strange things tend to happen when the sun goes down.

Meteors streak across the sky; reckless text messages are sent, often followed by deep regret; creaks take on a hostile vibe they wouldn’t have had during daylight hours. Once, I was roused by the sound of retching, only to find my poor pooch coughing up a pair of fluffy pom poms. (He was totally fine, thankfully, but the cushion he tore them from wasn’t so fortunate.)

Then there was the time just a couple of weeks back when I woke in the morning to the sound of my alarm. Reaching across to groggily switch it off, I realised there was only empty space where the bedside table had been – instead, my half-read books, reading lamp and phone were on the floor in a neat pile.

But where was the table? Why, in the most logical place, of course: laying sideways near my feet, on top of the bed. Presumably, this was the work of a mischievous poltergeist, intent on wreaking havoc and messing with my feng shui, and not simply my own nocturnal wanderings. The idea that I could do some light redecorating while still in a state of peaceful slumber was way harder to believe, after all.

Though this experience certainly gave me the heebie-jeebies, not all night-time goings-on are quite so unnerving. In this issue, we chat with four lovely shift workers who do most of their business under the cover of darkness. While the rest of us are snoozing, they administer emergency medical treatment, write news bulletins, watch over vulnerable folks and shop for flowers – and, if they’re to be believed, manage to avoid pesky, furniture-shifting poltergeists while they’re at it.