Editor's Note: This is the original script, as shared by the author.
As audiences come in, it is a bare stage. Empty. The lights go dark. A moment passes. Then, a ghost light turns on, a light in the darkness. The lights raise a little bit to help illuminate the actors, but they are mainly lit by the ghost light.
LILY walks through the auditorium doors, and up to the stage. She sits by the light and looks out into the theatre. Suddenly, a door opens and closes from backstage.
TYLER enters.
LILY
Jesus Christ, Tyler鈥� what the hell are you doing here?
TYLER
I could ask you the same thing, how did you get in here?
LILY
I鈥檓 on the student board, I have a key to the building for fundraising events, how did you..
TYLER
The back door鈥檚 lock doesn鈥檛 work, if you force it enough it鈥檒l open.
LILY Tyler, that鈥檚 breaking and entering.
TYLER
The whole campus is on lock down, you shouldn鈥檛 be in here either even with a key.
LILY
(sighs) Come on鈥� sit with me.
TYLER
What brings you to the aud at this time?
LILY
Is that really a question?
TYLER
I asked for a reason.
LILY
They just cancelled all performances of everything鈥� we spent the past month preparing this show, for what? For no one to see it? Everything to just go to waste? I mean look at this place, they already took the set down鈥� I guess I just wanted to relive everything鈥� even that was ruined.
TYLER
I鈥檓 sorry Lily鈥� I know how much this meant to you鈥�
LILY
It鈥檚 fine鈥� I鈥檓 not the only one who is left with nothing to do anymore.
TYLER
I get that for sure, my boss just told me I need to stop coming into work until further notice.
LILY
That鈥檚 messed up.
TYLER
Sure is鈥� but it鈥檚 all for a good reason.
LILY
You can鈥檛 possibly agree with all of this?
TYLER
You want the virus to continue to spread?
LILY
No, but...
TYLER
You think packing 500 people in this aud is gonna stop it?
LILY
Gahhhh- I hate that you鈥檙e right鈥� you always were.
TYLER
It鈥檚 why we broke up, remember?
LILY
We broke up cause we just fell out of it.
TYLER
I know鈥� I was joking.
LILY
You always did joke at the most inappropriate times.
TYLER
Speaking of inappropriate timing鈥�
TYLER pulls out a small bottle of hand sanitizer.
TYLER (CONT) Want some?
LILY
Of course you鈥檙e carrying hand sanitizer around with you.
She takes some in her hand
TYLER
Gotta stay safe out there, I can鈥檛 afford to be sick.
LILY
Smart鈥� how have you...
TYLER
Been?
LILY
Uh鈥� yeah鈥� have you been good?
TYLER
In all honesty鈥� yeah. Now that I鈥檓 just a minor, and with my criminal justice major, I feel like I鈥檓 getting a lot more out of my college experience. I like the attention, but not on stage, I think being in charge in court is far more fulfilling.
LILY
That鈥檚 good鈥� I鈥檓 really happy to hear that鈥� even if you were one of the best performers I know.
TYLER
Everyone says that鈥�
LILY
It鈥檚 true.
TYLER
Maybe鈥� how have you been Lil?
LILY
Oh, you know, not that bad, I鈥檝e been鈥� To be honest really terrible. I鈥檓 freaking the hell out right now. And people don鈥檛 seem to care. They are closing everything without giving explanation, people are gathering at bars without a care, there鈥檚 even a tik tok dance about the virus now.
TYLER
You鈥檙e kidding鈥� what is it.
LILY stands up and does a dance similar to the renegade dance, but has visible moves about keeping clean.
LILY
What do you think?
TYLER
God I hate tik tok.
LILY
Oh I love it, It鈥檚 a good escape鈥� especially now.
TYLER
For sure, I鈥檝e been on Xbox quite a bit.
LILY
You always are on Xbox.
TYLER
Well, more than usual, there isn鈥檛 much to do when I鈥檓 not doing homework鈥�
LILY
When do you think things will be back to normal?
TYLER
I鈥檓 not sure鈥� hopefully soon鈥� If people aren鈥檛 dumb and stay safe, it鈥檒l be only a matter of months.
LILY
I hope so.
TYLER
I know so鈥�
A moment passes, then another. They continue to stare, and they move in for a kiss, but TYLER backs away
TYLER
Sh#t I can鈥檛.
LILY
Sorry, you鈥檙e right鈥� that was stupid.
TYLER
Sh#t鈥� what if we get sick?
Pulls out the sanitizer
LILY
Tyler鈥� calm down, it鈥檚 ok.
TYLER
Just give me a minute! Please don鈥檛 touch me!
LILY
Hey! Just breath!
TYLER
Sh#t鈥� sh#t鈥� sh#t鈥�
LILY
Tyler, listen to me鈥� breath in鈥� breath out.
LILY is able to get his attention, TYLER starts breathing, eventually letting her put her hands on his shoulders.
TYLER
罢丑补苍办蝉鈥� I鈥檓 sorry鈥� Lily I鈥檓 scared as hell of getting sick.
LILY
It鈥檚 ok Tyler鈥� to be scared鈥� you鈥檙e ok.
TYLER
I鈥檝e been so afraid to get sick鈥�
LILY
Me too鈥� I know you鈥檙e scared鈥� but I鈥檓 not sick鈥� and neither are you鈥� you鈥檙e ok.
TYLER
I know鈥� I know.
LILY
Tyler鈥� why did you come to the aud?
TYLER
My roommate was coughing鈥� I panicked鈥� I knew I would be safe here鈥� I always felt safe here鈥� this is where we met鈥�
LILY
Was it?
TYLER
You don鈥檛 even remember?
LILY
Did we really meet at orientation?
TYLER
驰别辫鈥�
LILY
Do you want me to go Tyler?
TYLER
I...
LILY
If you came here to get some space鈥� I can leave.
TYLER
You don鈥檛 have to鈥�
LILY
I know you鈥檙e scared鈥� I just want to make sure you beat this virus鈥�
TYLER
I will鈥� I promise.
LILY
I鈥檒l give you some time by yourself鈥� don鈥檛 stay here all night.
TYLER
Be safe please鈥� stay away from coughing people.
LILY
I will Tyler鈥�
TYLER
罢丑补苍办蝉鈥�
LILY
Can we meet up after the virus is gone?
TYLER
Sure.
LILY
Just to talk鈥� nothing needs to happen.
TYLER
No for sure, I- Text me when they lift this lockdown.
LILY
I will鈥�
TYLER
Good luck out there鈥�
LILY
You too鈥�
LILY exits. Lights go down on TYLER. The ghost light stays lit for a moment, then goes off.
End of play
