Your Parents

Your parent's ghosts linger in our world . They left a note on the refrigerator. You didn't believe it at first, but the coroner convinced you . Asphyxiation due to drowning. Their bodies were bloated and discolored, like they'd been in a hot tub too long. They were unrecognizable due to degloving, but skin slip verified their fingerprints . You recognized their clothing: your dad's grey suit and half-moon glasses; your mom's purple hoodie and locket. When you returned home, you verified those pieces were missing from their closets . You're left with so many questions: Why? Why? Why? . Why did they do it? Why did they leave you alone? Why did they make it so obviously intentional? Why did they take their own lives? Why didn't they take you with them? . You find yourself grieving on the autumnal banks of the lake they drowned it, looking for answers to your unanswered questions. You brought a bouquet....you always bring a bouquet. Your tears water the crunchy grass . Burying your face in your knees and acting pathetic only keep you preoccupied so long. When you resolve to lift your head up to peer out across the water, you see them--your dead parents' ghosts are standing on the riverbank looking back at you . Their eyes are hollow and their long faces refuse to smile. With hands in their pockets, they shuffle along the edge of the water. They feel so distant and cold.....but didn't they always feel distant and cold? Weren't they always this way? Who were your parents really?