The Night Shift Rules

The elevator doors opened at 2:00 a.m. I was starting my first night shift at the Grand Hotel. The manager, Mr. Ellis, handed me a folded paper. His hands were shaking. "Read these rules every hour," he said. "Do not break any of them."

I opened the paper. The rules were written in red ink. Rule 1: The elevator must never stop on the fourth floor. Rule 2: If you hear a child crying in the hallway, do not follow the sound. Rule 3: At 3:15 a.m., a woman in a blue dress will ask for Room 410. You must say, "That room is not available." Rule 4: Never look at the mirror at the end of the second-floor corridor. Rule 5: If the phone rings after midnight, let it ring three times, then answer. I laughed quietly. This was a joke, I thought.

But the rules were not a joke. At 2:45 a.m., I was walking past the second-floor corridor. I could see the mirror from the corner of my eye. It was old and dirty. Something inside it moved. I turned my head away quickly. My heart was beating fast.

At 3:15 a.m., a woman in a blue dress appeared at the front desk. She was very pale. "Room 410, please," she said. Her voice was soft. I remembered Rule 3. "That room is not available," I said. She stared at me for a long time. Then she smiled. It was a cold smile. She walked away without a word.

At 3:30 a.m., the phone rang. I let it ring three times, then I answered. No one spoke. I could only hear breathing. I put the phone down.

At 4:00 a.m., I heard a child crying. The sound came from the fourth floor. I knew I should not follow it. But the crying was so sad. It sounded like a real child. My legs started moving before I could think. I walked to the elevator. I pressed the button for the fourth floor. The elevator began to move.

When the doors opened, the hallway was dark. The crying stopped. I saw a small girl standing at the end of the hall. She was wearing a white dress. She waved at me. I took one step forward. Then I remembered Rule 1. The elevator must never stop on the fourth floor. I pressed the close button again and again. The doors closed slowly. The girl's smile grew wide.

I went back to the front desk. I was breathing hard. I had broken Rule 1. I had looked at the fourth floor. Nothing happened that night. But the next night, the phone rang at 2:00 a.m. I let it ring three times, then I answered. A voice said, "You looked at her. Now she will come for you."

I have followed every rule since then. I never look at the mirror. I never follow the crying. I always say the right words. But last night, I heard a knock on my door. It was 3:15 a.m. I did not open it. I have always been careful. I have always obeyed. So why is it coming for me?