This is an excerpt from my 2005 NaNoWriMo novel.

"Swan Song"

Prologue

"I'm not sure I understand why the sudden interest." I watched the reporter sitting across from me as he pulled out a tape recorder, as well as a notebook and pen. I guessed he wanted to make sure he didn't miss a word. A photographer was also flitting about, taking pictures of me, of the house, and even heading inside to take a couple of interior shots.

"Well, as you know, he's being released today, so the public is interested in his background." The reporter placed the recorder between us, in the middle of the table we were both sitting at.

"Ah, so it's not about me, it's about him," I said, laughing.

"Well, he is something of a celebrity."

"I can't argue with that."

"And people want to know, what happened to lead up to the way things happened that night?" The reporter had already pressed 'record' on the machine, and had the pen poised, waiting for my words of wisdom, or at least any dirt I could dish.

I sat back, picking up my lemonade and sipping from it before I said any more. "It's all been told," I finally said.

The reporter shook his head. "I don't think so. It's been five years, and still, hardly anybody knows what happened. What drove him to do what he did?"

I smiled. It was true that not much had been said about the situation leading up to that night. I had chosen to say as little as possible, as had everyone else involved. It was a difficult thing to talk about. A lot of things had changed since that night, and this really would be the first opportunity to tell the whole story, let everyone know what happened. I looked at this reporter, wondering if even he might come out a changed man after hearing it all. "Well, I should warn you, it's a long story."

Now the reporter smiled. "I've got time. And extra tapes."

We both laughed at that. I took another sip of my lemonade. "I really think the story began years before that night, but I want to start with the swan."

As the reporter listened with rapt attention, I began my story.

Prologue - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3