Man of the House

It was quiet and still in the house, when all of a sudden a loud bang filled the air. We all jumped up out of our beds and ran into the hallway, looking at each other curiously. I could see the fear on my mom's face as she clutched a baseball bat. I grabbed it from her and pulled my robe tight around me. No words were exchanged as I crept down the stairs to see if the noise had come from inside the house. I was shaking, scared of what I might find as I finished my climb down the stairs. I looked to my left, then to my right, and then started walking around the family room. Nothing! It must have come from outside, but the shakiness still hadn't stopped in my hands as I loosened my grip on the bat. How was I going to leave them alone next year when I was the one that took care of them?