"I Came to a Sudden Halt": 18 Eeriest Experiences Night Shift Workers Have Encountered During Their Shifts
"I glanced outside and saw the shadowy figure of someone standing beneath the streetlight, enveloped by the mist."
Please be advised that this post discusses topics related to suicide and difficult circumstances.
There's something about working into the late hours of the night that makes even the most mundane job a little more terrifying. Recently, redditor Lopsided-Warthog-854 asked the r/AskReddit community to share their creepy night shift experiences that will forever haunt them. Here are their first-hand accounts from working the "graveyard shift."
"I used to work the late shift providing IT support for a college classroom. Since night classes rarely encountered urgent problems, we mainly focused on repairs and maintenance that were difficult to address during the day. I didn’t mind the darkness, so I often skipped turning on the lights when I only needed to quickly check something on a computer. One evening, around 10 p.m., I received a request to install software on a professor’s computer in a classroom I hadn't visited before. As I entered, the room was only faintly illuminated by the soft glow of hallway lights seeping through the door. Halfway across the room, I suddenly froze in place."
A chill ran down my spine, and an intense sensation washed over me: I was not alone. It wasn't merely the feeling of being observed; it was as if I was encircled.
As my eyes gradually acclimated to the dim light, I noticed them for the first time. Hospital beds stretched along the walls, numerous and eerie. Each bed held a shadowy figure, sitting upright and fixated on me.
WOW, UNBELIEVABLE!
"OH, I APOLOGIZE!" I exclaimed without thinking, my heart racing in my chest.
Suddenly, it dawned on me that they were nothing more than fakes. All of them were merely plastic mannequins. I had inadvertently stepped into a nursing classroom.
2. "In the past, I worked the night shift as a janitor in a small office complex. One night, around 2 a.m., while I was mopping the hallway, I suddenly heard the sound of typing on a keyboard. It felt strange since I was alone in the building. Curious, I went to investigate the office where the noise was coming from, only to find all the lights off. As I stepped inside, the typing ceased. To my shock, I noticed the chair at the desk was gently spinning, as if someone had just vacated it. I quickly abandoned my mop and chose to stay in the lobby for the remainder of my shift."
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—External-Raisin-6258
3. "During my shift as an EMT in the early hours, I received a call to assist the police with a welfare check. Peering through the bedroom window, we spotted a man's legs draped over the edge of the bed. After knocking and receiving no response, it became clear that we were likely dealing with a deceased individual. We forced open the garage door that led into the kitchen, and immediately, the unmistakable stench of death assaulted our senses. Just then, we were startled by a fit of manic laughter that sent shivers down my spine. Who else could be in this house with a body emitting such an awful odor? The police, on high alert, drew their weapons and began to methodically search the premises while the laughter persisted. To our surprise, it turned out to be the man's pet bird."
4. "It was midnight, and I was wrapping up my shift at the restaurant. While I was mopping the dining area, I turned to rinse the mop and caught sight of a massive moose, about 9 to 10 feet tall, peering in through the window. I could have sworn my heart skipped a beat for a moment. Then, without a care, it strolled across the road."
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—LanceSniper
5. "I used to pull late shifts by myself at a warehouse close to the port (definitely not something that would be acceptable nowadays for safety reasons). One particularly chilly and foggy night, I was operating the forklift around 1 a.m. I glanced outside and spotted a figure standing under a streetlight, completely obscured by the fog. It sent a chill down my spine, as I was accustomed to being the sole occupant of that area after 7 p.m. As the figure slowly emerged from the thick mist, it grew larger, and soon enough, a guy appeared, shouting, 'Hey!' I hopped off the forklift and approached him, unsure if he posed a danger. He flashed me a wide, toothless grin and simply inquired, 'Where can I find the lot lizards?' I pointed him in the direction of the truck stop a few blocks away. I sincerely hope he found what he was looking for that night."
6. "As a night shift nurse, I've seen lots of spooky things, but the one that always creeped me out was at the nursing home I used to work at. It had been an old mansion before being turned into a facility, so it already had creepy Addams Family vibes. But it was just a thing where residents would see a little boy playing in their room before they died. I'd be giving meds or whatnot, and they would look past me and point to nothing ('Is that little boy yours?' 'Why is that boy up so late?'). All of them would die within days of seeing him. Also, it's pretty neat in a way."
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—PrincessConsuela46
7. "While driving an 18-wheeler at night, I've encountered a few strange occurrences. One particular night, close to midnight, after a long day navigating through heavy traffic near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, I spotted a woman standing between the lanes, her delicate white dress fluttering in the breeze. I hit the brakes hard to avoid a shattered bag of concrete that sent dust swirling everywhere. After that, I quickly found a spot to pull over and decided to get some rest."
8. "Woman's prison guard here. I had just watched Smile, and the next night, while I was in the mental health pod, an inmate was standing in a weird ballerina position with her right hand holding a water cup out from her body perfectly straight and with her head tilted, all while she had the biggest, creepiest smile on her face. She was standing in the exact center of her cell, staring out. In 15 minutes, when I walked by her again, she was just standing still, smiling at the door. In 15 more minutes, she was asleep in her bed, 15 more minutes and she was standing and saying over and over again that she wanted to hurt me and that I should let her out. I had a blank, serious face for every encounter with her, but inside, I was screaming and trying to not be a bitch. She has never done anything like that before or after with me."
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—herbertcluas
9. "I worked the night shift as a civil engineer on the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Net. One night, after I finished an inspection in the south span around 1 a.m., I was driving my cart back on the sidewalk on the main span when I drove past one of the usual white inspector pickup trucks in the closure area. I stopped my cart after passing the truck and looked back, realizing it wasn't one of our official trucks. It was a red civilian SUV with lights on, an engine running, and nobody inside. I went up to the car, and immediately, my stomach sank."
"The keys sat in the ignition, their phone lay on the dashboard, and a note rested on the seat. I quickly contacted the bridge patrol, but first, we needed to gear up and thoroughly search the interior of the bridge to ensure they hadn't descended down there."
We released a flare into the ocean to assist the Coast Guard in reading the tides while they searched for the body. I'm uncertain whether they were able to locate it.
I often reflect on the individual who was so overwhelmed by their suffering that they stopped on the bridge, left their car running, stepped out, and leaped into the abyss below.
10. "I once worked as a diver in one of the massive aquariums at a casino in Las Vegas. This particular tank was located right near the entrance of a bustling nightclub. Our dives began at 3 a.m., and let me tell you, not much good comes out of that hour in Vegas. While I was outside the tank keeping an eye on my diving partner, I noticed some paramedics arrive with a stretcher shortly after. They wheeled out a guy from the club, completely strapped down, laughing maniacally like the Joker, with his eyes rolling back in his head. His face was riddled with countless razor cuts."
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"To be honest, there wasn't a lot of blood, but his face was covered in streaks, and he was completely losing it, laughing uncontrollably."
It was incredibly unsettling, and the surrounding area was eerily quiet; the only sounds I could pick up were the hum of my diver's air compressor and his laughter.
I can only speculate that it was either a bad experience or a bout of psychosis, and I sincerely hope he received the assistance he required. His facial condition may have been permanently affected.
—Seastarstiletto
11. "This is a story my grandfather shared with me. When he was around 13 or 14 years old, it was quite common for children to leave school early to help their families financially, so he started working in the local coal mines. During one of his shifts, he was deep underground with the older miner who was mentoring him when he saw another miner pass by, nodding his head in recognition. The troubling part was that my grandfather knew this miner had died in a cave-in a few weeks earlier. Terrified, he rushed to the surface, vowing never to return, but with money being scarce and the family relying on him, he ultimately had to go back down into the mine."
"Three days later, a massive section of the ceiling in the shaft where my grandad was working caved in, resulting in the death of his mentor and leaving my grandad trapped by his leg."
He spent more than 12 hours in complete darkness, trapped alongside the lifeless body of his senior colleague, before rescuers were finally able to reach him and bring him to safety. He often claimed that witnessing the deceased miner served as a dire warning and that he should have done everything possible to avoid returning to that place.
His leg never fully healed and remained a problem until the day he passed away.
12. "During my teenage years, I spent most of my time working the night shift. My duties took me to the third and fourth floors of a mall, and one of my responsibilities was to patrol the back stairwell designated for fire emergencies. At that point in my life, I was quite overweight and often needed to pause on the stairs to catch my breath. While walking, I suddenly picked up on a sound that resembled footsteps. I called out, 'Hello, security. Is someone there?' But there was only silence in response. I continued on, only to hear the footsteps again. This time, I yelled, 'SECURITY! WHO'S THERE?' Still, nothing. As the footsteps resumed, I felt a surge of adrenaline and began to quicken my pace."
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"Once you step onto the stairs, there's no turning back. They lead all the way down to the ground level and out into the open air. I found myself on the fourth floor, and I could hear the footsteps approaching—growing louder and closer with each passing moment."
I began to run, and the other actions followed suit. I dashed down the stairs and hurriedly grabbed my key to deactivate the fire door. If the door isn't disarmed before passing through, the fire alarm will be triggered.
As I fumbled with the key, I suddenly heard heavy footsteps approaching rapidly. In a panic, I burst the door open, triggering the alarm. I dashed outside, spinning around with my mace in hand, prepared to defend myself against whoever might emerge. But there was nothing. An eerie stillness enveloped the area. No one was there.
I told my boss and the fire department a fib, claiming that I accidentally stumbled into the door.
—Royalchariot
13. "Years ago, I took on an overnight shift at a 7-Eleven to cover for someone. One night, a very drunk man arrived in a taxi, and it was just the two of us in the store. While he scanned the beer selection, he spoke to a friend on his flip phone, saying, 'I really need to rob this 7-Eleven; I can't even afford the cab fare. I don't have any other options.' As he took his time browsing, I started considering my choices. I looked around for something to defend myself with—a stick or a pipe might do. I even thought about smashing a glass coffee pot over his head. Then it hit me that I had a police officer's cell number from that area, so I sent him a quick text. He replied that he was on duty and would be there soon. It felt like an eternity as I kept my distance from the counter, pretending to clean. Finally, the officer arrived, apprehended the man, and discovered he was carrying a loaded revolver. I managed to avoid a potentially dangerous situation."
14. "At the age of 22, I took on an internship at a nursing home to earn credits for my studies. I struggled to find a nearby facility willing to take me, but this one finally agreed, albeit with the condition of night shifts. One evening, as my shift was nearing its end around 11 p.m., the two nurses and I were ready to leave. We had to wait for the incoming night shift staff to take over, so we settled in the break/conference room, where the cameras allowed us to monitor any residents who might wander out of their rooms. While we were chatting, one of my colleagues suddenly paused, focused on the camera, and said, 'I think I just saw someone in the corridor on the first floor. We should go check it out.' The other nurse didn’t seem interested, so I decided to join her."
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"So, we took the stairs to check it out, but as soon as when we got there, I got this feeling like it was cold, but not really. Something felt wrong. We checked the left wing, but there was no one. We checked the right wing. No one. Alright, cool, no emergencies. Let's go back to the break room.
We summoned the elevator, stepped inside, and hit the button for the ground floor. Just as the doors began to shut, we spotted an elderly woman standing by the entrance, beaming at us.
We hurried into the break room, hearts racing with fear, and reviewed the footage. There was nothing to see. The night shift showed up just a couple of minutes later, but it seemed to drag on for an eternity.
—Lordmak
15. "During my night shifts as the sole auditor and front desk attendant at the Green Park Inn in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, I spent five nights a week in solitude. One night, around 3 a.m., as I sat at the desk feeling utterly bored and eager to head home, the front door creaked open and then shut again. To my surprise, there was no one in sight. Having heard the eerie tales surrounding the hotel’s past, I felt a shiver of unease, but chalked it up to the wind. About twenty minutes later, a guest called to complain about piano music echoing from the reception room directly beneath her room at such an odd hour. Curious, I made my way to the reception area, and as I approached, the sound of the piano was unmistakable. I considered the possibility of an inebriated guest or perhaps one suffering from dementia. Just as I was about to push open the door to the reception room, the music abruptly ceased. To my astonishment, the room was empty. The final two hours of my shift felt like an eternity."
16. "During my college days, I worked at a coffee shop where my shift wrapped up at midnight. I was allowed to leave once the baker showed up, but my terrible manager decided to leave early, locking the doors behind him and leaving me solo to manage things. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue since late-night customers are rare at the drive-through. However, after he departed, I heard a door creak open. A man stepped out, and I suspected he had been lurking in the bathroom. I informed him that the lobby was closed. He then asked, 'Are you by yourself back there?' I quickly fibbed, replying, 'No, I'm here with the baker and the stock boy. You need to exit and use the drive-through for your order.'"
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"He simply remained in place. I activated my headset and spoke, 'John, could you please request help? There's a man here who refuses to depart.'"
Fortunately, the actual baker showed up just as I made my way to the back room. When we came back to the front, the man had vanished. That was the final occasion I worked there by myself. My colleague accompanied me to my car, and I was trembling the entire drive home.
—Nuggslette
17. "In my previous job as an armed security officer for a hospital network, I often worked night shifts at our oldest facility, established in the mid-1800s. One evening while I was conducting my rounds, I received a radio call to investigate the old dormitories due to a report of someone being present in that area. These dorms, which were once occupied by nuns who worked at the hospital long ago, are now abandoned and off-limits. I confirmed the message and proceeded to investigate. Since there was no electricity in that section, I relied on my flashlight. I inspected each room, but found nothing unusual."
Just as I was preparing to return and report that I had found nothing, a loud noise echoed from the adjacent room. I shouted, "Security, please reveal yourself; you're not authorized to be here," but received no reply. Another crash followed, and it sounded as if someone was making a hasty escape. I dashed into the next room, only to find it empty.
I searched everywhere and came up empty-handed. Even more astonishing is that the dispatch claimed they never contacted me and didn’t acknowledge me when I mentioned I would go investigate."
18. "Although I'm not typically a night shift employee, I found myself working late one evening alone in the office. I noticed the cleaning crew arriving and starting their usual tasks. After about 10 minutes, I finished up and could still hear them, so I thought it would be courteous to let them know I was leaving, ensuring they wouldn't be taken by surprise. The office is split into two sections by secure doors: one side for the main teams and the other for the administrative staff. Since the building's exit is located on the main team side, I had to cross over from the admin side to reach my car. I gathered my belongings, made my way to the dividing door, and could still hear the cleaning crew moving their large trash bins, vacuuming, and so on."
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"Yet, the moment I swung open the separating door, an eerie silence fell over the area. It was as if I had been transported to the stillness of outer space. I had just heard their voices, so I was certain they were still present; perhaps they had all decided to hold their breath at once. What a foolish notion."
I repeatedly shouted for them, announcing that I was about to leave, but the silence that followed was unsettling. With no replies, I chose to wander around in search of them. To my surprise, the place was completely empty. A chill ran down my spine, prompting me to head straight for the exit. As I glanced around the parking lot, I noticed that my car was the only one there.
I got into my car, headed back home, and made sure to never stay that late at work again.
—arty8803
If you've ever worked a night shift, comment below the creepiest thing you've witnessed. You can also fill out this form if you prefer to remain anonymous.
