THE KISSING STONE (ALYA) ...And when the silence was at its deepest, the stillness so complete that even the crickets ceased their shouting, and the watchman on duty was dozing off somewhere. Alya arose from her bed as if obeying a command and, dressed in her nightclothes, went to the door and opened it. For a long moment, she stood at the open door listening, then closed the door behind her and walked into the night. The...