[ WP ] the monster in the closet is trying protect a child from abusive parents . Unfortunately the monster only ends up traumatizing the poor kid

In the closet he sits, watching and waiting for the right time to strike. The right time to scare them off. 
 
 
 This is not his job. His purpose in this dimension is to scare her, but he feels that can not do that. 
 
 
 So, he sits in the closet and listens to the screaming and the sobbing. He hears the splashing of water as the pain stricken wails morph into a consistent gurgle of bubbling water. During times like these, all three of his hearts break simultaneously and sink rapidly into his fleshy, worm-like, lower extremities. 
 
 
 Slowly, the muffled screams fade and the disruption of the water ceases, after which, the small limp body of a girl is dropped to the stained brown carpet. The greasy work boot covered foot of a large man shovels under her shoulder to push her from the path of the closing door. From the outside, her father turns the lock before trudging down the hall with no concern for her present state. 
 
 
 He watches and knows that he should not help. That ’ s not why he is here. Seven of his nine eyes begin to tear up, as if this is the first time he is watching this atrocity. Though, he has been in this closet for months. 
 
 
 Back home, they laugh at him and his new found inability to do his job. They mock him because the once great monster seems to be bested by a tiny girl. His children face teasing and taunting from peers whose fathers are now far more successful than he is. It ’ s not that he can ’ t scare her. He simply feels that she doesn ’ t deserve more pain. 
 
 
 Her wet hair is splayed out on the filthy floor, strands sticking to her solemn little face. On her lower back, where her shirt is pulled up from the careless way she was dropped, he can see the bruises from yesterday. The dark splotches of purple intertwined with a sickly yellow and pale blue-green. 
 
 
 As he does every evening, the beast opens the closet door, it gives a drawn out, inconsistent, creaking, and he moves into the room. Having no arms, he uses two of his fleshy tentacle legs to lift her body, dripping wet and shivering, to the mattress in the corner. Gently, he tucks her in under the thin sheet and takes a moment to appreciate the comparatively peaceful look on her delicate features before returning to his home in her closet. 
 
 
 Tomorrow, he will make them pay the price for what they've done. 
 
 Monsters are supposed to be frightening and, based on physicality alone, he is no exception. His mangey fur and crooked sharp teeth were enough to haunt even the bravest child into their early teenage years. But, after spending just one day watching her suffer at the hands of the people who were meant to protect her, he simply couldn ’ t bring himself to do it. Who would tell her that it would be ok? Who would she climb into bed with on the nights that the simple thought of him became too great for her to sleep? 
 
 
 Surely not her parents. 
 
 
 They are the real monsters. 
 
 
 The next day is no different. From his spot behind the wooden door with chipped paint and dry rot, he listens to her wake up and cry. She lifts her little shirt up and looks at her tummy, poking a tiny finger at the various marks as she wonders if they will go away before her daddy makes more. It upsets him that she probably doesn ’ t question if this is how life is supposed to be. 
 
 
 He knows it ’ s not. 
 
 
 “ Fuckin ’ little shit. You didn ’ t put away the cups from dinner, ” her father grunts as he kicks at the door, as if she could open it if she wanted to. 
 
 
 Her eyes are glued to the handle, lip quivering when she hears the sound of the lock click open. 
 
 
 “ If yer on that dirty fuckin ’ mattress again I ’ m going to whoop you. Better be on yer useless feet when I get in there. ” 
 
 
 She scrambles up, the way a child moves when they wake on Christmas morning when they expect to rush downstairs to piles of gifts and sweets. Never in her short life, has she moved this way because she is excited. 
 
 
 When the door opens, he can see the bearded man standing with a crooked grin, shadowed by her mother who is only here to watch. 
 
 
 He wishes that he knew her name. But they never use it. 
 
 
 “ Get over her bitch, ” he spits, slamming the side of his fist into the doorframe. 
 
 
 All nine of his eyes close and he tries to block out the sounds that come next. A sick and sadistic cackle from the woman, a series of profanities from the man, cries and then silence from the girl. Once he is sure she is unconscious, he pushes at the door slightly. Just enough to get their attention. 
 
 
 “ The fuck was that? ” 
 
 
 “ I don ’ t know, go look, ” she commands, crossing her arms and cocking her hip. 
 
 
 As the man approaches, the monster readies himself and taps the door open farther causing the man to startle. With a new found hesitance, he continues onward. 
 
 
 Possesing a fierce hatred and anger, the monster springs from the closet, hovering off of the ground as his tentacles worm around in the air below him. Boney spikes break through the tangled fur of his head and back, stained red and growing larger. All nine of his eyes commit to a beauteous synchronized routine of being absorbed into his skull and popping out to dangle by their roots. 
 
 
 The man runs, screaming and wailing a slew of inaudible nonsense, and the woman follows. Once they are gone, he turns around to find a fear stricken face, eyes wide and mouth agape as tears flow effortlessly down her swollen cheeks. Below her trembling body, a small and potently scented puddle forms. 
 
 
 Before he can attempt to make amends, he feels his body body twist under massive pressure. 
 
 
 “ Finally, we thought you ’ d never get that one. But hell, three for one. Nice job. ” 
 
 All of his hearts beat rapidly and in asynchronized rhythm. What had he done? 
 
 
 “ Dad! You really scared her! ” 
 
 
 “ Yeah dad, nice one. I bet she ’ ll never forget you. ” 
 
 
 There is a party and they celebrate his great success. He feels he has failed and does not participate. 
 
 

