He woke up early the next day. He peeked behind the curtains, the sunlight pierced into his eyes, he closed the drapes again. He took a bowl of veggie stew from the fridge and chugged it in, not caring how tasteless it was and the fact that it was cold. Everyone was on veggie diet in Mofocity. There were little close to no animals around anymore. Ever since the separation, their population had gone drastically low. Very few people cared enough to preserve their existence, others just hunt them down for food. Even the poodles are not safe from the prowl of the meat eater.
The forest might conceal the habitat of some species, but that area was strictly forbidden. Some say, there are creatures lurking amongst the trees, animals that were exposed to radiations or tested animals that escaped the facility when the explosion happened and they bred, multiplied, evolved since then. Though nobody had ever seen one, they were not keen to find out whether the myth was true.
Adrian took the stairs down to the back alley. The sun was still high, he tried to shield his face with his hand. When he arrived at the bottom, he was pushed by a force, strong enough to pin him against the wall.
"Well ... well ... if it isn't freakboy ... starting the day early for the big event?" He felt CJ's body pressed against him and his obnoxious grin right up his face. He turned away in disgust, the toothpick that CJ's chewing was poking his cheek. "No strolling around town for you tonight, eh?" Adrian didn't reply. "I saw you last night, what were you up to at the edges of town at night? Are you hidin' sumthin'?" Adrian kept silent, his face, emotionless.
CJ let go of his grip on Adrian's collar, "Are you obstructing an investigation by not answering to a police officer?" Adrian glanced at him with an annoying look on his face. He's not one who's afraid of bullies, he's been bullied all through his childhood, long enough to learn that standing up against a bully is the only way to set himself free.
"Okay ... have it your way," he took a picture out from his pocket and showed it to Adrian's face. "Heta Lee Brown ... have you seen her around in any of your night strolls for the past couple of weeks or maybe seen her at the club?" Adrian took a look at it and studied the face. He shook his head.
"Are you sure?? ... take a good look at it again! Picture her in a weird trashy outfit or funny make-up that y'all do around here ... maybe you'll remember sumthin'" he forced the picture closer to Adrian's face. Adrian looked at it again, and it still a 'no'. CJ sighed in frustration and paused for a moment. "Ya' know ... people have gone missing lately, just like your ol' man Oliver back in '94 ... puff ... disappeared into thin air ... " he turned to look at Adrian who was watching him intently and knew where the conversation was going.
"We never cleared out your name on that case ... and I know that you're very good in cleaning out evidence, that's why you're so valuable to Jordy," he pointed his finger almost touching Adrian's nose. "Listen now, boy ... I don't know what's going on in that head o' yours, but I know it ain't healthy ... nobody gives a shit about you and what you do with your time 'cause you're a pathetic loner ... but I'm on to you! You best watch whatcha doin' in the night time ... I have eyes on you!" he pointed two fingers to his eyes and then point them to Adrian.
Adrian stared at him blankly, CJ had threaten him for all kinds of cases before but none had ever been proven. He never understood why this man hated him so much, but then again, he's not the only one. Daylight-ers have always looked at him funny. He looked different, a typical night crawler. Whenever he goes out in the daytime, everyone was staring at him and whispered behind his back. He gave them his middle finger and they gasped in horror. He'd stopped going out in the daytime for years, he saw no point of doing what he didn't like and seeing people that he hated. He hates them all, except for one.
"Adrian! ... Hi CJ! What are you guys doing here?" she came from down the street in her summer dress, a yellow ribbon tied her hair in a pony tail. Her friendly smile greeted them and those eyes ... made Adrian blush and turned the other way.
"Esmee! ... sweet Esmee! I was about to ask you the same thing, I was just goofin' 'round with Adrian here," CJ switched to his daytime persona and gave Esmee a little cheek to cheek.
"Jack Ash, of course! I wouldn't miss it for the world! Even though it's going to be pass my bed time tonight, but I've been waiting for it for some time now, Chief!" she answered in her usual sweet and bubbly tone. Adrian kept his head down.
"Well ... me too! That's why I was talking to Adrian here to double up the security around here 'cause there are lots of nice people cumin' tonight ... isn't that right, Adrian?"
Adrian nodded while still keeping his head down trying to avoid Esmee's eyes on him. She smiled, "Great! I feel safer already! I'm sure Adrian will take care of everything and you'll be there too ... so security is well taken care of!" she walked over to Adrian and took his hand. "Now why don't you take me inside to see Jordan, I wonder if Jade's coming too?"
"I'll see y'all later then!" CJ waved his right hand as he watched them go inside.
"I think I got here just in time, didn't I?" she whispered as she hooked her arm on Adrian's. A faint smile curved on his lips still shying away from looking at her face. Esmee had been dating Jordan for almost four years now. It's been a tug of war between wanting to be around her all the time and avoiding her at the same time. She was one of the nicest girl he had ever met and was always kind to him, the only daylight-er who never made him uncomfortable in his own skin. A kind of person that he could be friends with but also impossible to be friendly with, because the only time he can look at her was when she's not looking. As soon as he let go of her arm, she went to kiss Jordan a 'hello', his world crumbled like a wilted flower.