The Last Shift

SHORT STORY — HALLOWEEN SPECIAL

PART 3 — THE LAST SHIFT

The night shift was almost over.

One operator remained.

The fluorescent lights flickered.

The temperature plummeted.

His breath turned into pale clouds, drifting through the freezing air.

From inside the machine came three slow knocks.

He froze.

He had heard them before.

But this time, something knocked from behind him.

He turned.

Nothing.

Then the machine started.

On its own.

The emergency stop wouldn’t respond.

The lights went out.

In the darkness, he heard footsteps.

Slow.

Getting closer.

He held his breath.

The footsteps stopped.

But another cloud of breath appeared beside his face.

Then, right beside his ear, a voice whispered:

“You can stop working now.”

The next morning, the machine was still running.

His workstation was empty.

And his timecard had already been punched.

For tomorrow’s shift.