The Night of All the Skeletons

“You gotta be kidding me.”

It was late. Foundation Janitor Dan Manuel absentmindedly listened to the arguing labcoats in the room to his left, swishing his mop nonchalantly.

“Geez, I’m really sorry. I tried to make it fit better, but the schedule sorta just worked out like that. Only way it would happen.”

The slim figure apologizing was Dr. Jack Dromgoole. He was pushing one hand through his short black, curly hair. Nice guy, but he could be a bit much.

“Alright. So let’s see…I’ve already got 2263 and 3114. That’s the skin-taker and the assorted skeleton models. And 3988 is coming early now? Dammit, and I’ve got 077 and 250 coming in today because they were late!”

That short, stressed character was Dr. Hala King. She was pacing the floor, rubbing her forehead behind long, dark brown hair.

“Well, try looking on the bright side. You’ve got a lot to work with now!”

Dr. Dromgoole (Dr. Drom, as everyone called him) was a part-time assistant to the site director. To keep that position while also doing projects as a scientist musta been hella hard. If it was breaking him, it sure wasn’t showing; currently he was brandishing a nervous grin.

“Lot to work with? That’s five different SCPs! All at one time! I’m completely swamped!”

Dan didn’t know the official title of Dr. King, but she was the anatomy person. She did the dissecting and other tasks of that nature. Dan knew a lot of things about a lot of people as Site Janitor. For example, he knew all of Dr. King’s skips were skeletons for some project she was working on. All that mattered to him was that skeletons don’t leave big messes behind.

Dr. Drom turned his head, noticing Dan. “Hey, you’re not supposed to be listening in, you know.”

He wasn’t unfriendly, but Dan didn’t want to test Dr. Drom. He couldn’t help it, though; at this hour of night, barely anyone was left in the facility. It wasn’t as if he didn’t like working alone, but it does get to you after weeks and weeks. Foundation workers have the best conversations anyway.

“Don’t change the subject! This isn’t just a logistical nightmare, it’s also a safety hazard! We were prepared to hold two SCPs. Now we have five.”

“Well, everything’s been going fine so far.”

Then the lights went out.

Everyone stopped talking, now waiting. Dr. Drom urgently scanned the room’s openings, keeping still.

“Dan get over here right now.” Dr. Drom motioned towards Dan, though no one could see it.

There was a moment of anticipatory silence. The lights flickered between light and dark for a second before coming back on, now dimmer. They continually strobed on and off, on and off.

“Backup generators” Dan quietly remarked, now backed up next to Dr. King and Dr. Drom.

The intercom fizzed on with loud static before a shrill voice was blasted through the room.

“Nyehahah! Show’s on, ladies and gentleskeletons! The researchers have all gone home, and on this eve of much-honored spookery, it’s time to celebrate a skeleton’s swinging wake!”

Dr. King scrutinized the speaker. “What in the f-“

“Welcome, my bone brothers, to Napoleon Bonypart’s Spooky Bombastic Boogaloo! Heeyahahahah!”

The sound of metal sliding echoed through the halls. Dr. Drom jumped at the echo of a faraway crash and bumped into a stumbling Dan, who was rapidly closing the door behind him. Around them, a chaotic commotion was stirring up.

“W-what do we do now?” Dr. King whispered, eyes open wide.

“We stay here. I’ll shut the doors, and we wait for security. There’s only two doors, so we can have an exit should we need it.” Dr. Drom brought his hand into a thumbs-up with a faltering smile. “Just stay calm and we get through this.”

Dr. Drom crept towards the second door, not closed by Dan, as Dr. King and Dan watched close together. He lowered his face to see the keypad in the unsteady light.

Dr. Drom looked apologetically at the other two. “It’s forced open. I’m sorry, we need a code to lock the door.”

Dan strided to the door. “Let me see.” He muttered, typing in numbers to the pad. In seconds, the small, dirty screen flashed green and the metal door almost slid shut, stopping inches from the wall.

Dr. Drom peered over his shoulder. “You shouldn’t know that.”

“You watched me typed it in. Are you supposed to know it?”

“Guys, It didn’t work.” Dr. King pointed out from across the room.

“Well give me a second, I’m not a miracle worker!” Dan looked over the small crack, inspecting it from top to bottom.

A few, small white cylinders lay on the floor between the door and the wall. “See, it’s just something blocking the door.” Dan waved away Dr. King. His hand then moved to pull on his collar. “Did someone turn off the air cond-” Dan turned around to face a glowing red skull melting through the steel door, shining like a burning star. He let out a scream as his eyes met white spots pierced from hollow eye sockets above a limply hanging jaw, open as if ready to take a large bite.

“Skeleton incoming!” Dr. King shouted. “We need to move!”

The skull fell through the door, moving through as if it were butter. A molten-red skeletal body followed, one arm raised out to grab in a blistering hold. Dan clumsily stumbled and pushed Dr. Drom as the two booked it towards Dr. King, already pulling open the door on the other side of the room. The searing skeleton began to run after emerging from the door, leaving blackened footsteps behind it. A sound similar to an airy, aggressive exhale or scream emanated from its hanging jaw.

As they exited the room, Dan grabbed a tall stool and thrust it at the oncoming inferno. As he shoved it forward, the red flames turned to an icy blue. The piercing white eyes remained as the flames shrunk into steam and the room’s temperature sunk. Upon touching the skeletal hand, the stool began to crystallize to ice. Its other hand smashed through the frozen stool, now brittle and shattered.

“Well, shit!” Dan ditched the makeshift weapon and caught up with the other two, running down a long hallway. After a few minutes, they had lost it.

“Great job arranging this fiasco, Drom.” Dr. King held her knees, panting.

“Wait wait, don’t you think that’s a bit unfair?”

“Well I wasn’t in charge of bringing the skips here!” Dr. King spat. “And if that bony asshole Napoleon somehow revived every skeleton in this part of the site, which specializes in skeletons, we’re in deep shit. So what now, Mr. Assistant Director?”

A tense pause.

“We need to get to Napoleon. He’s not evil, I’m sure we can talk him out of-“

An unknown, panicked voice from the door to their left interrupted them.

“I’m afraid I can’t help you oh jeez please move on I need you to leave right now don’t touch me..”

A brown-haired, tall woman was backing away from an off-white skeleton crawling over a desk, nearing the woman inside a small, cramped office.

“Come on, fleshy mama! Gimme some of that meat!”

“Back off! Oh god back off.”

“You gots too much anyways! Come on, get over here.” It reached a slender hand forward.

Dan rushed towards the scene, grabbing a heavy book off of the desk.

“You heard her, back off!”

He smacked the skeleton across the head, sending its skull tumbling off the desk. The woman looked at the janitor, and then dashed towards the other two.

“Hey, that’s not fair! What we got’s between me and the little lady! Gimme back my head!” Came a muffled voice. The body flailed around the room, lost. Dan followed the unnamed woman and closed the door behind him.

“Oh thank god you’re safe.” Dr. Drom sighed a breath of relief. “I didn’t think there was anyone else working so late, Dr. Taylor.”

“Yeah, working late on a report you left me.” She said, with only a slight tinge of annoyance washed over by a tired tone. She turned to the others, extending a hand to each in turn. “Dr. Allison Taylor, psychologist. Glad I’m not alone in this…skeleton problem. So, what’s your plan?”

“I figure we can talk to Napoleon Bonyparts - if he caused this, he can stop it.”

“I-uh, don’t think this is a great time to say this, but I really don’t like skeletons. Sort of a fear of mine.”

“Great. Listen, the broadcast room is close to a rec room. If that skeleton freak and his party are anywhere, that’d be our best bet. I know the way.” Dan chimed in.

Dan led them down the hallway and off a corner, before stopping them all with a sweep of his arm. In the distance ahead of them was a crowd of skeletons, loudly dancing and cheering down a fork in the hallway.

“Damn my need for skeletons in experiments.” Dr. King cursed. “Looks like my experiments are going the same way we are.”

Dr. Drom turned to Dan. “Is there another way?”

“Depends.” He backed away, pushing the rest of the group around the corner and out of sight.

“On…?”

“How lucky you’re feeling.” Dan motioned towards a sealed door to their left.

“…I don’t know what skip’s in the room.” Dr. King examined the door. “Must have come late. Well, Drom?”

Dr. Drom withdrew his keycard and entered it into the door’s keypad after typing the code he’d seen earlier. The group jammed themselves into an air-locked room as Dr. Drom opened the next door.

“Okay, so whatever happens, run to the other side.” Dan instructed the group. “ There’s a door on the other side of the room that leads the right way.”

“Is-is this really the only option?” Dr. Taylor nervously stared at the door ahead of her.

Oblivious to the question, Dr Drom called. “Here we go!” As the door slid open.

Inside, a skeleton in an ill-fitting suit was handling decaying bones covered in dark runes below an eery yellowing skull, missing its jaw.

“Woo-ee! Look at those golden yellows!” It clamored, attaching a final decrepit foot and finishing the illustrated skeleton. As soon as the piece was in, the shadowy eye sockets and nostrils of its skull began to emanate a sickly green fog, which the suited skeleton jumped away from, disappearing out the opposite door.

“Yowzas! Can’t a skeleton do a skeleton a favor!?”

This all happened in a matter of seconds, in which the human group was watching. When the skeleton stood up, Dr. Drom turned to his partners.

“Run.”

They dashed through the room in a mad chase to catch up to their suited target. As soon as the door ahead of them closed shut, the emaciated skeleton slowly turned its rough head, leaving a trail of thick green vapor behind. It slowly began shifting into a grinding motion towards Dr. Taylor.

“Crap crap crap crap!” She shouted as all four of them split and ran on opposite sides of the fog-spewing skeleton.

All the others had reached the door, but Dr. Taylor slipped on something unknown, plummeting to the ground. She fell downwards into a pile of brownish-yellow ooze, her face inches away from a terrified visage sticking out of the muck, frozen in permanent fear and melting into the unknown substance. Taylor screamed, dragging herself out from the heap. She dashed to meet the others as the rune-covered skeleton stumbled closer, emanating its thick fog. Reaching the opposite end, the door shut behind her, locking shut.

“Everyone okay?” Dr. Taylor checked each partner in the hallway, breathlessly.

“Are you okay? You fell right into that crap!” Dr. Drom held her shoulder.

“What-what was it?

“…Potatoes.” Dr. King remarked grimly. “Heard about this one, although it used to just be a skull. That green stuff turns things into rotten potatoes.”

“Isn’t that information pretty classified?” Dr. Drom inquired. “How do you know that?”

“Not the time for that. The fog can melt through almost anything, too, so we should get going.”

“Alright.”

“I mean, I could have just told you that.” Dr. King remarked as everyone started to move again.

And the team moved on. They followed Dan’s directions for a matter of minutes. The facility would remain still and silent, then echo with the ghost of shrieking laughter and undead revelry as the humans continued their travel deeper into the site.

A fork in their path presented itself, providing a sealed door to the right and a broken one on the left, continually sliding open and shut next to the sparking remains of a keypad.

“Hey, that’s my office.” Dr. King peered into the overwhelming darkness behind the left door. Her hands were shaking as she entered and searched the walls for a light switch.

“Come back! Something’s in there!” Dr. Taylor whispered to King, standing right in the door. Dan stood behind her, waiting in the hall while Dr. Drom stood a couple feet behind Dr. King.

“I, uh, hate to stop you but we need to get out of here!” Dr. Drom whispered, looking back nervously at the two in the doorway. Dr. King turned to him swiftly.

“My assistants were in here!”

Dr. King’s eyes were wide and beginning to tear. Dr. Drom could only look down at his feet as King continued her search along the plaster wall. With the talking finished, a small tearing sound crept from the unseeable center of the darkened office space.

“Found it.” Dr. King flipped the light switch.

What everyone saw in that room was drastically different than what they had expected. Red blood covered the floor and stained the walls. Chunks of moist viscera speckled the floor, growing in number towards the center of the room, where a pile of organs and peeled skin lay in a heap atop a crimson pool.

A skeletal figure, drenched in red, sat atop this heap of flesh. The thing was covered in pale beige strips of what must have been skin, with flashes of bloodied bone peeking out in between openings. It was slowly tearing apar a sheet of skin in half with sharp digits when the lights had come on. It snapped its head towards the intruders, blank sockets pinpointing the humans.

Dr. King was in shock. Her mouth lay agape, eyes widened and beginning to tear. Dr. Drom grabbed her and ran.

“Get out! Run!” He vacated the room and slammed the malfunctioning door to a screeching shut. Loud and forceful bangs emanated from the other side.

Dr. King was on the floor, crying. Dr. Taylor kneeled over her, one hand on her shoulder even though Taylor herself was restraining tears.

“Dan, if I remember right we can still get to the control room this way, right?” Dr. Drom motioned towards the closed door on their right.

“Yeah, but it’ll take longer.” Dan typed his code into the pad, unsealing the door to reveal a dark storeroom.

Dr. Taylor, dragging Dr. King with her, stopped abruptly on entering the room.

“Aw no.”

Inside was a mass of skeleton models, suspended on poles. The crowd of fake bones filled the room, with wide shelves on its sides holding a variety of faded brown boxes. Behind them, a crashing sound came from the door.

“Shit, he’s breaking through the door!” Dr. King screamed hysterically. “It’s too fast for us to get away!”

“Hide!” Dr. Drom scrambled into the forest of mock skeletons. Dan and Dr. King followed. Dr. Taylor stood in front of the array for a second, staring uncertainly. Another bang behind her sent her rushing in too.

“I hate skeletons!”

They crouched behind separate out-of-the-way skeletons, and waited. With a final bang, the door fell over, banging on the floor.

Click.

Clack.

The tap of skeletal feet on the ground. There was the sound of red drops falling from bone. The thing entered the maze of mockeries. It looked past Dan, moving closer to Dr. Taylor. It faced the model. It turned again.

Dr. Drom watched it all with trepidation. The bloody skeleton, flaps of skin dangling from bones, closer and closer to Drom. It stood inches from him, then turned again. Dr. Drom sighed. Then the skeleton model next to him shifted.

The “model” was made of a pink crystal, carved into skeletal shape. In its hands a trumpet-shaped bone was in position in front of its engraved mouth. Dr. Drom’s eyes widened.

“Shhhhh! Don’t!” He whispered urgently. It moved the trumpet an inch closer to its mouth.

“No! Please, please don’t play that!” No reaction.

“Not now, any time but now!” He was begging. The pink skeleton looked right at him. Its fingers slowly pressed down on valves.

“No no don’t play it don’t-“



DOOT



Dr. Drom cringed. His partners all snapped their heads to Drom’s location. There was an immense, deafening silence after the brass blast.



DOOT



The fleshy skeleton did not react at all to the sound. It continued slowly shuffling about the room.

“It can’t hear!” Dr. King quietly said to the room. She was too busy watching the skin-stealer to notice the pink skeleton creeping up behind her.



DOOT





Dr. King jumped, bumping the model in front of her. It clattered to the ground, exploding apart into dozens of rolling bone pieces. The skeletal predator did notice this, as it started to run with feverish fervor towards the movement.

“Run like hell!”

Dr. King scrambled from her position and made a mad dash to the door. Everyone else followed suit, knocking over models to get to the door at the other end of the room. The skin-stealing creature had seen Dr. King first, and pursued her with superhuman speed. While Dan was inputting the code into the door, Dr. King was grasped by the shoulders and violently pulled away from the rest.

Dr. Taylor started to run after her, but Dr. Drom stopped her, a cold, unfeeling look in his eyes. Dr. King was screaming and pulling at the air as she was dragged away from the group and pulled to the floor, skin being pierced by sharp nails.

“She’s gone. Don’t waste your life.”

“No! We’ve got to save her!”

Dan grabbed the both of them, pushing them through the now-opened door. They caught a final glimpse of Dr. King being skinned alive, long strips of her flesh being pulled back as she struggled and writhed on the floor under the blood-soaked skeleton.

“We’re in the final stretch, now run!”

Dr. Drom was still pulling Dr. Taylor with him as they ran away from the scene.

“Now is not the time for emotion! We need to go!”

Down the hall and to the left of a fork, sprinting off as the hallway around them widened out. They slowed down as a cloud of grey mist filled the hall ahead of them.

The bright red outline of a body shown through, growing more and more defined. A burning skeleton lunged through, shambling forward as the hall around it skyrocketed in temperature.

“Shit! Turn around!” Dan twisted around as the trio ran down the hallway from the burning skeleton. The reached the fork and traveled the path they hadn’t taken before as the animated remains behind them hobbled closer.

As they ran, the silver hallway in the distance ahead melted into green fog. The trio of victims skidded to a halt, stuck between two ends. From out of the green fog a rune-covered skeletal creation moved in jerky, mechanical motions towards the group, olive murk billowing from open sockets in the skull. On the opposite end of the hall, mist began forming around their skeletal pursuer as it switched to an icy form.

“What do we do?!” Dr. Drom asked wildly.

“Stay calm! There’s a way out of this!” Dr. Taylor rapidly looked back and forth.

Dan seized Dr. Taylor by the shoulders, grimacing as he propelled her forward.

“Goddamnit I’m not going down!” His hands were strong and tight as he pushed her to the skeleton. “We run when it’s distracted!”

Dr. Taylor was forced closer and closer to the frozen skeleton as it began to jerk forward faster and faster. Soon it was running, only inches from Taylor. Dr. Drom leaped forward, ripping Taylor from Dan’s grip. The ice-covered, shining skeleton tackled Dan square in the chest, pushing him back into the thick green fog.

Dan’s eyes were peeled wide as he screamed, realizing this was the end. His clothes began turning a dull brownish-white; falling to the ground in chunks of molding potato. His skin began to follow suit, melting away to reveal messy red innards. His face dropped, falling lower and lower until it slipped away and fell onto the smooth floor tiles. Dan was turned into a pile of molding potato in seconds.

Dr. Drom and Dr. Taylor were still in their precarious position. The two skeletons had cornered them as they backed into a wall.

“Oh, why do I have to die like this?” Dr. Taylor threw her head back, holding a stiff upper lip to fight against tears.

“This can’t be the end! There’s something we can do!” Dr. Drom began ranting and searching the area around him. “We just need to find anyth-“

He was cut off by a roar.

Neither of them had ever heard what a dinosaur’s roar would sound like, yet both were certain when they heard this roar that it was from a dinosaur. As they looked down the hall, to the source of the sound, they both saw the charging remains of a large predatory dinosaur. The floor began to shake with each pounding step. Both skeletons backed away from the two victims on the wall, turning and moving as fast as possible to go around the angry fossils.

“We’re saved!” Dr. Drom said in disbelief.

“Not if you don’t run! We need to book it!” Dr. Taylor grabbed him by the hand and pulled him to his feet as they both ran full sprint down the hall. The dinosaur was catching up to them, menacingly biting its humungous jaws together.

“I know this hallway!” Dr. Drom burst into a panting smile as he kept running, bringing a finger to point in the distance. “The room’s up ahead!”

Sure to his word, there was a crowd of straggling skeletons outside two doors from which music and other sounds emanated from, only a few minutes away. They began to flee into the room as they saw the dinosaur approach.

“We need to shake the dinosaur! What do we do?” Dr. Taylor was nearly at the door.

“I have an idea, but we might die!” Dr. Drom ran to a slower, large skeleton still reaching the party’s doors, and kicked it in the hips, disconnecting the bones at the waist. Much to the flailing skeleton’s complaint, Dr. Drom popped its skull off and chucked it down the hall.

“Wear this!”

“Why would that ever work!?”

“It’s a skeleton, maybe it can’t smell! Maybe it can only see!” Dr. Drom was busy preparing another skeleton to be turned into a costume. “I don’t know it’s better than nothing!”

Dr. Taylor stares at the bones in her trembling hands.

“I hate this so much…”

Hesitantly, she hoisted it over her head and wore the bone suit. Rib bones covered her chest as a spine stretched along her back. Bony arms lay limp behind her own. The skeletal dinosaur caught up them, slowing to a halt as they both stood still, sweating and breathing heavily.

The predator moved its massive skull close to Dr. Drom, blank eye sockets contacting wild, frantic pupils. The seconds felt like hours. Slowly it moved its head back up, looking around the hallway. It ran off in a new direction, still shaking the ground with each determined step.

“And now we get Napoleon!”

Dr. Drom and Dr. Taylor swung open the double-doors and entered the party. Flashing colored lights filled the crowded room, full of all sorts of partying skeletons. Every type of boned structure was somewhere partying in this room, covering the spectrum of colors from egg-shell white to a rotting black, with any number of limbs missing. On top of one table, a familiar pink skeleton was playing its ribs like a xylophone, filling the room with loud music as mirthful skeletons joined in to sing.

In their skeletal outfits, the two humans were hardly were given a second glance. In a matter of minutes, they found Napoleon Bonyparts, dancing quite poorly on top of a table to the delight of a crowd of cheering skeletons. Once he got down, to a reception of applause, Drom and Taylor cornered him.

“We need to speak. Privately.” Dr. Drom guided him to a door.

“Hyah hah! Well okay!” He followed along as they pushed him through the door into an empty hall. “What do you boneboys and gals want? Lotsa flesh on ya still! Good for you!”

Dr. Drom pinned Napoleon, driving him against a wall, holding him by the collar of his large suit.

“Wowee! Strong bones here! But really, let’s talk this one out!” He held his hands up.

“Let him down, Drom. He’s cooperative.” Dr. Taylor tried to reason. Dr. Drom listened, albeit unhappily.

“It’s this bastard’s fault two people are dead!”

“We’re all dead ‘round here, partner! Hah!”

“No, Napoleon.” Drom removed the bones he wore around him. “Not us.” Dr. Taylor followed suit.

“Holy cow! Humans!?” Napoleon was laughing deeply. “And I thought the site was empty! Shows how hollow my skull is!”

Dr. Taylor approaches the suited skeleton. “Napoleon, did you know there were people in the facility when you did…this?”

“No, I swear! I’m just here for a party! Didn’t think any lonely schmucks would be still working so late on this special night!”

“How did you do it?” Dr. Drom sternly interrogated.

“Let me tell you, making a deal with a demon’s never been so easy! I got the ritual going when no one was looking, and when told me what the price’d be to give my undead friends a night to party, he said he was already paid! Crazy!”

Dr. Taylor turned to Drom. “See? He was oblivious.”

Dr. Drom was pinching the spot in between his eyes, clearly upset. “Was the price four humans?”

“…Why yes! What are ya, psychic?”

“Napoleon, we were the four sacrifices! We’ve gone to hell and back to get here! Two people died!”

Napoleon was quiet for a second, jaw open as if to speak.

“Well, wow!” He was still chuckling, just a bit more awkwardly now. “I’m incapable of expressing anything besides humor, but damn! Looks like I really screwed the pooch on this one!”

Napoleon’s laughter died out as they stood there in silence, all unsure of what to do. Dr. Drom still rubbing his forehead. Dr. Taylor still standing in a state of uncomfortable quietness. Dr. Taylor finally spoke up.

“Why? Why risk it all for a party?”

“Well, gee, I guess you wouldn’t get it. Heh.” Bonyparts rubbed the back of his neck vertebrae. “It’s just, ya know, so different over there. On the other side. I’m not allowed to tell you, but you learn to miss this place. You really do. I just wanted to spread a little cheer. Live a little? Heh heh. And it’s even worse for us stuck with your organization. Can’t die, can’t leave. I just wanted everyone to be happy for a night. I mean, that’s what a jester like me does, right? Entertain? I really though all of you humans were gone. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I guess that’s what ya get for letting me do anything, hah.”

Dr. Taylor looked at him sympathetically. Dr. Drom stared at the floor. Dr. Taylor looked at Drom.

“There’s no one else in the site, right?”

“Besides the security waiting outside, no. Just the four of us: two researchers, a psychologist and a janitor.”

“Well, the damage is done. Maybe…we don’t call security? Maybe they could have this night?”

Drom didn’t know what to say. He sighed.

“I suppose.”

“Oh gosh golly thanks!” Bonyparts hopped with delight. “If these dry eyes could cry, we’d be swimming in a sea of tears! You’re all just swell!”

“But I want to leave. Now.” Dr. Drom pointed at Napoleon.

“Sure thing, doc! You’ll be safer than gold in the National Treasury! I’ll get my best bonyboys on the case!”

He disappeared back into the party, returning in a few minutes with a crew of varied skeletons. They set off, the two doctors in absolute silence. Soon, they reached an exit to the facility - a lone locked door.

“Did you get the code, Drom?”

Dr. Drom stepped forward and typed in the code he had seen Dan use. Outside, a dark night full of pinpoints of light coated the desert. Napoleon waved them goodbye.

“If you’re ever looking for some fun, call me up! Specialty Cell 34! Every day and all night!”

Neither responded as they left. The door behind slid to an automatic close and each person walked to their cars.

Dr. Drom did not drink often. He felt it was irresponsible, for the most part. But that night, he drove straight to a bar and drunk himself to sleep.

Dr. Taylor went home. She didn’t get much sleep, but still dreamed vividly of the events of her night.

The next day, they both clocked in, normal time.

The scariest night of the year had come to a pass. Dr. Drom and Dr. Taylor had truly survived the night of all the skeletons.