I apologise to those I will not have the chance to bid farewell to; this sudden departure is not my choice. I know I am fundamentally not an evil man, but some will seek to portray me in a different, unflattering light. They are distorting the truth, but in these complicated times, the truth is not always easy to divine. I will not stay to hear my legacy traduced, to see those close to me hurt by lies. I am undertaking this journey, safe in the knowledge that I will, one day, see those I love in another, better place.

J D W

He re-read the note carefully and signed it above his initials. Straightening slowly, he stared blindly at the words, hands in his pockets, head forward. A deep sigh freed him, and he dragged the stool into position below the rope.