Who Knows Where Butterflies Die

Who Knows Where Butterflies Die is a timeless story of the man spirit’s desire for freedom During a tyrannical time in Farawayland, Butterfly grows up a beautiful, vibrant child who is too young to know what is happening in the real world. Well-loved and educated, she longs to experience the world outside of her country’s oppressive and often cruel environment under the tyrannical leadership of the Great Ruler and the world’s superpowers. Her wish is granted, but as she leaves her homeland, she has no idea of how Farawayland’s people and her family will fare during the long-awaited uprising, revolution, and war. Who Knows Where Butterflies Die is a profound allegory, showcasing the timeless story of the human spirit’s desire for freedom and self-determination, and the lengths that people will endure to fight for their rights to these values and the things that come along with them – love, family, comfort and security. As global citizens, we are challenged in our efforts to create solutions on a global scale by the lack of basic freedom and human rights that the majority of humanity must endure. Where rule by force exists, the will of the majority is too often silenced or oppressed in favour of the selfish interests of a ruthless minority. To the victims of oppression and forced into a revolution who never made it back home. Partial proceeds from Who Knows Where Butterflies Die will benefit victims of war and revolution. Contents Acknowledgements ..........................................................................................xi Foreword ......................................................................................................... xiii Chapter 1 The Big Bang of Life ................................................................... 1 Chapter 2 The Faces Behind the Masks .................................................. 10 Chapter 3 Discovering Otherland ............................................................ 36 Chapter 4 The Blackbird ............................................................................ 46 Chapter 5 Taking the Journey ..................................................................64 Chapter 6 The Untold Stories ................................................................... 70 Chapter 7 The Great Escape .................................................................... 105 Chapter 8 The Cold Unruly Mountains................................................. 119 Chapter 9 Behind the Mountaineers’ Dungeon Walls ........................ 134 Chapter 10 Is There an Angel out There for Everyone? ........................ 138 Chapter 11 Crossing the Border ............................................................... 151 Chapter 12 A Rainbow on the Horizon ................................................... 180 Chapter 13 An Unexpected Turn ............................................................. 238 Chapter 14 The Grey Rainbow .................................................................. 247 Chapter 15 The Finishing Touch of Life’s Journey ................................264 The Author’s Bio ............................................................................................ 301   Foreword We have only one life to live and we must choose for ourselves how best to find meaning and purpose, how best to provide for oneself and family, and how to contribute to the common good. We consider ourselves lucky to have both liberty and chances to make the best life possible, and to live in comfort and security. We are concerned that the next generation will have the same or better opportunities than we enjoy and that they inherit a stable sustainable world. We must renew our economic and political orders to find solutions to problems like climate change and environmental degradation. However, we are challenged in our efforts to create solutions on a global scale by the lack of basic freedom and human rights that the majority of humanity must endure. Where rule by force exists, the will of the majority is silenced or oppressed in favor of the selfish interests of a ruthless minority. Individuals have little prospect for self-determination under authoritarian regimes dominated by self-serving cliques, unrestrained by legal or moral considerations. Most go along to get along; all understand that dissent is fatal. Some opportunists co-operate with the regime for their own advantage, others settle old scores, take revenge or victimize others. If civilization is to find a way to solve problems on a global scale we must first find a way to liberate the 3/4 of people whose voices are suppressed and whose rights to self-determination are not yet secured. In any event, the story of one life might appear so unbelievable to others that it could sound like a fairy tale. This is one of them. Who Knows Where Butterflies Die is based on true stories and written as an allegory to protect the identity of its characters.   Chapter 2 The Faces Behind the Masks Dinnertime had always been a happy time for everyone, especially on a solstice night. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the meal and giving their mother lots of praise for preparing it all, with the exception of Butterfly. She was looking down and quietly taking small bites of her food without much participation in any of the conversation. The parents had some news for her but were waiting for the right moment to announce it. On that night, in spite of his effort to cover it up, Father was looking exceptionally contemplative. He was often pausing momentarily while talking, as if he had lost his train of thought, and then he would recompose himself and continue without noticing it. Only his wife could notice how emotional he was and what he was going through, for she was feeling the same way herself. Their children were growing up so fast, and the parents knew that soon they would take off to take control of their own destinies, one after another. They were quite emotional that their family life was at the point of changing forever. Most of all, their ritual dinner gatherings would soon be remembered as something they “used to do” as a family. They knew that they had come to the stage of their parenting that soon would leave them doomed just to live with their precious memories. However, that was not the only worry on their minds. They had anxieties about the possible revolution and how it might affect them as a family. The fire in the fireplace was dancing high, colourfully, and creating a cosy, pleasant atmosphere on such a freezing night. As the sound of the storm often dominated their conversation, everyone seemed to be feeling safe at home and happy to be together. The clock was ticking—tick, tick, tick, tick—urging the parents to overcome their emotions and say what they had been preparing for weeks to say on that night. Father was not showing much of an appetite for the delicious food. Before finishing his dinner, he wiped his mouth with his table napkin and leaned back in his chair for a moment. He was looking pensive, as if he had doubts about pronouncing what he had planned to say. Shortly after, in a caring, gentle voice, he invited everyone to pay attention to him. “There’re times when we’re so involved in our everyday lives that we forget how quickly time’s passing by,” said Father in a solemn tone, trying to connect with his children’s eyes. “We assume that tomorrow will always return to give us a chance to do what we didn’t do or finish today. However, tomorrow may never come for some of us … or it may not return the way we wanted it to.” The kids appeared to sense that something serious might be about to happen; their father was sounding so different. Perhaps the revolution had already happened. They all glanced at each other and ate quietly as they continued giving their full attention to what he was saying. ...