. . . suddenly the screen went blank, and a tone like a distant bell sounded, and the message given below appeared in clean white letters on a dark blue background: ***ATTENTION*** Please do not be alarmed, your work has been saved and may be restored whenever you choose. What follows are narratives by four different individuals describing their encounter with one who, despite different appearances, I believe to be the same person, and whose parables I feel sure you will find meaningful. The accounts are presented unaltered, just as written by Mathias, Martin, Lucas, and Jonathan. My identity does not matter, I am merely the collector and transmitter. This begins the computer virus that interrupted the work of Raoul Thomas, a young scientist in California - and changed his life ... Beware The parables told by the Stranger may change yours too.