I am my brother's keeper.

It's what I vowed to be, but while I watched my brother,

Shadow, watch for me.

You've crossed over to spooked. Stay. Shadow, watch for me.

You've crossed over to Spooked. Stay tuned.

Okay, so what I did was wrong.

And I'm not proud of this, right?

Actually, you know what?

I'm kind of proud of this because in high school, this was an odd day.

A very odd day, because I'd get home from from school and instead of the usual chaos, the craziness,

there's no mom, there's no dad, no sisters, no hangers on, the house is quiet, tranquil.

I go downstairs to the bedroom I share with my brother and there he is

napping peacefully on the lower bunk bed after what I assumed was a long day

do I leave him be and quietly exit the room now

now this is wholly impossible I am the older brother and this is both an

opportunity and a responsibility. I take it very seriously. No, instead I push my awake face

right next to his sleeping one,

less than an inch away from his ear.

I take a deep breath.

Then I shout at the top of my lungs.

Get up! Get up!

His head pops up and slams against the upper bunk.

...