Though the road is glazed with a fresh layer of rainwater, LEO CINQ-MARS gingerly maneuvers his slightly neglected, 1992 Ford Explorer through the heavy evening traffic. Although seven years have passed since the tumultuous event that violently altered his life, Leo has acclimated himself to an existence of mundane routine and does just enough to get by. His lifestyle seems to scream, “I’m breathing this air, walking this earth, but hating the life I’m living.” His only reason for continuing is the Judeo-Christian fear that if he kills himself, eternal damnation will follow. For seven miserable years, he has been praying for an end to his bitter existence, an existence that was once so very sweet. His waking nightmare is a continual reminder of his excruciating loneliness, and, with every passing day, he immerses himself in ritual. On the weekends, he personally manicures four gravesites and spends any remaining moments praying quietly. Monday through Friday, he methodically drives the same stretch of highway. The only variant to the lonely, monotonous drive is the musical rotations peppered by the banal advertisements on his car stereo. He comes home from work, consumes a modest meal, and vigorously develops his martial arts skills. However, during this particular drive home, Leo unexpectedly sees a woman in the seat next to him. He is so stunned by her presence and distracted by her extraordinary beauty that he loses control of the car, and the vehicle is violently thrust into a series of uncontrolled flips. Crushing metal resounds, creating a symphony of horrendous consequence that leaves Leo and his companion unconscious. As Leo drifts in and out of reality in the hospital, he overhears his former high-school sweetheart ANN WALTON and a nurse talking about his accident. They discuss how lucky Leo and his girlfriend, who has also been hospitalized, are to be alive. Leo is baffled by the unknown woman’s presence in his car, and he hears Ann immediately dispute the possibility that Leo is involved romantically with this or any woman. While Leo is unconscious, Ann visits him every day. She spends hours musing over their meeting in seventh grade, their subsequent romantic relationship, and her hopes of rekindling the love affair. Once Leo regains consciousness, Ann is happy that he is awake and alive. She admonishes him for his involvement with this other woman, and Leo, in turn, admonishes Ann for overstepping boundaries and for clinging to a relationship that ended in high school. Regardless, Ann remains intrigued and perplexed, and she is determined to learn all she can about this mysterious woman who has invaded the territory of her heart. For days, Leo remains bewildered that he has no memory of the woman, and, despite the fact that the doctors can find no medical evidence, he begins to think he has amnesia. Eventually, he goes down the hall to visit the unknown woman and discovers her sleeping. As he stares, he is mesmerized and captivated by her utter perfection. Leo is still convinced the whole thing is a dream, and because he is so weak, he passes out. Later when he wakes in his room, Leo’s is thrown into a state of disconcerting confusion as he questions his sanity and his mortality. Exhausted by the personal query, he falls asleep until he is reawakened by a tranquil touch. When he opens his eyes, he discovers the mystery woman is in his room and has been watching him sleep. Leo is elated to find the woman he thought was a dream is actually sitting next to him and caressing him in such a way that he feels the first serenity he has experienced since that horrible day when his family was violently ripped from him. Leo and the enigmatic woman finally speak to each other. She tries to convince Leo that he knows her, yet he cannot remember her. He is amazed to find that she seems to know a great deal abou
