Contents
Contents
Chapter 3: Fairytales and Thunderbolts
Chapter 4: Dances for the King
Chapter 6: Candles and Confessions
Chapter 9: From Russia with Love
Chapter 11: Walking with Buffaloes
Chapter 16: Happy New End Time
Chapter 20: The Prince Is Dead
Chapter 22: The Woman in the Mirror
Epilogue: Buckinghamshire, 2014
To my co-author, Nadene Ghouri, thank you for your hard work and commitment to this project. With your help my story has been brought to life and I am glad I had someone to share this journey with.
To my wonderful husband, thank you for encouraging me to face up to my past. Without your love I could not have found the immense happiness I feel today.
This book is the story of my past, based on what I saw and experienced in my childhood. It was not written with malicious intent, but as part of my road to recovery. I hope that by sharing it I will help raise awareness of the long-lasting effects a cult upbringing can have on an individual.
In order to protect the identity of my loved ones I have changed names, places and personal information.
Prologue
The hot acidic smell stung my nostrils and caught in the back of my throat.
I badly needed to cough. I knew showing any revulsion would result in violence, so I forced myself to take short stabbing breaths through my mouth.
Uncle