7 Seconds

Chapter 5

We make it to a gated community around nightfall. Everyone here is tattooed like I am. Everyone smiles, an air of ease surrounds them. I look at Ian.
"Please tell me why you mean by sort of."
He sighs.
"We are immune to the air born disease, if we get their... Fluids on is, we are as surely as infected as if we were by immune at all."
I frown and gesture around.
"So that's why the gated community."
He nods.
"We are safe here."
I wrap my arms around my stomach. Soon the truck stops and we climb off. Ian lead me to a small house where he obviously has been staying. We are met by a man, who is tattooed like us, but, unlike us, his face is tattooed. I turn to Ian. He shakes his head.
"Later."
The man smiles at Ian softly and continues walking. We set our stuff down inside the house and he leads me to the basement where a quarantine room has been set up. I stare in horror at my Matty, who is inside. Ian frowns.
"He was the only one still alive."
I cry and run to the arm slots where I can touch him through thick gloves on my arms. He looks up at me.
"Sissy, I don't feel so good."
The tears just keep coming. Ian clears his throat. He whispers to me.
"We were trying to get you here soon, he don't have very much longer. The doctor didn't think he'd make it through the night."
I curls my arms around Matty, crying softly.
"It's okay, Matty, it's gonna be okay, I'm here."
Ian frowns and leaves the room.
Matty smiles softly at me.
"It don't hurt much anymore."
He says, curling in a ball. His eyes flutter shut as if he is sleeping, but I know he's not. I cry out. I curl in a ball and start crying. I sit there for what feels like forever, until I'm all cried out, then I stand. I feel numb. Slowly I make my way up the stairs where I am stricken by the look on Ian's face. He cries, I've never seen him look so small. He falls to his knees in front of me.
"Your face."
I stand, confused, as he cries to me. Before making my way to the bathroom to see what he's talking about. I'm stricken when I see the tattoos framing my face. Ian stands in the doorway.
"They mark the faces of those who have seen death."
I close my eyes. I will never be able to see my face again without seeing Matty's eyes flutter shut. I flitter to the floor and sit there, knees hugged to my chest.