Book excerpt: It all began with the closing behind her of the heavy Gothic doors of the East London grammar school, ending the final chapter of her schooldays; and the uplifting tune and lyrics of ‘I know where I’m going’ that strangely possessed her mind, enthusing her with intoxicating optimism. With newfound confidence, Lillian knew exactly where she was going. But did she? A surprise encounter was about to change the course of her life forever, and the bizarre events that followed completely turned the tide in a way that even she, in her wildest of dreams, could never have imagined.