Night Shift – Six Sentence Story

Artwork by Phil Burns

This challenge is produced by GirlieOnTheEdge with the following simple rules:
Write 6 Sentences. No more. No less.
Use the current week’s prompt word – SHIFT

Click here to hear the author read his words:

Night Shift


I hate this shift.

When the alarm sounds at 2.15 a.m. I rise immediately, shower quickly, dress and leave, because I report for work at 3 o’clock, and to be late is unacceptable.

With the rest of the team, I am given my instructions, which are basically the same every time; only the details are different but, as they say, the devil is in the detail.

With meticulous care, I put on my uniform.

The team is well-drilled, well-organised, so our departure time varies, depending on our destination, to ensure that we always arrive at 3.55.

I breathe deeply and, at precisely 4 a.m., I kick in the door.

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About ceayr

A Scot who has discovered peace in a small town he calls Medville on the Côte Vermeille, C.E. Ayr has spent a large part of his life in the West of Scotland and a large part elsewhere. His first job was selling programmes at his local football club and he has since tried 73 other career paths, the longest being in IT, with varying degrees of success. He is somewhat nomadic, fairly irresponsible and, according to his darling daughter, a bit random. So, nobody’s perfect.
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31 Responses to Night Shift – Six Sentence Story

  1. Nicely set up, CE, then that brutal ending – fitting for the current occupants in power, who will snakily sell it to their thug-minded voters as yet another “kind and loving” way to deal with things.

  2. Sounds like rather than in the details, the devil is in the Home Office? You could always try fences over there, I hear they’re quite popular among a certain segment.

  3. An uncharacteristically “intense” Six, C.E. I like it!
    “… but, as they say, the devil is in the detail.” The red light of those words are flashing like a “No Vacancy” sign at a seedy, roadside motel.

  4. Chris Hall's avatar Chris Hall says:

    A force for good or a force for ill? I’m guessing the latter, but I suppose it depends which side you’re on. Great Six!

    • ceayr's avatar ceayr says:

      Thanks, Chris.
      For those of us who don’t support Westminster’s increasingly fascist regime with regard to immigration, it is not at all good.

  5. Indeed, they are precise. As one friend whose family member was in the mafia said, when they raided the whole family, at their various locations, they were quite precise in going into each house at the exact same time. (No, she didn’t know where the family member was, and was let go after questioning, she had cut off contact years before in disgust at the antics.)

  6. You had me on this one. I thought the shift was at a bakery or food processing plant. Then I read that last line. Brilliant writting

  7. Kafka, eat your heart out. ceayr has succeeded you. 🙂

  8. Liz H's avatar Liz H says:

    This begs for a fulfillment of What Happens Next.
    For some reason, I thought of a brute squad for a totalitarian government…awfully dark!

  9. dyannedillon's avatar dyannedillon says:

    Ooo, that’s intriguing! Is it bad that my first thought of someone getting up for a 3 am shift was that they made doughnuts at a bakery…? Great 6!

  10. jenne49's avatar jenne49 says:

    This made me think of our immigration dawn raids.
    You convey such a cold sense of complete and automatic obedience, devoid of humanity.
    The only emotion: ‘I hate this shift.’
    ‘…meticulous attention’ – chilling!
    It’s a great piece of writing..

    • ceayr's avatar ceayr says:

      Thanks, Jenne.
      Happily in Scotland the people are already standing up to these vile Westminster-imposed travesties, reminiscent of Nazi Germany and other police states

  11. Frank Hubeny's avatar Frank Hubeny says:

    That routine task sounds ominous. Indeed, “the devil is in the detail”.

  12. Terveen Gill's avatar Terveen Gill says:

    Oh wow! A sting operation? Or maybe criminals in the act themselves. Wonderful! 🙂

  13. UP's avatar UP says:

    Great use of the cue. Good solid six.

  14. A rebellion brewing? Robotic conformity is a most difficult ‘addiction’ to break!

    • ceayr's avatar ceayr says:

      Interestingly, Susan, you read something that I did not intentionally write.
      Thank you, I love different interpretations!

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