Alex Weller’s Reviews > Night Shift > Status Update

Just when the prisoners think they have enough food and water to last them a month, the power goes out. The narrator and a young man named Jerry go outside to the bathrooms to get water from the toilet tanks, but narrowly avoid getting killed by a truck, which breaks the side door off. The prisoners barricade the door with sheet siding before going to sleep. At least the two made it back.

Just started reading the ninth story, "Trucks". Tractor-trailer trucks have suddenly come to life and trapped a group of people inside a truck stop. A salesman named Snodgrass crazily tries to escape, but gets hit by a truck and flung into a ditch before he can make it. The remaining customers stay stuck inside as the sun begins to set. What the hell is going on?

Just read the eighth story, "Battleground". Hitman John Renshaw returns to his penthouse after assassinating a toy company CEO, only to receive a package in the mail from the company. It contains a set of toy soldiers that come to life and engage in a bloody war with Renshaw, which ends when they blow up the penthouse with a thermonuclear weapon. Holy shit! Overall, thrilling story but kinda goofy.

Just read the seventh story, "Gray Matter". During a snowstorm, a few old-timers at a convenience store learn from a local alcoholic's son that the man drank some poisoned beer that turned him into a gray bloodthirsty jelly monster. The store owner delivers some beer to the monstrosity with two others, but opens fire at the thing, which is already multiplying, while the other two run away. Overall, great story!

Just read the sixth story, "The Boogeyman". Lester Billings visits Dr. Harper and explains how the boogeyman killed each of his toddler children one by one in the night, after he and his wife stopped having them sleep with Mommy and Daddy. But at the end of the story, Dr. Harper turns out to be the boogeyman, come to kill Lester. Holy shit! Overall, great story!

Finished "The Mangler"! A terrified, insane Hunton runs to Roger Martin's house and frantically tells him about the Mangler and how it might get out, before passing out. As Martin goes to get the phone, he realizes it's too late. The Mangler has already gotten out, and is approaching the house. Better start running, Martin! Overall, pretty good story!

Hunton and Jackson arrive at the laundromat to perform their ill-fated ritual. It starts off well, with the holy water putting the Mangler in pain, but Hunton soon realizes everything is going wrong. The Mangler rips itself free from the concrete floor and lunges at them both, eating Jackson while Hunton runs away. Holy shit!

It's revealed to us something that Hunton and Jackson don't know. Adelle Frawley suffered from indigestion and took stomach tablets for it, a box of which she accidentally dropped into the Mangler once. Unfortunately, the stomach tablets contain a chemical derivative of hand of glory. Looks like Hunton and Jackson might be fucked.

After analyzing several methods for conjuring demons, Jackson deduces several methods could also have contributed to the Mangler's possession. But the best way to get rid of it is with holy water, Eucharist, and Bible passages. Jackson is grateful that the demon was not conjured with the hand of glory, or else it would be too powerful for them to face. But now it's time to kick some demon ass!

Since they know nobody will believe their story, Hunton and Jackson are stuck having to exorcise the demon from the Mangler themselves. But they don't know which demon could be in it, so they'll have to be very careful, or else they're fucked. Damn.