“What did you say you saw?” Scott said into the receiver.

The voice on the telephone repeated, “I don’t know what it was! All I know is that it was causing quite a ruckus this morning. I’m not going back into my home until that thing is out of there!”

“Don’t you worry” Scott reassured. “We’ll have the problem taken care of before you get home from work this evening.”

Scott’s mind was racing and he quickly contemplated his options. Picking up the phone again he called his son Branden. This was a two person job and he felt comfortable having someone to cover his back.

Just ten minutes later there was a knock at the door. Getting up to answer it, Scott turned the knob and Branden was there waiting to hear the debriefing.

“What is this I hear about some kind of animal intruder?” Branden said as he walked inside to the kitchen table.

“It’s your aunt. She called this morning asking that we take care of a wild beast that broke into her house this morning” Scott replied. “We have to take care of the critter before she returns from work this evening.”

“Seems simple enough” Branden replied calmly.

“I guess we’ll just see what happens when we get there.” Scott said.

“Should we suit up?”

“With what little intel we have it seems like our best option” Scott answered.

“Okay. Let’s do this.”

The dynamic duo fanned out throughout the home looking for anything that might be useful.

“Here’s a pair of gloves!” Yelled Branden.

“I found some hats we can wear!” Called Scott.

As they rummaged through the tool shed Branden exclaimed, “Here’s a fishing net. This could come in handy.”

Later, Scott even picked up a badminton racquet. Finally, the team of two was suited up. Branden was decked out in a sweatshirt, hat, gloves, and carried a fishing net with him. Scott was suited up similarly but carried his trusty badminton racquet. Ready to do battle they hopped into Scott’s truck and drove to the scene of the animal invasion.

Hopping out of the car Branden muttered, “Here we are. I hope you’re ready, Scott.”

Pulling his gloves on, Scott answered confidently, “Of course I am. We’ll be in and out, no problem.” However, the confidence of his words was betrayed by the slight shaking in his voice.

Both men walked towards the door looking for any signs of activity inside. Putting his finger to his mouth to signal for silence, Scott turned the knob to the front door. The pair entered into the pantry of the small house. It was dark, and the pair could hardly see anything in the windowless room.

As they walked through the house they noticed signs of the beast everywhere. Bottles littered the floor where it had knocked into them this morning. Small trinkets were knocked from window sills. Despite the evidence of the animal, everything was eerily silent now.

Silently, the two decided to split up to search the second floor. Branden, looking through one of the many closets, noticed something small and furry on the top shelf. Quickly he threw his net over it!

A moment later he realized that it was not the invader but a fur hat. “Phew” Branden sighed as he rubbed beads of sweat from his forehead. The coast looks clear, Branden thought. Whatever it was that was here this morning it is probably gone now. Pausing for another moment, Branden grabbed the hat from the shelf with an ever-so-slight grin on his face.

“Have you found anything, Scott?” Branden called.

“Nothing yet.” Scott yelled in return.

“Okay. I’m coming to you.”

Branden walked into the small bedroom Scott was looking through and as Scott turned to look at him he threw the small hat in his direction. The tiny fur hat sailed through the air and caught Scott completely off-guard.

“Whoa!” He shouted.

“Watch out!” Branden yelled. “It’s coming right for you!”

“What is it!?” Scott shrieked as he began to hit it with the racquet. After about three hits Scott stopped swinging and studied what it was he was pummeling. “It’s just a hat. I can’t believe you did this to me Branden,” Scott said.

Laughing, Branden replied, “Sorry. It just seemed like an opportunity I could not afford to miss out on.”

“Yeah, whatever. I’ll scare you later tonight and see what you think.”

“It was completely worth it.”

“I hope it was.” Scott started walking downstairs again and called back, “It looks like we’re not going to find whatever it was that was here this morning.”

“I agree. It’s probably gone by now.”

The pair was ready to go after a thorough search of the house, and walked downstairs to the kitchen. Preparing to leave, Scott opened the door to the pantry to exit through the back door. Not a second later, a bat flew out of the pantry!

“Ahhhh!!!!” Branden screamed. “It’s a bat!”

“Get it!” Scott howled.

The sonar guided vermin was barreling straight towards Branden. It flew in a distorted pattern, confused by the light and the yelling. It must have had a wingspan of almost seventeen inches. The flying behemoth looked bloodthirsty. In a moment of sheer terror Branden threw the net down snagging the creature.

“I got it!” Branden exclaimed. “Scott, I got it!”

“Quick, let’s get it outside. Hurry!”

Grabbing the net, both of them ran outside the house and the bat’s life soon ended. It is a little sad, but could you sleep knowing a bat is sleeping with you?