The Kid [antikvár]

Preface This book was originally written for my wife, Jackie. For many years I've kept my past to myself, ashamed of what happened, desperate to block it out of my memory, until I decided to explain my life to the one person I love more than anything else. I wanted her to understand who I am and what has happened to me in the past. Once the book was written I decided to publish it in the hope that others would understand what it's like for a child to have no hope; to undergo years of physical and mental torture as well as suffering the constant ache of hunger. I hope I can give a little more insight into why some kids go so badly wrong, so that we can find ways to help them feel less frightened, abandoned and alone in the world. It was when I was holding my baby son in my arms for the first time that I realized I had to do something about exorcizing the horrors that were locked inside my head. I had to clear them out in order to make sure he had the right start in life. It was a story that could not be allowed to fester in secrecy any longer. Gazing down at his tiny, sleeping face was like looking at myself when I first arrived in the world. He seemed so vulnerable and helpless and I was desperate to make everything perfect for him, to give him the best start in life that any parent could, to make sure nothing from my past would