Prologue

How things work, I’ll never know. How pieces come together in people’s lives from the most random places. People, events, music, books, love, all form together, like one big marvel in a person’s life. One night you go to sleep, the next morning you wake up to something, to someone, you never even dreamed of.

A chain of events, leads to this, leads to another, leads to something else. What you didn’t need, or want, when you were younger, you desperately need now, and it’s given, but when you need it. Not before. You could’ve heard a name a thousand times in your life, but it means nothing to you, until it does. That book, its title, you’ve seen over and over, but it doesn’t matter, until it does.

Until, unless you read it right then, you won’t rest. Won’t stop thinking about it until it’s in you. And for whatever reason it’s in you now, it has a purpose. A new life is created, a new intent being formed, a new way. And like a lightning bolt, you shoot down that path, like one possessed, until you’ve exhausted it, or you die. But if you don’t, a new path opens up.

A girl is born. A boy is born. Both in separate years, separate counties, separate states. Two paths straight ahead for them, diverge from each other. Winding and drifting, this way and that. Choice upon choice, decision after decision, lead after lead. Their passions, thoughts, obsessions, taking them where it will. Where they sometimes do, and do not, want to go.

Into dark places, fettered holes, for years, and back out into the light. Fresh air, spring rain, laughter, warmth. The ebb and flow of life, carries them on its current. How many years go by? Of making decisions that they think are their own, but really moved by an unseen hand, nudging them closer to hindmost destiny.

A road, a door, a wood, what’s behind it? How can we know, unless we enter. Push back the veil, unclasp the cellar door, peek into the abyss. Two divergent paths start slowly weaving to the same destination. How could they know that their two crossed paths would wind down to each other.

Each other’s arms.