@rah 26 November 2021 more from that month

So a couple of days ago I mentioned that i got my draft back from the publishers and now it is just awaiting my final approval. I think I have shared the opening paragraphs of chapter one previously, but before anything starts we always have a prologue. So here is the exact opening - namely the first few paragraphs of the prologue. Enjoy - Feedback appreciated. __________________________________________ This is very hard to put into words. It is shameful and a disgrace, but I’ll do my best to explain what happened during May and June 2019… During those two months, I went to the brink of the abyss and knew despair and anguish almost beyond all endurance. It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life and what makes it even worse was that it was absolutely all my own fault. I’d put selfish desire above everything that really mattered. The price I paid was high, too high, and I lost almost everything that is dear to me. But before I get into all that, let me start by telling you a bit about myself, starting with why I write. I have always been better able to say how I feel through my passion for writing. For me personally, it’s always been my best form of self-expression as I am naturally quite shy, and despite what you are going to read, quite introverted. I’m that person in the room who says little but listens a lot. It was only natural for me to write as only I know how to. The words flowed, but so did the emotions, which cast me into a paradoxical maelstrom as I’ve found reliving the whole experience to be both painful and therapeutic. My words have been a lamp that has shone a light on everything that happened, but where there is illumination there is also shadow. The darkness at times was relentless and all-consuming, but writing it all down has helped me to put everything into perspective. What helped was that despite everything I kept writing my diary even as some of the events were still unfolding. It proved to be invaluable in my recollections and subsequent reflections on what happened. The additional reasons for why I have put things down in writing will become clearer as you read on... ________________________