Discovery can be Harmful

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Matthew is crouching on the edge of an abandoned building, looking through a broken window. Broken shards of glass are pushing into his palm. Out of his eyes he sees a couple military men marching throughout the neighborhood. Three more houses. He sees his mom peek through the curtains, a worried look spreading across her face. She looks left to see the army coming toward her house. The mother grits her teeth and disappears behind the drapes. The camo covered men cross the street to the house. They knock on the door, the mom opens it, and they enter the household. The wind blows slightly against Matthew's pale face and his dark hair spreads across the sky, creating a silhouette of dark shadows. "This is taking a long time." Matthew thinks aloud. When the military goes in a house, it usually takes only 30 minutes. Matthew waits for a while, watching the gray sky turn jet black. The men finally came out after their check to see if anyone in this house had the disease. If anyone had an illness in that home, they mark a giant red X across the door. Matthew watches a red paint get taken out of a small backpack. They mark an X on the door. Matthew feels tears well up in his leaf green eyes. The army does something unusual, the man puts a line horizontal in the middle of the X. Matthew's family may be safe.