August 7, 2051. 9 in the morning, quarter to 10. The sun was rising up like a big ball of fire. Sweats on the forehead. Some labored gasps. Voices complaining. Tired eyes and suffocated lungs. It was too hot for them to bare but the old man, Mr. Aloff, was watering his plants on the backyard while whistling as if the heat of the sun didn't affect him much.
His grandson, the Young Dando, was looking up at Mr. Aloff and closed his left eye when the water from the sprinkle came into his eye. "Aren't you tired, Grandpa?" the innocent kid asked. "You've been here for about. . thirty minutes? It's too hot, you see."
The old man just laughed at his grandson and patted Dando's head. "Your grandma will be mad if I will let her flowers be thirsty under the sun, you know how mad she will be if. . ."
"But, Grandpa?"
"Yes, son?"
Dando thinned his lips for a second before answering. "Grandma is dead already and—and you knew that. . ."
"Oh."
That was the greatest downfall of each hearts. Little did the boy know, his grandfather has a bad case of Alzheimer's disease. He had forgotten that his wife died 3 years ago because of breast cancer. The thought occured inside his head that bring tears on each corner of his eyes.
"I'm. . ." The kid felt nervous when he saw the look on his grandfather s face. "I'm sorry, Grandpa. I didn't mean it."
"Oh, son," the old man murmured. "Don't worry too much. Go inside now, I'll follow you later. I'll just finish this."
The kid didn't want to leave his grandfather on the backyard. He was thinking about his grandfather's health, he was too old to stay under the sun. The young boy didn't want to lose his grandfather but he obeyed what the old man.
Mr. Aloff noticed his grandson left him in front of the plants and let his tears fall. That was the moment a mysterious man came towards him. On the other side of the fence, the man spoke up. "Good morning, Sir?"
Mr. Aloff looked up and blinked his tears away. "Oh, good morning. How can I help you?" he asked politely and moved closer to the fence where the man in that black suit was standing.
"I just want to conduct a survey, Mr. . . ?"
"Aloff. Joaquin Aloff," he introduced himself. "Yes?" He tried to have a glimpse of the paper the man was holding then he looked up at the man's face. Mr. Aloff haven't recognized him because he was wearing a black mask.
He might be a usual surveryor—but his aura was mysterious and dark. There's something in him that made Mr. Aloff frowned his own forehead.
"Let me just ask you a few questions, Mr. Aloff," the man in black suit said and looked at his papers. "Which do you prefer, day or night?" the mad asked without any hesitations.
Mr. Aloff thought for a moment when he heard the question. He looked up at the blue sky and his mind went flying anywhere. He remembered the unforgettable nights with Rowana. The nights of love and joy. He might have a bad case of Alzheimer's disease but he won't ever forget the nights he had with the love of his life. He even thought that she's still alive, sitting in front of the window, checking her plants one by one.
"Sir?"
Mr. Aloff shot back into the reality, looked back at the man and nodded. "Ah, yeah, yeah. I love nights. I really love nights."
"Why?" the mysterious man asked.
"It was the part of my 24 hours when I have her close in my arms. . ." he answered, thinking about his wife who was already resting in peace. "It is when I could hear her deep breaths while hugging her close and she falls asleep. . . And all I can do is to snuggle closer and kiss her forehead—that's it."
The mysterious man nodded and put all the keywords about Mr. Aloff's answer. After writing those phrases down, the man nodded at Mr. Aloff and waved his hand. "Thank you so much, Mr. Aloff. Be safe. ." he said with a weird aura around him. ". . . and be ready."
On the other houses, the other men in black suits worked. They were asking each households with the same questions Mr. Aloff had answered.
A 34 year-old Sarah smiled at one of the men in black suits and answered confidently. "Of course, night. Because it is when I have my feet resting. Like you know, my work is a teacher, all I did is to teach the young ones while standing on my feet. It is my rest time that's why I love nights."
Another middle-aged man was asked and he answered: "oh, yes. I preferred nights than days. Days are tiring and suffocating, just like today, it's too hot. I can't bare it. Unlike, the nights. . . The air was cool and calm. Who would hate the night, then?"
A girl with gothic style of fashion answered the same questions like: "I love dark. I love black. I love my comfort zone and that comfort zone is only available at night where I'm all alone in my room. So yeah, I will choose night than the day."
Most of he people in the city loved the darkness of the night. The most mentioned reason was: it is the time where they are having some comforting rest after a long rough day. It was an acceptable reason knowing that most of the jobs were morning shifts.
All of them even asked something. They wanted the whole 24 hours be the night time. Cool air. Heading to their mattresses to take a rest. Dark but comforting. The time for family gatherings after the routine on work and school. More reasons and the only option they had chosen was night.
It was acceptable.
Too acceptable because it had sent a grin on someone's face as 'he' was scrolling down the answers of each people who answered the survey.
Night. Night. Night. Night.
No other answers, just night.
"Good thing," the Supremo muttered at himself as he swayed his swivel chair left and right. "They preferred nights. I guess, I really have to launch my plans as soon as possible."
He clicked the intercom with a smile before speaking out. "The day is coming? You heard me, let's change it from a question to a statement. Let it be 'the day is coming' because it was really coming."
"What?"
Supremo laughed out. "Shut up, I'm just too excited. Are the panels okay now?"
"Yes, Supremo," the man on the other line answer. "When will you—"
"Shhh. . ." Supremo grinned as he scrolled down on the screen again where the result of the surveys came out flashing. "The time will come. You will see it, Madrico. You'll see it. We'll just wait for them to say yes and we will launch it."
Supremo heard a sigh on the other line. "You know how dangerous this will be. Are you really—"
"Why are you having doubts when at first I, the boss, don't have second thoughts? Are you dumb?" Supremo snapped. "Anyway, just wait for my signal. I'm waiting for this one person to answer the survey questions and let's see."
"Do you mean the whole action depends on his answer?" Madrico asked.
"No, of course," Supremo said. "But kinda, yeah—I think so, but I know what his answers will be. Knowing that he's a night owl. There's no doubts, then. He will answer it with a yes."
