Spoiled by Eight Uncles (Lily)

Josh could feel his hoir stonding ond his heort rocing fost.

“Who... who is there?” Josh shouted to feel brove. He sprong up ond on the lights of his room.

The room wos bright ond the curtoins were swoying slightly from the breeze.

The room looked quiet ond there wos nothing ot oll.

Josh olmost cried but the light gove him the couroge to look oround.

The corridor’s dim night light wos on.

At the end of the corridor’s corner, there’s o shodow on the ground. It looked like o person’s shodow.

Josh wos frightened ond he shut the door immediotely. He locked it too.

He let out o sigh of relief when he felt sofe.

“Don't be ofroid. Sob...” Josh couldn't help but clutched the tolismon in front of his chest.

The nightmore mode him nervous ond felt there were people oround. Moybe he didn’t close the door before he went to sleep? Josh wos not sure obout it. He hod o hobit of closing the door before he goes to bed. Did he forget it tonight? Josh loy in bed with the lights on. He tossed ond turned os he wos unoble to sleep.

He recolled the nightmore ogoin. Someone hod opened the door to his room ond they wondered oround. They stood in front of his bed lostly. The more he thought obout it, the more frightened he wos.

Josh wos thinking of going to Lilly’s room to sleep. He could sleep on the floor.

He could olso go to his brother’s room. It's not emborrossing sleeping with your brother, right? However, if he wonted to go out, he hod to go through the corner of the corridor.

Whot if thot “person” is hiding there? He would hove o foce-to-foce confrontotion with them.

Josh shivered ond thought of going to his fother. Both of their rooms were seporoted by o study. He wouldn't hove to go through thot corner.

Josh got up. His foot wos just obout to step on the floor, he sow o shodow coming out from the bottom of the bed.

He pulled his feet bock instontly.

Everything is so scory! Josh fumbled to get his phone ond wos reody to coll his fother. Josh could feel his hair standing and his heart racing fast.

“Who... who is there?” Josh shouted to feel brave. He sprang up and on the lights of his room.

The room was bright and the curtains were swaying slightly from the breeze.

The room looked quiet and there was nothing at all.

Josh almost cried but the light gave him the courage to look around.

The corridor’s dim night light was on.

At the end of the corridor’s corner, there’s a shadow on the ground. It looked like a person’s shadow.

Josh was frightened and he shut the door immediately. He locked it too.

He let out a sigh of relief when he felt safe.

“Don't be afraid. Sob...” Josh couldn't help but clutched the talisman in front of his chest.

The nightmare made him nervous and felt there were people around. Maybe he didn't close the door before he went to sleep? Josh was not sure about it. He had a habit of closing the door before he goes to bed. Did he forget it tonight? Josh lay in bed with the lights on. He tossed and turned as he was unable to sleep.

He recalled the nightmare again. Someone had opened the door to his room and they wandered around. They stood in front of his bed lastly. The more he thought about it, the more frightened he was.

Josh was thinking of going to Lilly’s room to sleep. He could sleep on the floor.

He could also go to his brother’s room. It's not embarrassing sleeping with your brother, right? However, if he wanted to go out, he had to go through the corner of the corridor.

What if that “person” is hiding there? He would have a face-to-face confrontation with them.

Josh shivered and thought of going to his father. Both of their rooms were separated by a study. He wouldn't have to go through that corner.

Josh got up. His foot was just about to step on the floor, he saw a shadow coming out from the bottom of the bed.

He pulled his feet back instantly.

Everything is so scary! Josh fumbled to get his phone and was ready to call his father.

There was a soft click emitting from the closet.

“Creak”. A gap appeared at the door of the closet.

Josh's back stiffened and he reluctantly turned his head towards the closet.

There was a two inch gap and it stopped. It looked like an aging closet that couldn't be closed properly.

Josh looked at the gap and felt there was something hidden inside.

If the nightmare was real, that person had not left at all. They were hiding in his closet all the time, right? Josh held his breath. The room was so quiet that he had the illusion of hearing someone breathing.

“Who... Who is there?” Josh shouted.

He couldn't care if there was someone in his room or not. He dashed like an arrow towards the door. As he had locked it previously, he panicked when he couldn't get it to open. He felt someone behind him...

“Click”. Finally, the door opened.

Josh wailed as he ran out. He didn't dare to look back at all.

“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” Josh banged at Anthony’s room.

It was around 2 or 3 AM when Anthony had just finished his work and lay down. He had a severe headache.

He heard banging on his door suddenly. He opened the door and a small figure jumped into his arms.

The force was so great that he took two steps back. Then only he saw Josh in his arms.

Josh's face was stained with tears.

“Huh?” Drake and Josh began to sleep by themselves at the early age of four.

They have not relied on Anthony for the past three years. This was the first time.

“What's wrong?” Anthony bent down and picked up Josh while patting his back.

Josh couldn't even remember how long it had been since he had been hugged like this by his father.

He could only remember that after the disappearance of his aunt, the atmosphere at home was depressing. His father was so busy that he could not spend time with him. Granny soon collapsed into a nursing home and the other uncles were all heartbroken running around looking for his aunt.

The only people in the house were Margaret, the maids, Jack, and Old Mr. Crawford. Most of the time he looked cold and solemn and it was scary to see from afar.

Jack and Margaret were not his relatives. Although Aunt Winona stayed at home every day, her attention was only given to Hannah.

Josh was envious of Hannah sometimes even though she was an annoying spoiled brat.

At least, there was someone that she could go to.

“Daddy...” Josh cried louder as he thought of all the mess in his family. Tears and snorts were gushing out together.

Josh leaned on Anthony's shoulder and wiped his tears and snorts. He felt embarrassed from all the crying and he forced himself to calm down.

Anthony closed the door and carried Josh to the sofa. He poured Josh a glass of water and gave him a clean towel.

“Have you calmed down?” he asked.

“Yes,” Josh mumbled while nodding.

“Tell me, what's going on?” Anthony asked as he sat opposite Josh.

Josh didn’t know how to start. Should he start with the nightmare first or the room first? Whichever it was, it was ridiculous just to think about it. How could he say it out loud? “My... My room had spirits...” Josh started.

Just when Josh thought his father would deny him, he saw his dad stand up and said, “Let’s go.” Josh hurriedly stood up, “Where?” “To your room.” Moments later, both father and son returned to Josh’s room. Josh grabbed the corner of Anthony's clothes tightly.

Anthony turned on all the lights in the room and scanned the room.

His eyes were attracted to the closet door that Josh talked about.

It was wide open, revealing the clothes that were hanging neatly inside.

Josh's eyes widened immediately. He stammered, “When... When | left just now, the gap was very narrow.” That's right, he remembered correctly this time! There was a sound outside the door, it seemed to be the sound of footsteps.

Anthony opened the door.