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This page presents the first appearance of Allen Stone, the protagonist of this story. He is a deeply troubled individual who will be presented a chance to redeem himself.

I recall that the day John Kissee turned in this page. If you read ahead a few pages, you will find that Allen Stone's wife had died some time before. What had happened to Stone from that point until this page was the source of conversation between John and myself. If I remember correctly, John felt Stone had become a recluse who spent his time and energy exercising and conditioning himself.

I told him that that wasn't how I envisioned Stone's life following hte death of his wife. In my opinion, Allen Stone was like Sleeping Beauty.  The death of his wife had effectively shut him down.  The presentation of him writhing in an uncomfortable sleep on the couch was intended to explain where he has been since that tragedy: Stuck in his apartment, lying on the couch, waiting to be awoken from his nightmare.

In this page, the sleeper wakes!