I almost ignored it and I think about that a lot. It was a random 2AM message request from a stranger no profile picture, no mutuals just are you up? I was about to swipe it away but I didn’t. I replied out of pure boredom. We ended up talking for hours about life, stress, and things people usually only say when it’s quiet and dark. At one point they admitted they weren’t doing great, but laughed it off. When morning came they simply said thanks I really needed that tonight. Then the account disappeared the next day. I still don’t know who they were or what happened but it made me realize how something so small can matter more than you think.
I work as a morgue doctor. Our janitor can stop a family's grief in two minutes, but his price is horrifying.
I am a medical doctor, specifically a forensic pathologist. A few months ago, I landed my first official position at a large county morgue. After years of medical school, residency, and brutal hours, I finally had a steady job with a clear routine. The work is not glamorous, but it is necessary. I examine the deceased, determine the cause of death, and prepare the reports. It is quiet, methodical work, which is exactly what I wanted. The facility itself is located in the basement level of a massive hospital complex. It is a sterile, cold environment, filled with stainless steel tables, bright fluorescent lights, and the constant, heavy smell of chemical cleaners and formaldehyde. There are only three of us who work down here during the day: the senior medical examiner, myself, and the janitor. The senior examiner is a quiet woman who spends most of her time in her office reviewing files. We barely speak unless it is about a specific case. That leaves the janitor. He is an old man. His...