Prologue

PROLOGUE

Fred

My life was a series of bad events leading to worse and ending with the most awful thing you could think of. Nothing worked out for me, and the moment it appeared it would, I'd simply say, "Stick around a minute and watch it all burn."

I sipped my coffee as I looked out onto the garden. Most people couldn't say they'd died before. I had…a few times. Each time I'd seen no light, no hope, nothing. But I'd always wished that someday I wouldn't survive death. I had dreams of being a doctor, and I'd fulfilled that. But it was literally all I had to live for…and wasn't that sad? I'd lost everything that had meant anything to me. It had been shredded and the little I'd held dear, ripped from my grasp.

I stood and walked over to the rosebush. The scent evoked a rare happy memory from my childhood…running through my grandmother's garden, my Sunday clothes covered in dirt and tiny tears from the thorns. I'd giggle as she chased me, yelling with no threat in her voice. Until I was eight, I'd gone to her house during the spring months when there was no one to watch me, and those had been my favorite times. It was probably why spring was my favorite season. Two birds flew overhead, dancing in a spiral maneuver and I smiled as I thought about my grandmother.

With a sigh, I went to the table and once again took my coffee in hand.

"Your company is here," Timothy, one of my staff, announced. I turned and smiled when I saw Rush and Simon walking over.

"Thank you guys for coming. Please, sit. Are you thirsty, hungry?"

"We're good—just curious why you called us here." Rush sat, and Simon took the seat beside him.

"I haven't seen you both for a while…since the funeral, anyway, and my life has been sort of a mess for the last year…but also wonderful."

Their expressions were warm. "We've heard some things but honestly, aside from whatever Snow and Pops mention, we aren't too familiar with everything." Simon shrugged. "Are you okay?"

"I wasn't." I sighed. "I've been through a lot in my short life. I'd hoped it was over and I was going to find balance, but every time I did, something would pull the carpet out from under me."

"We'd like to hear it all from you, Fred." Rush reached over and patted my leg.

"Well, I suppose to properly tell you this story, I'll have to start from the end."

Simon cocked his head. "The end?"

"Yep, because it wasn't until after I died, that my end became my beginning."

Rush chuckled. "I have a feeling this will be good."

I sat back and began.

"Once upon a time…"

"No," Simon barked. "Be real."

"Fine." I rolled my eyes. "This is a story about betrayal, about my enemies, and how in the end what kills you are the things you refuse to see that have been in front of you the whole time."