起きようとする

I'm not 100% on what it's trying to say in this context.

A guy writes to a close friend "I have to tell you something cruel (残酷）.... what has happened to me... そしてこれから何が起きようとしているのか."

Is this "what has happened to me, and what's trying to happen now"? I understand volitional + とする means attempting to do __, but it's not really referring to anyone in particular and don't know if that sounds quite right.
Also, what's the 'か' for in this sentence? I've seen it used a few times, but none of the usages I've read of it having fit. The previous sentence used it as well "俺の身に何が起きたのか"...

And one last thing... (in another passage) a girl says, talking about a boy who's always on his own, "いつも独りで？？してるの、なんだか寂しそう..." In the ?? part she says something that's basically sounds like あー (although obviously it's not) but I'm not sure what.

In the first instance, is that the end of the sentence, or is there something else (like 説明してやる or something)?

～うとする has, I believe as its original meaning, a sense of something being just about to happen, seeming on the verge of happening. So 俺の身に何が起きたのか, if it stands alone, would be "what on earth happened to me?" I get the feeling it continues, though. Does it?

It could be ああ, as in the あ version of こう/そう/どう -- ああ/こう/そう/どう is like あれ/これ/それ/どれ, あっち/こっち/そっち/どっち, あちら/こちら/そちら/どちら, あの/この/その/どの, etc., in which case it would mean "in that way" or "like that". いつも独りでああしてるの。なんだか寂しそう・・・ -- "They're always like that. They seem lonely (or maybe "it's kind of sad...")..."

Glenn said:

In the first instance, is that the end of the sentence, or is there something else (like 説明してやる or something)?

～うとする has, I believe as its original meaning, a sense of something being just about to happen, seeming on the verge of happening. So 俺の身に何が起きたのか, if it stands alone, would be "what on earth happened to me?" I get the feeling it continues, though. Does it?

It could be ああ, as in the あ version of こう/そう/どう -- ああ/こう/そう/どう is like あれ/これ/それ/どれ, あっち/こっち/そっち/どっち, あちら/こちら/そちら/どちら, あの/この/その/どの, etc., in which case it would mean "in that way" or "like that". いつも独りでああしてるの。なんだか寂しそう・・・ -- "They're always like that. They seem lonely (or maybe "it's kind of sad...")..."

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After "起きようとしているのか" he says "I'm not yet dead (or I can't die yet?), there's something I have to do..."

Ah, yes, sorry! The sentences follow each other. "I have to tell you something cruel... 俺の身に何が起きたのか、そしてこれから、何が起きよ うとしているのか" The whole speech is an explanation, because prior to all of this he says "俺自身何から説明していいのが混乱している" (I'm confused as to how I should explain it?)

Ah! That fits nicely, thank you!

I'm glad that made sense to you.

Incidentally, I just remembered the correct order -- こそあど. They seem to be referred to collectively as こそあど言葉.

Glenn said:

I'm glad that made sense to you.

Incidentally, I just remembered the correct order -- こそあど. They seem to be referred to collectively as こそあど言葉.

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I've heard of that! Never knew about ああ though, just thought it was an exclamation of some kind.

On the other part, so would it be like you said? "I have to tell you something... what's happened to me, and what's about to happen now"?

Yes, that would be it.

Glenn said:

Yes, that would be it.

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Brilliant, thanks!