"Breaking news, due to the discovery of new COVID-19 variants in the state of Florida, the department of public health has issued a new order restricting all non-essential travelling, effect-"
Marko switches the radio away to a music channel.
“Man, enough of this shit already, can’t those young idiots just stop partying and end this thing once and for all?”
“Well, we live in florida after all, what you gonna do?”
Despite being able to work at home and spend more time with each other, it did not take long for Emilia and Marko to be tired of the lockdown.
“Y’know, it’s pretty incredible that an ex-shutin like you can get tired of being able to stay at home for free.” Emilia leans forward on the dinner table
“Man, don’t remind me of that now”
Marko sips his coffee
“But anyways, it looks like this will last for a while before they roll out the vaccines. Man, I’ve never seen that road look this empty before.”
Marko looks out of the window, the street seen out of their dining room is usually filled with cars going to parties. As the year progresses, all these cars have all but disappeared.
“Do you have any ideas what can we do on weekends? Because I don’t.” Marko collapses into his armchair in the living room.
“All the traffic has gone huh…” Emillia looks out of the window. “Hey, how about you teach me how to drive?”
“Teaching you to drive? Why all of a sudden?”
“The parking lot of our community library, it’s definitely empty now.”
The community centre is usually packed with children, but during the pandemic, it is completely empty.
“That’s a good idea, actually. The parking lot is so big that is you mistaken gas pedal as brake pedal, you won’t crash into a-”
Emilia smiles and poses her hands like a pair of claws
“Ahem, so when do you want to go?”
“Not that we have anything else to do right now, and why don’t you do my hair for me?”
For the first time, when they walk into the garage, there are two cars greeting them.
As the garage door opens, Marko walks in front of the new car, admiring the long swooping body curves and futuristic rear end design.
As the straight-six humms into life, the couple set off to the library parking lot, in their brand new Halberdier X26 Kammback.