Big bros vs. Sleepy Baby bro

Chapter 20

(This is something I have seen before and it still terrifies me, so I'm using Branch to try and calm myself. I was around six while experiencing this. Unfortunately for me, I never got comfort for the man in the closet, just the stupid snakes.)

Branch sat up on his bed, staring into his dark closet where a figure of a man stood, a gun in one hand and a knife in the other.

He didn't like this man.

Not at all...

He's tall, scary, and mean!

Some times he tries to wave him into the closet, but Branch won't go in, he's scared..

But some times his brothers save him from the man who never leaves his closet.

Like right now!

Branch had woken up and seen the man in the closet, so like usual he looked at anything else and looked at the floor.

He swears there are snakes!

So he screams.

Each brother rushes into his room and JD flicks on the light.

"Branch? What happened?" Floyd asked.

Branch bit his lip, he can be honest, or he can be honest with a tiny lie..

"I-I thought I saw snakes on the floor..nothing else.."

Clay frowned, it ain't like Branch to be scared so easily.

"Branch, do you mind if I stay the night with you?" Clay asked, "Just in case I have a nightmare about the bergens?" He asked as a cover up.

Branch nodded and moved over, pressing himself against his wall, "Come on!"

Clay smiled, but internally he was screaming, Branch insisted that he didn't need them like before, though he would never admit he some times likes how they treat him like a little kid, but that ain't the point!

The point is, Branch would almost never, so openly, agree to have one of them stay in his room because he thought he saw snakes..

Floyd smiled and walked over to Branch along with JD and Bruce.

The oldest two hugged him and wished him a goodnight before walking off, Floyd kissed his forehead and hugged him, whispering something in his ear and walking out.

Clay turned off the light and climbed into bed with Branch, pulling him close.

Clay faked sleep as he observed Branch quietly, he's staring at the closet, but why?

Clay looked over and his heart stopped.

There's a man.

In his baby brother's closet.

With two weapons.

He screamed as loud as he could.

Branch flinched and clung to him with wide eyes and he clung back, pulling Branch with him to the corner and throwing the blanket over himself as both of them shook.

The door slammed open and the light turned on.

Clay hesitantly removed the blanket as tears filled his eyes.

He saw Branch already crying, and soon enough, he was crying too.

The other three rushed over to them, "Hey, hey, what the hell happened?" Floyd asked.

Clay tried to speak, "Th-There was a-a-a m-man in Branch's c-closet!" He cried.

Branch paled and nodded, his tears streaming faster and faster.

Bruce and JD glanced at eachother as Floyd hugged them tight.

"Clay, Branch..I'm gonna have Bruce turn off the light so we can see, okay? Neither of you have to look, but it's best we know what you both saw.." Floyd said.

Clay nodded and cradled Branch to his chest.

Bruce turned off the light and walked over to them.

The three who had never seen it before all paled as JD hurried back over to the light switch and flicked it back on.

"S-Sleepover in the living room..?" JD asked.

Bruce nodded and picked up Clay and Branch who both continued crying, "Come here, shhhh..."

Floyd stuck close to JD as they left Branch's room and closed the door.

None of them slept that night.

Branch wins, kinda?