At 3 A.M., My Brother Dragged Me Out of My Bedroom While Dad Laughed—He Had No Idea What the Smoke Detector Had Recorded

The lamp fell.

The door was damaged near the latch.

Aaron caught my arm as I attempted to leave the room.

Then Douglas appeared.

I asked my father to intervene.

He laughed.

By three o’clock, Aaron was moving me toward the living room.

And I was beginning to understand that no explanation would make Douglas choose to protect me.