Trials of Strength-A tale from the Hunger Games Story.

Chapter 9-the confession

It was the beginning of spring, months before our confessions of love to each other. mom had run off and vanished 3 years before, and I was tired of wondering what happened. My father didn't care. My brothers wouldn't talk about it. Ally was young and missed her, but didn't know how to say it. I went to an old peacekeeper friend of my father's and asked what information he could tell me. I didn't want Dad to know; he said there wasn't anything he could share with me, and I need to stop asking.

"Please, there has to be something," I begged.

"Look, kid, I can't tell you anything of value. Just drop it," he groaned and points to the door.

I got up and left, Mike wasn't the head Peacekeeper, but he could be someday. It was best not to push my luck with him. As I started to leave the outpost just on the edge of the town center, I heard someone clear their throat.

I turned, and it was another Peacekeeper. He was younger, probably late teens, " I can get you some info about your mom," he whispered and smiled.

"Wait, really? How? Why?" I asked in a hushed tone.

"Don't ask too many questions. Meet me by the train tracks in an hour. You can pay me there," he said.

"I don't have any money. How much?" I asked.

"Don't worry, kid, we can figure something out. I'm Merritt. I'll see you there. One hour don't forget." He winked and walked off.

An hour later, I was at the train tracks. They aren't used outside of the meat trains, and they left already. So I was there alone. Mentally preparing to give him a blowjob. Honestly, I've done those before, so I can handle it. I heard the crunching of rocks, and I turn to see him out of uniform, trying to blend in. I could see a tattoo on his forearm, so he was probably actually from the Capital.

"Hey, I didn't think you'd come. What'd you find out?" I ask quietly.

"Woah Woah slow down kiddo, I got some solid info, but a. It needs to stay between us and b. I need it to be worthwhile," he said.

I breathe deep and exhale, "ok, I can...I can do something for you," I reach to unbutton his pants and got on my knees and got started.

It was actually a lot of fun, even if he was using me. He pulled me up and kissed me and said, "that's great. Now, turn around, I want the grand prize."

"Umm, I've never done that before," I say quickly.

He hopped up into the train car and waved for me to follow him. I got up there, and he pushed me against the wall and pulled my pants down and whispers, "I've wanted this for months since I got stationed here and saw you and your ass." He spat on his dick and started to push in, "relax. Breath out, or it will hurt," he groans.

"Ok, ok, more spit and let me push back at my own pace," I moaned through clenched teeth.

He did, and we went at it. He pumped for about 10 minutes before he pushed me up against the wall and finished. I turned around, and he kissed me, and said," thanks, here is some info, if you want more, let me know I'm game for another round if you are sometimes," and handed me a file and kissed me one more time and left me alone with the information.

I took a painful seat and opened it. It had basic information about my mom and James White, dad's former best friend. They left on the same day and were last seen about 2 years ago in zone 4, in the district's southeastern part. I knew my father had confronted them a couple of days before, but I have no idea what happened there. None of this was useful. I had sold my virginity for information I already fucking knew.

I threw the folder, and the blue piece of paper slide out. I went over and picked it up. The information said that James was known to sneak out of the district to hunt illegally, but no one stopped him or arrested him. I wondered why, and also why that information was there. It was clearly the first of many pages of information about James, but it wasn't there.

"Well, I guess we know why he said there was more where that came from, fuck," I say out loud.

I looked at my mom's information, just a simple government photo of her, and the same information we all knew already. I hope she was happy that she left 4 kids with an abusive monster.

At first, Evan took the brunt of the abuse, then Callum, and then the day she went missing, I broke a plate, and my father slapped me for the first time. So far, Ally hadn't been touched, but I was sure it was coming.

I walked home and found Jonah waiting for me. He noticed my slight limp and asked what happened. I told him I got hurt, no big deal.

He raised an eyebrow and said, "I know when you're lying, just tell me the truth, Ky" ugh I hate when he calls me that. It makes my heart race.

So I told him that I got information about my mom, "how did you do that," he asked. I looked away and didn't make eye contact. "How did you get it, Kyle?" He pushed.

"I traded favors with a Peacekeeper for the info, don't ask about it if you don't want to know," I snapped.

"You blew a guy to find out?" He said.

I avoided eye contact, and that told him everything he needed to know.

He stands up, "I can't believe you. You sold yourself for a piece of paper about a woman that left you. You're an idiot," he said, holding back tears. "

"Fuck you. She left us with a man who beats us. I want to find her and tell her to fuck off. Get out of here. You have no idea what it's like for me. I shouldn't have told you anything. I knew you'd judge me," I said, not holding back my tears.

"Right, Kyle. I'm judging you because of that, and not the stupid idea of trying to find someone that abandoned you," he walked away, and I could hear him let it all out.

It would be weeks before he talked to me again. I met Merritt several more times, even after he said he hadn't been able to get more information. It felt good to be wanted by someone even if they didn't really care about me after we were done. This went on a couple of times a week for about two months.

The last time I met up with Merritt, he fucked me and left me one more piece of paper and shrugged, saying, " it's all I have access too, sorry," and slapped my very sore ass and left. I walked home, reading what little information there was. The last time a witness saw my mom and James, they were walking along the district's edge with backpacks, where he hunted, and then they were never seen again. So he probably went out hunting and got hurt and died. I got home and took a bath to wash Merritt off my skin and clean up the mess. When I walked into my room, my father was there reading the file....he was red with anger and started screaming at me and punched me a couple of times. Evan and Callum came running, and the last thing I remember is them pulling our father off of me, screaming at them, and Ally crying and running off. I woke up on the floor. Callum was there cleaning my face.

"Evan went to find Ally. She ran out of the house. Dad won't tell us what you found.....can you tell me?" He asked gently.

I nod and hoarsely tell him what little I learned. He asked how I found all that, and I avoided eye contact. "I think I know....but tell me if when you're ready. Ok?"

I nodded and started to get up, but my head was swimming. Callum got me to bed, but that was all we could manage. Evan came home an hour later and couldn't find Ally, and our father was off drinking to forget everything. I passed out and again.

The next time I woke up, Jonah was there, clearly shocked by my face and bruises, "I found Ally hiding in our barn and brought her home. I'm sorry, you're right to look for your mom. She shouldn't have left you here.....let me tell my parents. They can get you out of here."

I shake my head, and it's still a fog. "I'm sorry I did what I did," he shushed me and changed the washcloth on my forehead. That was the end of it until our fight until later that summer, with all his reactions finally made sense.
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