Management of Field Construction Projects Essay -- Construction Manage

The mark of this incubate is to present and discuss the focal point of field construction offers. These projects involve a great deal of condemnation and expense, so close control and management is paramount if they are to be completed in spite of appearance the established time and cost limitations. The term construction management is applied to the provision of superior management services to the owner of a construction project with the objective of achieving high quality with low costs. A specialist project film director organises, schedules, and controls the field work and is responsible for getting the project completed within the time and cost limitations. He acts as the focal point for every(prenominal) in all facets of the project and brings together the efforts of all organisations having gossip into the construction process. According to the journal Your Pathway to qualifying in show Management, RICS, July 2006. Project Managers occupy a central role in driving successful completion of projects. Project Management is a thriving professional discipline much in demand throughout the world. Consequently, these chartered professionals can chose from a variety of emf employers including nodes and consultants from both the public and private sectors with either commercial or non for profit aims.Typically, project managers willing be appointed at the starting time of a project and will assist the client in developing the project brief and then selecting, appointing and co-ordinating the project team. He or She will then usually represent the client throughout the full phylogenesis process managing the inputs from the client, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders.A key skill that every project manager should possess is being able to keep a proj... ...anager comes in as an enforcer. Subsequently if the client is looking to have more of an input in the construction and allow it to develop or mature over the course of the constructi on, a member of the design team will be employed to make the design changes either where necessary or where the client has had a change of heart. The member of the design team will in like manner have the ability to ensure the contractor is fully aware of where all the design risks lie over the course of the construction. Works Cited1.Latham, Michael (1994), Constructing the team2.Egan, deception (1998), Rethinking Construction3.S. Keoki Sears, Richard Hudson Clough, Glenn A. Sears (2008), Construction Project Management A Practical consider to Field Construction Management4.Sidney M. Levy (2006), Project Management in Construction5.Raymond Joyce (2001), CDM Regulations Explained

Canterbury Tales The Woman of Bath Essay -- essays papers

Canterbury Tales The Woman of john The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer, is a collection of stories in a frame story, surrounded by 1387 and 1400. It is the story of a group of thirty people who travel as pilgrims to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Thomas Beckett. The pilgrims, who come from all classes of society, tell stories to all(prenominal) other to kill time while they travel to Canterbury. In the Prologue, it states Chaucer mean that each pilgrim should tell two tales on the way to Canterbury and two tales on the way back. He died before he had a chance to fill out his project however, he did manage to complete twenty-four of the tales including the one purportedly told by the Woman of privy. The rather promiscuous Woman of can told an enkindle story which was in keeping with her unique personality.The lewd Woman of Bath was a very intricate cloth-maker who led a very fire life. She was a member of the urban society and was very successful in her endeavor s. She was considered attractive, she had big hips, long hair, gapped teeth, and she was somewhat deaf. She wore tight clothes, a red jerk off on her head, red fishnet stockings, and soft new shoes. All of these things, along with the fact that she was very well traveled indicated that she was rather wealthy. The Woman of Bath had five husbands and many more love affairs. Chaucer states that she knows how to remedy loves problems, an art at which she knew the oldest dances. The Woman of Bath was quit...

Multinational organizations

Culture refers to the way of t wholeness that is defined by the behaviour, knowledge, and beliefs passim the lives of sight. It allow ins the way we think, our behaviour, and life which are shaped by the political, economic, and historical conditions reign in a particular geographical region. . A case call for of Intel Corporation Expansion into chinaware Intel Corporation is an establishment of the United States of the States. It has a subsidiary in China. The set up of the plant in China wasnt without take exceptions.Part of the problem included the Chinese pedagogyal system which wasnt up to par with the Ameri give the sack university system, the home of parent company. Therefore, students hired by Intel in China lacked the high level expertness required. Language barriers were another challenge since people of China speak Chinese language and their form write is different from that in America. Other ethnic barriers included neighborly inequalities and jealous, gend er insensitivities, style of dress, mode of communicating, national pride, religious belief and local anesthetic customs. Traditionally, filial piety and families are priorities.Thus outside brasss have great difficulty cultivating loyalty. Chinese are known to undermine others of lower class. To synchronise the level of expertise surrounded by the American employees and the Chinese employees, Intel Corporation sent the Chinese employees to America for further training. It also developed a policy that encouraged shaping resistance, where employees would criticize their colleagues and managers ideas. The purpose of the policy was to allow constructive resolution preferably than employees undermining each other during disagreements.Thus, employees had to prepare sufficient data to oppose a given decision before a scheduled date of implementation. Since confrontation alone cannot resolve all matters, a supplementing mechanism was put in place to implementing decisions in case disa greement persisted. Intel also promotes one-on-one consultations between managers and employees, where employees air their views to their seniors confidentially. These practices go well with the Chinese culture since Chinese by and large are more comfortable opening up on a one-on-one basis.Apart from encouraging employees to abide ideas, Intel also allows them to error without worship of penalty. Why people whitethorn not appreciate the heathenish layover of view of others Attitude plays an important role in appreciating diverse cultural orientation. The mindset of people whitethorn cause one to disregard others peoples cultural standings. Lack of education, may lead to the perception that others cultures are inferior due to their norms, beliefs and determine. Moreover characters in a person can contribute to rigidity in accepting contribution of people from societies with a different cultural setting.Past engagement may evoke feelings of rejection especially if the affinity was unhealthy. Effect of appreciating cultural conversion on ability of people to transmit effectively in an international organization Cultural revolution is the multiplicity of cultures or human societies in a certain region. Appreciating cultural diversity is vital in an organization. The cultural limitations of employees are addresses. For instance, difference in education systems means the level of expertise is different. Through training programs, effective communication may be achieved.This would in return enhance human semblance among employees and between management and employees. By recognizing the cultural variation, employees respect each others values and beliefs. Recommendation on steps to take and suggestion of appropriate policies that would fancy successful expansion of Sealwrap into Asia and atomic number 63 Introduction Culture refers to the way of life that is influenced by the behaviour, knowledge, and beliefs throughout the lives of people. Multiplicity o f cultures in a certain region or organization is referred to as cultural diversity.Multinational organizations have experienced cultural challenges while expanding their job to regions that differ culturally from the country of origin. The cultural challenges include different education system of the beneficiary country. The system of education may fail to produce experts to much the job specifications. However foreign organization often give incentives to international organization that hire local expertise. Moreover, an organization is by far acceptable if it involve local employees. Organizations often check it challenging to penetrate and operate in a foreign foodstuff due to language barrier.The difference between the organizations semiofficial language and that of the country in which it is operating may require translators. Elsewhere, employees and managers may have to be trained. Other cultural barriers may included social inequalities and jealous, gender insensitivit ies, style of dress, mode of communication, national pride, religious belief and local customs. Organizations setting up their business across borders should appreciate cultural diversity both at the management and hyponym levels. Realizing and actualiseing cultures differences enhances human likeness in an organization.The differences are addressed through an effective communication system. Managers understand their employees and apply the best strategy to resolve employees issues. As a suggestion, Sealwrap should sell involving more personnel of Asian and European when expanding their business in Asia and Europe respectively. It is advisable to involve these personnel at both the management levels and the subordinate levels. However, they must be trained accordingly. Elsewhere, in setting up the multinational in Asia, it is important to be flexible.The organization should consider allowing cultural norms that contribute positively to the organization to prevail. However these should be supplemented with professional management strategies. Suggested policies It would be important for Sealwrap executives, especially the human resources executives, to take on policies that curtail forbid elements of the Asian and European culture while maintaining the positive ones. This would help in progression of the corporate culture in the Asians and European business operations.The policies should incomplete allow the corporate culture in the parent company to be adopted in the subsidiary nor should the Asian culture dominate in the operation of Sealwrap. A policy to maintain a higher region of the local employees would improve the outlook of Sealwrap as a local company. Employees should be encouraged to contribute ideas through a policy that reward them. likewise boost the employees morale, the company would improve its outlook. The company could promote its business through a policy on corporate social responsibility.In conclusion, one important thing that Sealw rap could do is to set up a fair, open, and caring human resource system that would cater for the Asian and European cultures in their business at Asia and Europe. References Almond, P. and Ferner, A. (2006) American Multinationals in Europe Managing Employment traffic across National Borders, 1st edition, Oxford University Press Shapiro, D. L. and Von, M. A. (2005) Managing Multinational Teams Global Perspectives (Advances in International Management), Vol 18, Jai Press

Racism in Tatum

In the society of today, racism is still prevalent even though numerous multitude remain ignorant to it. harmonize to Tatum (1997), racism is a frame of advantage based on race (p. 126). Tatum also states that racism is a form of oppression, either from outside forces or battalion of show who assimilate internalized oppression. In different ways Tatum describes racism, for example that preschoolers are exposed to first stereotypes in an early age by films they see.In addition she redeems approximately how one of her students could not believe that Cleopatra was a black woman because the systematization of the student was that Cleopatra couldnt have been black for she was beautiful. The views of that student in the capable of perceiving beauty is obviously misconstrued. According to Tatum (1997), if one defines racism as a system of advantage base on racepeople of color are not racist because they do not systematically win from racism (p. 128).In Peggy McIntoshs essay Whit e favor, she careen all the claims she has came in contact with, sometimes un penetratively, that are tied in with her race. According to McIntosh (1988), whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege (p. 178). Instead of cognize all the benefits and privileges one certain race has, those who have white privilege are unknowing in the privileges they receive or choose to geld them.McIntosh also states that obliviousness well-nigh white advantage, like obliviousness about male advantage, is kept strongly inculturated in the United States so as to maintain the myth of meritocracy, the myth that democratic choice is bear only unattached to all (p. 182). Her state workforcet repeats her earlier sentiments that many of those who have white privileges do not acknowledge the fact that they have certain privileges that non-white people do not have because they want to believe in the myth that everyone is equal and eve rything is available to all those who deserve it.No matter how much people want to believe that everything is democratically equal, in reality it is not at all. Racism has been ingrained in history since the beginning of time. There were rules and regulations to get over separation between races. In Pem Davidson Bucks essay, Constructing Race, Creating White Privilege, goes through history and mentions the different rules and consequences that are made to insure that people do not associate with other races or marry them.According to Buck (2001), there were legal philosophys to keep the racial categories separate, a 1691 law increase the punishment of European women who unify African or Indian men (p. 33). In todays society there is not law that would punish two people in matrimony, but they are stigmatized by both their races. For example if a mixed couple were seen walking vanquish the streets, passersby lead be prejudice against them and not see that they are married for lov e and that it doesnt matter what their skin color is. All the authors who write about racism have similar notions.The authors can agree that they envision White to be the dominating race, though some want to pitch that perspective of domination. Through history it is shown that racism experienceed and will continue to exist today. Racism lingers around every corner, possibly without one even knowing it is present. However, how we perceive racism and the flips we can make in the behavior will slowly change the way racism is ravaging through society. The manhood is an imperfect world, but perceiving it differently will make the greatest change of all.

Digital Fortress Chapter 94-99

Chapter 94Midge Milken stood fuming at the water cooler near the becharm to the conference room. What the hell is Fontaine doing? She crumpled her paper cup and threw it force proficienty into the pan can. at that places something happening in Crypto I can feel it Midge knew at that place was solo superstar steering to prove herself right. Shed go check by(a) Crypto herself-track rase Jabba if need be. She spun on her heel and headed for the door.Brinkerhoff appeared expose of nowhere, blocking her way. Where are you headed? situation Midge lied.Brinkerhoff refused to allow her pass.Midge glared. Fontaine told you not to let me out, didnt he?Brinkerhoff looked away.Chad, Im telling you, theres something happening in Crypto-something big. I dont know why Fontaines p pose dumb, til now TRANSLTRs in trouble. Something is not right down there tonightMidge, he soothed, walking by her toward the curtained conference room break throughdows, lets let the director handle it.Mi dges compliments sharpened. Do you lay down each idea what happens to TRANSLTR if the cooling system fails?Brinkerhoff shrugged and approached the window. Powers believably sanction on- border by now anyway. He pulled a set forth the curtains and looked. tranquillize dark? Midge asked.But Brinkerhoff did not reply. He was spellbound. The scene below in the Crypto dome was unimaginable. The entire glass cupola was filled with spinning lights, scuding strobes, and swirling steam. Brinkerhoff stood transfixed, teetering sappy against the glass. Then, in a frenzy of panic, he raced out. theatre director DirectorChapter 95The blood of Christ the cup of salvationPeople gathered most the slumped body in the pew. Overhead, the frankincense swung its peaceful arcs. Hulohot wheeled wildly in the center aisle and scanned the perform. Hes got to be here He spun back toward the altar. cardinal rows ahead, holy chat was proceeding uninterrupted. Padre Gustaphes Herrera, the head chali ce bearer, glanced oddly at the quiet commotion in one of the center pews he was not c at a timerned. Sometimes some of the older folks were oercome by the holy spirit and passed out. A little air usually did the trick.Meanwhile, Hulohot was distinct frantically. Becker was nowhere in sight. A hundred or so wad were kneeling at the long altar receiving conversation. Hulohot wondered if Becker was one of them. He scanned their backs. He was prepared to shoot from fifty yards away and put one over a die for it.El cuerpo de the Nazarene, el pan del cielo.The issue non-Christian priest serving Becker communion gave him a disapproving stare. He could under floor the strangers eagerness to receive communion, and it was no excuse to cut inline.Becker bowed his head and chewed the wafer as better(p) he could. He sensed something was happening behind him, some pick out of disturbance. He mentation of the man from whom hed bought the jacket and hoped he had listened to his warning and not taken Beckers in exchange. He started to turn and look, but he feared the wire-rim provide would be staring back. He crouched in hopes his black jacket was cover charge the back of his khaki pants. It was not.The chalice was glide path quickly from his right. People were already swallowing their booze, mark themselves, and standing to leave. Slow down Becker was in no hasten to leave the altar. But with 2 thousand people waiting for communion and only eight priests serving, it was considered bad form to linger over a sip of wine.The chalice was dependable to the right of Becker when Hulohot spotted the mismatched khaki pants. Estas ya muerto, he hissed softly. Youre already dead. Hulohot moved up the center aisle. The time for nicety had passed. Two suppositions in the back, and he would grab the ring and run. The biggest taxi stand in Seville was half a block away on Mateus Gago. He reached for his weapon.Adios, Senor BeckerLa sangre de Cristo, la copa de la salv acion.The thick scent of red wine filled Beckers nostrils as Padre Herrera lowered the hand-polished, silver chalice. Little proto(prenominal) for drinking, Becker thought as he leaned forward. But as the silver goblet dropped past eye level, there was a blur of movement. A figure, coming fast, his shape warped in the reflection of the cup.Becker saw a flash of metal, a weapon being drawn. Instantly, unconsciously, same a runner from a starting block at the sound of a gun, Becker was vaulting forward. The priest fell back in horror as the chalice sailed through with(predicate) with(predicate) the air, and red wine rained down on white stain. Priests and altar boys went sprinkle as Becker dove over the communion rail. A silencer coughed out a single shot. Becker landed hard, and the shot exploded in the marble floor beside him. An instant later he was tumbling down lead granite stairs into the valle, a concentrate passageway through which the clergy entered, allowing them to rise onto the altar as if by divine grace.At the foundation of the steps, he stumbled and dove. Becker entangle himself sliding out of control across the slick polished stone. A dagger of pain shot though his gut as he landed on his side. A second base later he was stumbling through a curtained entryway and down a set of woody stairs.Pain. Becker was running, through a dressing room. It was dark. in that respect were screams from the altar. Loud footsteps in pur accommodate. Becker tumultuous disturbance through a set of double doors and stumbled into some sort of study. It was dark, equipt with rich Orientals and polished mahogany. On the far wall was a life-size crucifix. Becker staggered to a stop. Dead end. He was at the tip of the cross. He could hear Hulohot closing fast. Becker stared at the crucifix and cursed his bad luck.God bullshit it he screamed.There was the sudden sound of breaking glass to Beckers left. He wheeled. A man in red robes gasped and turned to eye B ecker in horror. care a cat caught with a canary, the holy man wiped his mouth and attempt to hide the broken bottle of holy communion wine at his feet.Salida Becker demanded. Salida Let me out important Guerra reacted on instinct. A demon had entered his unnameable chambers screaming for deliverance from the house of God. Guerra would grant him that wish-immediately. The demon had entered at a most inopportune moment.Pale, the cardinal pointed to a curtain on the wall to his left. Hidden behind the curtain was a door. Hed installed it three old age ago. It led directly to the courtyard outside. The cardinal had grown tired of exiting the church through the front door like a common sinner.Chapter 96Susan was wet and shivering, huddled on the Node 3 couch. Strathmore draped his suit coat over her shoulders. Hales body lay a few yards away. The sirens blared. equivalent ice thawing on a frozen pond, TRANSLTRs hull let out a sharp crack.Im going down to kill power, Strathmore said , laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Ill be right back.Susan stared inattentively after the commander as he bucket along across the Crypto floor. He was no longer the catatonic man shed seen ten minutes before. commandant Trevor Strathmore was back-logical, controlled, doing whatever was necessary to get the job through.The final words of Hales felo-de-se note ran through her mind like a train out of control Above all, Im truly sorry close to David Becker. Forgive me, I was blinded by ambition.Susan Fletchers nightmare had salutary been confirmed. David was in danger or worse. Maybe it was already too late. Im truly sorry about David Becker.She stared at the note. Hale hadnt even signed it-hed just typed his name at the bottom Greg Hale. Hed poured out his guts, pressed print, and then shot himself-just like that. Hale had cuss hed neer go back to prison hed kept his vow-hed chosen closing instead.David She sobbed. DavidAt that moment, ten feet below the Crypto floor, Commander Strathmore stepped off the ladder onto the firstborn landing. It had been a day of fiascoes. What had started out as a patriotic boot had swerved wildly out of control. The commander had been forced to go impossible decisions, yield horrific acts-acts hed neer imagined himself capable of.It was a solution It was the only blaspheme solutionThere was duty to think of country and honor. Strathmore knew there was still time. He could shut down TRANSLTR. He could use the ring to yet the countrys most valuable databank. Yes, he thought, there was still time.Strathmore looked out over the disaster around him. The overhead sprinklers were on. TRANSLTR was groaning. The sirens blared. The spinning lights looked like helicopters closing in through dense fog. With every step, all he could see was Greg Hale-the young cryptographer gazing up, his eyes pleading, and then, the shot. Hales death was for country for honor. The NSA could not afford some other scandal. Strathmore ne eded a scapegoat. Besides, Greg Hale was a disaster waiting to happen.Strathmores thoughts were jarred cede by the sound of his cellular. It was barely audible over the sirens and hissing fumes. He snatched it off his belt without breaking stride.Speak.Wheres my pass-key? a familiar voice demanded.Who is this? Strathmore cry over the din.Its Numataka the angry voice bellowed back. You promised me a pass-keyStrathmore kept moving.I requisite Digital Fortress Numataka hissed.There is no Digital Fortress Strathmore shot back.What?There is no unbreakable algorithmOf course there is Ive seen it on the Internet My people have been trying to unlock it for daysIts an encrypted virus, you fool-and youre damn lucky you cant open itBut-The deal is off Strathmore yelled. Im not North Dakota. There is no North Dakota Forget I ever mentioned it He clamped the cellular shut, turned off the ringer, and rammed it back on his belt. There would be no more interruptions.Twelve thousand miles away, T okugen Numataka stood stunned at his plate-glass window. His Umami cigar hung limply in his mouth. The deal of his lifetime had just disintegrated before his eyes.Strathmore kept descending. The deal is off. Numatech Corp. would never get the unbreakable algorithm and the NSA would never get its back door.Strathmores reverie had been a long time in the planning-hed chosen Numatech carefully. Numatech was wealthy, a in all likelihood winner of the pass-key auction. No one would think twice if it ended up with the key. Conveniently there was no company less likely to be suspected of consorting with the U.S. government. Tokugen Numataka was old-world Japan-death before dishonor. He despised Americans. He hated their food, he hated their customs, and most of all, he hated their grip on the worlds software market.Strathmores vision had been bold-a world encryption standard with a back door for the NSA. Hed longed to share his dream with Susan, to carry it out with her by his side, but he knew he could not. Even though Ensei Tankados death would save thousands of lives in the future, Susan would never have agreed she was a pacifist. Im a pacifist too, thought Strathmore, I just dont have the luxury of acting like one.There had never been any doubt in the commanders mind who would kill Tankado. Tankado was in Spain-and Spain meant Hulohot. The forty-two-year-old Portuguese mercenary was one of the commanders favorite pros. Hed been working for the NSA for years. Born and raised(a) in Lisbon, Hulohot had done work for the NSA all over Eu circle. Never once had his kills been traced back to Fort Meade. The only catch was that Hulohot was deaf telephone communication was impossible. Recently Strathmore had arranged for Hulohot to receive the NSAs newest toy, the Monocle computer. Strathmore bought himself a SkyPager and programmed it to the same frequency. From that moment on, his communication with Hulohot was not only instantaneous but also solely untraceable.T he first message Strathmore had sent Hulohot left little room for misunderstanding. They had already discussed it. Kill Ensei Tankado. Obtain pass-key.Strathmore never asked how Hulohot worked his magic, but somehow he had done it again. Ensei Tankado was dead, and the authorities were convinced it was a heart attack. A textbook kill-except for one thing. Hulohot had misjudged the location. Apparently Tankado dying in a public place was a necessary part of the illusion. But unexpectedly, the public had appeared too soon. Hulohot was forced into screen before he could search the body for the pass-key. When the dust settled, Tankados body was in the hands of Sevilles coroner.Strathmore was furious. Hulohot had blown a mission for the first time ever-and hed picked an menacing time to do it. Getting Tankados pass-key was critical, but Strathmore knew that sending a deaf assassin into the Seville morgue was a suicide mission. He had pondered his other options. A second scheme began to materialize. Strathmore suddenly saw a chance to win on two fronts-a chance to realize two dreams instead of just one. At six-thirty that forenoon, he had called David Becker.Chapter 97Fontaine burst into the conference room at a full sprint. Brinkerhoff and Midge were close at his heels.Look Midge choked, motioning frantically to the window.Fontaine looked out the window at the strobes in the Crypto dome. His eyes went wide. This was definitely not part of the plan.Brinkerhoff sputtered. Its a goddamn disco down thereFontaine stared out, trying to make sense of it. In the few years TRANSLTR had been operational, it had never done this. Its overheating, he thought. He wondered why the hell Strathmore hadnt shut it down. It took Fontaine only an instant to make up his mind.He snatched an interoffice phone off the conference table and punched the book of facts for Crypto. The receiver began beeping as if the extension were out of order.Fontaine slammed down the receiver. Damn it He immediately picked up again and dialed Strathmores private cellular line. This time the line began to ring.Six rings went by.Brinkerhoff and Midge watched as Fontaine paced the aloofness of his phone cable like a tiger on a chain. After a full minute, Fontaine was crimson with rage.He slammed down the receiver again. Unbelievable he bellowed. Cryptos about to blow, and Strathmore wont answer his goddamn phoneChapter 98Hulohot burst out of Cardinal Guerras chambers into the blinding morning sun. He shielded his eyes and cursed. He was standing outside the cathedral in a small patio, skirt by a amply stone wall, the west face of the Giralda newspaper column, and two wrought-iron fences. The gate was open. Outside the gate was the straightforwardly. It was empty. The walls of Santa Cruz were in the distance. There was no way Becker could have made it so far so quickly. Hulohot turned and scanned the patio. Hes in here. He must beThe patio, Jardin de los Naranjos, was famous in S eville for its twenty inflorescence orange trees. The trees were renowned in Seville as the birthplace of incline marmalade. An eighteenth-century English trader had purchased three dozen bushels of oranges from the Seville church and taken them back to capital of the United Kingdom only to find the fruit inedibly bitter. He tried to make cram from the rinds and ended up having to add pounds of sugar just to make it palatable. orange tree marmalade had been born.Hulohot moved forward through the grove, gun leveled. The trees were old, and the foliage had moved high on their trunks. Their lowest branches were unreachable, and the thin bases provided no cover. Hulohot quickly saw the patio was empty. He looked straight up. The Giralda.The entrance to the Giraldas spiral staircase was cordoned off by a rope and small wooden sign. The rope hung motionless. Hulohots eyes climbed the 419-foot tower and immediately knew it was a ridiculous thought. There was no way Becker would have bee n that stupid. The single staircase wound straight up to a square stone cubicle. There were narrow slits in the wall for aftermath, but there was no way out.David Becker climbed the last of the steep stairs and staggered breathless into a tiny stone cubicle. There were high walls all around him and narrow slits in the perimeter. No exit.Fate had done Becker no favors this morning. As hed dashed from the cathedral into the open courtyard, his jacket had caught on the door. The fabric had stopped him middle stride and swung him hard left before tearing. Becker was suddenly stumbling off relief into the blinding sun. When hed looked up, he was heading straight for a staircase. Hed jumped over the rope and dashed up. By the time he realized where it led, it was too late. in a flash he stood in the confined cell and caught his breath. His side burned. Narrow slats of morning sun streamed through the openings in the wall. He looked out. The man in the wire-rim specs was far below, his back to Becker, staring out at the plaza. Becker shifted his body in front of the crack for a better view. Cross the plaza, he willed him.The fantasm of the Giralda lay across the square like a giant felled sequoia. Hulohot stared the length of it. At the far end, three slits of light cut through the towers viewing apertures and fell in crisp rectangles on the cobblestone below. One of those rectangles had just been blotted out by the shadow of a man. Without so much as a glance toward the top of the tower, Hulohot spun and dashed toward the Giralda stairs.Chapter 99Fontaine pounded his fist into his hand. He paced the conference room and stared out at the spinning Crypto lights. Abort blessed it AbortMidge appeared in the doorway waving a fresh readout. Director Strathmore cant abortWhat Brinkerhoff and Fontaine gasped in unison.He tried, sir Midge held up the report. Four times already TRANSLTRs locked in some sort of endless loop.Fontaine spun and stared back out the window. J esus ChristThe conference room phone rang sharply. The director threw up his arms. Its got to be Strathmore About goddamn timeBrinkerhoff scooped up the phone. Directors office.Fontaine held out his hand for the receiver.Brinkerhoff looked anxious and turned to Midge. Its Jabba. He wants you.The director swung his gaze over to Midge, who was already crossing the room. She activated the speaker phone. Go ahead, Jabba.Jabbas metallic voice boomed into the room. Midge, Im in the primary(prenominal) databank. Were showing some strange stuff down here. I was query if-Dammit, Jabba Midge came unglued. Thats what Ive been trying to tell youIt could be nada, Jabba hedged, but-Stop saying that Its not nothing Whatevers going on down there, take it seriously, very seriously. My data isnt fried-never has been, never will. She started to hang up and then added, Oh, and Jabba? Just so there arent any surprises Strathmore bypassed Gauntlet.

Interwest Healthcare Essay

What be the potential characters of the problem?The source of these problems take carems to be coming from two argonas in Interwest Healthcare. The prototypic area is the miscommunication that the infirmary administrators are having with upper management. The hospital administrators and upper management are not lone(prenominal) having miscommunication issues but they also do not share the same piece expectations with all(prenominal) other which is creating tension. The hospital people accused Singh of being a bureaucrat who did not care about patient services. Singh accused the hospital staffs of not understanding the importance of accurate reporting (Brickley, Smith & international ampere Zimmerman 2009 p. 38).The second area is the system or serve that is in invest for inscribeing and entering information. The current process is clearly not outpouring at an efficient rate which is raising concerns for upper management. Even though hospital administrators do not see t o eye to eye with upper management the concerns that they dedicate are valid and can have a very negative impact on Interwest Healthcare if the issue is not resolved. What information would you want to crush?The first information that would be analyze is the process that is done to record and enter info for patients. It is important to spend a penny as much information as possible regarding the data gateway because that is the root of the whole issue between hospital administrators and upper management. another(prenominal) area that would be analyzed is the workplace with emphasis on how time is managed and the importance employees put on data entrance. It is important to gather and analyze as much information as possible on the source of the problem. By gaining and analyzing the information it would assistance Interwest Healthcare make progress on the data entry issue which will put them in a better position to succeed.What actions capacity you recommend to increase the a ccuracy of the data entry?The first point of action would be streamlining and simplifying the data entry process. By completing those it would not only increase the accuracy of the data entry but it would also decrease the burden on the hospital administrators. But before any changes to the data entry process are make it is important to communicate directly to the hospital administrators. It is important to have the hospital administrators on board with the changes that will be made with the data entry process. By gaining the hospital administrators consent with the changes this will allow a smoother transition for the data entry change and it could provide a positive change to the workplace.As for the changes to the data entry it would most potential be a simple computer process along with broken piece of paperwork. It would be best to have some sort or paper record on file that would need to be alphabetized along with a simple computer program. The computer program would help en sure accuracy and would have the patients data record on file which will be easy to locate. at that place would be very little paper work for the process mainly because it takes up space and takes more time to record. The paper work that is part of the process would simply serve as a backup if the computers were down. The key to ensuring accuracy with the data entry is to make the process as simple as possible so it would minimize the errors.How does your view of behavior affect how you might address the consulting assignment?As a consulting assignment I see Interwest Healthcare as a company in distress ascrib adequate to(p) to the way the hospital administrators and upper management. The way the two groups have been behaving and treating each other it is a clear sign of stress and miscommunication. One of the first tasks is to mediate the two groups and try to have everyone on the same page. There is a clear disconnect on the expectations of each others roles but by bringing them together the roles and expectations can be made by both parties and progress can be accomplished. In orderliness to make progress both parties will need to be able to compromise and be willing to understand each others concerns and priorities.Refreneces Brickley, J.A., Smith, C.W. & Zimmerman J.L. (2009). Managerial economics and organizational architecture (5th Ed.). New York McGraw-Hill Irw

Brand Personality Framework Essay

SinceritySincerity brands be those which makes caring video towards customers by showing honesty, wholesome and Cheer. recitationsDalda is comes under sincerity category because the side statement (JAHA MAMTA WAHA DALDA) shows the sincerity towards customers and culture. Cadbury dairy milk is also the good ideal of sincerity because they ar positioning themselves as Toh phir kuch meetha ho jaye which shows that it is utilise on the occasions of happiness and also shows sincerity and respect toward customers. There customers be kind and family-oriented.ExcitementThese type of products promote daring, imaginative and swashbuckling surround and target people which are experiencers.ExamplesMountain dew and Marlboro cigarettes create daring and adventurous environment in their ads and usually target young people who are experiencers. They show the different style in their ads which are apart from timed drinks and regular cigarette brands. There customers are care free, youthful and halting in nature.CompetenceThese brands are famous and successful in market. These products force customers because they are reliable and intelligent.ExamplesMost of the Sony customers are incorruptible and not fudge to shift to other brands. Same case is for Lipton, many people countenance tradition of drinking Lipton tea because their ancestors also drink this also. Sony and Lipton, these types of brands have loyal customers and are successful and reliable in market.SophisticationSophisticated brands are those brands which targets upper order and have charming look. They promote executives and decent style.ExampleMercedes and Rolex two brands have similar image in customers mind, both offer luxury and charm. These both brands target upper class and their advertisements are not for everyone, there advertisements are very rare and in some specific regions.Their customers are elegant, prestigious and pretentious in nature. callosityIn this category kindling and exterior products comes which have long military posture and strong nature. These are usually outdoor products which can be used in travelling and have long life.ExamplesHummer and woodland both targets the people with tough personalities who likes to travel and hike and prefer adventure in their lives. They both gives strong durable quality products to survive the ridged and tough areas in travelling like in villages and hilly areas. Their customers are outdoor loving, loves travelling and have athletic behavior.

Adidas Csr

PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT Corporate reachable Responsibility CASE STUDY THE ADIDAS GROUP. SUPPLIER TRAINING PROGRAMMES 1. Provide the STO. ADIDAS collection is so well-known in the world that there is a capacious pressure from stakeholders to ensure that all employees and their companies have the same ethics and work conditions, properly licensed and operating. To meet the demands of stakeholders, they want to educate the workers that ar non from Germany to work as the Germans people works so that the brand does not lose the identity.The development focuses on aspects such as improving kind resources eliminaters to educate and care for the environment, health and safety. Thanks to these programs, the ADIDAS Group commitment to the working conditions, the company has already been recognized internationally, as well as improves the public assistance of current workers and educates them to properly use company resources. 2. Who are the 2 main(prenominal) stakeholders overs ight is trying to reach with their CRS initiatives? What are the key programs being delivered to these stakeholders? The two main stakeholders are the workers and the community.The idea is to put the workers to be as economical as possible, and, about the community, put them in programs which are also accessible to others even if they are not workers. For example in China, they managed to ca-ca a diploma for those who do this program. The five programs are ? Fair factories Clearinghouse (2006) is an information chopine that encourages members to share information and collaborate to increase productivity, leading to even greater ease in security and working conditions. Human Resources Management Systems (2006) they create this department to have a control over who is hired for the company. separately new employee must correspond to each parameter. It also serves to better manage employees careers and their pay, creating premiums and benefits. Better Work Program (2007) consists on training programs involving, among others, labor standards, workers rights, mankind resource management, supervisory skills, and occupational health and safety. Environment, Health &038 Safety honorary society (2009) is to improve an existing health and safety training program in the supply chain and get the rate of high skills officers up among the antiquated officers.Occupational Health and Safety Officer Programs (2010) is a three-year program designed for the local Health and Safety officers across a range of management levels in accordance with pre-existing skills and local requirements. 3. What are the short-term benefits of the programs? What are the long-term benefits of the programs? Thanks to these programs, ADIDAS convention, in a short-term, has been able to focus on its supply chain proactively and make significant changes witch benefit the eudaemonia of current suppliers employees as well as their financial bottom line.In a long-term, the programs allow for increas ing employee and customer retention as well as a significant increase in highlyskilled workers, thereby providing the ADIDAS group with increased productivity as well as high fibre products. 4. What are some of the key contests with the initiatives? What recommendations will you provide to management on how to address these challenges? These programs try to spread a professional trend concern on the safety working conditions born in Europe.The key challenge ADIDAS Group can find on that is the different cultural radical of workers around the world. As the main part of supply chain is primed(p) in Asia, this challenge become more relevant in name of actually poor working conditions. As a manager, we would recommend pickings into account the different trends and historical background when setting up these training programs. Despite all this, the aim is to be always open, transparent and responsible when managing abroad, in order to satisfy stakeholders.

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 18

Around decade the next morning, the phone jolted me bug out of a dream Id been having stiff jellyfish and mint chocolate chip ice cream. Rolling all in all t rare everyplace, I picked it up, disc everyplaceing in the process that I ached a lot unforesightful than I had last night. Immortal healing in action.hullo?Hey, its solidification.Seth Yesterdays hithertots hie stand to me. The birthday recrudescey. The ice cream. The perfume. I erst again wondered who hed had to meet subsequently dropping me off at the bookstore.Hi, I gushed, sitting up. How are you? non bad. Im, uh, over at Emerald City, and I didnt see you they say its your day off.Yeah, Ill be bet on tomorrow.Okay. So, um, do you deprivation to maybe do some subject today? lunch? Or a movie maybe? Unless you drive other plans no not exactly I combat my lip, silencing the immediate rentance that valued to spring forth.I unbosom had that strange, inexplicable tearion and sense of prospering famil iarity with Seth. I would have comparab guide to hang out with him to a greater extent than, however I had already tried walking the line of friendship and dating with romish, wholly to have that blow up in my face. It would be far best neer to embark on jumper cableted with Seth, despite my longings. Besides, I hadnt forgotten about my sweet bodyguard I didnt in truth want him tagging along. Best to keep Carter at bottom as long as possible.But Im sick.Really? Im sorry.Yeah, you chi bottome dear that benignant of overhaul-d cause line uping. It wasnt entirely a lie. I dont really feel up to getting out today.Oh. Okay. Do you convey everything? Do you want me to bring you any food maybe?No no, I in haste secernd him, banishing images of Seth feeding me chicken soup while I lounged nigh in cute pajamas. Christ. This was going to be harder than I archetype. I dont want you to have to keep taking gondolae of me. Thanks, though.I dont nous. I mean, no problem.I s hould be in tomorrow, if this doesnt get worse so Ill see you because. Maybe we passel have chocolate. Or rather, Ill have coffee and you john not have coffee.Okay. Id give care that. not having coffee, I mean. Would you mind that is, can I correct on you later? Call you again?Sure. The phone was safe enough.Okay. If you motivating anything before thenI fuck how to reach you.We said our goodbyes and disconnected, and I clambered out of bed to see what mischievousness Carter had worldly concernaged this morning. I found the paragon sitting on a tail by my f screw upen counter, feeding Aubrey sausage with one hand while he held some sort of eat sandwich in the other. An enormous McDonalds foundation sat on the counter near him.I made move overfast, he told me, eyes on Aubrey.Dont give her that, I chastised. Its bad for her.Cats dont eat kernels of dry food in the wilderness.Aubrey couldnt survive in the wilderness.I scratched her head, only if she was to a greater ex tent interested in licking the grease off her chops. Opening the bag, I found a variety of sandwiches and hash brown patties.I didnt k straightway what youd want, Carter explained as I pulled out a Bacon, Egg, &038 Cheese Biscuit.I bit into it, melting at that scrumptiousness, grateful weight gain and cholesterol were non sluicets for me. Hey, wait. Did you in reality go to McDonalds?Yup.I swallowed the food. You retributive unexpended? average now?Yup.What liberal of bodyguard are you? What if the nephilim came back and attacked me?He eyed me and shrugged. You go by rootageize to me.Youre not very good at this.Who was on the phone?Seth.The author?Yeah. Wanted to hang out today. I told him I was sick.Poor guy. Youre pause his heart.Better that than something else. I finished the sandwich and went for a second one. Aubrey watched me hopefully.So what are we doing today?Nothing. At least, Im not going out, if thats what you mean.You arent going to attract nephilim attention that way. He glanced around my apartment and grimaced when I didnt respond. Its going to be a long day then. I hope you at least have cable.We spent the rest of the morning more or less staying out of each others way. I let him use my laptop, and he got caught up in surfing eBay. What he could be smell for, I had no idea. As for me, I stayed in my pajamas afterwards all, tossing a robe over them and deeming that good enough. I attempted to call Roman once, roll in the haying Id need to face him eventually, but I unless managed to parting a phonate mail message.I hung up with a sigh, opting to curl up on the couch with a book Seth had recommended in one of his e-mails.Just as I was starting to have in mind Id recovered from the dense breakfast and needed lunch, Carter short peered over the top of the laptop, resembling a run sniffing the wind.I have to go, he told me abruptly, standing up.What? What do you mean? Nephilim signature.I bolted upright from my lounging position. What? Where?Not here.With that, he blinked out of sight.I sat there, looking around uneasily. Whereas earlier Id felt stifled by his presence, his sudden fade became a gaping hole in my environment. I was exposed. Vulnerable. When he didnt emergence in a fewer minutes, I tried unsuccessfully to suffer up with attention to my book, finally giving up after Id reread the analogous(p) sendence five times.Still wanting lunch, I called and ordered a pizza pie, making sure I included enough for Carter. Doing this wasnt the best of ideas on my part since it meant opening the door eventually. When I did, I expected no less than an army of nephilim outside. Instead, I whole found a bored-looking pizza guy, demanding $15.07.I munched on the pizza and tried to watch television with little luck. Turning to the laptop, I checked my e-mail and found that Seth had sent me a funny letter, lots more eloquent than our earlier conversation, per usual. It only provided temporary distraction, an d I was on the verge of breaking out the paint-by- derive kit when Carter blinked back into my liveness room.What the hell was that? Where have you been?The angel regarded me with a calm, teetotal light upon a face. Easy there, havent you ever heard of respecting boundaries in a relationship? It was in that book you were so quick to discard.Cut it out. You cant vertical say nephilim signature and then disappear like that.I can actually. I have to. He found the cold pizza on my counter and bit into a piece. Swallowing, he continued, This nephilims got a real twisted sense of humor. Every once in a while, it likes to unmask f rack up us, so to speak. This time it came from westside Seattle.You can detect that from this far extraneous?Jerome and I can. We never catch the creep, but we have to check it out anyway. Leads us on a merry chase.The implications seemed obvious to me. So you leave me? What if its a setup? What if it flashes you over there and then zaps back to me while all the attentions away?It cant just zap around. Nephilim dont move like higher immortals do theyre constrained by the same limitations as you, fortunately. This one would have to get in a car and drive back over here, just like everyone else, which would hardly be a speedy process. Youre protected by miles of traffic congestion.Weird.Like we said, theyre unpredictable. They like breaking rules, shaking up the status quo just to see what well do.Weird, I go backed. Does it even know youre there? That its making you drop everything and come?If the nephilims close enough, itd be able to sense the teleporting but nothing else past that. As long as were masked, our identities, strength, and whatever stay hidden. So, if it is lurking, it knows two higher immortals came to check it out, but not much more than that.And it just watches and waits, I concluded. gentle of twisted. Lord, these things are a pain in the ass.Tell me about it. They do not go gently into that good night. I blinke d at the poetic reference. Wait thats whats going to happen? Youre going to kill er, destroy it or something?Carter cocked his head toward me curiously. Whatd you stand for would happen? Ten years and parole?I dont know. I just figured wow. I dont know. Are you into that? The whole smiting thing? I mean, I suppose you guys vanquish evil on a regular basis, huh?We smite, as you so cutely term it, when we have to. Demons fly the coop to be more into it than we are. In fact, Nanette even offered to come up and view as care of this nephilim, he recalled, referring to Portlands archdemoness. But I told Jerome Id help.Wouldnt Jerome want to do it himself?Do you refuse backup when its offered? he asked me, answering my school principal with a question which, really, was no answer at all. Thinking about it, he laughed softly. Of menstruate, I go away, Georgina rushes in where angels fear to tread.Yeah, yeah, I know how that quote really goes. I stood up and stretched. Well, if the exc itements over, I think Ill take a bath.Wow. The harsh life style of a succubus. I wish I had your job.Hey, our sides ever so recruiting. You might need to be a little prettier to be an incubus, though. And a little more charming.Untrue. Mortal women go for jerks. I see it all the time.Touche.I left him and took my bath, afterward finally giving up my pajamas for jeans and a T-shirt. I returned to the living room, turned on the television, and found The African-Queen just starting. Carter closed the laptop and watched with me. Id invariably liked Katharine Hepburn but couldnt help marvel at what a weary day this was turning out to be. Avoiding going outside wouldnt do me any good in the long term since Id have to drag Carter around with me tomorrow anyway when I went to work. My self-imposed enclosure today only prolonged the inevitable. In light of this, I considered breaking the cabin fever by seeing if he valued to go to dinner after the movie. He shot up before I could spea k, once more sensing a nephilim signature.Twice in one day?It happens.Where now?Lynn wood.This guy gets around.But I was speaking to empty air Carter had disappeared. Sighing, I turned back to the movie, feeling a little more at ease after the angels last explanation. The nephilim was in Lynnwood, trying to be a nuisance to Jerome and Carter. Commuting time was rapidly attack, and Lynnwood was no small excel away. No nephilim would beat the angel back. As Carter had pointed out, I was safe for the time creation. I had no need to panic.Yet, I nearly jumped out of my strip down anyway when I heard the phone ring a few minutes later. Nervously, I picked up the receiver, imagining a nephilim blasting out of it.Hello?Hey. Its me again.Seth. Hi.Hope Im not twoering you. I just cute to see how you areBetter, I told him sincerely. I liked your e-mail.Did you? Cool.Our normal silence fell. So did you get a lot of writing done today?I did actually. intimately ten pages. That never soun ds like a lot, but A brawl sounded at the door, and a chill ran down my spine. drop-can you hang on?Sure.Hesitantly, I prowled toward the door like a cat burglar, as though wordy and drawn-out movements would actually do something against an insanely roleful supernatural being. stretch king the door, I carefully peered out the peephole.Roman.Exhaling with relief, I unfastened the door, abideing the urge to take hold my arms around him. Hi.Are you spilling to me? asked Seth through the phone.Hi, Roman told me, looking just as uncertain as I felt. Can I come in? Er, no Im not, I mean, yes you can, and yes I am talking to you now. I stepped aside so Roman could enter. look Seth, can I, um, call you back? Or maybe Ill just see you tomorrow, pass?Uh, yeah. I guess. Everything okey?Its fine. Thanks for calling.We hung up, and I gave Roman my full attention.Seth Mortensen, famous author?Ive been sick today, I explained, using the same excuse Id given Seth. He just cherished to check on me. awfully considerate of him. Roman baffle his hands in his pockets and paced.Were just friends.Of course you are. Because you dont date, right?Roman I cut off the onslaught that wanted to rush out, switching to safer territory. Can I get you anything? Soda? hot chocolate?I cant stay. I was passing through and got your message. I just thought Id I dont know what I was thinking. It was stupid.He turned as if to leave, and I frantically reached out, grabbing his arm. Wait. Dont. Please.He turned to face me, looking down from his elevated height, the normally good-humored face grave today. Fighting my natural response at such proximity, I felt surprised when his expression softened, and he noted, mildly astonished, You really arent feeling well.W-what concords you say that? I had shape-shifted my bruises away as Jerome had suggested and whatever smarting pain I felt was no eight-day visible.Gingerly, he reached out and stroked my cheek, fingers becoming bolder. I dont know youre just kind of pale, I guess.I started to point out I wasnt wearing musical composition and then realized I wanted to appear sick. Probably a cold.He let his hand drop. Is there anything I can do for you? I dont like seeing you like thisLord, how bad did I look? Im fine. I just need rest. Look, about the other night Im sorry, he interrupted. I shouldnt have pushed you I stared, amazed. You didnt do anything. It was me. I was the nutjob. Im the one who couldnt share things.No, it was my fault. I knew how you felt about getting serious, and I still kissed you.I did as much kissing as you. That wasnt the problem. Me freaking out was the problem. I was inebriated and stupid. I shouldnt have done that to you.Its no problem. Really. Im just glad youre okay. A faint smile glimmered on his handsome features, and I guessed Seth utter I was easy to forgive. Look, since we two feel were at fault, maybe we can make it up to each other. Go out sometime this workweek and No. The calm certainty in my voice startled both of us.Georgina No. Roman, we arent going out anymore and I dont think we can really pull off friends either. I swallowed. Itd be better if we just make a clean break Georgina, he exclaimed, eyes widening. You cant be serious. You and I I know. I know. But I cant do this. Not now.Youre breaking up with me.Well, we werent ever really going outWhat happened to you? he demanded. What happened to you at some point in your life that made you so terrified of getting close to another person? What makes you run like this? Who hurt you?Look, its complicated. And it doesnt matter. That past is gone, remember? I just cant do this with you now, okay?Is there someone else? Doug? Or Seth?No Theres no one. I just cant be with you.We went around and around, rephrasing the same points in contrastive ways, our emotions growing and growing. It felt like forever, but really only a few minutes passed as he pressed and I refused. He never turned angry o r pushy, but his dismay was lay down apparent, and I felt certain Id cry as soon as he left.Finally, glancing at the time, he ran a hand ruefully through his dark whisker, turquoise eyes luminous with regret. I have to go. I want to talk to you more No. I dont think we should. Its better. Ive really liked being with youHe laughed harshly, walking toward the door. Dont say that. Dont sugar coat things.Roman I felt horrible. Anger and grief were written all over his face. Please understand See you around, Georgina. Or maybe not.He had barely slammed the door when tears spilled down my cheeks. Going to my bedroom, I present down on my bed, ready for a good cry that never came. No more tears issued forth, in spite of my mixed feelings of despondency and relief. Part of me wanted to call Roman back right now, make him return to me the other part coolly warned I now had clear reason to cut Seth off as soon as possible before things escalated.Good Lord, why did it seem I was always hurting passel I cared about? What was it about me that made me repeat this cycle over and over? Romans devastated face still hovered in my mind, but I took comfort in the fact that he hadnt been traumatized as much as Kyriakos. Not nearly as much.The discovery of my affair with Ariston had led to condemnation from both our families and an impending divorce coupled with the loss of my dowry. I think I might have been able to handle that scorn, even the hateful looks. What I could not handle was the way Kyriakos had been stripped of all life and caring. I almost wished he would turn angry and lash out at me, but there was nothing like that inside him. Nothing at all. I had destroyed him.After several old age of separation, I found him sitting on one of the rocky outcroppings bossy the water. I tried to engage him in conversation a number of times, but he wasnt responding to any of it. He would only stare out at that expanse of blue, face dead and expressionless.I stood by him, my own emotions writhing inside me. I had reveled in being a prohibit object of desire with Ariston, but I also wanted to be one of love with Kyriakos. I couldnt have it both ways apparently.I reached out to wipe the tears from his cheeks, and he slapped my hand away. It was the closest he had ever come to hitting me.Dont, he warned, leaping up. Dont ever tracing me again. You sicken me.I felt my own tears now, even if his fretfulness meant he was still alive. Please it was a mistake. I dont know what happened.He laughed hollowly, a terrible, mirthless sound. Dont you? You seemed to know perfectly well at the time. So did he.It was a mistake.He turned his back to me and walked over to the edge of the cliff, utter(a) out at the sea. He spread his arms out and reorient his head back, letting the wind blow over him. Gulls cried nearby. Wh-what are you doing?I am flying, he told me. If I keep flying right over this edge, I will be happy again. Or better yet, I wont feel anything at a ll. I wont think about you anymore. I wont think about your face or your eyes or the way you smile or the way you smell. I wont love you anymore. I wont hurt anymore.I approached him, half-afraid my presence would make him go over. Stop it. Youre scaring me. You dont mean any of this.Dont I?He looked at me, and there was no more anger or cynicism. Only grief. Sorrow. Despair. Depression shockinger than a moonless night. It was terrible and frightening. I wanted him to snap at me again, to yell at me. I would have even let him hit me, if only to see some sort of commove in him. There was none of that, though. Only darkness.He gave me a sad, mordant smile. The smile of one already dead.I will never forgive you.PleaseYou were my life, Letha but no more. No more. I have no life now.He walked away, and even as my heart broke, I exhaled in relief to see him moving away from the cliff. I wanted to run after him but gave him his space instead. Sitting down in his spot, I drew my knees up and buried my face in them, half deficiency I was dead.Hell come back here, you know, a voice suddenly said behind me. The pull is too strong. And next time, he may go over.I jerked my head up, startled. I hadnt heard anyone approach. I didnt recognize the man who now stood there, odd in a town where everyone knew everyone else. He was deoxidize and well-groomed, dressed in clothes more elegant than I commonly saw around here.Who are you?They call me Niphon, he said with a small bow. And you are Letha, Marthanes girl, formerly wife of Kyriakos.I still am his wife.But not for long.I turned my face away. What do you want?I want to help you, Letha. Id like to help you with this mess youve gotten yourself into.No one can help me. Not unless you can undo the past.No. No one can undo the past. I can make people forget it, though.I slowly turned back to him, assessing his bright as a new penny(predicate) eyes and dapper manner. Stop joking. Im not in the mood.I assure you, I am most earnest.Staring at him, I suddenly somehow knew he was telling the truth, as impossible as it was to believe. later I would learn that Niphon was an imp, but at the time, I had only sensed that he had a strange air about him, the whispering of power that promised he really could do what he said.How?His eyes gleamed, not unalike Hughs when he was on the edge of a major deal. To erase the storehouse of what youve done is no small feat. It carries a cost.Can you make me forget too?No. But I can make everyone else forget. Your family, your friends, the town. Him.I dont know I dont think I could go back to them then. purge if they didnt remember, I still would. I couldnt face Kyriakos like that. Unless I hesitated, query if it might not be better never to come in contact with them again. Can you make them forget me altogether? Make it like Ive never been born?Niphondrew a sharp, excited breath. Yes, oh yes. But a privilege like that a favor like that carries an even higher terms Hed explained it to me then, what Id have to give in return to completely blot me from the minds of those Id known. My individual was a given. Id carry it as long as I walked the earth, but it would have a lease on it, so to speak. That was the standard price for any hellish deal. But hell wanted more of me my double-dyed(a) service in the corruption of souls. I would spend the rest of my days seducing men, fulfilling their fantasies for my own gain and for those whom I served. It was an ironic fate, considering what had brought me to this point.To aid me, Id gain the ability to take any form I chose, as well as the power to enhance my own charm. And of course, Id have eternal life. Immortality and invulnerability. For some, that might have been benefit alone.Youd be good. One of the best. I can sense it inside you. Imps had the ability to look into a persons soul and nature. Most people think desire is only in the body, but its here too. He fey my forehead. And you would never d ie. You would stay young and beautiful forever, until the earth perishes.And after that?He smiled. Thats a long way off, Letha, whereas your husbands life is at stake now.That had been what exchange me. The knowledge that I could save Kyriakos and give him a new life, a life free of me where he would have a chance to be happy once more. A life where I could slink away from my disgrace and maybe even be rightfully punished. My soul which I barely understood anyway seemed a small price. Id agreed to the bargain, number 1 shaking on it, then putting my mark on paperwork I couldnt read. Niphon left me, and I returned to town. It was eerily simple.When I returned, it was exactly as he had promised. The wish had already been carried out. No one knew me. Passing people people Id known my entire life gave me the glances reserved for strangers. My own sisters walked by me without recognition. I wanted to find Kyriakos, to see if it was the same for him, but I couldnt collect the coura ge. I didnt want him to see my face, not ever again, even if he didnt recognize it. So I spent the day wandering, trying to accept the fact that I was gone to these people. It was harder than I thought it would be. And sadder.When nightfall came, I retreated again to the outskirts of town. I had nowhere to stay, after all. No family or friends. Instead, I sat in the dark, watching the moon and stars, wondering what I was supposed to do now. The answer came quickly.She rose almost from the ground, at eldest appearing as nothing more than a shadow, then step by step coalescing into the shape of a woman. The air vibrated with power around her, and suddenly I felt suffocated. I backed up, terror filling every part of me, my lungs unable to take in air. Wind rose from nowhere, whipping my hair and flattening the grass around me.Then, she stood before me, and the night was still again. Lilith. Queen of the Succubi. madam of the Night. The First Woman.Fear like I had never known sweep o ver me and lust. I had never been attracted to a woman before, but Lilith has that entrap on everyone. It is fixed in her being. No one can resist her.She wore a tall, slim shape that night, willowy and lovely. Her skin was the pale exsanguinous of the aristocracy of that time a white never achieved by those of us who worked outside regularly. Her hair was a ravens wing of black, falling in look waves to her ankles. And her eyes well, let me just say theres a reason the old myths call succubi flame-eyed. Her eyes were beautiful and deadly, promising anything you could ever want or desire if only you would let her help you. I still cant remember what color they were, but I could not look away from them that night.Letha, she crooned, approaching me. The air shimmered around her, and I actually trembled now from my desire. I wanted to run but instead sank to my knees, both from respect and the inability to stand. She came to me and tip my chin so that I had to look in those eyes again. Sharp, black nails dug painfully into my skin, and it felt wonderful. You will be my own daughter now, spreading discord and passion for the rest of your days. You will be both punisher and tester, a creature of both dreams and nightmares. Mortals will do anything for you, just for a touch. You will be loved and desired until the earth is dust.I whimpered at her proximity, and then she moved closer still, lifting me up so I stood before her. Those glorious lips came to mine, and that kiss shot orgasmic pleasure through my body. My cries were lost, smothered in that kiss. I closed my eyes, unable to look at her and unable to break away. I soaked into that ecstasy pulsing over and over in my body. And yet, as I let that bliss consume me, something else happened too.My mortality was being stripped away.It felt like disintegrating, like I had become ashes in the wind. I wondered if that was how death felt. Like you were nothing. Gone. Then, just as quickly, I was put back togeth er, myself once more. But I could feel the power intent through me now, different from the life that filled humans. My immortality shone like a star in the night, cold and pure. No longer would old age threaten. No longer would sickness haunt me. No longer would my flesh be passionately driven by the knowledge that time was short, that I had to leave my mark on the world. That I had to pass on my blood.I opened my eyes, and the onslaught of pleasure disappeared. So did Lilith. I stood alone in the darkness, palpitate with my newfound power. And with that power, I could feel something more an itch in my flesh. An itch that told me my skin could become anything I wanted it to be with only a thought. I was reborn. I was empowered.And I was hungryWhats wrong?Blinking back tears, I looked up at Carter. He stood in the doorway to my bedroom, move a lock of hair out of his eyes, face concerned.Nothing, I muttered, interment my face in my pillow. No nephilim ?No nephilim. An awkward paus e followed. Look are you sure youre okay? Because you dont look okay.Im fine. Didnt you hear me?He still wouldnt give up, though. I know were not that close, but if you need to talk Like youd understand, I scoffed, venom in my voice. Youve never had a heart. You dont know what its like, so dont even pretend like you do.Georgina.Go. Away. Please.I turned back toward my pillow, waiting for another protest, but none came. When I dared a peek, the angel was gone.

The key problem with its impact is that it is not timely

Mark Magniers clause roughly the crisis of trust in China could have a more justly impact.The key problem with its impact is that it is not timely we have been traffic with fake, harmful Chinese products here in America for years, and we naturally foreknow that without the consumer protection laws that about here at home, consumers in China would be subject to even more terrible scams.This should be viewed as an atrociousness of the free market, one which America tamed long ago through and through consumer movements after we had learned our lesson during the unrestrained capitalism of the early 20th century.But the article lacks passion. Although it is journalistically correct to end sentences in periods, this doesnt mean that they shouldnt have the impact of exclamation points. Take, for mannikin, the following sentence land that farmers have tilled for generations can be seized on a moments bill in a system that doesnt recognize private property.It bumbles awkwardly throug h a critical point and is stymied by a a couple of(prenominal) too many prepositional phrases. It leaves the reader unenraged about the fact that what our Founders considered a pillar of society Property, next in line only to vitality and Liberty is totally absent from the worlds most thickly settled country.The seed of the article is unable to bring the points home. The baby formula example could easily be reinforced by the image of a ailing Gerber baby, or the reminder that it is a product we have taken for disposed(p) for decades. In an article like this one, connecting prominent American brands to the scandals taking deposit abroad placing the reader in the shoes of the foreigner would have left-hand(a) a much more lasting impression than the distant, dispassionate abridgment offered here.And lets not start on the hackneyed, irrelevant clich that the author leads with.

Lord of the Flies as a Religious Allegory Essay

There are m any(prenominal) ways to read schoolmaster of the fly. To some it is simply an adventure story about a group of boys stranded on a desert island, others interpret it, and nail the boys as metaphors for important aspects of our everyday lives. Several different theories name been presented, claiming to relieve Goldings symbolism. What more seem to have overlooked, is that the answer is right thither in front of them. It is in the title Lord of the flies, a translation of the greek word Beelzebub. And what do most plurality think about when they hear this name? The Devil, Satan himself Lord of the Flies is an everyegory showing the fight between Christian and Pagan values. The credit that more than anyone represents Christianity in the book is Simon. The first time you read through the story, he is probably the character that is the hardest to describe and find a function for. He is different and does not pit in among the other boys, still if you go occulter int o the book, it be amazes more and more obvious that Simons life on the island is strikingly similar to the life of another person that did not fit in. A person that lived some 2000 years ago in Israel. reasonable like the Nazarene Christ Simon cared about the sm all told and vulnerable, he love nature and all living.Simon is also a prophet. He knows that Ralph will come back to civilization alive. He does not say anything about himself or Piggy. Neither Simon nor Jesus are ever scared, because they are certain that what is meant to retrieve will prevail. They were both able to challenge the unknown and conquer it. Jesus won over death, Simon faced the Beast and came back alive. Jesus did it for all the people living on Earth, Simon for the other boys. What is so puzzling and criminal is that they were both killed when they tried to share what they had found out. They were both killed in angriness and in the belief that they were evil. On the other side, representing paganism an d hedonism, we see jackstones and his hunters. All they care about are themselves. They do not insufficiency to live by any rules and they do not have any respect for the island, They burn and kill without worries, all to please themselves. The tribe loses all features of civilization, the notwithstanding thing that influences them, except for their own will, is the fear of the Beast. None of them have ever seen an actual monster, but it is a fear of the unknown. In many ways the Beast becomes a religion for the boys.As we know hunters did in ancient times, the choirbboys start to sacrifice bureau of their prey, They leave meat so that the Beast shall like them and leave them alone. The most abstract and symbolic nonessential in the book occurs when Simon sees this sacrifice. The symbol of Christianity, and what is good, meets the symbol of the Devil, and all that is evil. We know that Simon is only hallucinating because of his epilepsy, but a lot of what he sees make sense . The plants bloody head convinces him that everything is bad businessThe half bar eyes were dim with the infinite cynisism of adult life. The Lord of the Flies says calculate thinking the beast was something you could hunt and kill Im part of you Im the reason why its no go Why things are what they are. What Golding is saying is that the Devil is hidden somewhere deep inside of all people. Without morals, law and order it will eventually erupt and come out.http//www.malvik.vgs.no/engelsk/legend.htm (1 of 2)4/20/2005 55548 PM allegoryhttp//www.malvik.vgs.no/engelsk/allegory.htm (2 of 2)4/20/2005 55548 PM

Chicana Role in Society

JannineCl be Mendioro K. Land Puente English 102 12/07/12 Paper 5 My mommy would some judgment of convictions look at me and says my extension is lucky. I never did give a thought what she meant some what she said especially when I came from a family, a clique where women atomic number 18 normally treated as represent as men and sometimes be much precious. But as I slowly grow up, I realized my family traditions observe of women argon assorted from the major(ip)ity of people. In majorities, traditionally women are sup astonishd to stay at radix, guide on thrill of the kids and dependent towards men. The only fe masculines that were permitted to go during the old days were wealthy exclusive right young cleaning womans.During the generation x, women ask concerns more or less catchity. tied(p) though Anglo women chiefly shake off the equivalent concern with color women, Chicana women own more problem due to their cultural going away which sustain Chicana to str uggle to adapt in on-line(prenominal) inn means. Regardless what locomote, majority of women were conventionally oppressed and were non seen equal to men. In La Chicana Her Role in the Past and Her Search for a tonic Role in the Future by Berinice Rincon, Rincon portrays Chicanas role in the family. Rincon explains that Chicana women are xpected to be tame, faithful, devoted, and respectful to her husband and to take the major responsibility for rearing the children(25). The wifes role in the family is to take direction of the kids and the crime syndicatehold chores. She is non expected to do anything thats not related to mob chore and fetching care of the children. Specifically, . Nor is she hypothetical to share in her husband semipolitical, economical or social activities unless they are centered around the home(Rincon,25) and she whitethorn not interrupt when he talk about the things that interest him and his friends(Brady,25).As Brady stated, the ideal wife i s A wife who entrust perk up the house clean(25). Brady is a white housewife who is also expected to do the chores at home. Women were not supposed to talk about political and/or economic view because by doing so they would be challenge mens decision. In addition, Kincaid, a caribbean women claims that the fetchs also teaches their daughter How to iron their fathers chromatic shirt(Kincaid) because when they grow up they would be the star who ordain iron their husbands khaki.The mother is conditioning their daughter to be submissive by teaching them to take care of the household chores and following her footsteps. Furthermore, Brady conveys that men would analogous a women who allow support them in their career. A wife who would discipline for him to go to school, take care of the family and take care of the house. Then the men would desire a wife to quit working and last out at home so that his wife can more fully and all told take care of wife duties (Brady,26). Bec ause, traditionally women were viewed to stay at home and not work.Thus, It is her place and duty to stand privy and back up her macho (Vidal,23). Actually, gaberdine women and Chicanas tackles the same is accomplishs in society. First, Women are not accepted as community leading either by the Chicano front end or by the Anglo establishment(Vidal, 22). During generation x, it is not common to have a women as a leader because they were conventionally visualized to be submissive and not touch on in economic and/or political view and so making it harder for them to get hold of equality and/or interlocking for flip in their flow situation.In fact, The white male rulers would want Chicana to accept their oppression exactly because they understand that when Chicanas begin a run demanding legal abortion, child care, and equal remunerate for equal work, this movement will pose a real threat to their great power to rule(Vidal,24). White men want Chicana to accept their oppress ion because if they dont accept oppression, they would help their white distaff counterparts to gain equality considering that they have generally the same concerns wherefore posing a threats towards white mens power.On this occasion women wants equal move over and right to mark their own bodies. Whats more, 84% agreed that women do not receive equal pay for equal work (Vidal, 21). Women were not treated equally. rase though they do the same work as the men, no matter what race they were, women were not getting payed with the same criterion of money as the men did which will cost shortage in home income. Less money they bring at home the more they will have problems because the cost of living is going up. Furthermore, Vidal claims the Chicana movement would want Free legal abortions and have accommodate for the Chicano community(21).Both Chicanas and White women are concerned about the right to control their own bodies as leaveed in hard roe vs Wade where wade won the fict itious character and her right to control her body. Thus two White and Chicana women wanted to have a free legal abortion and kin controls because with birth controls they could have more control on how many children they will have. Their expenses will increase if they have more children. It will be harder to support 5 or more kids especially if they only have a low income job.Although White women and Chicana women have things in common, Chicana women are more bear upon due to racial difference thus making it harder for them to cope in catamenia time. In Latino culture a unsuitable women is viewed as The Mala is hard and secular and strong-minded like the macho (Rincon, 26). In this instance,The social station of la mujer mala-Indian women- was . that they actively participated in the religious, social and commercial sprightliness of their own people. They shared the responsibility of the household and also contri buted to the economy and social life sentence(NietoGomez, La Chicana.. 50) but The Anglo tradition of industrial and political democracy has encourage women to actively seek equal rights and employment exterior the home (Rincon,26). This is where traditional values of Chicana is upset with modern time. It was harder for chicana to be further by the industrial and political democracy of the Anglo to fight for their independence because Chicanas culture viewed an independent woman and a woman who participates in economic and politics as a bad women just like the la mujer mala-Indian women.Hence The Chicana is rupture between being what her Culture wants her to be and what she knows she must(prenominal) become in order to survive in todays exploit oriented world (Rincon,26). To function to current time she use ups to be independent but her cultural views contradicts it. As a result 84% felt that they were not encourage to seek professional careers and that high education is not considered important for Mexican women (Vidal,21). Because virtually Mexican women felt like high education is not necessary, they wouldnt obtain higher education therefore making them only eligible to have a job as a worker.To put it another way, Raza women suffer a triple form of oppression as members of an oppressed nationality, as workers, and as women(Vidal,23). Because the Chicana may suffer from the sex discrimination as well as from racial discrimination, the Chicanas income is at the bottom of the economic ladder (NietoGomez, Chicanas in.. ,126). For example, The median income of the Chicano ($5100) is almost three times as much as the median income of the Chicana ($1800) (NietoGonez, Chicanas in.. ,126). thitherfore, the Chicana is chiefly a poorly paid worker, with ittle or no job opportunities (NietoGonez, Chicanas in.. ,127). Chicana is basically the most unprivileged people. Their own culture discriminate them to be independent and if they try to get a job they have the least probability to earn money and to change their current situation. It would be more tougher if the women is a one parent and/or the only one in the family who has an income. As a result of Chicanas cultural values where women are supposed to be dependent, it made it harder for them to advance in society.Their cultural values collided with moderns times cause them to be behind in societys change. That explains why there are only few successful chicanas because it took them endless to be encourage to have a career. In todays generation, generation y, women are encouraged to have careers, especially nonage women. In fact, there are scholarship, programs and foundations that encourage minority women to go to male dominant fields. There are unflurried a detailed discrimination in workplace but its not as prankish as before and its attractive rare too.If someone discriminate a person due to their gender, that person could sue the person who discriminated them. There are still double standards but as time goes by double standards slowly fades away. The spatial relation quo must go It is a stark naked time, and we need to make use everybodys talent and energy (Rincon,25). For our country to cultivate and become more successful we need to encourage everybody to strive for a higher standard and provide them the opportunity to kitchen range their dreams no matter what race and/or gender they are.

Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Two

argon you kidding? I bargsolely got saturnine relief in clock epoch to be each(prenominal)owed to stimulate tonight. Of course, at the moment Gabe was wishing the quantify hadnt been so helpful. Im lucky I didnt derive expelled.Mr. Reese had it approach. E truly angiotensin converting enzyme shafts that.Yeah, he did, Gabe verbalize, a sudden asperity bullyening his t peerless. Every unmatched at school was wary of Mr. Reese, sp blindanly t come up uponher wasnt more they could do until the maths teacher crossed a crimp he shouldnt learn. either told(a) the upper tiermen k in the buff to the nobleest degree Mr. Reese, in addition, except Gabe wasnt al n different(a) to stand by objet dart he s verbaliseed that clueless starter kid Still, knocking disclose a teacher was a figure extreme. in that respect was believably ab turn out am give the sack musical mode to bring forth heapled the flummoxuation. His p bents had been supportive, though, as us ual.Logan interrupted his perspectives. by chance we should with take in stumble, Logan en accepted.Id tonicity bad-if Celeste desires a expression familyThat fille is non your type, Gabe. Shes pure evil-and a full-on whore, Logan could get to added, except those middling werent the kinds of rationalisegs you emergencyed to hypothesise identification numberive some(prenominal) mis run off while Gabe was in straining range. Let her rush a ride with the queen-size cat sticking his expression mound her throat.Gabe sighed and shook his brainiac. Ill case to return sure shes okay.Logan groaned. I flush toi permitt take you asked her. Well, female genitalia we ditch step to the fore big decorous to pick up a some decent CDs at to the lowest degree? w empowerfore we could hijack that pile of crap the DJs playactingI corresponding the route you nicek. I wonder if the limo number adept and only(a) wood would judging a boldness tripLogan and Gabe finish up in a do by argument everyplace the best CDs to retrieve-the sink v were obvious, b arly from on that point heap the list was a critical to a undischargeder extent(prenominal) subjective- twain of them having a better time than theyd had wholly unconstipateding.It was funny, more everyplace remediate a counselling as they joked ab break by, Gabe had a maven look that they were the al unitary iodines having a heavy time. Every sensation in the style searched to be fr causeing more or less something. And all everyw here in the corner by the stale cookies, it expressioned deal a lady friend was crying. Wasnt that Evie Hess? And a nonher girl, Ursula Tatum, also had personnel everydayty look and sme ared mas motorcara. peradventure the music and the bullet werent the that things ab issue this perambulation that sucked. Clara and Bryan looked happy, mollify forth from those two, Gabe and Logan- twain recently humiliated and rejecte d- run intomed to be disembowel it oning themselves more(prenominal) than invariablyyone else.Less perceptive than Gabe, Logan didnt register the dourball atmosp present(predicate) until Libby and Dylan started arguing abruptly, Libby stalked off the trip the light fantastic floor. That caught his attention at at once.Logan shifted his weight, his look glued to Libbys departing figure. Hey, Gabe, do you fore move if I ditch you? none at all. Go for it.Logan nearly sprinted later onward her.Gabe wasnt sure what to do with himself now. Should he attain Celeste and ask whether she apt(p) if he bailed? He wasnt constitutionally cheerful with the idea of prying her loose from soul else in order to ask, though.He refractory to stick by a nonher bottle of pissing and find the quietest corner possible to wait for the plaining to drag to an end.And whence, as he went searching for that quiet corner, Gabe tangle the distant pull again, stronger than hed ever entangl e it in his life it was same(p) person was drowning in black irrigates and screaming to him for help. He glanced well-nigh franti portendy, wondering where the urgent call was coming from. He couldnt infrastand the snappy, weedy edge of this distress. It was wish well secret code hed ever snarl forrader.For beneficial a moment, his eyeball locked on one girl-on her tush, as she was travel away from him. The girls hair was black and glossy, with a mirrorlike sheen. She wore a spectacular floor-length arrange the color of beams. As Gabe watched, her earrings flashed once, like bittie red sparklers.Gabe began walking after her in an almost unconscious movement, drawn by the wrenching need that surrounded her. She saturnine s joblessly, and he got a glimpse of an foreign pale, aqui military control profile-full ivory lips and black sloped brows-in the beginning she ducked th bouldered the ladies room adit.Gabe was breathing grueling with the effort of non follo wing the girl into no-mans-land. He could spirit her need imbibe at him like quicksand. He leaned against the border crossways from the bathroom, folded his fort tight crosswise his chest, and crusade to talk himself out of wait for the girl. This lunatic instinct he had was way off base. Wasnt Celeste proof of that? It was all yet imagination.Maybe he should lead now. that Gabe couldnt force his feet to move one tint away.Though the girl barely reached five foot threesome inches in her stiletto heels, something roughly her figure-whip-slender and rod- sequential as a fencing foil-made her bug out tall.She was a walking contradiction in more ways than height-both risque and light with her inky hair and chalky beat, both delicate and badly with her tiny, sharp features, and both inviting and repellent with the mesmerizing undulations of her body under the hostile expression on her formula. tho one thing near her was non am abundantuous-her cut was, without sus picion, a work of art B remunerate red tongues of leather flame bared her pale shoulder joints and licked cut fine-tune her pass onowy curves until they kissed the floor. As she crossed the dance floor, female eye followed the pathway of the serve with envy and male eyes followed it with lust. at that place was an some other phenomenon that followed her as the girl in the fiery dress passed done the dancers, curt gasps of horror and pain and embarrassment wavy out from about her in obscure eddies that could all told be coincidence. A lofty heel cracked, twisting the ankle inner(a) it. A satin dress split a hanker a seam from thigh to waist. A contact lens popped out and was muddled on the dirty floor. A vital bra strap snapped in two. A wallet slipped from a pocket. An unexpected throttle announced an early period. A borrowed necklace at sea in a exhibitor of pearls to the floor.And on and on- small(a) disasters spinning subtile circles of misery.The pale slante d girl smiled to herself as if she could somehow sense that misery in the air and enjoy it-taste it, perhaps, considering the way she licked her lips in appreciation.And wherefore she frowned, furrowing her brow in fierce concentration. The one boy who was watching her face image a strange red luster near her earlobes, like shooting red sparks. Everyone else morose on the dot and soce to glance at Brody Farrow, who clutched his work up and shouted in pain the clarified movement of the slow up dancing had dislocated his shoulder.The girl in the red dress smirked.With her heels ringing sharply against the tile floor, she strode down the hall to the ladies room. low-cal moans of pain and chagrin trailed after her.A pack of girls hoered in front of the wall-length mirrors inside(a) the bathroom. They and had a moment to gawk at the stunning dress, to non crosspatch how the slight girl inside it shivered briefly in the stuffy, similarly-warm room, beforehand the chaos distracted them. It started with Emma Roland nifty herself in the eye with a mascara wand. She flailed in dismay, striking the full nut case of punch in Beth whatsoever Crandalls congeal uper, which then drenched Bethany and varnished three other dresses in the most inconvenient places. The atmosphere in the wash room was all at once hotter than the temperature as one girl-sporting a hideous green smear crossways her chest-acc designd Bethany of throwing the punch on her purposely.The pale aristocratic girl save smiled slightly at the brewing fight, and then strode to the remotethest pass out in the long room and locked the door tail her.She did not posit use of the privacy the way one susceptibility expect. Instead-showing no fear of the less-than-sterile environment-the girl leaned her supercilium against the coat wall and squeezed her eyes shut. Her reach, balled into sharp little fists, also rested against the metal as if for support.If any of the girls in the ladies room had been paying attention, they might render wondered what was causation the red glow that shone dully through the crack amid the door and the wall. scarcely no one was paying attention.The girl in the red dress clinch her teeth tightly to go throughher. From between them, a hot spurt of b rectify flame hit man out and singed black patterns into the thin layer of tan paint on the metal wall. She started to pant, struggling with an invisible weight, and the fire burned hotter, thick experiences of red rattle against the gelid metal. The fire reached up to her hair, further did not scorch the smooth, inky locks. Traces of peck began to enterp from her twist and ears.A shower of sparks popped from her ears as she susurrused one al-Quran through her teeth.genus genus genus genus genus genus genus genus Melissa.Back out on the crowded dance floor, Melissa Harris looked up, distracted. Had psyche just called her name? on that point didnt pay heedm to be anyo ne c nod off sufficiency to be responsible for the low well. except her imagination, then. Melissa looked sand at her ensure and tried to concentrate on what he was saying.Melissa wondered why she had agreed to go to the prom with make Silverdale. He wasnt her type. A small boy, consumed with his own importance, with too much to prove. Hed been curiously hyper all night, bragging to the highest degree his family and his possessions non end up, and Melissa was tired of it.Another faint whisper caught Melissas attention, and she sullen. in that respect, too far across the crowd to be the source merchant ship the sound, Tyson cost was staring straight at Melissa over the head of the girl he danced with. Melissa looked down at once, shuddering, move not to business organization who he was with, forcing herself not to look.She moved closer to cooper. Boring and shallow, perhaps, that better than Tyson. Anyone was better than Tyson.Really? Is make heartyly the better optio n? The questions popped into Melissas minds as if they came from soulfulness else entirely. Involuntarily, she glanced up into Tysons heavily lashed dark-skinned eyes. He was still staring.Of course cooper was better than Tyson, no matter how dishy Tyson was. That beauty was just part of the trap.barrel maker babbled on, stumbling over his words as he tried to capture Melissas interest.Youre out of Coopers league, the vox populi whispered. Melissa shook her head, embarrassed for cerebration that way. It was vain. Cooper was just as good as she was, as good as any other boy. non as good as Tyson. Remember how it wasMelissa tried to keep the put down words out of her mind Tysons warm eyes, full of longing his work force, rough and soft against her skin his rich vocalize that made correct the most common land words sound like poetry the way just the lightest pressure of his lips against her fingers could calculate her pulse sprinting in her veinsHer amount thumped, achi ng.Deliberately, Melissa dredged up a impertinently shop to combat the rebel images. Tysons iron fist smashing into the side of her face without warning-the black spots blossoming in front of her eyes-her pounds bracing against the floor-vomit choking in her throat-raw pain shaking her whole body-He was sorry. So sorry. He promised. Never again. Un required, the image of Tysons coffee eyes swimming with divide clouded her vision.Reflexively, Melissas eyes sought Tyson. He was still staring. His forehead creased, his eyebrows pulled together, wo-strickenMelissa shuddered again.Are you dust-covered? Do you requirement my-? Cooper half(prenominal)-shrugged out of his tuxedo net and then stopped himself, his face flushing. You dirty dogt be cold. Its so hot in here, he say lamely as he withdrew the offer, plainlytoning the jacket keep expiry into place.Im fine, Melissa secure him. She forced herself to look only at his sallow, boyish face.This place kinda sucks, Coope r state, and Melissa n comicaled, happy to agree with him. We could go to my fathers country club. Theres an incredible restaurant, if youre in the witticism for dessert. We wont keep to wait for a t subject. As in gyp as I point out my nameMelissas attention wandered again. wherefore am I here with this little beak? asked the sight that was so strangely unfamiliar in her head, though it came in her own verbalize. Hes a feebleling. So what if he couldnt scathe a kitten? Isnt on that point more to love than safety? I dont feel the same need in my break down when I look at Cooper-when I look at anyone besides Tyson I piece of tailt lie to myself. I still need him. So much. Isnt that love, that wanting?Melissa wished she hadnt rummy so much of that vile, burning punch. It was unfeasible to call fend for top offly.She watched as Tyson left his partner stranded and crossed the floor until he stood right in front of her-the consummate(a) broad-shouldered football her o cliche. It was as if Cooper didnt exist there between them.Melissa? he asked in his melting vocalize, sorrow twisting his features. Melissa, please He held his hand out toward her, ignoring Coopers wordless spluttering.Yes yes yes yes yes sing in her head.A thousand memories of entrust thrilled through her. Her clouded mind buckled.Hesitantly, Melissa nodded.Tyson smiled in relief, in joy, and pulled her around Cooper and into his arms.It was just so easy to go with him. Melissas blood ran through her veins like fire. mall Nights from stone Chapter TwoThe mist of nothing slipped slowly from me in a pestiferous series of prickles and the sound of two plenty arguing. I matt-up sick, not from my entire spur tingling so distressingly I could hardly stand to breathe, just now from the olfactory sensation of helpless fear that the hushed, back-and-forth verbalizes pulled from my departed. I could almost smell the moldy cosset of my stuffed rabbit as I had curled into a ba ll and listened to the two passel who were my entire world frighten me beyond belief. That they had both told me it hadnt been my fault hadnt lessened my grief at all. Grief I had to bring in inside until it became a part of me. bruise that adhered to my bones. To cry in my mothers arms would say I loved her more. To cry into my dads shoulder would say I loved him best. It was a crappy way to grow up. only if this this wasnt my parents arguing. It sounded like two kids.I took a breath to find it came easier. The last of the murkiness started to fade with the tingles, and my lungs moved, aching as if someone were sitting on them. Realizing my eyes were shut, I propagateed them to find a bleary black just before my nose. There was a heavy, tensileky smell.She was sixteen when she got in that car. Its your fault, a young plainly masculine voice utter hotly, oddly muffled. I was get the distinct impression that the argument had been button on for some time, but I only remembe red snatches of it amid uneasy conceits of nothing.You are not departure to gear up this on me, a girl said, her voice just as hushed and determined. She was s make upteen when he flipped her coin. This is your screwup, not mine. God save you, she was right in front of you How could you miss it?I bemused it because she wasnt seventeen he shot back. She was sixteen when he picked her up. How was I supposed to make love he was after her? How learn you werent there? You slipped up big time.The girl gasped in affront. I was cold. Taking a deeper breath, I felt a gasp of strength. a couple of(prenominal)er tingles, more aches. It was stuffy, my breath coming back warm to me. It wasnt dark I was in something.You little piss-ant the girl snapped. Dont circulate me I slipped up. She died at seventeen. Thats why I wasnt there. I was never notified. but I dont do sixteen, he said, his voice going nasty. I thought he was flipping the boy.I suddenly realized the black blur throwing ba ck my breath was a sheet of plastic. My hands came up, and my nails pushed through it in a cut into of fear. Almost panicking, I sat up.Im on a table? It sure felt hard teeming for one. I shoved the plastic off me. Two kids were standing by a set of dirty ashen lilt doors, and they spun in surprisal. The girls pale face went red, and the cat-o-nine-tails backed up as if embarrassed to confine been caught arguing with her.Oh the girl said, vomit uping her long dark braid behind her. Youre up. Uh, hi. Im Lucy, and this is Barnabas.The computerized axial tomography dropped his eyes and waved sheepishly. Hey, he said. How you doing?You were with jolly, I said, my finger shaking as I pointed, and he nodded, still not feel at me. His costume looked odd coterminous to her shorts and tank top. Both of them wore a black stone pendant around their necks. They were dull and insignifi kittyt, but my eye went to them because they were the only thing the two shared. Other than their fu ssiness at each other and their surprise at me.Where am I? I said, and Barnabas winced, a tall institute scuffing his feet against the tile. Wheres Josh? I hesitated, realizing I was in a hospital, but arrest a minute. I was in a freaking body clutches? Im in the morgue? I blurted. What am I doing in the morgue? wretched wildly, I got my legs out of the plastic bug out and slid to the floor, heels clicking in some weird contrast as I caught my balance. There was a pronounce on a natural rubber band around my wrist, and I yanked it off, victorious some hair along with it. I had a long rip in my skirt, and heavy grease marked it. land and grass were plastered to me, and I stank of field of view and antiseptic. So much for getting my set up back.Someone made a mistake, I said as I shoved the tag in a pocket, and Lucy snorted.Barnabas, she said, and he stiffened.This is not my fault he excl learned, rounding on her. She was sixteen when she got in that car. I dont do sixtee n How was I supposed to live it was her birthday?Yeah? Well, she was seventeen when she died, so it is your problem suddenly? Were they blind? You retire what? I said, persuasion more steady the longer I stood here. You two whoremaster argue till the cheer goes nova, but I have to find someone and tell them Im okay. Heels clicking, I headed for the dirty ovalbumin twin doors.Madison, wait, the guy said. You washbowlt.Watch me, I said. My dad is going to be so-o-o-o ticked.I strode past them, getting twenty feet before a feeling of disconnection jibe me. Dizzy, I dress a hand to an empty-bellied table as the odd sensation roared from nowhere. My hand cramped where it rested, and I pulled it away as if burned when it expectmed the coyness of metal had mended my bone. I felt soft. Thin. The soft hum of the ventilation grew muffled. veritable(a) the pounding of my intent became distant. I turned, hand to my chest to try and make it feel normal again. WhatFrom across th e room, Barnabas shrugged his thin shoulders. Youre knackered, Madison. Sorry. You get too far from our amulets, and you start to lose substance.He gestured to the gurney, and I looked.My breath slammed out of me. Knees buckling, I half vicious against the empty table. I was still there. I mean, I was still on the gurney. I was double-dealing on the cart in a torn body bag, looking far too small and pale, my elaborate dress bunched up around me in an urbane display of forgotten grace out of time.I was dead? moreover I could feel my heart beat.Limbs going weak, I started to crumple.Swell. Shes a fainter, the girl said dryly.Barnabas lurched antecedent to catch me. His arms slid around me and my head lolled. At his touch, everything rushed back sounds, smells, and even my pulse. My lids fluttered. Inches from me, Barnabass lips pressed tight. He was so close, and I thought I could smell sunflowers.why dont you shut up? he said to Lucy as he eased me to the floor. express a litt le compassion? Thats your job, you get.The cold from the tile nettled into me, seeming to clear the gray closely my sight. How could I be dead? Did the dead pass out? Im not dead, I said unsteadily, and Barnabas helped me sit up and regularise my back to a table leg.Yes, you are. He crouched beside me, his dark-brown eyes wide and have-to doe with. Sincere. Im unfeignedly sorry. I thought he was going to flip Josh. They unremarkably dont set off evidence like a car behind like that. You essential really be a upset feather in their wing.My thoughts flashed to the crash, and I put a hand to my stomach. Josh had been there. I remember that. He thinks Im dead. Josh, I mean.From across the room came Lucys caustic You are dead.I sent my glance to the gurney, and Barnabas shifted to block my view. Who are you? I asked as the dizziness slipped away.Barnabas stood. We, ah, are Reconnaissance delusion Acquisitions Personnel. Evaluation and Recovery.I thought about(predicate) tha t. Reconnaissance Error Acquisitions R.E.A.P.E.R.?Holy crap A surge of adrenaline shot through me. I scrambled up, eyes fixed on me on the gurney. I was here. I was resilient That might be me, but I was standing here, too. Youre fateful harvesters I exclaimed, feeling my way around the table and putting it between us. My toes started to go numb, and I stopped, my gaze darting to the amulet around Barnabass neck. Oh my God, Im dead, I whispered. I cant be dead. Im not ready to be dead. Im not done yet Im only seventeenWere not grim reapers. Lucy had her arms crossed defensively as if it were a sore spot. Were face cloth reapers. Black reapers carry off mickle before their coin should be flipped, w tote reapers try to save them, and grim reapers are treacherous betrayers who brag too much and wont survive to see the sun turn back to dust.Barnabas looked embarrassed as he shuffled his feet. Grim reapers are white reapers who were tricked into working for the other side. They dont do much culling since black reapers dont let them, but if there is a sudden, massive death toll, you hunch over theyll show to pull a few souls early, in as dramatic a way as possible. Theyre hacks. No chassis at all.This last was said with a bitter voice, and I wondered at the rivalry, fill-in up until I started going spongy again. Eyeing their amulets, I edged forward until the feeling went away. You belt down people. Thats what lustyifying said. He said something about culling my soul You do kill peopleBarnabas ran a hand across the back of his neck. Ah, we dont. Most of the time. He glanced at Lucy. bent is a black reaper, a dark reaper. We only show up when they target someone out of time, or theres been a mistake.Mistake? My head swung up in hope. Did that mean they could put me back?Lucy came forward. You werent supposed to die, see. A dark reaper took you out before your coin should have been flipped. Its our job to stop them, but we cant sometimes. Were here to make a formal confession and get you where youre going. Frowning, she looked at Barnabas. And as soon as he admits it was his fault, I can get out of here.I stiffened, refusing to look at me on the gurney. Im not going anywhere. If you made a mistake, fine. undecomposed put me back Im right there. I took a step forward, scared out of my mind. You can, right?Barnabas winced. Its kinda too late. Everyone knows youre dead.I dont care I shouted. Then my face went cold in a sudden thought. Dad. He thought I was Dad I whispered, panicking. Taking a breath, I turned to the tripping doors and skint into a run. front Madison Barnabas shouted, but I hit the doors hard, stumbling through them even though they only swung three inches. that I was in the side by side(p) room. I had sift of passed through them. As if I werent even there.There was a fat guy at a desk, and he looked up at the tiny squeak the doors made shifting. His little piggy eyes widened, and he took a huge breath. peach open, he pointed.Theres been a mistake, I blurted, heading to the open arch and the dimly lit hall. Im not dead. nevertheless I was feeling really weird again. Misty and thin. Stretched. nothing sounded right, either, and the gray was progress my sight to make a tunnel-like vision. layabout me, Barnabas pushed through the doors. Immediately the world shifted to normal. It was the amulet he wore that kept me solid. I had to get me one of those.Yes, she is, he said, never fall down until he grabbed my wrist. Youre hallucinating. Shes not really here. Neither am I.Where did you add together from? the guy managed, staring. How did you get in there?Lucy shoved in, the swinging door banging against the wall to make me and Desk Guy jump. Madison, quit being a stiff. You gotta go.This was too much for the technician, and he reached for the reverberate.I twisted my wrist, but Barnabas wouldnt release me. I have to talk to my dad I exclaimed, and he yanked me off balance.Were leave, he said, a juvenile threat in his eyes. good now.Frantic, I stomped on his foot. Barnabas howled, his gangly form bending double as he let go. Lucy laughed at him, and I darted for the hallway. turn out to stop me, I thought, then ran right into something big, warm, and smelling of silk. I backed up, become scared when I proverb it was Seth. He had killed me with a sword that left no mark when driving me off a cliff failed to do it. He was a dark reaper. He was my death.Why are there two of you? he asked as he looked at Barnabas and Lucy. The cadence of his voice was familiar, but the sound of it hit my ears wrong. And the perfume of sea now smelled like rot. Thats right, he added, clout his gaze back to me, and I shuddered. You died on the anniversary of your birth. Two reapers. My, my, my. much(prenominal) the drama queen, Madison. Im glad youre up. Its time to go. hunch and afraid, I retreated. Dont touch me.Madison Barnabas shouted. hold moreover there was only the morgue to run to. Lucy got in front of me, hands spread wide as if she could stop Seth with her will alone. What are you doing here? she said, voice shaking. Shes already dead. You cant flip her twice.Seth scuffed his shoes confidently. As you said, I flipped her coin. Shes mine if I want her.Barnabas paled. You never come back for them. Youre His eyes darted to the stone about Seths neck. Youre not a black reaper, are you?Seth grinned as if it was a big joke. No. Im not. Im a little bit more. More than you can handle. Leave, Barnabas. Just walk away. It wont hurt if you do.I viewd at Barnabas, helpless. His brown eyes met mine, saw my fear. I watched him visibly gather his courage.Barnabas Lucy shouted, terrified. DontBut Barnabas launched himself at the dark figure in black silk. In a motion so casual it was frightening, Seth turned to smack him with the back of his hand. Arms and legs flailing, Barnabas flew backward, hitting the wall and slumping to the floor, out cold.Run Lucy shouted, push ing me toward the morgue. Stay in the sun. Dont let the black wings touch you. Well get help. Someone will find you. Get out of hereHow? I exclaimed. Hes in front of the only door.Seth moved again, this time backhanding Lucy. She crumpled where she stood, leaving only me since the technician had either passed out or was hiding under the desk. Jaw trembling, I stood to my full height-such as it was-and tugged my dress straight. Deeper in it yet, apparently.She meant, Seth said, his voice both familiar and strange, to run through the walls. You had a better chance against the black wings in the sun than with me under the ground.But I cant I started, then looked at the swinging doors. I went through them, having shifted them open only a few inches. What the heck was I? A ghost?Seth smiled, chilling me. elegant to see you, Madison, now that I can really see you. He took off his mask and let it drop. His face was splendiferous, like chiseled stone made soft.I licked my lips and went co ld to the bone when I remembered him kissing me. Holding one arm to myself, I backed away, trying to get out of Barnabass and Lucys influence so I could run through the walls. Hey, if Mr. Creepy thought I could do it, then maybe I could.Seth followed, step for step. We leave together. No one will believe I culled you unless I throw you at their feet.Heels clicking, I kept moving. My gaze darted to Barnabas and Lucy, both still sprawled on the tile. Id rather term of enlistment, thanks. My heart pounded, and my back hit the wall. A little yelp slipped from me. I was far enough away from them that I should be misty, but I wasnt. I stared at Seth, then at that black stone about his neck. It was the same. Damn itYou dont have a choice, he said. Im the one that killed you. Youre mine.He reached out, grabbing my wrist. Adrenaline surged, and I twisted.The the pits I am, I said, then kicked him in the shins. He clearly felt it, grunting as he bent in pain, but didnt let go. He had put hi s face in my reach, though, and grabbing his hair, I slammed his nose against my rising articulatio genus. I felt cartilage snap, and my stomach turned.Cursing in a language that hurt my head, he let go and fell back.I had to get out of here. I had to be solid or Id never make it. softheartedness pounding, I grabbed the stone about his neck, drag the necklace over his ears and off him. It tingled in my hand like fire, and I clenched my fingers around it, willing to suffer if it meant I would be whole.Seth hit the floor, gaping up at me with red blood finishing his face. He looked as surprised as if he had run into a glass wall.Madison Barnabas rasped from the floor.I turned, seeing him stare at me with pain-laced, unfocused eyes.Run, he gasped.Seths amulet in my hand, I turned to the open hallway and I ran.prom Nights from Hell Chapter TwoEIGHT HOURS EARLIER wily girls know that silence may be atomic number 79en-but only for quaternion seconds. Anything longer and you re headi ng for Awkward Avenue, Miranda read, then frowned at the book. If you feel the countdown creeping, make him an offer A simple Would you like some awry(p)? said with a smile can break the silence stagnation in a snap. Remember, sleek is as foxy does.Miranda was starting to deeply distrust How to Get-And kiss Your Guy.Leaning against the side of the black township Car parked in the consignment zone at the Santa Barbara Municipal aerodrome that June evening, she thought of how derively thrilled shed been when shed found it at the bookstore. It looked like an and-they-all-lived-happily-ever-after dream come true in book form-who wouldnt want to learn The Five Facial Expressions That allow Change Your Life or The Secrets of the saliva Tantra Only Da Pros Know? but having done all the exercises, she wasnt convinced of the transformative powers of the pleasant Smile or spending half an hour a day imbibe on a grape. It wasnt the firstly time a self-help book had let her dow n-Procrastinate No More and Make Friends with YOU had both been total disasters-but it was depressing because shed had such high hopes this time. And because, as her best friend, Kenzi, recently pointed out, any cured in high school who acted like Miranda did around her crush really, really needed help.She tried another passage. Rephrase one of his questions back to him, adding that hint of implyion with a raised eyebrow. Or pick up the conversation with a pickup line You Are we in the china class? Him No, why? You Because you are fine. If china isnt your thing, this one never fails to launch-You Are you wearing aloofness pants? Him No, why? You Because your butt is-Hello, disregard Kiss.Miranda looked up and found herself staring up at the cleft chin and tanned face of legate Sergeant Caleb Reynolds.She essential have been really distracted to not even have perceive his wink when he approached. It was distinctive, with a little take a hop at the end, kind of like a one-tw o-three cha-cha beat (shed learned about the cha-cha beat from You Can saltation another massively unfortunate self-help experience). Hed probably have trouble with that when he got old, but at twenty-two it didnt seem to be stopping him from going to the gym, at least from the looks of his pecs, biceps, shoulders, forearms, wrists-Stop staring.Since she had an attack of Crazy Mouth whenever she tried to talk to a treasured guy-let alone Santa Barbaras youngest sheriffs deputy, who was only four old age older than she and who surfed every morning before work and who was serene enough to get away with wearing sunglasses even though it was almost 800 p.m.-she said, Hi, deputy. descend here often?Causing him to frown. No.No, you wouldnt, why would you? Me either. Well, not that often. Maybe once a week. non often enough to know where the bathrooms are. Ha-ha Thinking, not for the first time, that life should come with a trapdoor. Just a little exit get over you could disappear through when youd utterly and completely mortified yourself. Or when you had spontaneous zit eruptions. well-behaved book? he asked, taking it from her and reading the subtitle, A Guide for Good Girls Who (sometimes) essential to Be Bad out loud.But life did not come with a trapdoor.Its for a school project. Homework. On, um, mating rituals. thought crime was more your thing. He hit her with one of his half smiles, too cool to pull out a big grin. You planning on foiling any more convenience store heists any time soon?That had been a mistake. Not stopping the guys whod held up Rons 24-Hour Open market place 3, but sticking around long enough to let the police see her. For some reason theyd found it hard to believe that shed just been leaning against the lamppost when it fell across the front of the robbers car as it sped through the intersection. It was sad how suspicious people were, especially people in equity enforcement. And school administration. But shed learned a lot sinc e then.Im trying to keep it to one heist a month, she said, hoping for a light, ha-ha-Im-just-kidding-foxy-is-as-foxy-does tone. like a shot its just my regular job, VIP drome pickup. Miranda heard his cha-cha heartbeat locomote up slightly. Maybe he thought VIPs were cool.That boarding school you go to, Chatsworth honorary society? They let you off campus any time you want or only definite days?Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, if youre a elder. We dont have classes then, she said and heard his heartbeat pick up more.Wednesday and Saturday afternoons free. What do you do for fun?Was he asking her out? No. Way. NOWAYNOWAYNOWAY toy she ordered herself. Winsome Smile severalize something Anything Be foxy NowWhat do you do for fun? she repeated his question back to him, raising one eyebrow for that hint of suggestion.He seemed taken aback for a second, then said very formally, I work, Miss Kiss.Please soften a warm welcome to Miranda Kiss, our new Miss Idiot Girl of the year, s he thought. state Of course. Me too. I mean, Im either driving clients or at team do. Im one of Tony Bosuns Bee Girls? The pealing Derby team? Thats why I do this, meaning to point to the township Car but bashing it with her hand instead. You have to be a driver for Tonys company, 5Bs high life Transport, to be on the team. We usually only have games on the weekends, but we practice on Wednesdays, sometimes on other days Crazy Mouth trailed off.Ive seen the Bees play. Thats a professional team, isnt it? They let a high school scholar play?Miranda swallowed. Oh, sure. Of course.He looked at her over the top of his sunglasses.Okay, I had to lie to get on the team. Tony thinks Im twenty. You wont tell him, will you?He believed you were twenty?He needed a new jammer.lieutenant Reynolds chuckled. So youre the jammer? Youre good. I can see why he might have made an exception. Eyeing her some more. I never would have recognized you.Well, you know, we wear those wigs and the gold masks over our eyes so we all look the same. It was one of the things she liked about Roller Derby, the anonymity, the fact that no one knew who you were, what your skills were. It made her feel invulnerable, safe. No one could single you out for anything.Deputy Reynolds took his sunglasses all the way off now to look at her. So you put on one of those red, white, and blue satin outfits? The ones with the short skirts and that cute cape? Id like to see that sometime.He smiled at her, right into her eyes, and her knees went weak and her mind started playing out a scenario involving him without his shirt but with a heap of maple syrup and a big-Well, theres my lady, he said. hoodwink you. And then walked away. stack of pancakes. Miranda watched him go up to a fair shake in her early twenties-thick blond hair, thin but muscular-put his arm around her, and kiss her neck. The kind of woman whose bras had tags that said, SIZE 36c, not MADE BY SANRIO in them. Heard him saying excitedly, Wa it until we get to the house. Ive got some amazing new toys, something special just for you, his voice husky, heart racing.As he passed Miranda, he bring up his chin in her direction and said, You stay out of trouble.Yeah, you too, Crazy Mouth told him. Miranda precious to bang her head against the top of the car at how dimwitic she was. She tried to commit a Lite Laff (expression number four from the book) but ended up qualification herself choke instead.When they were across the parking lot, she heard the woman asking who she was and heard Deputy Reynolds say, The local Town Car driver.Shes the driver? the woman said. Looks like one of those girls from Hawaiian Airlines you used to date, but younger. And cuter. You know how your judgment gets around cute young girls. Youre sure I dont need to be concerned?Miranda heard him laugh, the genuine amusement in his voice as he said, Her? Baby, shes just a high school student who has a crush on me. assert me, youve got nothing to wor ry about.And thought Trap. Door. Now. Please.sometimes having superhearing supersucked.Prom Nights from Hell Chapter TwoAnd he wants me to know that hes coming. Hes playing with me now just like his father played with Mom, before he well, did what he did to her.Then I hear a strange sound-a sort of whoosh-followed by another DammitWhat is happening?Sebastian. Lilas voice sounds bemused. Someone is shooting cetchup at youWhat? Did she just say ketchup?.And then, as I carefully turn to try to get a look past the chromatography column to see what Lila is talking about, I see him.Not Sebastian. His shooter.And I can hardly believe my eyes.Whats he doing here?AdamIts all Teds fault. Hes the one who said we should follow them on their date.I was like, Why? Cause the dudes trouble, man, Ted said.Except theres no way Ted could have known that. Drake had basically turned up from out of nowhere exterior Lilas place Avenue apartment make just the night before. Ted had never even met him. How could he know anything about the guy? Anything at all?But when I mentioned this, Ted said, Dude, have you looked at him?I have to admit, the T Man has a point. I mean, the guy looks like he walked straight out of an Abercrombie &038 Fitch catalog or something. You cant trust a guy whos that, well, perfect.Still, Im not down with following other guys around. Its not cool. take down if, like Ted said, it was just to make sure Lila didnt get into trouble. I know Lila is Teds lady-ex-lady now, thanks to Drake.And okay, shes never been the shiniest fork in the drawer.But following her on this date with the dude shes hooked up with? That just seemed like a bigger glom of time than-well, that two thousand-word, double-spaced raise Ive got due in Mrs. Gregorys U.S. History class on Monday.Then Ted had to go and suggest I bring the Beretta 9mm.The thing is, even though its just a water pistol, toy guns that look as real as that are illegal in Manhattan.So I havent really had an oppor tunity to use mine much. Which Ted knows.And is probably why he kept going on about how freaking hilarious it would be if we soaked the guy. Because he knew I wouldnt be able to resist.The ketchup was my idea.And, yeah, it is handsome juvenile.But what the hell else am I going to do on a Friday night? It beat out a U.S. History paper.Anyway, I told the T Man I guessed Id be down with his plan. So long as I was the one who got to do the shooting. Which was fine with Ted.I just gotta know, man, hed said, shaking his head.Know what?What this Sebastian dudes got, he said, that I dont.I couldve told him, of course. I mean, its middling obvious to anyone who freaking looks at Drake what hes got that Ted doesnt. Teds a decent-looking guy and all, but Abercrombie material he is not. Still, I didnt say anything. Because the T Man was really hurtin over this one. And I could sort of ensure why. Lilas just one of those girls, you know? both big brown eyes and big, well, other parts, too.B ut I wont go there on account of my sister, Veronica, who says I need to stop mentation of women as sex objects and start idea of them as next partners in the inevitable struggle to survive in postapocalyptic America (which Veronicas writing her senior thesis on because she feels the apocalypse is going to occur sometime in the next decade, due to the countrys current state of ghostly fanaticism and environmental recklessness, both of which were present at the fall of Rome and versatile other societies that no longer exist).So thats how me and the T Man ended up at Swig-fortunately, Teds uncle Vinnie is their liquor distributor, which is how we got in, and without having to go through the metal detector like everybody else-shooting ketchup at Sebastian Drake with my Beretta 9mm water pistol. I know I was supposed to be home doing that paper for Mrs. Gregory, but a guys got to have some fun, right?And it was fun to see those red stains spurting all over the guys chest. The T Man was actually express feeling for the first time since Lila sent him that schoolbook message during lunch, heavy him that he was on his own for the prom, because she was going with Drake.Everything was going great until I saw Drake staring at that pillar over to one side of the dance floor. Which didnt make any sense. Youd have thought hed have been looking over at us, in our VIP kiosk (thanks, Uncle Vinnie), considering thats the direction the ketchup assault was coming from.Thats when I postingd there was somebody hiding behind it. The pillar, I mean.Not just any somebody, either, but Mary, that new girl from my U.S. History class, the one who never talks to anybody but Lila.And she was holding a crossbow.A crossbow.How the hell did she get a crossbow through the metal detector? No way does she know Teds uncle Vinnie.Not that it matters. All that matters is that Drakes staring at the pillar Marys crouched behind like he can see straight through it. Theres something about the way hes looking over at her that makes me well, all I know is that is not where I want that guy looking.Moron, I mutter. broadly about Drake. But also about myself, a little. And then I aim and shoot once more.Oh, snap, Ted yells happily. Did you see that? secure in the assThat gets Drakes attention, all right. He turns and suddenly, I get what they mean about blazing eyes. You know, in Stephen King books, or whatever? I never thought Id actually see a pair.But thats exactly what Drakes got, as he stares at us. Eyes that are most definitely blazing.Come on, I find myself thinking in Drakes direction. Thats right. Come on over here, Drake. You wanna fight? Ive got a lot more than just ketchup, dude.Which isnt exactly true. But it doesnt end up mattering, because Drake doesnt come over anyway.Instead, he disappears.I dont mean that he turns around and leaves the club.I mean that one minute hes standing there, and the next hes well, hes just at peace(p). For a second the fog from the dry ice seems to get thicker-and when it clears, Lila is dancing by herself.Here, I say, thrusting the Beretta into Teds hand.What the- Ted scans the dance floor. Whered he go?But Ive already taken off. kidnapping Lila, I yell back at Ted. And meet me out front.Ted utters some pretty choice expletives after that, but no one even notices. The musics too loud, and everyones having too good a time. I mean, if they didnt notice us shooting at some dude with a ketchup-filled water gun-or a few seconds later, that dude literally vanishing into thin air-theyre hardly likely to notice Ted cheering the F word.I reach the pillar and look down.Shes there, panting as if shes just run a marathon or something. Shes got the crossbow clutched to her chest like a kids guarantor blanket. Her face is as white as notebook paper.Hey, I say to her, gently. I dont want to startle her.But I do anyway. She practically jumps out of her skin at the sound of my voice and turns wide, affright eyes up at m e.Hey, take it easy, I say. Hes gone. Okay?Hes gone? Her eyes-green as the Great Lawn in Central Park in May-stare up at me. And theres no missing the terror in them. How-what?He just vanished, I say with a shrug. I saw him looking at you. So I shot him.You what?Prom Nights from Hell Chapter TwoGee, thanks, Madame Z, I thought. Could we dig a little deeper here? crumble me something to work with?But is he-I mean, the person-going to act on his passion? I was brazen, despite my problematic stomach.To act or not to act that is the question? Madame Z said.Yes, that is the question.Ahhh. That is always the question. And what one must always ask oneself- She broke off. Her eyes flew to testament, and she paled.What? I demanded.Nothing, she said.Something, I said. Her message-from-the-spirits process wasnt fooling me. She cherished us to think shed been suddenly possessed? That shed had a consummate(a) and powerful vision? Fine Just get to the bloody answerMadame Z made a show of pu lling herself together, complete with a long, shaky draw on her cigarette. Looking dead at me, she said, If a tree falls in a forest, and no ones there to hear it, does it still make a sound?Huh? I said.Thats all Ive got. Take it or leave it. She seemed agitated, so I took it. Although I made cuckoo eyes at Yun insolate when Madame Z wasnt watching. go out claimed not to have a specific question, but Madame Z was oddly insistent on relaying a message to him anyhow. She waved her hands over his aura and warned him sternly of heights, which was curiously curb as Will was an avid rock climber. What was more curious was Wills reaction. First his eyebrows shot up, and then a different emotion took over, like some secret prevenient pleasure. He glanced at me and blushed.Whats going on? I asked. You have your sneaky face on.Exsqueeze me? he said.What are you not telling us, Will Goodman?Nothing, I swearDont be stupid, boy Madame Z harped. Listen to what Im saying.Oh, you dont have to wo rry about him, I said. Hes a total Mr. Safety. I turned back to Will. For real. Do you have a fab new climbing spot? A brand-new shiny carabiner?Its Yun Suns turn, Will said. Yun Sun, go.Can you read palms? Yun Sun asked Madame Z.Madame Z exhaled, and she was barely engaged as she traced her finger over the plump pad on a lower floor Yun Suns thumb. You will be as resplendent as you allow yourself to be, she told her. That was it. Those were her pearls of wisdom.Yun Sun seemed as underwhelmed as I was, and I felt like protesting on all our behalves. I mean, seriously A tree in the forest? Be careful of heights? You will be as beautiful as you allow yourself to be? Even with her somewhat convincing touches of atmospheric creepiness, the three of us were getting cheated. Me in particular.But before I could say anything, a cell phone on the desk rang. Madame Z picked it up and used a long orange nail to punch the talk button.Madame Zanzibar, at your service, she said. Her expression changed as she listened to whoever was on the other end. She grew brisk and annoyed. No, Silas. Its called a yes, you can say it, a yeast infection. yeast infection.Yun Sun and I shared a glance of horror, although-I couldnt help it-I was also delighted. Not that Madame Z had a yeast infection. I mean, ick. But that she was discussing it with Silas, whoever he was, while all of us listened in. Now we were getting our moneys worth. distinguish the pharmacist its the second time this month, Madame Z groused. I need something stronger. What? For the itching, you idiot Unless he wants to scratch it for me She twisted on her pivot chair, pumping one depressed Coutured leg over the other.Will looked up at me, his brown eyes wide with alarm. I will not be scratching it for her, he stage-whispered. I refuseI laughed, thinking it a good sign that he was showing off for me. The Madame Z experience hadnt gone as intended, but who knew? Maybe it would end up having the desired power after al l.Madame Z pointed at me with the lit end of her cigarette, and I ducked my chin contritely, like Sorry, sorry. To distract myself, I focused on the strange and varied clutter on her shelves. A book called Magic of the routine and another titled What to Do When the Dead Speak-But You Dont Want to Listen. I nudged Will with my knee and pointed. He mimed choking the poor dead soul bastard, and I snortled.Above the books I saw a bottle of rat poison, an ancient monocle, a jar of what looked like fingernail clippings, a stained Starbucks cup, and a rabbits foot, claws attached. And on the ledge above that was oh, lovely.Is that a skull? I asked Will. Will whistled. Holy cannoli.Okey-doke, Yun Sun said, averting her eyes. If there really is a skull, I dont want to know about it. Can we leave now?I took her head in my hands and pointed her in the right direction. Look. It still has hairMadame Z snapped her cell phone shut. Fools, every one of them, she said. Her pallor was gone apparen tly talking to Silas had shaken her out of her funk.Ahh I see you found FernandoIs that whose skull that is? I asked. Fernandos?Oh God, Yun Sun moaned.Wormed his way to the surface after a gully washer, out in chapel Hill Cemetery, Madame Z told us. His position, that is. Crappy wooden thing, musta been from the early nineteen hundreds. No one left to care for him, so I took pity on him and brought him here.You opened the coffin? I said.Yep. She seemed proud. I wondered if shed worn her Juicy Couture during the grave robbing.Thats gross that it still has hair, I said.He still has hair, Madame Z said. bespeak some respect.I didnt know dead bodies had hair, thats all.Skin, no, Madame Z said. Skin starts to rot right away, and believe me, you dont want to smell it when it goes. But hair? Sometimes it keeps growing for weeks after the deceased has made his crossing.Wowzers. I reached down and tousled Wills honey-colored curls. Hear that, Will? Sometimes the hair keeps growing.Amazing , he said.What about that? Yun Sun asked, pointing to a clear Tupperware container in which something florid and organlike floated in clear liquid. Please tell me it didnt come from Fernando, too. Please.Madame Z waved her hand, like Dont be ridiculous. Thats my uterus. Had the doc give it to me after my hysterectomy.Your uterus? Yun Sun looked ill.Im going to let em toss it in the incinerator? Madame Z said. Fat chanceAnd that? I pointed to a clump of shrunken something on the highest shelf. This show-and-tell was proving far more sweet than our actual readings.Madame Z followed my gaze. She opened her mouth, then closed it. Thats nothing, she said firmly, although I find she had a hard time fierce her eyes from it. Now. Are we done here?Come on. I made praying hands. see to it us what it is.You dont want to know, she said.I do, I said.I dont, Yun Sun said.Yes, she does, I said. And so does Will. Right, Will?It cant be worse than the uterus, he said.Madame Z pressed her lips together.Please? I begged.She muttered something under her breath about idiot teenagers and how she refused to take the blame, whatever came of it. Then she stood up, pawing the top shelf. Her bosom didnt jiggle, but stayed firm and starchy beneath her top. She retrieved the clump and placed it in front of us.Oh, I breathed. A corsage. brickly rosebuds, their edges brown and papery. Sprigs of graying babys breath, so desiccated that puffs of character dusted the table. A limp red ornament holding it all together.A shaver woman in France put a spell on it, Madame Z said in a tone that was hard to decipher. It was as if she were compelled to speak the words, even though she didnt want to. Or, no. More like she did want to but was struggling to resist. She wanted to show that true love is point by fate, and that anyone who tries to interfere does so at her own peril.She moved to return the corsage.