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Nightshift Nineteen
A Dark Coil Short Story
An ill-fated nightshift crew is plagued by misfortune, and a series of odd incidents turns sinister when they become stranded in the darkness.
READ IT BECAUSE
Fans of the Dark Coil series will love this tale of survival horror in a gritty, realistic, yet unusual setting as a nightshift team is plagued by a series of mysterious events.
THE STORY
Hive Carceri’s mechanised dome is vast and decrepit, and only the vigilance of an army of labourers, tech adepts, and servitors known as the Nightshift keeps its ancient Sunlights shining.
It is a harsh, isolated, and dangerous life, where workers are cut off from the city below and sometimes strange things happen in the heights where souls pass perilously close to the darkness beyond.
The ill-fated crew of Nightshift Nineteen is plagued by misfortune, and a series of odd incidents turns sinister when the team becomes stranded and discovers that some crew members may not be who, or what, they claim to be.
Written by Peter Fehervari.
An ill-fated nightshift crew is plagued by misfortune, and a series of odd incidents turns sinister when they become stranded in the darkness.
READ IT BECAUSE
Fans of the Dark Coil series will love this tale of survival horror in a gritty, realistic, yet unusual setting as a nightshift team is plagued by a series of mysterious events.
THE STORY
Hive Carceri’s mechanised dome is vast and decrepit, and only the vigilance of an army of labourers, tech adepts, and servitors known as the Nightshift keeps its ancient Sunlights shining.
It is a harsh, isolated, and dangerous life, where workers are cut off from the city below and sometimes strange things happen in the heights where souls pass perilously close to the darkness beyond.
The ill-fated crew of Nightshift Nineteen is plagued by misfortune, and a series of odd incidents turns sinister when the team becomes stranded and discovers that some crew members may not be who, or what, they claim to be.
Written by Peter Fehervari.
52 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2024
11 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 22, 2024
Nightshift Nineteen had found me earlier than I anticipated, bringing me another dose of Dark Coil madness and feeding my obsession - the hunger, that wasn’t satisfied by the recent Blindsight short story.
This time we return to Sarastus once again, back to the place where Dark Coil began in Nightfall, but also back in time, because The Night is yet to come and Hive Carceri is still standing, protected from the Darkness by the dome full of artificial stars…
This fragment of Sarastus’s story is about people who take care of that dome. And as you can expect, it is obviously quite dark, even if the true horror of the story lies in very mundane things. Much like in Nightbleed, which is pretty much a companion piece for this story and I strongly recommend to read it first. Otherwise, many important nuances would be lost. Personally, I like Nightshift Nineteen more than Nightbleed, mostly because mundane aspect of Nightbleed hits me too close to home, but also because I am fascinated by the concept of the story.
It starts with protagonist’s, Izaq, initiation into Canopic Congregation – Mechanicum-adjusted holy brotherhood of caretakers, who’s job is very important for the Hive – they clean and maintain the very dome that protects the Hive City from eternal night that consumes the planet. Of course, they are over the top religious and pompous, full of seemingly profound litanies and self-importance and of course, as it often happens in the Imperium, they barely know what they are doing. There are few true Mechanicus among them, the knowledge of how the dome was built is lost and they aren’t even able to switch failed light bulbs. To their credit, it is not just light bulbs but gigantic projectors fueled by plasma reactors but still. At one point in the story, they are called “glorified janitors” and it fits them. But the irony of the situation lies elsewhere – even if they themselves doesn’t believe and/or understand it, their duty is indeed as sacred as they proclaim and extremely vital. Because eternally hungry Night does exist outside the fall, because this darkens does try to worm it’s way inside and because Carceri will fall when their duty would be sufficiently neglected.
Another aspect that I like is what their duties actually look like – the shift of workers who are sent insanely high up into the dome for months, who has to find a way in the labyrinth of antient technical shafts and ruined corridors, cleaning this place up. Also, hand flamers to burn mutated parasites are a standard issue equipment just as needed for the job as mops. This imagery is awesome.
And I also very fond of how Fehervari incorporated their weird cult into Dark Coil iconography. Like they always quote “as above so below” – the phrase that is omnipresent in Dark Coil, or their symbol – open hand with the star in the palm that sometimes turn into an eye – perceptive reader could recognize this symbol. But it isn’t just repeating of Dark Coil “code phrases” – if you think about it, due to the nature of their work it makes perfect sense for Canopic Congregation to have mantras and iconography like this. And it is just one example of great worldbuilding in such a short story.
But the true “meat” of the story of course is a personal demons of the characters (sometimes literally) and fantastically portrayed signs of decay and future corruption. The style, the imageries, the atmosphere are as great as always.
Still, while I am ready to sing praises to Peter Fehervari pretty much eternally, I still have to share a little bit of my doubts about this story. First, as I said earlier, it is almost essential to read Nightbleed first. This time it is not just about cool cameos, even if glorious return of corpse starch factory mascot and its cult brought me enormous joy. But you need to know what happened in Apartment 19 to fully understand what is about to transpire at the end of the story. You could argue that enough hints are presented and I could see it that way as well, but doubts still crawl into my brain. Moreover, I have to wonder, if the story even works without extended Dark Coil knowledge that I possess. The resolution of the story is built very delicately, it happens beyond the text, after the last line was written and takes place pretty much entirely inside the reader’s head. When writing methods like this work the impact on reader is astonishing and it did work for me. But when they don’t, they left reader unsatisfied and in the state of confusion. People could even think that there is no resolution at all, and I couldn’t really blame someone who would think so after reading this story. For experienced Dark Coil pilgrim, the fall of Sarastus and Hive Carceri is pretty much a foregone conclusion, so we could very easily picture what would happen to two POV characters after the end of the story even if we don’t know how, but it is not the same for average reader. “The lack of conclusion” is not as prominent as in Altar Of Maws, which I called “half of the story”, but this evil fiend still lingers here, even if you can’t see it.
My another point of concern is sharing POV between the two characters. Great things were achived with this and it was fascinating to see protagonist of first part of the story through the eyes of the second one, but once again the balance is very delicate. The story is very short and it feels almost too tight for the two of them. Or rather the second POV needs a little bit more time...
All in all, I had a great time with this story, adding another puzzle piece to the Fall Of Sarastus. I even feel inspired - probably it’s time to write an article about this event or something….
This time we return to Sarastus once again, back to the place where Dark Coil began in Nightfall, but also back in time, because The Night is yet to come and Hive Carceri is still standing, protected from the Darkness by the dome full of artificial stars…
This fragment of Sarastus’s story is about people who take care of that dome. And as you can expect, it is obviously quite dark, even if the true horror of the story lies in very mundane things. Much like in Nightbleed, which is pretty much a companion piece for this story and I strongly recommend to read it first. Otherwise, many important nuances would be lost. Personally, I like Nightshift Nineteen more than Nightbleed, mostly because mundane aspect of Nightbleed hits me too close to home, but also because I am fascinated by the concept of the story.
It starts with protagonist’s, Izaq, initiation into Canopic Congregation – Mechanicum-adjusted holy brotherhood of caretakers, who’s job is very important for the Hive – they clean and maintain the very dome that protects the Hive City from eternal night that consumes the planet. Of course, they are over the top religious and pompous, full of seemingly profound litanies and self-importance and of course, as it often happens in the Imperium, they barely know what they are doing. There are few true Mechanicus among them, the knowledge of how the dome was built is lost and they aren’t even able to switch failed light bulbs. To their credit, it is not just light bulbs but gigantic projectors fueled by plasma reactors but still. At one point in the story, they are called “glorified janitors” and it fits them. But the irony of the situation lies elsewhere – even if they themselves doesn’t believe and/or understand it, their duty is indeed as sacred as they proclaim and extremely vital. Because eternally hungry Night does exist outside the fall, because this darkens does try to worm it’s way inside and because Carceri will fall when their duty would be sufficiently neglected.
Another aspect that I like is what their duties actually look like – the shift of workers who are sent insanely high up into the dome for months, who has to find a way in the labyrinth of antient technical shafts and ruined corridors, cleaning this place up. Also, hand flamers to burn mutated parasites are a standard issue equipment just as needed for the job as mops. This imagery is awesome.
And I also very fond of how Fehervari incorporated their weird cult into Dark Coil iconography. Like they always quote “as above so below” – the phrase that is omnipresent in Dark Coil, or their symbol – open hand with the star in the palm that sometimes turn into an eye – perceptive reader could recognize this symbol. But it isn’t just repeating of Dark Coil “code phrases” – if you think about it, due to the nature of their work it makes perfect sense for Canopic Congregation to have mantras and iconography like this. And it is just one example of great worldbuilding in such a short story.
But the true “meat” of the story of course is a personal demons of the characters (sometimes literally) and fantastically portrayed signs of decay and future corruption. The style, the imageries, the atmosphere are as great as always.
Still, while I am ready to sing praises to Peter Fehervari pretty much eternally, I still have to share a little bit of my doubts about this story. First, as I said earlier, it is almost essential to read Nightbleed first. This time it is not just about cool cameos, even if glorious return of corpse starch factory mascot and its cult brought me enormous joy. But you need to know what happened in Apartment 19 to fully understand what is about to transpire at the end of the story. You could argue that enough hints are presented and I could see it that way as well, but doubts still crawl into my brain. Moreover, I have to wonder, if the story even works without extended Dark Coil knowledge that I possess. The resolution of the story is built very delicately, it happens beyond the text, after the last line was written and takes place pretty much entirely inside the reader’s head. When writing methods like this work the impact on reader is astonishing and it did work for me. But when they don’t, they left reader unsatisfied and in the state of confusion. People could even think that there is no resolution at all, and I couldn’t really blame someone who would think so after reading this story. For experienced Dark Coil pilgrim, the fall of Sarastus and Hive Carceri is pretty much a foregone conclusion, so we could very easily picture what would happen to two POV characters after the end of the story even if we don’t know how, but it is not the same for average reader. “The lack of conclusion” is not as prominent as in Altar Of Maws, which I called “half of the story”, but this evil fiend still lingers here, even if you can’t see it.
My another point of concern is sharing POV between the two characters. Great things were achived with this and it was fascinating to see protagonist of first part of the story through the eyes of the second one, but once again the balance is very delicate. The story is very short and it feels almost too tight for the two of them. Or rather the second POV needs a little bit more time...
All in all, I had a great time with this story, adding another puzzle piece to the Fall Of Sarastus. I even feel inspired - probably it’s time to write an article about this event or something….
December 21, 2024
Loved it. Now I need to read all his other dark coil works!
December 26, 2024
Recently I saw a comment somewhere saying that David Lynch's Twin Peaks at certain points portrays how a nightmare looks like. I think it's the same with Fehervari. His prose at least from more recent works, has that nightmare like feel to then. And this story is very much a nightmare in written form. Genuinely unnerving and dread inducing.
As with previous works however, there are plenty of callbacks and little mysteries, and hooks that tie all of the stories together in some maddening, twisted knot, or rather a spiral...
So it goes.
Fun fact I guess, if I'm not mistaken that is, this is the 19th story that he wrote for BL. I guess that's why the number is quite prevelant through out the short.
As with previous works however, there are plenty of callbacks and little mysteries, and hooks that tie all of the stories together in some maddening, twisted knot, or rather a spiral...
So it goes.
Fun fact I guess, if I'm not mistaken that is, this is the 19th story that he wrote for BL. I guess that's why the number is quite prevelant through out the short.
February 11, 2025
The best of the Christmas Advent Calendar of short stories that I’ve read so far. Brilliant set up, and at the end both left me wanting more and having a sinking feeling I knew exactly how the full story would end. Loved it!
December 2, 2024
There's elements of Dead Space in Fehervari's claustrophobic and clinging narrative, woven throughout 'Nightshift Nineteen.' There's an inherent cultishness, religion gone mad, technology halfway between running amok and rotting away entirely. A dying existence which promises only darkness and pain.
Hive Carceri's dome sets a wonderful scene, a perfect interplay of darkness and light. It feels like it has always been there, even when everyone who tends it knows it won't always.
The entire story has the feel of presaging something else to come, another wind deeper down the spiral. It is beautifully wrought; Fehervari understands the bleakness and horror of the mundane becoming the madcap.
Hive Carceri's dome sets a wonderful scene, a perfect interplay of darkness and light. It feels like it has always been there, even when everyone who tends it knows it won't always.
The entire story has the feel of presaging something else to come, another wind deeper down the spiral. It is beautifully wrought; Fehervari understands the bleakness and horror of the mundane becoming the madcap.
January 12, 2026
My very first Dark Coil story so I'm sure I'm missing all sorts of stuff which would add a bunch of stars to this review.
A decent enough tale of corruption seeping into, well, everything. Slowly and surely, everything falls.
A decent enough tale of corruption seeping into, well, everything. Slowly and surely, everything falls.
November 19, 2025
Couldn’t cope with all the perspective switching.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews