There are rules for a reason. Break them, and you might not make it to morning.
Malik Farrow is out of options. Desperate for a paycheck and running from a past that won’t stop calling, he takes a graveyard security job at a half-dead shopping mall called Zone 9. The building is shuttered, the air stale, and the cameras watch more than just shadows. But it’s just a job. One night at a time.
Until the rules show up.
Each shift, new instructions. Each rule, more impossible than the last.
Don’t use the east stairwell. Don’t talk to the child by the fountain. Don’t look in the elevator after 2:46 AM.
And whatever happens—don’t answer the second phone call.
What starts as a simple night watch spirals into a nightmare of isolation, doppelgängers, vanishing coworkers, and a mall that seems to fold in on itself. As Malik follows protocol, he begins to suspect the rules aren’t just guidelines—they’re a test. And someone, or something, is watching to see if he’ll fail.
Night Shift at Zone 9 is a gripping psychological horror novel told through haunting detail, slow-burn dread, and a protagonist unraveling under the weight of something older, colder, and smarter than anything human. Perfect for fans of House of Leaves, Silent Hill, and The Backrooms, this debut from L.J. Rane drags you into a decaying world where the real horror might be who makes it out.
