by Tom Little
From: jlatham@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: morgue@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 7, 2025, 9:45 AM
ATTN: West Memorial Hospital Morgue Team,
No reminder should be necessary, but please be mindful of our patients’ tags and bracelets. The D.O.B. and name tags for Mr. Brice and Mrs. Parrish were swapped at some point. This may seem like a minor detail, but there’s no room for error at West Memorial. Our commitment to our patients does not stop when their hearts do.
Dr. Jeff Latham MD
Senior Pathologist, West Memorial Hospital
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From: scullman@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: jlatham@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 7, 2025, 10:10 AM
Dr. Latham,
Although I don’t recall ever removing the bracelets from either patient, I accept responsibility for the mix-up with Mr. Brice and Mrs. Parrish since I was here when they were brought down. Thank you for bringing this error to my attention.
As much as I’d like to put this mistake behind us, I’ve discovered that Mr. Brice’s tags are now missing. Related to this issue, his entire left foot is missing. He was intact when I returned him to Fridge 4 last night, and it’s unclear to me how this could have happened.
Sorry,
Scott Cullman
Morgue Technician, WMH
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June V | Mobile | 11:06 PM
Hey Scott,
I don’t know if you noticed, but there’s something wrong with Mrs. Parrish. I opened up the fridge and the first thing I saw was two left feet. Any idea what’s going on here?
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From: jlatham@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: morgue@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 8, 2025, 9:10 AM
ATTN: West Memorial Hospital Morgue Team,
If anyone has any explanation as to how two bodies swapped feet overnight, I insist that you share it with me immediately. This obscene mishandling of our patients is both gravely unprofessional and explicitly illegal, and if this was done as some kind of joke, be assured that whoever’s responsible will never touch another patient–living or dead–for the rest of their life.
I’ve called for an investigation into the matter, but I want to give the guilty party an opportunity to come forward.
I’ll be in this afternoon to return the feet to the proper bodies. Scott, please stand by to assist.
Dr. Jeff Latham MD
Senior Pathologist West Memorial Hospital
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Scott (work) | Mobile | 6:40 PM
Hey June,
Latham just left. I feel like he’s trying to blame me for the whole foot-swap situation. I swear I had nothing to do with it. I don’t know how this could have happened in the first place. Nobody else has been down here, right?
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June V | Mobile | 6:44 PM
Sorry, Scott.
I hear you. Once Latham gets something on his mind, there’s no changing it. I don’t know how it happened either. I haven’t seen another soul in the morgue at all.
At least Brice and Parrish are on their way out tomorrow. Honestly, I’m glad they’ll be gone soon. I’ve worked down here for years now, but I’ve never felt this uneasy in the morgue before.
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From: rseward@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: morgue@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 9, 2025, 8:00 AM
Dept. Notes:
- Reminder: The morgue is a restricted area. Only authorized personnel are allowed to enter.
- If anyone has any information about the condition of patients Brice and Parrish during their stay, please notify Dr. Latham at once.
- Mr. Lassiter is now in Fridge 4.
Regina Seward
Admin
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From: nhoward@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: staff@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 9, 2025, 9:00 AM
Please be advised that open flames of any kind are not permitted anywhere at West Memorial Hospital. That includes votive candles! Someone left a candle burning on a counter in the ICU last night, which constitutes an extraordinary fire hazard in an oxygen-rich environment. If you ever find a lit candle, extinguish it immediately and notify your supervisor. If patients or visitors take offense, please explain that this rule exists for their safety. If it glows, it goes.
Nate Howard
Staff Safety
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From: jlatham@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: rseward@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 9, 2025, 4:50 PM
Regina,
Have the techs confided anything in you regarding the handling of our patients? I’m beside myself with this foot-exchange incident. I’ve never seen anything like it. Of course, it’s our responsibility to send our patients off with dignity, so do share if you ever glean anything close to a confession from Scott or June.
Also, could we get a new digital clock for my office? My old analog has finally broken. One hand is right, but the other is running counterclockwise.
Dr. Jeff Latham MD
Senior Pathologist West Memorial Hospital
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From: rseward@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: jlatham@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 9, 2025, 4:58 PM
Dr. Latham,
No one has spoken with me about Mr. Brice and Mrs. Parrish, but I’ll certainly let you know if they have anything to say.
I think the graveyard shifts might be getting to them, though. The other morning, June barely looked me in the eye when I arrived. She just stood in the doorway and told me my marigolds weren’t dead. They were only blooming at night. Can you believe that? I was ready to throw them out.
I’ll order a new clock for you when time allows.
Regina Seward
Admin
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June V | Mobile | 12:24 AM
Scott, do you know where Mr. Lassiter is? He’s not in Fridge 4.
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Scott (work) | Mobile | 12:26 AM
I promise that’s where I put him. Did you check all the fridges? He’s got to be down there somewhere.
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June V | Mobile | 12:30 AM
I can’t find him anywhere. I don’t want to open the fridges again. It’s so cold down here, I’m shivering all over and my teeth are chattering.
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June V | Mobile | 12:31 AM
Something’s not right. I just yawned and I still heard chattering.
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From: jlatham@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: morgue@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 10, 2025, 8:10 AM
ATTN: West Memorial Hospital Morgue Team,
Everyone, imagine my surprise when I learned that Mr. Lassiter was not in the morgue this morning. Sit with that feeling for a moment, then try to imagine the shock of the poor nurse that discovered him back in his old room in the ICU.
We’ve returned Mr. Lassiter to Fridge 4, and I sincerely hope he remains there until his departure.
I know that our technicians don’t always lock the fridges after use, but keeping them locked is the hospital’s policy, and it will be strictly enforced going forward. If I go behind you and find that any fridge is unlocked, punitive measures will follow.
Dr. Jeff Latham MD
Senior Pathologist West Memorial Hospital
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From: rseward@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: jlatham@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 10, 2025, 3:30 PM
Dr. Latham,
We’ve reviewed security tapes from the morgue and ICU, but the footage offers no explanation for how the body of Mr. Lassiter could have been moved. According to the tape, no unauthorized personnel have entered or left the morgue during the timeframe in question. Per your request, we’ve also monitored Mr. Cullman’s activity. Aside from arriving late on occasion, his behavior is largely unremarkable.
Regina Seward
Admin
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June V | Mobile | 3:00 AM
Hey Scott, are you awake?
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June V | Mobile | 3:05 AM
I know it’s late, but could you call if you see this? I really don’t wanna be down here tonight.
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June V | Mobile | 3:20 AM
At least you can sleep through the night, Scott. Good for you. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in so long. Counting sheep never works. Sometimes I go outside and watch the stars. Saturn’s in the sky right now. You can see it when you leave later. It’s the pale yellow light. You can’t see the rings, though.
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June V | Mobile 3:30 AM
It feels like the patients are watching me.
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From: nhoward@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: staff@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 11, 2025, 9:00 AM
It looks like I need to follow up my previous message with a reminder: No open flames in the building! We discovered a row of candles leading up the roof access stairs this morning. No one finds this funny, and we’re currently looking into our keycard swipe records to find the culprit. Only a short list of staff has access to the roof… We will find you.
Nate Howard
Staff Safety
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From: scullman@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: jlatham@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 11, 2025, 10:05 AM
Dr. Latham,
Mr. Lassiter is out again. I opened Fridge 4 to get him ready to go this morning, and he wasn’t there. He wasn’t in any of the other fridges, either. I assure you I locked them all earlier.
Scott Cullman
Morgue Technician, WMH
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Scott (work) | Mobile | 10:15 AM
Sorry, June. I just now saw this. I’ll look for Saturn later. I have to look for Mr. Lassiter first. He’s gone again and Latham is fuming.
Maybe you should take some time off. I think this job is getting to all of us, but it really sounds like you need to get away.
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From: jlatham@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: morgue@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 11, 2025, 11:30 AM
ATTN: West Memorial Hospital Morgue Team,
We’ve located Mr. Lassiter again. It sounds like he went stargazing up on the roof last night. I’m dying to know how he got up there. Any ideas, team?
Dr. Jeff Latham MD
Senior Pathologist, West Memorial Hospital
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From: scullman@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: jlatham@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 11, 2025, 12:10 PM
Dr. Latham,
When we brought Mr. Lassiter back to the morgue, I weighed him again per protocol. He’s lost around 8 kg since he first came down. Do you want to take a look at him before we send him off?
Scott Cullman
Morgue Technician, WMH
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From: rseward@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: morgue@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 11, 2025, 12:30 PM
Dept. Notes:
- Most of Mr. Lassiter has been returned to the morgue. There may be a slight delay before his departure today.
- I’m sure you’ve all heard that the hospital cafeteria will be closed for deep cleaning. If you order delivery, please have it dropped off at Reception.
- Requests for PTO should be made at least two weeks ahead of the time you intend to take off.
Regina Seward
Admin
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From: jlatham@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: morgue@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 12, 2025, 8:10 AM
ATTN: West Memorial Hospital Morgue Team,
You may have noticed that our watercooler appears murky this morning, so I doubt I have to warn anyone not to drink from it. The foul odor, troublingly reminiscent of purge fluid, should also serve as ample warning that the water is absolutely non-potable.
Team, I’m growing very tired of whatever’s happening in my morgue. I’ve left my door open for anyone to offer an explanation for all this post-mortem motility, but no one has had the fortitude to come forward. I’m moving up your performance reviews so that we can discuss these matters at length.
Dr. Jeff Latham MD
Corpora mortuorum de loco ad locum transmutat
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Scott (work) | Mobile | 11:05 PM
Was that you who left this scented candle down here tonight? It really helps mask the smell. Nice and herbal. Thanks, June.
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Scott (work) | Mobile | 11:10 PM
I looked inside Fridge 4 tonight. I couldn’t resist. All the bodies were finally out of it, so I had to look. I couldn’t see the back of it. June, it’s like the fridge had no end, just darkness. I know how you feel now. I know something was looking back at me.
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Scott (work) | Mobile | 11:11 PM
I can’t see it, but I know it’s smiling.
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From: jvalero@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: jlatham@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 13, 2025, 8:20 AM
Dr. Latham,
I’m sure you’ll be in later today, but I want to let you know what’s going on here this morning. I noticed the Fridge 4 door was ajar, so I checked to make sure nothing was out of place. Mrs. Parrish’s head is in there. I know she should be buried by now. Her hair is gone, and Mr. Brice’s face is on the back. Their features have been reset. Like Tragedy/Comedy masks.
I’m going to be out for a while. If that causes you any inconvenience, we can discuss it during my performance review.
June Valero
Morgue Technician
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From: rseward@hwestmemorialhealth.com
To: morgue@hwestmemorialhealth.com
Date: January 12, 2025, 9:00 AM
Dept. Notes:
- Dr. Latham turned in his resignation this morning. We’re hiring to fill his position ASAP.
- June Valero is OOO.
- Fridge 4 must remain locked at all times.
- Someone from the coroner’s office will be in later today to retrieve the remains of Mr. Brice and Mrs. Parrish from the morgue. They’ve been moved to the limb freezer.
- We will also have an investigator onsite this morning. If anyone has any information explaining how the body of Mr. Brice moved from his gravesite to Dr. Latham’s bed overnight, now is the time to speak.
Regina Seward
Admin
© Tom Little 2026
Tom Little is a writer and reporter in Birmingham, Alabama. His fiction has been published by The NoSleep Podcast, Flash Phantoms, and The Horror Tree. His nonfiction has appeared in outlets like Atlas Obscura. You can find him on Bluesky: @tommlittle.bsky.social.