Rules of Working the Night Shift… (Read Carefully Before It’s Too Late) 😨
When Daniel accepted the night shift job, he thought it would be easy money.
A quiet building.
No customers.
No stress.
Just sit, watch cameras, and make sure nothing goes wrong.
That’s what they told him.
The building was old.
Not abandoned… but close enough.
A forgotten office complex on the edge of the city. During the day, a few workers passed through. But at night…
It was completely empty.
Or at least…
That’s what he believed.
On his first night, the manager didn’t give him much explanation.
Just a key.
A flashlight.
And a printed paper.
“Follow the rules,” the manager said, without smiling.
Daniel laughed a little. “Rules?”
The manager didn’t laugh back.
“Just read them… and don’t ignore any of them.”
That should have been his first warning.
Daniel sat down in the security room around 11:47 PM. The lights flickered once before stabilizing. The hum of old electronics filled the silence.
He unfolded the paper.
At the top, written in bold:
RULES FOR THE NIGHT SHIFT
At first, it looked like a joke.
Until he kept reading.
1. Do not leave the security room between 1:13 AM and 1:29 AM. No matter what you hear.
Daniel smirked.
“Okay… weird.”
2. If you hear knocking on the main entrance after 2:00 AM, do NOT open the door. There are no scheduled visitors.
He rolled his eyes.
“Sure.”
3. At exactly 3:07 AM, Camera 6 will go offline. Do not attempt to fix it. Do not look directly at the screen when it comes back.
He paused.
“…what?”
4. If you see someone in the hallway wearing a gray uniform, hide immediately. We do not have employees working at night.
Daniel laughed again.
But quieter this time.
5. If the lights turn red, close your eyes and count to 30. Do NOT look around.
Now… he wasn’t laughing anymore.
6. If you hear your name being called… no matter how familiar the voice sounds… do not respond.
A chill ran down his spine.
7. If you make it to 5:00 AM, you are safe. Leave immediately. Do not stay longer than necessary.
At the bottom, handwritten:
“If you break a rule, we cannot guarantee your safety.”
Daniel folded the paper slowly.
“Yeah… real funny,” he whispered.
But something about it didn’t feel like a joke.
The night went on quietly.
12:30 AM. Nothing.
12:58 AM. Still nothing.
Daniel relaxed.
Maybe it really was just some prank.
Then…
1:13 AM.
A loud noise echoed from the hallway.
A crash.
Followed by something dragging across the floor.
Daniel stood up immediately.
“Probably nothing…” he muttered.
But then he remembered Rule #1.
Do not leave the security room between 1:13 AM and 1:29 AM. No matter what you hear.
The sound came again.
Closer this time.
Dragging.
Heavy.
Like something was being pulled…
Or someone.
His hand reached for the door handle.
He hesitated.
“…It’s just a rule. It’s not real.”
But something deep inside him whispered:
Don’t open that door.
So he stepped back.
And waited.
The noise stopped.
Exactly at 1:29 AM.
Silence.
Daniel sat back down slowly.
His heart racing.
“Okay… that’s weird.”
Then came 2:00 AM.
A knock.
Three slow knocks on the front entrance.
Daniel froze.
Another knock.
Louder this time.
Then a voice:
“Hey… can you let me in?”
It sounded normal.
Friendly.
Almost… familiar.
Daniel stood up again.
“Hello?” the voice called.
“I know you’re in there.”
His hand trembled.
He took one step toward the door.
Then he remembered Rule #2.
Do NOT open the door.
The knocking became aggressive.
BANG.
BANG.
BANG.
“LET ME IN.”
Daniel backed away slowly.
Then suddenly…
Silence.
He checked the cameras.
No one was there.
Nothing.
3:07 AM.
Camera 6 went black.
Daniel leaned closer.
Trying to see something.
Then it flickered back on.
And for just a second…
He saw it.
A figure.
Standing too close to the camera.
Face… distorted.
Smiling.
Daniel jumped back.
His heart pounding violently.
“I didn’t break the rule… I didn’t…” he whispered.
Then…
The lights turned red.
Everything.
The walls.
The screens.
The room.
Red.
Daniel’s breath stopped.
Rule #5.
Close your eyes. Count to 30. Do NOT look around.
He shut his eyes tightly.
1…
2…
3…
Something moved in the room.
7…
8…
Breathing.
Not his.
12…
13…
Something… right behind him.
25…
26…
A whisper…
Right next to his ear.
“You read the rules…”
He opened his eyes.
Nothing.
4:58 AM.
Almost over.
Daniel stood up, shaking.
“I’m leaving…”
Then—
A voice.
“Daniel…”
Soft.
Familiar.
His mother’s voice.
“Daniel… help me…”
Tears filled his eyes.
“No… no…”
Rule #6.
Do not respond.
The voice got closer.
More desperate.
“Please… I’m scared…”
Daniel covered his ears.
“I’m sorry…” he whispered.
5:00 AM.
Silence.
The lights returned to normal.
The building… empty again.
Daniel walked out without looking back.
He never returned.
The next night…
A new guard took his place.
And on the desk…
Was the same paper.
Rules of the Night Shift.
With one new line added at the bottom:
8. If you hear Daniel’s voice… do not respond.