Reflections: There are Monsters in my Closet (Part 5/6)

Fast forward through high school, college, eventually moving back home because the only jobs I can find don't pay near enough to live on my own. The old man retires and for a few years my parents get to enjoy traveling while I work and watch the house.

Our monsters probably haven't been out in years.

Not that it stopped my dad from becoming increasingly outspoken on the need for monsters to protect us from the ever-amorphous "them" coming to take everything away from us any day now. I tried to stay out of it. It's hard talk to someone about something when it's become an ingrained part of their identity.

Not long after his health took a turn.

The family rallied and did what we could to help out, but some things in life are beyond what can be fixed. After two years of being in near constant pain and occasionally taking his bitterness out on the rest of us, I think he just decided he was ready.

I guess his monster sensed it too.

And then on a Monday morning, he was gone.