He Who Watches

My six-year-old brother's imaginary friend, Joseph, was our family's charming little secret. We played along, packing him extra snacks and asking about their adventures. But when boys in our town started vanishing, Leo’s stories turned dark. Now, the shadow he calls Joseph has stepped out of the woods. He’s real, he’s in our house, and I've just discovered that his games were never about my brother. They were always about me.