I shouldn't have returned to those catacombs again- I've told myself over and over again, there is no reason to spend more than one night in any one place. I'd thought it was safe- it had been, right? I think my skeletal buddies would have agreed.

I sat in the dark holding a lit candle. The room seemed particularly eerie. My gut feeling was to run. The vampires would be outside by now, running was not much of an option. I thought of getting some sleep but refused to close my eyes.

"You awake?" I asked the diabetic skeleton. "Good, I can't sleep either.

"Can you hear them?"

I imagined, Well, sure.

"I don't but I know they're there."

Why? The candle light played upon its skull.

"Why? …They always are."

And in here too? I imagined my buddy saying.

"…Perhaps… I'd certainly hope not. I don't think so."

I think so.

"You do?" I didn't like this friend very much.

With that, the skeleton rose to its boney feet.

I jumped, backing away against the wall. I could see the skeleton grin showing two pointed fangs- perhaps this one hadn't been dead for as long as I'd thought. There was no way out now. Apparently, I hadn't been imagining things.

It came at me as quickly as it could- fortunately that was not that quick. I threw a punch at it as a last-ditch effort, knocking out a couple of lose rib bones.

I braced myself for the worst. Then it came- icy teeth and fangs, out for blood. As quickly as it came, the skeleton drew back.

Did I really taste that bad? I probably did. There was my chance to run so I took it, sprinting out into the streets.

My arm was bleeding from that nasty bite, just enough to attract every other monster roaming the town at that hour. Lucky me.