Nightshift

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As one might expect, most paranormal and supernatural encounters occur in the hours of darkness.

What is it about about the night that seems to manifest these occurrences?

Is it our own feelings of vulnerability and isolation, or is it something more profound?

This week, we hear accounts from those who worked through the night on the dreaded night shift.

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The night shift is a polarizing proposition for many workers.

Some actively seek it out, enjoying the relative peace and quiet of the midnight hours.

Others try to avoid it at all costs, only partaking out of necessity or because they have no other choice.

Luckily for the latter, the requirement to work overnight duties has lessened somewhat in the last few decades due to the introduction of the more salubrious twilight shift or the implementation of automated solutions

but even in circumstances where a human element is still deemed necessary those performing such roles are often supported by digital communications cctv and gps technology which assists them with their duties

And yet, for the people who undertake these 10 or 12 hour shifts whilst the rest of us are sleeping, with only themselves or a limited number of colleagues for company, such periods of time often prove difficult to endure.

Even with the aid of stimulants such as caffeine, medication, and electronic devices, all the technology in the world cannot suppress emotions such as fear, loneliness, and doubt.

It should come as no surprise that many night workers often find themselves isolated and alone, and whether through irregular sleep patterns leading to sleep deprivation or something more profound we often find that these people have at least one strange experience to share

what follows is a collection of stories from night shift workers who encountered something out of the ordinary

built in 1818 Bodmin St.

Lawrence Hospital was commissioned to accommodate growing numbers of mentally ill residents.

During its tenure, it would become one of the most prominent asylums in the southwest of England, and its facilities would go on to be expanded a further six times over the decades.

As with many such institutions of its day, its reputation would come to be somewhat marred by accusations of mistreatment towards patients.

Much controversy and lengthy legal battles would come to define its final years.

before it was eventually closed in 2002.

What followed was a period of neglect, as the site stood derelict for over a decade before the main buildings were eventually converted into luxury apartments in 2013.

During the intervening period, the less historic outer buildings were slowly demolished.

The sprawling hospital grounds were fenced off from public access and patrolled by security guards, posted to prevent vandalism and wayward urban explorers.

One of these security guards, Steve Hennigan, would work on the site for several years, during which time he would allegedly experience numerous eerie and unexplained incidents.

These included doors violently slamming shut of their own accord, and gurneys rolling down corridors when no one was near them.

Some of his colleagues claimed to have heard footsteps making their way around the facility at night, coming through hallways towards them, or stamping around in rooms above their heads when they knew no one else was there.

There were also reports of cackling laughter or soft whimpering coming from behind the doors of locked rooms, and shadowy figures which were seen to somehow pass through solid walls.

Due to its sheer size, it was standard practice to have two guards stationed at the complex during the night, though on occasion, a third worker might also be present.

for training or some other purpose.

Their working routine consisted of one man patrolling the perimeter fences and checking the buildings, whilst the other remained in the CCTV cabin, keeping an eye on the camera feeds.

They would then alternate these responsibilities throughout the shift.

During one evening in February of 2004, Hennegan was working alongside his usual partner Rob Durham, as well as a new guard named Sean Pollock.

Sean would be filling in for Rob in the coming weeks, as he was due to take annual leave.

At some point during the night, whilst the new recruit was out walking the perimeter fences,

Steve had started to feel unwell and advised Rob that he was going for a lie down.

Leaving his partner to man the cameras, Pennegan made his way to one of the empty outbuildings nearby, where the guards had constructed a makeshift sick bay using furniture and bedding left over from the hospital's closure.

Settling into a gurney, Steve closed his eyes and rolled onto his side, trying to alleviate the nausea which had come over him.

But after about 10 minutes, he was disturbed by a recurring noise, emanating from the main corridor just outside.

Believing this to be the wind, he tried to ignore it.

before realizing that it was far too persistent and rhythmical.

As time passed, he concluded that what he could hear was deep and laboured breathing, coming from just outside the room where he was lying.

Thinking this was one of his colleagues playing a prank, he turned and shouted for them to cut it out, and then rolled back over to face away from the door.

But the sound had persisted.

As Steve lay with his back to the entrance, he realized that the breathing was steadily growing in volume, as if the individual responsible had now entered the room with him.

Turning again, he scanned his surroundings, only to find that he was alone.

But still the sound persisted, and now seemed to be coming from just outside the room's only window.

It wasn't unusual for homeless people to sneak into the grounds.

And now he believed that someone was sleeping in the small alleyway just beneath the window outside.

Creeping over, he took out his torch and shone it down into the darkness, only to find that the alleyway was completely empty.

Confused, he stepped back, and that is when he saw her.

Standing no more than three feet away from him was a slim woman wearing a white hospital gown.

Hennegan could not see her face, as her profile features were obscured by long dark hair.

She had her back to the wall, facing directly into the centre of the room, and was breathing heavily as if distressed.

Overcoming his initial shock, he asked the mysterious intruder if she needed help.

When she did not reply, he reached out to tap her shoulder, only for her to turn and recoil in horror, stepping back, and passing right through the wall behind her.

His nerve broken, Hennigan fled the room, running across the site back to the CCTV cabin.

His unexpected and crashing entrance through the porter cabin door startled his two colleagues.

Struggling to get his words out, he asked if either had seen anything unusual on the cameras, only to be told they had not.

His co-worker Rob, then fixed him with a knowing smile and said, You've seen her, haven't you?

Apparently, Steve's was not the first encounter of its kind.

The experiences of Steve Hennigan in central Cornwall are eerily similar to an incident which took place a decade later on the far side of the world.

And on this occasion, the location involved was not a derelict premises.

but one of the busiest buildings on the island of Honolulu.

Located Located in central Waipahu, the Keikulamakai Training Center is the main coaching facility for the Honolulu Police Department.

Attended by new recruits, seasoned officers and civilian support staff, it is a thriving hub of activity in the daytime, but during the hours of darkness, the facility is usually patrolled by a solitary security officer.

This story concerns one such individual, a guard by the name of Tony, whose experiences during one terrifying week of work almost led him to quit his job.

Tony had worked on site for several years, arriving each evening as the instructors packed their bags and left by the main entrance.

Once he was alone, he would secure the gates before commencing a roaming foot patrol in and around the site.

One evening, at the start of a new set of of shifts, Tony had been walking the fence line when he had heard a loud disturbance coming from the dog kennels on the opposite side of the complex.

Torch in hand, he had run as fast as he could to the canine section to find the police dogs going wild in their kennels, barking and howling at another apparent commotion.

Alongside the barking,

Tony could also hear a series of loud bangs, as if two planks of wood were being smacked together.

Leaving the pens behind him and following this sound, he found himself heading towards an empty building, set aside for firearms training.

As he neared the void premises, he saw that the wooden shutters which should have been secured over the windows of the building were slamming open and shut of their own accord.

It was a windless night, and thinking it must be someone pranking him, he shone his torch over towards the building to see who it could be.

To his amazement, the shutters continued to move to and fro, despite nobody being nearby.

He shouted to announce his presence, and no sooner had the words left his mouth than all the shutters suddenly slammed closed once and for all.

A little perturbed, Tony walked over to the building, conducting a wide circular patrol, before finally going inside.

Every room and stairwell was empty, with no sign that anybody had been there.

Completely dumbfounded, the guard left to continue his rounds, steering clear of this building for the rest of his shift.

Two nights later, Tony was once again working alone near the site's main entrance.

Having already conducted two full circuits of the fence lines, he decided to take a break in one of the smoking areas.

As he scanned the grounds, he suddenly caught sight of an old lady, attired in a flowing white dress, slowly walking across the car park towards him.

Assuming she was lost or in need of help, Tony rose to his feet.

He wondered how she had gotten into the facility since he had already locked the gates.

Waving his arm to attract her attention, the guard was shocked to see her suddenly vanish into thin air.

Already on edge as a result of the incident at the firearms building, he had immediately resolved to call for the assistance of a local unit.

As he turned to head towards the security office, however, he now saw that the woman was standing behind him.

She was closer now, and he could see that her features were angry, twisted into a terrifying grimace.

She took a step towards him, at which point his hand instinctively fell to the pistol at his belt, only for her to once again fade into nothingness.

Staggered by what he had just seen, Tony's knees gave way and he slumped onto the bench behind him.

He turned, resting his face in his palms upon the table in front of him, and was suddenly consumed by a dreadful feeling, as all the hairs on his body stood on end.

Raising his head, he now saw that the woman was sitting directly opposite him, her stare boring into his soul with that horrifying expression.

He leapt from the table and made straight for the security office, looking behind him one last time.

only to see her still sitting there staring at him as he hurried away.

When the police arrived shortly afterwards, they never found any trace of the spectral intruder.

The antagonists in such incidents are not solely limited to women in white, with the nocturnal visitor in our final story being of an entirely different nature.

Several years ago, A young man by the name of John Lockwell took a job as a night watchman at a brewery complex in the northwestern United States.

The facility consisted of several processing plants, with a smaller bar and shop area where the public could buy beer direct.

Initially excited at the prospect of his first paid employment since leaving college, Lockwell soon found himself starting to feel uneasy as his shifts progressed.

He had adopted a routine where he would focus his patrols around the bar building, occasionally conducting a walkthrough of the brewing facility, but soon became convinced that someone else was on sight, watching his every move.

One evening, he had just completed his second patrol of the brewery floor and then returned to the bar area.

Letting himself in, he waited until the motion sensors triggered the internal lights.

and was crossing the bar when he got that familiar feeling that he was not alone.

Turning around, he glimpsed a large humanoid figure, completely covered in a long thick hide, staring at him from the door through which he had just entered.

This entity seemed almost too large to fit through the open doorway, its oversized arms hanging limply down at its sides.

But no sooner had he made eye contact with this mysterious intruder than it suddenly disappeared.

Tentatively approaching the open door and searching the area, Lockwell could see no no sign of it, or any sign it had even been there, at all.

Over the coming days, when he tried to discuss the matter with guards on the daytime shift, he found that nobody was prepared to talk to him about it.

Finally, after some persistence, One of his colleagues stated that something weird did frequent the site on occasion, but that it was totally harmless.

A week later, Lockwell had walked over to the bar area to conduct another walkthrough.

The bar had two sets of automatic doors, which formed a kind of airlock in the space between them.

After swiping his security pass to open the external door, he stepped inside the airlock and moved forward to swipe the card reader for the inner door, which led through to the bar.

Staring into the glass pane before him, however, he had suddenly frozen in terror.

In the reflection of the window, the youngster could see that the strange entity was standing right behind him, apparently inside the airlock with him.

Swallowing hard, he slowly presented his pass to the sensor for the internal door, unable to take his eyes off the terrifying vision of the creature towering above him.

He could not hear or feel its presence, but could see in the reflection that it was staring down at him with an intense gaze, its chest rising and falling.

Stepping through the doorway, he quickly turned, only to find the airlock now completely empty, with no trace of the humanoid intruder.

This incident proved too much for the terrified security guard, who quit shortly afterwards, choosing instead to apply for jobs which did not involve working night shifts.

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As we have already covered in a previous episode, the remote city of Nome is somewhat notorious for its numerous unexplained disappearances.

However, there is another, lesser-known aspect to this tiny city situated on the far western shores of the Alaskan wilderness.

One in which residents have reported witnessing inexplicable occurrences which defy rational explanation.

George, a subscriber who worked at the Noam Police Department in the late 90s, experienced a deeply unsettling event along with his fellow officers.

Due to the region's unpredictable weather conditions, it was not uncommon for the staff of the Nome Police Department to be restricted in their movements by heavy snowfall from time to time.

One night, during a particularly bad snowstorm, George and three of his colleagues found themselves working their entire shift within the confines of the police station, unable to go out on patrol due to the harsh weather.

For the same reason and due to the lateness of the hour, the volume of calls was minimal, but at around 2am,

George was at his desk catching up on some administrative tasks when one of his colleagues called him to the back of the office.

On the CCTV monitor dedicated to the building's aging surveillance system, they saw a small figure walking towards the station, partially visible amidst the swirling snow.

George initially thought it was a young child, but as he continued to observe, he realised that the figure's movements were confident and deliberate, not typical of a lone youngster.

The figure approached from the plains to the east and finally arrived at the station, but instead of going to the main entrance as would be expected, it disappeared around the side.

Wondering who on earth would be walking around in that weather and at that time, the two officers spent several minutes switching between various cameras before they were able to locate the mysterious figure once again.

This time they saw that it was standing at the rear of the building, with its hands up over its brow, peering in through the window of one of the rear entrances.

The poor quality of the CCTV system made it impossible to discern any details about the figure, other than its diminutive size and dark clothing.

George remained at his post monitoring the camera whilst his colleague went downstairs to investigate further.

Moments later, He saw his fellow officer appear on screen, approaching the door where the figure was peering in.

The officer's radio then sounded, stating that he was standing right next to the entrance and that he could not see anyone standing outside.

George briefly began to suspect that he was the unwitting target of some prank, until he called over another of his colleagues from the other side of the office.

They both stared at the screen and confirmed to each other that they could see the figure standing outside the doorway, and yet the officer downstairs reported back that it was clear.

George asked his other colleague to continue watching the screen whilst he made his way downstairs to join his partner at the rear entrance.

Upon arriving in the hallway, he could see that there was nothing beyond the glass pane besides the raging blizzard outside.

And yet the officer upstairs confirmed that the figure was still standing there, staring directly at both of them.

Just as they were deliberating whether to go out and investigate further, they were summoned back up to the second floor.

The officer at the CCTV monitor pointed to the grainy footage on screen, revealing yet another shadowy figure, identical in size and stature to the first, this time with its face pressed up against the glass of the double doors at the main entrance.

At this point, George radioed the fourth officer on duty at the front desk, asking if he could see anyone at the doorway.

When his colleague replied that there was no one there, he requested a closer inspection.

Watching on the monitor as the officer approached the front doors, staring straight at the spot where the mysterious figure was standing, he was disturbed to hear the desk officer report back that the entrance was completely clear.

As the hours passed and the snow continued to fall outside the station, several small figures materialized on the CCTV system,

taking up positions at doors and windows, silently surveying the station's interior despite the harsh weather conditions.

Physical checks by the officers revealed no signs of any intruders at the locations in question.

despite them still being clearly visible on the CCTV monitors.

Several hours later, as the storm began to abate, the squat shapes quietly disappeared, leaving no trace of their presence, not even footprints.

The officers were left bewildered, unable to determine who or what those small figures were, where they came from, and ultimately, what their intent was on that dark and freezing cold night.

Throughout her her nursing career, Simona Galeano dedicated her skills to the Mexico-Americano Hospital in Guadalajara.

Over the years, she bore witness to the best and worst of humanity.

From heart-wrenching moments when patients had to be turned away due to a lack of appropriate facilities, to families and friends coming together to support their loved ones in the face of terminal diagnoses.

But it was a traumatic event during the closing weeks of 2003 that left a lasting impression upon her.

It revolved around a young male patient named Emilio, whom Simona was caring for.

Emilio had suffered severe damage to one of his vertebrae, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down.

Due to the nature of his injury, He was still able to breathe unaided and communicate normally, and despite his dire circumstances, Emilio remained surprisingly cheerful and optimistic during the two weeks he was under Simona's care.

Intrigued by his positive outlook, she asked him how he managed to stay so calm in the face of such adversity.

With an uncertain smile, The teenager tentatively revealed to her that he had been in contact with extraterrestrial entities since he was a young child.

According to Emilio, these beings communicated with him telepathically, and after his accident, they had assured him that they could preserve his mind and soul, regardless of his physical condition.

He went on to say that they had given him a specific date, the 3rd of December, when they would visit him at the hospital to separate his consciousness from his body and take him with them.

Realising that this date was only three days away, Simona initially dismissed this revelation as a possible delusion, induced by the amount of medication her patient was taking.

However, despite her scepticism, she could not fully shake off the lingering sense of unease that Emilio's words had left her with.

On the evening of the 2nd of December, Simona arrived at the hospital and clocked in for her shift, just like any other night and made a point to check on her favourite patient.

She found Emilio lying in bed, watching television, and after administering his medication, he soon fell asleep.

Little did she know that this would be the last time she would see him alive.

At approximately 3am,

an emergency alarm cut short a conversation between her and a colleague.

Rushing to the nurse's station, they were horrified to discover that the alarm was Emilio's.

His monitor was not showing any vital signs.

They immediately sprinted to his room, only to find the sheets of his bed pulled back and the teenager nowhere to be seen.

A thorough check of the security cameras revealed no evidence of anyone entering or leaving Emilio's room.

The hospital's wider CCTV network was also checked, but yielded no results.

Just as the matter was about to be reported to the police as a possible kidnapping, an auxiliary who had been helping to conduct the search rushed up to the nurse's station and breathlessly informed them that Emilio was now back in his bed.

Simona rushed into his room and was shocked to find Emilio lying exactly where she had left him earlier.

with his sheets pulled back up and the monitor reconnected.

To her her horror, there were no signs of life in the youngster.

He appeared to have passed away peacefully in his sleep.

Further investigations, including a post-mortem examination, could not determine the cause of Emilio's death.

There were no additional injuries or drugs found in his system.

beyond what was already documented in his medical file.

The hospital's CCTV system provided no clues as to how Emilio had temporarily disappeared and then returned to his room, especially considering he was unable to move.

The mystery of how he was seemingly removed from his bed and then returned without detection remains unsolved.

Although he disappeared for only a matter of minutes, This brief event has left Simona pondering the existence of unknown forces or powers that may be beyond human comprehension.

Emilio's remains were eventually buried according to the wishes of his loved ones, but the bizarre events surrounding his passing continue to haunt Simona to this day.

During the summer of 2013,

Carl Whitehouse found himself working for a private security company that operated across multiple sites in and around the southwest of England.

The frequent travel to distant locations was taking a toll on his home life.

Determined to find a more fixed assignment, he approached his manager to inquire about available opportunities.

As luck would have it, the company had recently acquired a contract for a prison building which had been shut down by the Home Office earlier that year.

The plan was to eventually convert the sprawling complex into a private venture.

But for now, the company needed security coverage for the site.

Two security guards had already been assigned to patrol the building to deter crimes such as metal theft and vandalism, but there was still one vacancy left to be filled.

Given that the former prison was conveniently located close to Carl's home, he eagerly agreed to take on the role as it would help him save on travel time and fuel costs.

The following month, he received his new assignment and joined two other local contractors to provide 24-hour on-site security for the premises.

Working in shifts of eight hours each, the three security officers ensured that the site was always manned with a dog handling unit available for backup if needed.

Carl quickly familiarized himself with the layout of the aging building, devising patrol routes for its four internal wings and various outbuildings.

However, it wasn't long before Carl experienced something quite out of the ordinary, something that defied all reason and logic.

Despite the monotonous nature of his work, he found the prison contract to be one of the best he had ever been awarded.

Being native to the area, he knew the local community well, including the families of the occasional chances he sometimes had to chase off sight.

He had also taken the time to read upon the history of the facility, which had been used by the army during and after World War II, and he quite enjoyed exploring various parts of the old building during the darkest hours.

One night, whilst deep in the bowels of the prison with only his torch to guide him, Carl heard a low rumbling sound that rapidly grew in intensity, causing the walls to vibrate.

Intrigued rather than unnerved, he pressed on with his patrol, only to come to an abrupt halt as he turned a corner.

The walls of the corridor in front of him were cracked and worn, with stones scattered on the floor where sections had given way.

In some parts, the wall had completely crumbled, revealing a purplish hue of light from the night sky outside.

Alarmed but curious, Carl retraced his steps, only to find that the walls of the corridor he had just passed through were similarly degraded.

His confidence began to falter as he hurriedly made his way back towards the main entrance of the building.

The other buildings surrounding the complex appeared to be in a similar state of decay, and the landscape outside, which had seemed ordinary in daylight, now looked almost apocalyptic under an unnatural purple moon in the night

As Carl moved out through the main doors and moved into the area where the car park used to be, he was utterly shocked as he saw a deserted wasteland stretching out before him, with the ruins of old buildings in the distance.

From behind long dead trees and large boulders, he saw tall and slender figures, dark and unmoving.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as they remained where they were, intently regarding him from a distance.

When one of the figures finally began to move towards him, effecting an odd, fluid motion, Carl turned and ran back into the depths of the prison.

The rumbling sensation resumed, building in intensity, before abruptly ceasing.

He emerged into a pristine corridor, identical to the one in which the encounter had begun.

He cautiously retraced his steps, but there was no trace of the damaged walls or the purple sky he had seen just moments before.

He continued to work at the prison for another year, but never experienced anything similar again, nor did he hear of any comparable encounters from his colleagues.

He couldn't help but regard the old building with a sense of curiosity whenever he passed by it after after his contract had ended, always wondering about what he had experienced there one night in the summer of 2013.

Similar to the other encounters we have related, the nighttime working environment can provide additional challenges rarely experienced by those on day shifts.

Factors such as lack of direct contact with or support from other people, deprivation of natural light, and often working in hazardous or remote environments can create strange and unique situations.

At first glance, many of these encounters can seem mysterious or supernatural in nature, but often go on to make sense when reconsidered in their aftermath.

And yet, some instances still continue to defy any kind of rational explanation.

Is it possible that the darkness somehow weakens the barriers between the living living world and what lies beyond?

That by remaining awake whilst the rest of society slumbers somehow makes us more inviting to these kinds of encounters?

Do a person's feelings of loneliness also play a role in this and make them more appealing to such entities?

Or is it a combination of sleep deprivation and the inevitable feelings of vulnerability when isolated in the small hours, which preys on our senses and makes us see things that aren't really there?

You may be working a night shift as you listen to this.

We may be putting suggestions in your mind.

And you may go home after your shift has ended, having seen something you cannot explain.

Regardless of whatever you believe, one thing remains certain.

As long as society requires people to work night shifts, Stories of paranormal or supernatural visitors will forever walk hand in hand with their job description.