In the Shadows of the Mirror

I used to be a normal kid.

I'm not kidding about that. I loved everything normal kids loved--pizza, movies, I had plenty of friends, I enjoyed biking around my neighborhood, and all sorts of other things. I stopped being normal when the whispering started. It got worse when the shadows came to life and tried to eat me.

For a time, they succeeded.

For almost two decades, I've been fighting a silent war, but now I have finally begun to win. It's been difficult to say the least, and I've lost a lot because of it, but I've gained quite a bit, too. Please join me on this sojourn through the darkness and the nightmares as I guide you through my past and recall the things that helped to contribute to my illness, and the paths I had to follow to achieve recovery.

In the Shadows of the Mirror is based on my personal experiences with schizophrenia. I hope that this piece of literature will remind those that suffer from this illness, or know someone that does, that NONE OF US ARE EVER TRULY ALONE.

Author's Note: I'd like to say thank you to everyone that's following this book and keeping up with the newly posted chapters as I write them. Thank you for encouraging me as we go through this journey together. I wouldn't have made it this far if I didn't have people like you to cheer me on.

This book is not going to written in a consecutive order and that is done purposefully. Schizophrenia is, by definition, chaotic and I feel that to best understand it and grasp the true nightmare that it can be, this book should reflect that chaos. I will do my best to leave notes within each section that can act as guide posts to other pieces of the book, when those pieces are tied together.

Please be warned--this book is a Mature Audiences Only work. I will not be holding back on the punches and there may be things that younger audiences are not accustomed to. Schizophrenia can be a terrifying illness and the best way to face fear to actually see it every detail.

So, shall we begin?