text: The scene is Old Town, Scottsdale, and a new type of depression has infected the locals. At least half of his friends are out of a job. All of the bartenders, and drivers, and waitresses, and tour guides that were thriving just weeks ago are now wondering how they will pay next month's rent. Old Town has become a ghost town and the remaining occupants have grown restless. People are technically still allowed to leave their homes and most stores are still open, but the newly accepted social norms encourage the most extreme form of social distancing. Even the drama has subsided as the participants have retreated into hiding. And so, for the first time in forever, the streets of Old Town were quiet and sparse. Social media and dating app activity has spiked since the loose lockdown. And it's just another lonely March afternoon on one of the dating apps when the boy matches with the girl. They chat briefly about the state of the world and their collective impending gloomy future before he shifts the conversation texts. Immediately after doing so, he realizes that his text game is just as weak as his Tinder game and so he suggests that they go for a ride. They meet at a restaurant and eat in his car as no one is allowed to dine-in anymore. And as they cruise aimlessly through the city, they speak freely and grow close. Just before sunset, they arrive at the perfect viewing place for such an event. They’re now quiet as they take in the awe-inspiring scene before locking lips atop the mountain across from the fading sun. The ride back to his place is serene and free of negative thoughts pertaining to everyone's reality. On his bed, they open a bottle of wine and it is halfway gone by the time they find the perfect movie to watch on Netflix. Only a few moments into the movie, a move is made and sex ensues. This passionate display of carnal desire will stay with him forever. He hardly sleeps afterwards as he replays the night and thinks about what the future could hold. The girl represents everything he thinks he wants. Eventually his thoughts are overtaken by sleep but his slumber is disrupted by the intensity of the girl’s coughing fit. *Could this be the virus?* She’s struggling to breath and he’s struggling to focus in this most unnerving of situations. He thinks of who might be able to help but he realizes that all of his friends are probably sound asleep in their rooms, anxious, but healthy and currently at peace. And as he drives her to the emergency room, he tries to come to terms with the fact that he’ll likely be in her shoes in due time. The boy feels terrible about the fact that he can’t shake those questions floating around in his head. “Was any of this worth it? ...Is she really worth it?” The following weeks were dark and volatile in the Old Town that was once very much alive and consistent. The lights illuminating the streets of Scottsdale were mostly dark as there was no activity to shine light on. The standard shared sadness remained, but this time, it was the virus that consumed the town.