The verb 'help' takes to-infinitives and bare infinitives but bare infinitives are said to be the most common in casual text; as also used in this example sentence.
とりあえずまともな人間はいないということを明記しておきたい。
In any case I just want to make clear that the fact that these are not normal people.
For that reason Coco was, to me, 'an older sister I can play with' and I thought of her only as one member of the family not as someone I should question my father concerning her identity.
しかし僕だけではなく、もうひとり—いや、もう一匹の珍客がいたらしい。
However, it was not just me – there was one more person, no, one more creature visiting.
あ、とりあえず包帯しているけど、もし煩わしかったら、家に帰ってからカットバンに代えても大丈夫よ。
Ah, well I've bandaged it for the meantime but if that's awkward then it's fine to replace it with a plaster when you get home.
「虫とあそぶにはボクは年をとりすぎている」と男の子は言いました。
"I'm too old to be playing with bugs", said the boy.
「きれいな宝石ですね」、適当な話題かどうかわからないが、とりあえずそう水を向けてみた。
"Pretty gem, isn't it?" Not knowing if it was a suitable subject or not, but anyway I tried to get her interest that way.
蝙蝠はとりではない。それが魚でそうでないのと同じだ。
A bat is not a bird any more than a fish is.
話し合いのもとにするために、ミーティングに先立ち、皆様からいただいた提案をとりまとめてみました。
I have tried to compile the ideas that you proposed prior to the meeting, so that we can use them as the base for the discussion.
老人はたったひとりで座っていた。
The old man sat all alone.
連絡をとりつづけて。
Keep in touch.
両親は長い間反対していたが、ついに彼女がヨーロッパにひとりで行くことを許した。
Although her parents had said no for a long time, they finally let her go to Europe alone.