Spoiled by Eight Uncles

The old lady’s bedroom was decorated with hundreds of talismans of various shapes, sizes and colors. There was a large king-sized bed in the middle of the room surrounded by various machines that beeped in intervals. Old Mrs. Taylor was lying unconscious on the bed, dressed in the same green dress that her spirit was wearing. Her white hair was neatly combed and tucked, but she was intubated with various medical needles and tubes. A small gold bar piece was placed in her mouth. Valentine explained that it was an ancient ritual to bring back lost souls who have lost their way home.

There was a statue of Mother Mary wrapped in a rosary and a few lit prayer candles on the small bedside table next to the old lady. Atop the bed headboard hung a gaudy spirit-calling banner that was occasionally lifted by the breeze coming from the open window. The room was not entirely dark thanks to the half-drawn curtains, but the interchanging shift from bright to dim made for a spooky effect. It was like a scene out of a horror movie.“This… is…” Pablo stared at his surroundings dazedly. He could now somewhat understand why Old Mrs. Taylor was still hanging on by a thread.

Josh stood frozen where he was, paralyzed by fear and dread as terror streaked through him. Charlie’s palms felt hot and clammy, and the cellphone accidentally slipped out of his hand, crashing loudly onto the floor.

Anthony still managed a semblance of composure as he turned to Valentine. “What in the world is this…?” he asked.

Valentine smiled sheepishly before letting out a sigh. “Over the years, I’ve gotten many experts to treat my mother, but all of them said that her soul is lost and needs to find its way back home…” he explained.

Pablo frowned. “Lilly, ask him if he knows whether the old lady has already passed on,” he urged.

Lilly raised her head toward Valentine. “Uncle Val, do you know that Grandma Taylor is already dead?” she asked.

“Wh… what? How could that be? Isn’t she still breathing just fine? Ms. Lilly, could you bring my mother’s soul back like how you did it for Young Master Shaw?” Valentine’s lips quivered as he spoke. He paused for a moment before continuing. “I’m sure her soul is just lost and can’t find her way back…”

the garish decoration and religious relics scattered all around the room. “I can’t say for sure whether or not Mrs. Taylor will return to life, but this man here has definitely been

did you spend a lot of money

of Mother Mary cost 50 million, the spirit-calling banner cost 60 million. The gold bar is the only thing preserving my mother’s last breath as

50 million… plus 60 million… plus 100 million…

sort of thing?” Charlie could not help

million dollars. I’d give a billion dollars if my mother can be brought back to life!” Valentine said, leaving the crowd speechless once again. Valentine was a man with a stocky build and a belly so rotund that the buttons were hanging on to a thread. He

to get down to business immediately. “Firstly, the statue of Mother Mary is a Catholic artifact, but the talismans are Taoist. They are two very distinct and separate religions, but now they are jumbled up together in this madhouse,” Pablo shook his head disapprovingly. It was one thing to be an atheist, but choosing to believe in multiple religions was a huge taboo that brought no benefit, contrary to what

eyed Old Mrs. Taylor lying on the bed. “The only marginally useful thing in this room is that small gold bar that she’s biting, but it works as a sedative spell. Old Mrs. Taylor’s is dead, but because her body is trapped here, her soul cannot be set free,” he explained. For some reason

Valentine asked with a hint of concern in

artifacts from different religions in one room is a big no-no. Those who do that will end

real?”

banner is all wrong too. You can’t even call a tiny ghost with it, let alone a spirit. All these

turned as white as a sheet. “Are you saying… all these things don’t work at all? But, my mother…” His first reaction was not so much of anger from being

her own

bar has some use,” Lilly reassured Valentine,

it wasn’t all for nothing!” Valentine

and destroying it,” Lilly