Torture Lake - The Beginning

                                                       Prologue

I will refer to the subject of this story as V. Since I need to give him an identity I thought it as good as any other name, so V it is.

V was born to a man who he considers to be a greater man than himself. When his father passed away he left an enormous void in his family and huge shoes for his son to fill. V strives to continue giving back more than he takes, just like his father always did.

His mother is still living and she is a true matriarch. V is eternally grateful to God for blessing him with such wonderful parents.

V lived the typical upper middle class lifestyle and attended both private and public school, ranging from military school to Jesuit instruction, as well as vocational career centers.

Some of V's public school teachers impressed upon him not to contribute to society. He was even discouraged from shoveling snow or driveways and to do the least amount of work possible.

He signed up for the draft and was advised to sign on an a conscientious objector. He was told that by doing it that way he could avoid becoming a paid mercenary killer. He regrets that they had so much influence on him because he was young and impressionable.

The private schools used the opposite philosophy that was consistent with the Bible. If you didn't work, you shouldn't eat. He was taught to be charitable and to take care of those less fortunate, the widows and the orphans.

V was fortunate to experience a very diverse lifestyle. He attended several Super Bowl games, derbies, final four games, concerts, Stanley Cup hockey matches, World Series and main event boxing. He has traveled the country, including the continental US and Alaska, Central America and beyond.

He has also lived in the woods with no running water or electricity. He  lived on a houseboat, upper class living quarters and he lived in the ghetto.

If anyone asks V for help,tries to assist them regardless of race, religion or affliction. One of his main goals in  life was to lead by example and he has never met a stranger.

At 16 years of age, V became involved with advanced scientific endeavors designed to help humanity. Advancements in clean air, pure water and nutritious foods were just some of his ambitions in life. These are just a few of the projects he is involved with that he hoped would someday improve the human condition.

He was  very musically inclined and could pick up most instruments and play them by ear. He also spoke several languages , almost fluently. He was also a strong communicator and negotiator.

This all changed when he was attacked by 30 punks with weapons. He suffered a severe closed head injury that has left him compromised in many ways. He suffered memory loss and anxiety and lost his wife to divorce as a result.

Just when he didn't think that things could get any worse for him, his cousin who was like a brother  was murdered. He had been kidnapped, robbed, tortured  and shot in the head. V identified his body in the trunk of his car.

V had been  living in a condominium on the ocean with his wife who had been his high school sweetheart(they were together for 18 years) until he sustained the closed head injury. It became too much for her and she eventually left him and filed for a divorce.

Suddenly he was faced with the head injury, the loss of his marriage and the horrific murder of his cousin who was also one of his best friends. He went into a sort of shock and decided to relocate to a piece of land he owned in Antrim County.

He had been visiting the area since 1970 and he was attracted by the unparalleled beauty of the region. He was honored to get to know some great old farmers who have since passed away. These men coached and advised V on life's lessons and taught him farming. He misses them to this day and he feels fortunate to have had the benefit of their guidance.

These farmers were hard working family men who told amazing stories about the past. It made V want to go back in time and live the simple life. There was a time when neighbors helped neighbors and communities collectively raised their children. They told tales of barn raising parties, where the women would prepare a feast and the men would build a house or barn for their neighbor.

If someone needed help ( one story was about a hay wagon over- turning and breaking a farmer's leg) the neighbors would complete their own chores, then go assist the injured farmer and his family. How wonderful this mentality was. V wanted to be like them. He would rather starve with friends and family than eat alone.

Unfortunately, V soon discovered that not everyone in Antrim County was as kind and loving as these farm families. He crossed paths with individuals who are truly evil and powerful enough to get away with their dirty deeds.

And so begins the story of Torture Lake , where the brutal truth, sorrows and injustice overflow in the pool of tears known as Torture Lake.