Something about Spooky Skeletons

Kyra Cook
Fillmore Middle School is widely considered as having the best science
department in the district. For a small-town school it is surprisingly well-funded and
maintained, and boasts a number of enviable features. Theres the two-story
greenhouse at the back of the building, the large laboratory that is always stocked
with modern and working equipment and always seems to have just enough
computers, and the recently constructed observatory that juts from the rooftop like
an enormous plaster mole on the back of a sleeping rectangular beast. But if you
asked any student or faculty member at Fillmore, youd soon learn the true pride
and joy of the schools science department; the genuine, authentic human skeleton
in the biology room.
The skeleton, universally referred to as Sir Spookington ever since it was
christened by a very loud child on the day of its arrival, is probably the most popular
person in the entire school. It is always kept clean and polished, and for several
years has worn a top hat and clip-on bow tie donated by an anonymous benefactor.
It is a yearly tradition for the science class to set up a camera on the first day and
capture the reactions of the many new students who are inevitably startled by the
gaunt, dapper white man standing beside the door and staring at them as they walk
in. This compilation always seems to make its way into end-of-the-year spirit videos.
Still, some found the skeleton a bit unsettling. There were numerous rumors
about some supposed dark secret behind the thing. How, some people insisted,
could the school have gotten their hands on such a complete, perfectly preserved
human skeleton? (These people apparently forgot about the existence of numerous
medical schools associated with Fillmore which deal in hundreds of medical
cadavers, but telling such a thing to an excited middle-schooler is utterly fruitless.)
There was also the fact that no one could seem to provide a reliable account
of Sir Spookingtons origin. It was known that the skeleton was donated by a widely
beloved science teacher before his retirement, but beyond that, nothing is concrete.
Ask any five people and youll get at least ten different answers about the
skeletons identity, including but not limited to the suggestion that it was
Frankensteined together from hundreds of different bones dug up by the teachers
dog, and if youre asking a superior, the veiled implication that it was donated to
the teacher by an unruly staff member.
Abigail thought to herself as she glanced at the thing that the mere idea of
having a propped-up corpse in a childrens classroom for decades on end was
unsettling enough on its own. No one ever really seemed to bring that up.
Of course, she knew better than to bring up any grievance against the
skeleton out loud around the kids. As an inexperienced student teacher, she was

already unpopular by default. She didnt want to give the kids any more reason to
pick on her than they already had. Especially now that her time at the school was
almost up; no sense making enemies so soon before she left. Theyd still be mad by
the time she was gone, and bad student reviews meant less chance of being called
back to the school for another quarter.
Abigail rolled her eyes as she finally finished sweeping up the remains of the
mess from the accident with the glassware that morning. God forbid she not be
invited back here. How could she ever live without cleaning shards of glass off a
dusty floor every morning for three straight weeks? And then getting yelled at
because the classroom is running out of graduated cylinders and somehow its her
fault for not taking care of supplies in the teachers absence. No student ever
admitted being the one to have broken the glass; they always just found it like that,
they promise, Miss Baxter. Abigail sighed, sweeping the shards into the glass
disposal unit (which was literally a cardboard box). At least it wasnt as bad as
those muddy footprints she found on the floor one morning last week. Not even
shoe prints, she recalled, actual bare footprints, gaunt and long-toed and looking
like theyd just been tracked in from a swamp. Shed managed to mop them up
before anyone else saw; thankfully the teacher had been late that morning, but
what a ridiculously elaborate prank! Where would you even get soil like that in a
place like this?
Abby? A nervous voice called from the front of the room. If youre done
with that, I need some help up here
Abigail looked up. The substitute teacher, Mr. Marshall, was struggling with
the Smartboard again. He was nervously adjusting his glasses with one hand while
still rapidly tapping the frozen screen with the other, giving Abigail a pleading look.
Some of the students were groaning impatiently, others were shouting advice over
each other, and most had their phones out and were using the momentary
distraction to catch up on their Twitter feeds. Abigail put the duster down and
hurried to the front of the room before the taunting started.
The screens not working, Marshall said sheepishly. Again.
Did you remember to unfreeze it? Abigail asked.
Marshall looked confused.
Did you hit the button that unfreezes the screen when youre done pulling
up the PowerPoint?
The confused expression stayed on Marshalls face.
She sighed. You know how you can freeze the Smartboard screen when
youre not using it so the kids cant see everything youre doing on the computer?

Uh
Abigail rubbed her temples. Lets just take a look at-
A loud buzzing noise came through the ceiling tiles. The lights overhead
flickered wildly, and then suddenly went out. The Smartboard quickly followed suit.
At least three twelve-year-old girls immediately screamed. Everyone else
started laughing and chattering. Does this mean class is over? one kid shouted at
Marshall, who looked like he was on the verge of a panic attack. Abigail was about
to intervene when she caught sight of the skeleton.
She had thought for sure that it had been facing straight ahead that morning.
Someone had bumped it so its head was turned toward the front of the classroom.
Its empty sockets, two little cups of darkness in a gaunt white face, seemed to be
staring right at her. For a single instant Abigail swore it was grinning, the thin white
teeth in its dead face clenched mockingly as the corpse regarded her.
Then, as suddenly as they went out, the lights came back on. Abigail shook
herself as the florescent light illuminated the skeleton, no more threatening than it
had ever been before. She blinked rapidly, clearing the ghost image of the things
face from the backs of her eyelids. It was just a decoration.
Oh! Marshall said from behind her. Look at that! The screen works again.
Several students groaned with disappointment that the diversion was over.
I wonder what all that was about? he said to Abigail, grinning apologetically.
Dont worry about it, the fuses here are garbage, she said. The nice thing
about the days Marshall was subbing was that she got a chance to act like an
authority.
I bet it was Sir Spookington! a kid shouted. He probably possessed the
lights!
Several kids laughed, but Abigail couldnt help flinching a bit. I seriously
doubt thats what it was, she said, forcing a smile.
The anniversary is coming up! another girl exclaimed. I heard Mrs. Simons
talking about it yesterday. Something spooky always happens on the ten-year
anniversary!
The what? Marshall asked before Abigail could say not to encourage them.
Duh, the anniversary of when Sir Spookington came here! the first kid said
derisively. Every ten years since then, spooky stuff happens at the school! Like
lights flickering and voices whispering and creepy footprints-

Okay, thats enough! Abigail cut him off. Lets all get back on track.
Everybody get your notes out and listen to Mr. Marshall for at least she glanced
at the clock ten more minutes, okay? Ill be in the back room.
Marshall shot her a grateful look, and the kids gave a chorus of sighs and
cheesy comebacks, but she ignored all of them, sweeping into the back room and
trying to ignore the chilly feeling prickling up and down her spine. At the very least,
she thought, they could have put more effort into this stupid joke. Then shed at
least feel justified in being scared by it.

The rest of the day flew by. Marshall managed to go the rest of the day
without having a crisis, and Abigail was able to avoid being in the classroom for as
long as possible. Before she knew it, it was three-o-clock. All that was left to do was
collect up the kids assignments for the day and lock up, and shed be free. Free
from this hellhole for at least a month, she realized with a wave of excitement.
Eager to finish off the day, she rushed to the recently emptied classroom.
She rounded the corner and crashed headlong into Marshall. Abigail! he
shouted as she picked herself up off the floor. Ive just been theres an
emergency he stopped, doubling over to catch his breath.
Abigail groaned and rubbed her bruised forehead. What? What is it?
W-well you see he adjusted his glasses and wiped sweat from his brow,
I stepped outside to get some coffee I wasnt gone for more than a second, and I
went back just to make sure I didnt forget anything and well, I looked over and-
What, Marshall?? Abigail snapped. Whats going on??
Well, um he moved aside, allowing her a view into the science room.
Maybe you should just take a look.
Abigail leaned against the door frame and looked inside. Her face went white.
The skeleton was gone.

Abigail and Marshall raced side by side down the hallway, craning their necks
to look through doors. We will be crucified if we cant find that skeleton, Abigail
said. You know that, right?
I know, he panted. Im sorry.
How does someone steal an entire skeleton in five minutes? How does a
whole skeleton just disappear?

I dont know, Marshall said miserably. Abigail couldnt help but feel sorry for
him. At least she had a history here. He was the expendable one. Who knows what
would happen to him if anyone found out about this.
Its okay, she assured him. This is probably just a prank. Well find it.
Theres only so many places you could hide a-
She screeched to a stop, almost colliding with Marshall again. Look, she
said to his confused expression, pointing at the center of the hallway.
It was a single gaunt, muddy footprint, stamped neatly into the tile.
The two looked at each other. Slowly, in unison, their eyes swept across the
floor.
About ten feet away, much too far to jump, another print was pressed into
the ground. And then, further down the hall, another.
Abigail looked silently at Marshall. He nodded. They turned and began
following the trail.
This is so strange, Marshall said quietly, keeping his eyes on the footprints.
So much odd stuff has been happening lately, but nothing like this
I admit this is pretty extreme for a prank, Abigail said.
Do you think theres any truth to what they were saying? Marshall asked. I
mean, do you know anything about that skeleton?
Nobody really does, she said. It is pretty creepy. I mean, a teacher leaves
the school a human skeleton just before vanishing off the face of the Earth? And the
weirdest part is he didnt even deliver it in person. The staff just installed it one day.
The only proof it was even from him was a note he left.
Do you think? Marshall began, and then trailed off. No, never mind. Its
silly. Ive been reading too many ghost stories.
I was just thinking that earlier, Abigail said, smiling slightly. Dont worry,
man. I really dont think that skeletons haunted.

The tracks led them down the winding steps to the school basement. The
door was heavy and always stuck, but leaning against the door, they managed to
budge it. Abigail stepped inside and flicked on the light switch, illuminating the
sparse room under a bare florescent light.

Look! Marshall cried out, and Abigail followed his gaze. A huge, relieved
smile broke out across her face. The skeleton, in all his bow-tie-and-hat-wearing,
dapper glory, was lying unharmed in the middle of the floor.
Thank god, she said, walking towards him. Lets take it and get-
There was the sound of a door slamming shut. The lights began to flicker.
Abigail?! Marshall shouted. She didnt turn. Her eyes were locked on the
skeleton. It was staring directly at her, dark cup eyes pulling her into them. But it
wasnt the skeleton she was staring at, not really. It was something else, something
much bigger, something pushing through the far wall and gently moving the gaunt
white bones aside and opening up its eyes to look at her, its eyes so infinitely
blacker and deeper and deader than the skeletons, as she was still staring at it as
Marshall started screaming and she started screaming and she didnt stop
screaming when the lights went out because she could still see it, and she
understood. It wasnt the skeleton. The skeleton wasnt given to the school at all. It
had always been here, for every bit as long as that teacher.
On Saturday morning, a custodian unlocked the door to the basement. Hed
been prepared for the smell, but he still had to plug his nose as the stench of death
wafted out. He sighed, carrying his heavy trash bags down the stairs to begin the
cleanup. At least it got two this time. That ought to keep it for twice as long. He
hoped.
Fillmore Middle School is widely considered as having the best science department
in the district. For a small-town school it is surprisingly well-funded and maintained,
and boasts a number of enviable features. But if you asked any student or faculty
member at Fillmore, youd soon learn the true pride and joy of the schools science
department; the genuine, authentic human skeleton in the biology room.
No one ever noticed that sometimes the skeleton was a little taller or shorter
than it used to be. No one ever noticed the occasional seeming changes in its
anatomy or proportions. No one ever did find the extra skeleton, the one stashed
away in the back room ready to be swapped in next decade. No one ever did find
the bones out back.
Fillmore is a very good school. It is somehow always well funded and
maintained. No one ever questions why.