Prologue

Summary

• The prologue introduces the landscape of a marsh, contrasting it with a swamp. It describes the marsh as a space where grass grows in water that flows into the sky, while the swamp is portrayed as a hidden, quiet, and low-lying bog with still and dark water.
• The beauty of the marsh is highlighted, where creeks gently flow towards the sea, carrying sunlight with them. It’s also a habitat for various bird species, which exhibit surprising grace despite their long legs not ostensibly designed for flight.
• The process of decay and regeneration in a swamp is mentioned. It is silent and still, with a hint of morbidity, a place where death regenerates life.
• The prologue then moves to the core event: on October 30, 1969, the body of a man named Chase Andrews is found in the swamp, which would have silently absorbed the body if not discovered.
• The swamp is described as a place that understands death, not necessarily seeing it as a tragedy or sin. The body was discovered by two boys from a nearby village who spotted his denim jacket from an old fire tower.