Mako's POV

I awake to the sound of a cannon shot echoing through the hole in the ceiling.

Now ten are dead, but who was that who just died and how? Were they a victim of the career pack, or the arena itself? Was it Ariel?

I sit up, only to realize I have a tiny package in my lap, covered by a silver parachute.

So the hole in the ceiling is for sponsors too… Smart. Inside the package, there is a black wrist watch with glow in the dark hands and numbers. It even shows how many days have gone past in the Games.

6:27 am, 2nd day. I'm thankful for the gift because time is unrecognizable in these blasted caves.

"Thanks Annie," I say, tilting my face up so the camera can get a good shot of my face, dripping with appreciation. I don't even consider mentioning Finnick because I know for a fact he wouldn't use our sponsor money on something as innocent as a waterproof watch. He would more than likely send me a trident or a belt of knives. Something lethal.

My stomach begins to growl and I chew on a small piece of beef. Ariel used to scold me for not eating enough. I'm suddenly thankful for my low appetite, but I worry for Ariel. She eats about three times her weight. Of course, being with the careers, she will probably have more than enough food.

The watch reads three minutes later than before. I'm not used to being awake this early. The fact that it is early in the morning ups the chances for two things: The previous death was caused by the careers, and if so, they probably have a watch or clock as well. In nearly every Games I've watched, the careers usually rose early or stayed out late to hunt for unsuspecting tributes.

One time, in the 98th Games, the careers took out everyone else, apart from the 12 that died in the bloodbath and their own team in a matter of three days. Then they all simply turned on eachother. The boy from 1, Coach, immediately killed both from two then the boy from 4, leaving just the girl from 1, Chanel. It was a pretty fierce battle, but ultimately, Coach simply overpowered Chanel once he had her on the ground. She didn't stand a chance after that. Needless to say, that year was a popular one.

I decide to explore the other tunnels and suit back up, making sure everything is tightly secured, and all my supplies is safe in the waterproof backpack. The sword hangs off my belt and the watch is securely on my wrist. The only other item I have out is the flashlight. Everything seems to be adjusted correctly so I slowly wade into the water and without making a big splash, plunge under, entering the first tunnel I see, not including the exit. The gem lights are dimmer than they are in the caves. The flashlight helps a lot.

I pick up some oysters that are hiding in the crevice of the rocky cave floor and stick them in the outermost pocket of my backpack. It won't get the rest of the supplies wet because there is already a collection of crabs in there too, though I'm not sure how I'm going to cook those. The oysters I can eat raw.

The tunnel leads to another air pocket, but there is no land, just air. I treed water for a while and conserve the oxygen in my tank by breathing in the air from the pocket.

A cannon goes off, and then shortly after that, a second one. It echoes through the hole in the ceiling.

12 of us are left. Half of us are dead. Maybe a career died, if I'm lucky.

Hopefully not my career.

Finnick's POV

Annie laughs at the television.

"I told you that would make a good sponsor gift!" she says in my face. "Better than the trident you wanted to send him."

I cross my arms and sit back against the chair. We just sent Mako a watch. Annie almost started crying when I protested, but she does seem to be right. I still wish Mako had something other than that pathetic Cornucopian sword.

"If he had the trident he could do so much more," I mumble.

"But not tell the time," Annie retorts, laughing hysterically. "Admit it; I made the right decision this time."

I smile and nod my head. For once, Annie isn't twitching or shaking violently. She seems to be enjoying herself, even if we are watching the Games. I personally enjoy watching it, but she never got over watching her partner, Urchin being decapitated. Since then, the Games have never been something she could watch on her own. The last time she watched it by herself she nearly had a seizure from a panic attack as one of our tributes had her head cut off as well.

"Your tributes are doing well, Finnick," says Enobaria, the mentor from 2. Cashmere and Gloss are here as well. It's kind of a group viewing, I suppose. Enobaria takes a sip from her martini, her gold tipped teeth gleam. I wonder what it's like to have all your teeth filed to a point. It really makes her look frightening. Brutus must be elsewhere, because usually he is right there drinking with Enobaria.

"Thank you," I reply with a smile. Cashmere and Gloss are arguing about whether or not to send Sapphire some caffeine tablets since she nearly fell asleep keeping watch for the careers.

The television pans to the nine year old from District 5. He is dragging himself up onto a cave. Shortly after, a parachute drops in front of his face and he hastily unwraps it. It's some sort of paste which he sniffs, then precedes to lather all over his feet which are starting to turn red. It looks like jellyfish stings, but who am I to judge what the Gamemakers can and cannot do with the forces of nature and its inhabitants.

"That kid bugs me," says Enobaria, running her tongue across her teeth out of habit. "I wish someone would just kill him off. It's not like someone his age could possibly win."

"Well your twins aren't exactly mature either," says Cashmere, submitting the money for the caffeine tablets. "How old are they? Twelve?"

"Thirteen," Enobaria hisses baring her fangs. I hide a shiver. She creeps the living hell out of me. Annie starts jumping up and down and tugs at my arm.

"Ariel's on!" she squeals, and then sits back down completely still, eyes locked on the television screen. Everyone stares at her awkwardly, and then silently turn their attention to the shot of the careers. They have pulled themselves up into another cave. It's probably the largest one the Gamemakers constructed because the ceiling towers over then higher than any I've seen before.

"Great," Scalpel grunts, pulling a medium sized knife out of the large supply lining his belt. "This should be fun. Alright, everyone pick a spot and start searching for anyone that might be hiding."

Aid switches her spear to her left hand, Sapphire grips her trident tightly, Garnet, pulls out one of his large survival knives, and Ariel stands there, timidly clutching her harpoon gun. Enobaria sighs frustratingly.

"That girl you have there shouldn't have that harpoon gun, Finnick," she says to me. "She hasn't even used it yet! Scalpel would get better use out of it."

Just as we turn back to the television, there is a scream of pain and then Ariel panics. She watches in horror as Scalpel is grabbed from behind by the girl from District 11 and stabbed multiple times in the chest. Quickly, but not quick enough, Ariel pulls the trigger on her harpoon gun and the harpoon goes flying into the girl's skull. District 11's cannon fires, and like a shadow, the girl falls forward, taking Scalpel down with her. He is gasping and wheezing. The girl must have gotten him in the lungs. Aid drops her spear and rushes over, pushing the body off her brother.

"Scalpel!" she cries, holding Scalpel upright. "Scalpel, breathe."

He can't even talk he's hurt so badly, all he does is unhook his belt of knives and places it in Aid's lap. He mouths, "I'm sorry." And goes limp, falling into Aid's flat chest. The cannon fires and I look over at Enobaria's dumbfounded expression.

"Guess he won't get to use that harpoon after all, huh?" I say casually.

A/N: I appreciate all the reviews everyone :-) keep'em comin! But be honest, are you enjoying Finnick's POV. I probably won't put him in AS often as two chapters in a row like I just did but still. Thanks for stickin with me!