You wake up one morning, excited about your big plans for the day. Maybe you’re meeting friends for lunch, you’re going for a summery walk, or maybe you’ve got an important business meeting to attend. You’ve got your hair done, you’re wearing your makeup and you head to your car. As you’re getting in, you notice something is different. There are people around you, but you also notice there are fewer cars on the road. You wonder whether the meeting you’re supposed to be at has been cancelled, or whether this is just a really quiet day. You soon find out. As you’re driving to work, you notice more and more people are staying at home. It’s as though the entire nation has stopped going to work. You arrive at work to find everyone else there too. People are on the phone, working from home, sending each other texts, chatting on Slack. It’s strangely calming, this scene. You decide to put on your tie and heels and head to the office. You’re going to be glad you did.
Where Do I Go?
Before you know it, the day has gone and it’s time for you to go home. The only problem is you don’t have anywhere to go. After spending the whole day at work, you have no plans for the evening. You decide to head to the pub down the road. It’s been a while since you’ve felt this relaxed, so you decide to go for a swim before heading out for the night. You hop in the shower and as you’re getting ready for bed, you notice the house is a little chilly. You decide to pop the question: is there a fire escape? You need to make sure your little brother or sister aren’t playing around with fireworks or matches in the bedroom.
Why Are We Stopping?
By the next morning, the world has changed. You have no idea how you got here, but here you are, stuck in traffic, going nowhere in particular. You decide to head to the beach. It’s a beautiful day and the temperature is perfect. You arrive at the beach and decide to take a walk along the shore. As you’re walking, you keep hearing strange noises. At first, you think it’s wind, waves crashing, or maybe even birds. As you get closer to the shore, you realize these aren’t natural sounds. It’s people screaming. Some are in pain, others are in fear. You walk a little faster, but suddenly the entire world comes to a halt. You turn to see what’s happening, and you discover there’s an inflatable obstacle in the road. You realize it’s a person trapped in a car and you run towards it. Before long, the individual in the driver’s seat notices you and opens up the door. You hurry to the vehicle and ask whether everyone is all right, but it’s too late. You hear sirens in the distance and see people running towards you. One minute they’re just chatting, the next they’re tackling you and taking you to the ground. You realize it’s a COVID-19 traffic jam.