Ana, a security guard working the graveyard shift.

The darkness of night blanketed the industrial district. The powerful engines that roared during the day were silent, the assembly lines sitting still. There was a dark and eerie atmosphere, just like every night.

A massive factory rested in the middle of it all, the only visible light coming from the small guardhouse at the entrance. Ana dutifully sat at her station and watched the street, not that there was anything to see. There was never anything there, not even a passing car. Her only company were the crickets and-

“Anaaaaaaa.” A sharp voice cracked over the radio. “I'm hungry, can you get me a snack?” It was Cheryl, Ana's only coworker in the graveyard shift. “Ana? You there? Hello? I know you can hear me!”

The svelte guard shook her head and held up her radio. “What's the proper protocol for communicating over the radio? Over.”

An audible sigh came from the other side of the speaker. “Ana, can you get me a snack …over?”

“You are closer to the machine, get it yourself. Over.”

“But I would have to have to put on my shoes and-”

“You are not wearing your boots? You know what the rules say about wearing a proper workplace uni-”

“Ana dear, let me stop you right there. Not only I’m not wearing boots, but I'm not wearing pants either.”

“What? Cheryl this is serious, you can't work bottomless! What if-?”

“What if what? We are the only people here, no one will ever know! You should try, this is much more comfortable. I never knew how much I disliked jeans until I took them off …over.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Now put on your clothes and get your lazy ass to the vending machine, over and out.”

“You know, you don't have to say both over and out. Out is enough-”

“Over and out.”

Ana slammed the radio into its charging port on her desk. She couldn’t understand how some people could not take their jobs seriously, especially in the current economy. Besides, the security orientation video was very clear about the dangers of not wearing proper equipment in the factory.

The guard tried to erase the conversation from her mind, however, she couldn’t do it. Cheryl might have a point, her boots were awfully …tight, as were her pants. Maybe, maybe she should give the crazy idea a shot if only to prove herself how foolish her coworker was being.