| abstract | - “John! Get up! It’s time for the last day of school!”John's mom called. John popped out of bed. The aroma of pancakes filled the air. He slid down the rail of the house’s staircase. Rob had beaten him to the table. His smile and stained lips told John that he had eaten too many pancakes. John smiled. He hoped the janitor didn’t have work to do after school on account of his brother! “Rob, don’t surprise you-know-who this year!” He laughed. “Who? The teacher?” Rob knew who John was talking about, And he wouldn’t admit to what he had done last year. “Just clean up for school, Rob!” John said. “I have to eat too!” His dad was reading the paper. He looked up from the front page ews. The main title was, ‘Arsonists at Large.’ It didn’t scare him, and it was rare for a house to burn down in the suburbs. “John, you know today is the day. You are going to be fourteen,” his dad said. “I know. I must assume responsibility for my siblings. I must take care of them while you aren’t in the house or anywhere else.” “It has been a normality for the eldest son of our family to take care of them. But once he is old enough to take care of them, he is to be a ‘parent’ to them. Of course we’ll buy food and things like that, but you can’t let them out of your sight. Go wake them up. They’ll get used to it.” ………………………………………………………………… His siblings had taken awhile to wake up, and they finally got their skates on, outside and ready. “Ashley, Rachel, Rob, and Ashton! Are you ready for the last day of school?” He asked. “Yes sir!” They said in unison. “The last day of school race is about to begin!” They assumed a crouch without falling. “Three… two… one… GO!” Rob had a head start, like every year, and his siblings took off after him, and John was last so he could think a bit. I take care of them now, John thought. At least I don’t buy Rob’s food!
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