're right."

Gale enters the living room, "Your door was unlocked, you know?"

"Who's going to come in? Honestly, Gale, everyone just assumes that it's locked, anyways."

"Watcha watchin'?" he asks Prim.

"I don't even know." She looks at the laughing cartoon character.

"I really wish that I could live there, too. Have fun, like they do."

Katniss puts an arm around her sister, "It's OK, Prim, I do, too. But, hey, it'll all get better in time."

Peeta sits at home, too.

"Peeta! I told you to do the dishes, you good for nothing boy! Come! Do it now!"

Peeta hates getting yelled at by his mom. He rolls his eyes, "Coming."

He washes the dishes by himself, looking out the window at Rory and Vick playing outside.

"I really wish I could live at a place where there were no parents, and I'd never have to grow up! I wish I could still go outside and play and run around like those two."

District 11:: PANEM:: 3429

RUE IS 12 YEARS OF AGE, THRESH IS 17

"Finally! The work is done, and every last little girl is asleep!"

"Aren't you a little girl, too?"

"NO! Well, yes, I guess. But, still, I am 12."

Thresh shrugs, "Whatever. So, what now?"

"I don't know about you, but I am exhausted."

"Eh, by the time you're 17, you get used to all the never-ending work."

"Work, work, work! It's all we ever get to do!"

"Well, what about now? We're just relaxing now."

"Yeah, but it's 8:00 at night, and plus, I should be working on homework. We have a biology quiz tomorrow."

"What about?"

"Marine life, but that's not important! Why can't my whole life just be mindless?"

"Wouldn't that be a little boring, though?"

"Not at all, and who cares if it is? I really just wish I could live in a cartoon, or something. Don't you?"

He decides to please her, "Sure, Rue. I guess it'd be nice to live in a cartoon. But, you and I both know you have to go learn about fish now."

She heaves a sigh. "I think you're right. See you."

"Try to stay awake, yeah?"

She pleases him, "Yeah, I will."

District 4:: PANEM:: 3429

FINNICK IS 22 YEARS OF AGE, ANNIE IS 21

Annie and Finnick sit by the water together. "I'm really glad I found you, Finnie."

"Glad I found you, too."

"I really love it when you come take me to the water. It feels so calm and serene here."

"It is really nice and calm here, isn't it?"

"I also really love it when we go into the water and swim."

"Who doesn't?"

"Finnie, have you ever dreamed of… No, I'm probably the only one."

"What is it, Annie?"

"Have you ever dreamed of… The world deep down on the bottom of the ocean? All of the really cool creatures that live in the depths of the sea?"

He looks into her eyes, "Sometimes."

"You might be able to make it down there. But I never could. I wish I could, though. Just go down to the bottom of the ocean, and discover the organisms that live there."

"You could make it-"

"I don't have the breathing capacity to make it all the way down to the bottom of the ocean."

"Well, I've never thought about it, but, yeah. Wouldn't it be cool to swim to the ocean floor? I wish I could do that, and you could come with me."

She curls up beside him, "Aw, Finnie!"

District 3:: PANEM:: 3429

BEETEE IS 27 YEARS OF AGE, WIRESS IS 29

Wiress walks into Beetee's lab.

"Hey Beetee. What are you up t-"

"EUREKA! I've done it!" He pushes the glasses up his nose.

"What have you accomplished today?"

"Finally! A machine that can grant wishes! I've finally created it!"

"Really? That's really cool! How does it work!"

"Oh, Wiress, my dear, so inquisitive! Who cares about that? Just wish for something!"

"OK, I wish for a glass of water!"

Suddenly, she's holding a glass, filled to the brim of water.

"A blue glass."

And, as she says it, the glass turns blue.

"Wow, Beetee, I'm impressed!"

She gives him a kiss, "This is really awesome!"

"Except, it can't exactly handle the really big wishes yet."

"Oh, Beetee! Let's take it outside! Then, it can grant even more people's wishes!"

He smiles, "Good idea."

Together, they take the machine outside.

They see a change in the environment.

One of the poor boys of the slums wishes for some change, and finds a stack of dollar coins on the sidewalk.

A boy who walks a robot dog wishes it was real, and it suddenly turns into a cocker spaniel.

"Wow, Beetee, look how happy everyone is! You truly are the smartest person I know!"

"Aw, stop it!"

"Honestly, I wish I can meet an inventor better than you!" She means it in a teasing way, but suddenly, the machine sputters and clicks, and the whirs get louder and louder.

"Beetee, watch out!"

They tumble out of the way just as the top blasts off of the machine. Beetee sees little sparks fly around him, and holds an unconscious Wiress in his hands. His eyes suddenly get heavy, and he feels nauseous, as if the whole world around him is spinning.

He gives in to sleep, and blacks out.

And soon, the rest of the nation discovers that Prim, Katniss, Peeta, Rue, Thresh, Finnick, and Annie have all disappeared, as well.