The Birthday Tattoo

It was finally here. My eighteenth birthday, I’ve been waiting for this moment since I can remember. The day I can finally get a tattoo! “Today’s the day” my mom said in a high-pitched tone as we sat in the parking lot of the tattoo parlor. My mom wasn’t super excited about this. But she told me four years ago today that I had her blessing to get a tattoo if I waited til I was eighteen. We’d planned on getting something small and hidden, so after a lot of google searches and drawing on my skin, I settled for a Diamond. This Diamond would represent my grandmother who passed just two years ago. Her name was Diamond and she was amazing before the passing of my grandmother I was going to get a cross. I just think this is more fitting, what better way to honor my grandmother’s memory than getting a tattoo that commemorates her. My dad has always been okay with me getting a tattoo. He said I was the most responsible kid he knew. My mother on the other hand hated it. She though tattoos were dumb, I was surprised when she told me I could get one. I had to keep my grades up and my behavior had to remain intact or the deal would be off. I was an angel, as far as they knew. I’d told all my friends that on my eighteenth birthday I would be getting tatted. They were excited, “your folks are the coolest” my friend shanty would say. Her mom would never let her get a tattoo. Shanty couldn’t even get a second piercing.

As we walked inside, I noticed a picture of a heart shaped locket in the window of the tattoo parlor. Hmmm I thought, that’s cute. We went inside and signed paperwork. Devin, the hostess asked if I was sold on the Diamond. “It’s nice”, he said. “But we have a deal on this symbol right here”. I looked down at the page where he was pointing. It was a heart shaped Lockett, same as the one in the window. It wasn’t something I’d pick but it was cute. “The best part is” he began to explain, no matter what size heart shaped Lockett you get, the price will not change. I showed it to my mom who’d already positioned herself in the waiting room with her favorite book to wait for me. “This is cute Jazz” she said while smiling. She wasn’t to happy about the Diamond, she didn’t believe in people getting tattoos that represent the dead. “Represent life” she’d say. I ran back to Devin and I was sold. Without asking any more questions I sat in the chair and got my first tattoo. There was a stinging sensation but not as much pain as I had read about. It took about an hour to complete. Sal, the tattoo artist gave me some clear ointment and advised me to apply everyday. He explained there be some peeling but that it was normal and once that’s over the tattoo would be even more beautiful than it is right now. I ran to the waiting room to show my mom. She likes it. Which made me feel ever better about my Lockett. The Lockett was so beautiful. It was a tad bit bigger than the Diamond was going to be and i got it on my top shoulder in the back. I couldn’t stop looking at it. My mom took out her card to pay and Devin stopped her. This one’s on the house” “happy birthday Jazz”. We were stoked. I had my first tattoo and it was free. Nothing would ruin this day. After we left the tattoo shop, my parents and I went to my favorite restaurant for lunch. We laughed and had a good time. If you hadn’t noticed, I’m the only child and my parents and I are close. They’d always given me the best birthdays but this one had to be the best one yet because I finally got my tattoo.

The next morning, I woke up and began my day as normal. It was quieter than I was used to. No news stations playing. Both my parents worked but they always left later than me. I figured maybe they had snuck off to breakfast or, maybe they were still asleep I peeked into the bedroom to find the bed perfectly made and no one in the bedroom. After my shower I headed to the kitchen for breakfast. I was starving however, the thought of a normal breakfast made me nauseous. I wondered in that moment what ground beef tasted like before it was cooked. My mom had taken some out of the freezer to thaw for dinner. No one was home so I grabbed a small piece and tasted it. There was a sensation I’d never had before. This was the best thing I have ever put in my mouth. I preceded to eat the entire container of ground beef. No one would know, my plan was to replace it by the time my mom returned from work or wherever she was this morning. I got dress and headed off to school. I was in college but close by so I could stay home. My drive in was quiet. Too quiet, I though to myself, “why are there no cars on the road?” When I arrived at my school the doors were locked there were signs all around the building that read: Shut down due to COVID-19. “what is that”. I called my mom. She didn’t answer, I called my dad. Same, I’m silently freaking out at this point. The space around me feels dark and lonely. I walked to the near by coffee shop only to see the same signs. No one, no sounds, no cars, just me. I walked back to my car and cried. I need to drive home and wait for my mom to call back. I texted my friends and no one replied to me. What happened to everyone. I sat in my room and my shoulder began to itch. I remembered at that moment that I had to apply some ointment to the tattoo. I applied it and as I rubbed the ointment in a circular motion on my shoulder my phone rang. To my surprise it was Devin. He was in a panic; I answered and recognized his voice. He asked if I could come back to the tattoo shop. I drove as fast as I could. When I got in there, Devin was there along with 6 other people. Devin explained what was going on. The world as we know it has disappeared, he said, this virus wiped out everything. All of civilization was demolished due to this COVID-19 virus. I saw a news paper on the counter, the same one from yesterday when everything was normal. I began to read about this virus that came from China. There were pictures of people in masks. I don’t remember any of this. It talks about how the virus just spread to fast ending the world as we knew it. Apparently, people were urged to stay in their homes and there was very little compliance. Countries began to disintegrate as bodies piled up in nearby morgues. I stood there frozen. There’s nothing left. “The only people left in the world may be right here in this room” Devin said as he watched me read in terror. “Why are we here?” I asked in a panic. Everyone in the room revealed their tattoos. They all had agreed at some point to getting the heart shaped Lockett at this tattoo parlor. My jaw hit the floor, I’d seen post apocalyptic movies and thought it was making believe. The world ended but nothing too crazy right? Wrong! This was the end. I looked at Devin who himself has also received the tattoo. He began to cry “I had no idea; I just work there.” I was told to sale the tattoo at the lowest rate or even free. “What does this mean? I asked. “Are there more of us?” I asked. We didn’t know, suddenly my skin began to feel cold and clammy. I looked down at my arm which was dark from lack of blood flow. I walked around back, and I could see bodies laying all around. They had holes in them, and I could tell they had been bitten into and eaten. Animals half eaten just a few steps from where I was standing. Who did this? I thought. I went back into the tattoo parlor to talk to Devin.

I looked around the room again only this time really looking at the 7 people standing in this tattoo shop. They were staggering and quiet. They lacked free will and I could smell their toxic bodies from Where I was standing. There was blood all over them and I now pieced together that it had to be in connection with the bodies destroyed just outside the shop. No one talked but I could hear sounds coming from their direction. Their faces were dark and pearly. These people looked dead, but undead. These people were zombies! I was a zombie! I begin to cry as I glanced in the mirror at my tattoo. Someone was recruiting us, everyone with the tattoo survived but as zombies. I glanced at my face in the same mirror Which was now also dark and pearly, and I had a strong desire for human flesh. I knew what was happening to me and I couldn’t stop it. Suddenly I realized my hearing had improved greatly. I could hear a cat meowing from miles away. I walked outside before the others heard in hopes of finding the cat and eating it. I wanted warm human flesh but the part of me that was still alive couldn’t go through with it, so this kitty cat I could hear in the distance had to do. I felt like I hadn’t eaten in years. As I walked slowly down the street after the cat, a car was speeding in my direction. I saw the car but didn’t stop waking. I tilted my head sideways in full zombie fashion and I felt the same desire to eat as I had standing in my fridge eye balling the uncooked ground beef. I realized that the person driving towards me was my mother. I can’t eat my mother, I looked at the cat and kept in its direction. I picked up the cat and pulled its entire body to my mouth. As I started to bite into it the car hit me. Bang!!! I could hear a woman calling me from the car. Jazz! Jazz! The voice was my mother. I looked at her only now we were back in the tattoo shop.

Everything was back as it was yesterday. “what is taking you so long” I looked at Devin who was still pointing to the heart shaped Lockett advertised in the window. “So”, he said with a smile. “this is the best deal for your first tattoo. Would you like me to put you down for one heart shaped Lockett in you top left shoulder? I looked at him and my mom. “you know what” I said as I caught my breath. I think I’m going to hold off on getting a tattoo. My mother was shocked but tried to hide her excitement. My mother just stared at me. “Why the change of heart”? She asked. Devin laughed, “we get that all the time” he explained. “Tattoos are forever so you want to be absolutely sure you want it”. I shrugged my shoulders and motioned for my mom to grab her purse so we can leaved. “Let’s go enjoy the rest of my day” I said with a half smile. As we walked out of the tattoo parlor, I looked back at Devin only this time, he winked at me.