I've never enjoyed watching Capitol broadcasts, except maybe when Spinner and Johnny are there to make fun of them. But now I wish I had seen the broadcasts over the last few days. I can't believe I've missed seeing Peeta, and it's scary to think what the Capitol might be doing to him. Johnny's description of him from a few nights ago just doesn't sound right. And the stories about the last broadcast – I shudder just thinking about it. They said he was being beaten bloody when the screen went black. Would they kill him, for warning 13? Would 13 even survive? Could they all be dead now?

I try to distract myself by focusing on my work here in district four. Now that the battle is over, it seems like there is just too much for the rebels to do. There are so many dead to bury or burn. Here by the Port, so close to the water, there's no good place for burial. Instead, they're loading the dead onto the damaged boats, pulling them out away from the Port with good boats, and burning them. For the living, we desperately need access to food and clean water for the living; many in the district are starving or malnourished, and since the Capitol destroyed the water purification plant, clean water is a major problem. Many were injured in the battles and need medical care. There aren't enough healers, or supplies, to take care of them all. If we don't have clean water, more will fall ill and then where will we be? Adding in another layer of complication, everything has to be as decentralized as possible. The rebels can't create any easy targets for Capitol bombers, now that we've taken the district. The Capitol could still swoop in and take out half the district with its air defenses. We remember the hospital in district 8 all too clearly. We know we can't make it easy for them.

Adding to our troubles, communication has been extremely limited between the sectors. Spinner's communicuff hasn't gotten any messages, which had both of us worried until we learned that none of them were working. So far there have been runners sent to share information, which is inefficient at best. We know sector one rebels control all the key infrastructure including the train station, and they need medical help and food, but not much more.

On top of it all, there are the Capitol troops to deal with. There are still troops hiding out on the water or in town, ready to make trouble. So far most of the ones who have been found have surrendered, but a few skirmishes have cost more lives. For all those who have surrendered, we need a way to imprison them safely. Nobody wants them deciding to mount some offensive together. Word is that some rebels have been taking their own lethal approach to the surrendered Peacekeepers. As if we needed more dead bodies to contend with!

In the morning, the rebels manage to get a few crews out into the water for fishing expeditions, but it'll be at least a week before they return. In the meantime, they've decided to send people out for the day in the smaller boats that are still seaworthy. Mick is helping prep boats and hoping to get out on the water. I spend the day helping a group of rebels who are setting up some rudimentary food distribution in the sector. The district is so much larger than 12, that the enormity of the task of feeding everyone is staggering to me. Even planning distribution, we're talking mostly about rations from the Capitol troops, fish and shellfish. By the time I leave for the day, I wonder absently if I will ever see a fresh apple again.

I meet Spinner for dinner at another dining area where there's a television. As soon as I see him, I blurt out, "Any news?" He shakes his head. "No, but we're supposed to report to the main dining area at 21:00. Didn't you hear?"

"Oh, I must've missed it. Any idea what it's about?"

"Nah, but I think folks are hoping for a visit from the Mockingjay," he says lightly.

"What?" He can't be serious, can he? Katniss, here? Of course I want to see her, and the rebels would be overjoyed. I freeze, suddenly not sure. What would it mean for me? They'd find out who I really am. Would it matter? What would that mean?

Spinner wakes me from my stupor when he continues, "well, if she's not dead." Then as if noticing my daze he asks, "You alright Maddie? You look kinda funny."

"Oh, um, fine, sorry. It's just, well everything's been happening so fast. And not knowing what happened in 13, I'm just scared for them."

Spinner asks me about my afternoon and I tell him about the provisions center. Our dinner is more Capitol rations.

"Yum," I saw sarcastically to Spinner. He gives me a sympathetic look.

While we eat we see the latest Capitol propaganda being broadcast. Same old story. Every once in a while someone yells at the television when there's an especially blatant deceit. There are rebel propos, too, but they're all things that were aired before the attack on 13. Are they being broadcast from district 13 or from somewhere else? We still don't know anything. Spinner is sure we'll find out at the meeting tonight.

When we get to the meeting, the room is already packed. We squeeze into the room, finding a spot where we can lean against the wall while we wait. The meeting finally begins when Wils calls us to attention. First he congratulates everyone on the hard efforts winning the district, reiterates that the district is truly in rebel control. Then the best news of the night.

"Y'all may have noticed we've only seen old propos from the rebels today. But earlier today we did get a transmission from district 13 saying they have made it through the bombing and sustained only minimal damage." The noise of the crowd erupts and he quickly continues, calling for quiet. "Quiet, please. I'm sure there are a lot of questions and we have more to get through. We believe the transmission is genuine. However, there are some who are concerned that the transmission may have been faked by the Capitol to trick the rebels somehow. We have no reason to believe that is true, but we are hoping to confirm district 13's survival soon. For now, we are proceeding with cautious optimism."

Wils waits to allow the discussion to quiet down again, before proceeding to discuss the different tasks that rebels are now focused on and some of the important but tedious logistics of the transition. We've stopped paying strict attention, but Spinner listens alertly when Wils starts discussing the communicuffs. He explains that the Capitol troops reset the communications infrastructure they rely on, and everyone who has one will need to have the settings reconfigured. They've assigned everyone with communicuffs to one of two groups based on their squad number, and want them to report first thing in the morning to have them configured. There are a couple other things that I don't really listen to, before the meeting is dismissed.

On our way out of the meeting, Spinner is grumbling about communicuffs.

"If they can fix it now, why are they waiting until morning?" he gripes.

"It's one night," I rationalize. "Just try to get some sleep. In the morning, you'll get it fixed and be all set."

"Whatever, Maddie. I just wish we knew what's going on." He kicks a pebble down the moonlit street. I know he's just worried about his friends, and I can't blame him. But I know he needs to get his mind off it, so I do my best to distract him.

"Whatever, Spinner." I parrot back at him. "It's not like we just won freedom for the district or anything. And who cares about district 13? We don't need 'em. Didn't you hear, the rebels are the source of all evil in the world."

Spinner rolls his eyes. "Hey," I ask, "You think I could get that crossbow back? It could come in handy down at the provisions center." Okay that wasn't funny, but Spinner's not even reacting.

So I push. "Wait, why are you so down on this? Is there something I should know?"

He hurriedly answers, "What? No. Why would there be?" I can't really tell in the darkness, but I swear he's blushing. Spinner? Blush?

"There is! What is it Spin? C'mon, you can tell me." I skip ahead of him and turn, facing him and walking backward so he can't avoid me.

He stops and finally meets my eyes, then immediately rolls them again. "It's nothing. There's this girl … but it's nothing. I don't want to talk about it."

I really wasn't expecting that. It's so unlike the Spinner I know I have to hold back a laugh, and ask, "You don't want to talk about it? You love talking. C'mon Spinner, it's obviously bothering you. Just tell me what's up."

He walks over to a nearby bench and slumps onto it. Exasperated, he says, "I don't even know what's going on. How are you supposed to ask somebody out in the middle of a war anyway? Or plan a date? I mean, is that even an option?"

Oh! I wasn't expecting that. I am definitely not qualified to be giving dating advice. But I think, what if a guy liked me, what would I want him to do. "Well," I say, "yeah. You should ask her out. I mean, the district is secure. So, why wait? I'm sure you can figure out a fun date … if you want I can help you think of ideas."

He looks at me a minute and says, "You love this, don't you?"

I give him a slightly guilty smile and say, "Maybe just a little."

He just shakes his head.