Not the End: Life Isn't Over Until It Is Over

By Odin Dupeyron

Not the end is a remarkable story that speaks of life, of secret fears that paralyze us, and of the desire to be free. The importance of knowing oneself, to dig into the past, to understand who we are and where we come from and therefore know where we are headed. A magical tale that speaks of endings and the eternal beginnings of life. Of all the possibilities, all the beginnings and all the endings. But beyond that, it makes us rediscover the importance of living life ... Until the end!

The content of this book is in color, it is advisable to read on a device that accepts these characteristics.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Oct 17, 2014
• ISBN: 9786079069155

Book preview

Lambreton

Prologue

It is with unquestionable talent that the author of this fascinating book describes the structure of what is ostensibly a fairy tale. Through a cluster of beautiful introspective and insightful metaphors, he also manages to guide us along the path of self-knowledge, as the cornerstone of emotional maturity and, ultimately, existential wisdom.

This whole process is depicted in realistic terms, appealing to fantasy only to give a sort of allegorical dressing that allows us to understand the inner drama of those who dare to look inside being characters of a script, written by historical circumstances, that derive from emotional learning in childhood, which is full of inertia and prejudices. These undermine one´s judgment, and don´t allow us to question why we think as we do.

In a certain way, the story relates the painful and, at the same time, wonderful transition from prejudice to independent judgment, and also from alienation to sensibleness and thus, the assumption of the command of one´s existence.

Cognos ipsi (know yourself) is the fundamental key.

If we try to understand our personal family background, we can realize how some features of our personality are ruled by what we have learned in a passive mode, and how this criterion is no longer useful once we grow up.

We are the writers but also the main characters of our own lives. Whether we are aware of it or not, we constantly play the game of being both the Dragon and the Princess. Our fate is mainly a consequence of the decisions we make, regardless of the motivational sources.

From a literary point of view, this is an excellent narrative that leads the reader along the trails of truth, beauty and goodness.

It traces the routes of subjective landscapes and potential for introspection (Epiphany vs. serendipity).

Seen from another perspective, this is also a tale of quantum physics because of its capacity to explain that our destiny is neither immutable nor predetermined. Quite the opposite, the more we learn about ourselves, the better we can modify our future.

If most of our choices are founded on realistic judgment, it is reasonable to expect a favorable outcome.

Not the End reminds us of the unavoidable fact that each and every one of us can become an assertive author of our own life, instead of being passive observers of our existence.

Dr. Federico San Román

It was a very cold night, perhaps the coldest of all nights. Odai was sitting by the window of the highest tower in the castle, gazing at the stars, wearing only a translucent, blue, gauzy dress. Just like every other night, she hoped for the miraculous sign she longingly awaited. She dreamt of what her life could be if only the sign would come.

The sound of the slamming tower door and the approaching footsteps up the great stairwell leading to her room brought her back to reality.

Here he comes again, she thought in anguish.

The door opened and The Great Black Dragon of Fear reared its head.

What are you doing, Princess? asked the dragon with his icy, imposing voice tinged with suspicion and doubt, very characteristic of black dragons of fear.

I’m waiting for the sign so I can get out of here, answered Odai, timid before the presence of the dragon.

The dragon roared with great force, You must not leave! You cannot leave until you are certain that you´ve seen the sign.

But there has to be a way, said Odai in desperation.

The dragon stared at her for a while. His red eyes, dramatically contrasting against his black body, stood out noticeably in the center of his black face. Odai always felt intimidated in his presence.

Someone very important, said the dragon, went through a lot of trouble to put you under my care. I am the best of keepers.

But you can’t keep me locked in here forever!

You will not leave until you have understood the sign! The Great Black Dragon of Fear roared frighteningly. Odai was petrified.

There are many, many dangers out there! concluded the Dragon as he turned to leave.

But, I...

There are many dangers out there and you will stay here. The Dragon of Fear left, slamming the door behind him. There was no sound of a key turning, or a lock clicking, nothing to prevent the door from being opened. The Dragon of Fear knew that Odai was too frightened to even try to escape.

And so Odai went back to the window to gaze at the stars. She sighed deeply and, again, waited anxiously for the sign. It was a very cold night, perhaps the coldest of all nights.

THE END.

Hold it!

Excuse me?

I said hold it! Is that all? Am I going to spend the rest of my life sitting by the window in the tower just waiting for the sign?

Well, I...

You always tell the same story. Exactly the same story and here I am hopefully waiting for it to change one day. That one day the damn sign will appear, that there will be a shooting star, a lunar eclipse, or at least a sunrise, but no, noooooo! Do you know that this is a very cold night, perhaps the coldest of all nights? Oh! But of course you do! You’re the writer and you repeat it in the story... TWICE!

That brings the story to a full circle.

What do I care about full circles? I don´t even know what a full circle is! I’m tired, annoyed, bored and freezing to death... and you want to know why? Cause this night is not only a very cold night, it’s not even perhaps the coldest of all nights... it’s downright freezing! And I’m sitting here, wearing a translucent, blue, gauzy dress. For the love of God! Couldn’t you have at least written me a blanket?!

This way the reader understands your suffering.

I have a better way for the reader to understand my suffering. Reader... I’M IN AGONY! Not only am I waiting for the sign that hasn’t come, and probably never will, not only am I locked away in a tower that’s as high as... how high is the tower?

I don’t know. I hadn’t really thought about it.

You’re the writer and you haven´t really thought about how high the tower that you locked me in is?

I just imagine it as being very high.

Well just how high is very high, exactly?

I don’t know... three hundred feet.

...Do you know anything about architecture?

No.

I can tell. Let me peek out of the window to find out. You narrate, which is the only thing you seem to know how to do.

Okay... umm... so, Odai looked out of the window.

Thank you...hmmm -- she hesitated. No, I didn’t hesitate! I’m holding on to the handrail. Sor-ry. Let’s say fifty feet.

Alright, then it’s fifty feet.

Well, as I was saying: not only am I waiting for the sign that hasn’t come, and probably never will, not only am I locked fifty feet high in a tower, not only is The Black Dragon of Fear watching my every move, I’m also FREEZING! Do you think that if the night were, let’s not even say warm... let’s say... coolish. Do you think that if it were a coolish night, the reader wouldn’t understand my suffering? Do you think the reader is stupid? Hmmm... let’s see, this poor princess is locked away in a tower, her mother disappeared, she spends every night waiting for a sign that never comes, her life is constantly under the watchful eye of The Black Dragon of Fear, who has, to quote the author red eyes, dramatically contrasting against his black body, and standing out noticeably in the center of his black face. And also, quoting the author, speaks with his icy, imposing voice tinged with suspicion and doubt, very characteristic of black dragons of fear. But the night is coolish! I´m sure she’s not having thaaaat bad of a time.

I’m sorry. I never thought that the story would affect you so much.

Ohhh, he never thought that the story would affect me so much. He never thought that the story would affect me so much?! Did you read that, Reader? Put yourself in my shoes, dear reader, for just one moment. Imagine that you’re trapped someplace, frightened to death, wishing you could do something to change your life, but you don’t dare to because you don’t know what will happen. And you anxiously await the sign that will give you the confidence you need to get out and live. Have you ever felt that way? Well, that’s exactly how I feel every single night... forever and ever. But today, I´m fed up and I’m going to do something about it... so this is NOT THE END! ...And you, writer... narrate!

Umm okay. So... the Princess, who was clearly very upset with her current situation...

I’m FED UP!

That is... the Princess who