Epilogue

prologue.

Once upon a time, there was a princess. She was smart and beautiful and kind, but her perfection always sparked jealousy or conflict. And so the princess often had to suffer, until one day a handsome prince fell in love with her. The good prince rescued her and brought her to his castle, where they were married. And everyone, absolutely everyone, lived happily ever after.

The Prologue of an Epilogue.

I suppose that's ironic, but life can be somewhat ironic at times. Life can be downright cruel, in fact. So if you live in a world constructed of rainbows and butterflies, I ask you to please close this book, set it aside on a nearby shelf, and expel it completely from your memory. If this tale is to be consumed by a thick layer of dust and cobwebs, so be it.

Because I, as the cynical narrator, can promise you that this will not be a happy story. True love will not always prevail, and you may be left wondering whether or not true love even exists. But I can also promise you that my words will not be drenched in angst, nor tragedy.

Because this is the last chapter of every fairytale. The untold chapter, longer than the fairytale itself. This is where the story truly begins, and essentially, it is about one thing.

Reality.

So welcome to the real world, darling, and do remember to wipe your feet.