Electronic gadgets Essay

Technology has become a very important part of our lives nowadays. During the past few years, technology has evolved in many ways and is probably without a doubt better than ever before. People are always trying to find something new that will improve our lives dramatically. Some of the creations that have really changed our lives are the computer, telephone, internet and electronic mail, television, cell phone and voice mail. Everything has a positive and a negative effect on our lives and so does technology. Technology may be very helpful but it can sometimes be very harmful. In our modern society, people can’t see themselves without computers. see more:life without modern gadgets article Computers have evolved so much during the past years. They used to be bulky, expensive and not very reliable machine but nowadays there are fast, small and affordable and nearly every family has a computer. With computers you can browse over the internet and look for information about a subject instead of having to do read books at the library or read the newspaper. This image was selected as a picture of the week o†¦ Nowadays mostly everything is available on the internet. You can even do your Christmas shopping over the internet instead of having to spend a long time waiting at the malls. Electronic mails can be sent over a network and it’s much faster and takes up less time than to have to write a letter and then send it and the person would have to wait a day or more to get your letter. Cell phones are also very useful gadgets as people can reach you wherever you are. In case of emergency people can contact you even if you’re not at home. When you have a computer you can just store your files on your hard drive and it can be retrieved at any time. It’s also much easier†¦

Othello Mini Essay

One of the key messages that Shakespeare conveys in this story, is that the language people use indicates their character and that the words people use often say more about themselves than the people of which they are speaking. In the play, Othello speech is consistently eloquent which adds to the idea that he is a dignified man with impressive etiquette. Contrariwise, Ago is fluent in the language of profanity and refers to Othello as a â€Å"Barbara horse† and a â€Å"Moor†.Ordering is also abrasive to Othello, calling him â€Å"thick lips. † It is only appropriate that they use such hateful and oftentimes annalistic language, as it truly reflects their nature. The words the antagonists use are typically shallow and superficial ND do not say anything about Othello personality, whilst the positive words – said by Desman and the Duke – used to describe Othello grant a superior indication of the type of person he is, as they speak of his behavior and overall temperament.In the story, Desman is the epitome of fairness and goodwill: a polar opposite to Ago and Ordering. She sees â€Å"Othello visage in his mind,† which entails that she looks beyond his physical appearance and Its connotations and sees his â€Å"honors and valiant parts†. Similarly, the Duke believes Othello to be a noble man, and confronts Barbarian of his prejudging: â€Å"If virtue no delighted beauty lack, your son-in- law is more fair than black†.These words prove that Othello is much more than the color of his skin, and that any judgments based on his appearance should be deemed invalid, as race is a social construct and people's attributes are in no way related to the color of their skin. Shakespearean tale of Othello shows the injustice behind racial prejudice and how the entire concept is flawed. Sago's and Rodeo's animosity tells us more about them than it does about Othello, as the vulgarity of their words reflects their true person a.Ago calls Othello a â€Å"devil† however there is no reasoning or proof behind this cruel statement, thus rendering it baseless. Oppositely, we know Adhesion's kind words to be true, as they are inspired by her time spent with Othello. Shakespeare has used the political and social views of the sixteenth century Venetian people, to comment on the unfairness of discrimination on the bases of race, and how appearance doesn't define character. Othello is proof that one can be elegant, respectable and well-mannered in spite Of the negative connotations that race tends to allow.

Alpha Plantations and Major Crisis in 1999 Term Paper - 1

Alpha Plantations and Major Crisis in 1999 - Term Paper Example The oil palm company Alpha Plantations Sdn Bhd in Malaysia has two major divisions namely Oil Palm Estate and Palm Oil Mills. This company is owned by a British Company and aims to supply oil to the parent company’s detergent manufacturing business. The company employs local workers to meet the workforce needs. The mill carries out its operations in a shift based environment with three shifts employing 25 works per shift. Supervisors are appointed to watch over the work of each shift. Among the most senior members of the company is Mr. Ang. He is working in the company since 1965 and has achieved the designation of the senior production supervisor through constant efforts and struggles. Mr. Ang is supposedly experienced in dealing with almost every situation surrounded by the company’s premises. He deals with the workers, solves their normal issues, is responsible for the undisrupted operations of the business, involved in the coordination of shift planning, responsible for the preparation of daily production reports, sets short-term performance targets for the shifts and also helps in Human Resource Planning issues. He also acts as a ‘Gatekeeper’ which directs towards his important role as an assistant to the mill manager and every issue comes into his supervision before it reaches the mill manager. Owing to the multitasking and untiring efforts of Mr. Ang, the mill manager is quite satisfied and contented with the firm, methodical and almost militarily efficient way of running the business. The year 1999 acted as a devastating experience for Alpha mills. The basic reason behind the deteriorated financial performance was the cut off in the oil prices. The mill manager, Captain Chubb, could not find a better way to overcome the situation and restrain the regular losses. Captain Chubb was replaced by Mr. Ian Davison who was appointed as a new mill manager to Alpha mills.

International Business Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

International Business - Dissertation Example Introduction China has risen to become a leading player in international business. China’s rise has been gradual, since the late 1970’s to date. In prior years, China was a socialist state but in the past three decades, China has done a lot to convert itself into a consumerist economy. From the 1980’s China began to relax some of its restrictions on trade operations (Tseng & Zebregs, 2002). This relaxation of trade constraints has made China a very lucrative place for International Business. Foreign investment has had a huge impact on business development in China. This essay is going to discuss foreign investors, rules governing foreign investment in China, and how some of these rules have been relaxed to contain foreign entrepreneurs. Relevance statement The significance of this essay is that it will act as a supportive lead to people wishing to do business in China, especially foreign investors. In modern times, there has been a rush by investors to set up bus inesses in China. Competition for investment in China is very high and businessmen need to know what to expect of China’s trade regulations. ... For this reason, various works of literature have been written in a quest to understand how China has managed to get to the top of international business. As indicated earlier on in this essay, China had very strict laws on how to conduct business especially with foreigners. Nonetheless, China realized the disadvantages of such strict policies and improved its relations with international markets by initiating various government reforms towards the relaxation of trade policies. For example, Li (2001) states that the government of China did way with a provision that required all foreigners running firms in the country to locally source for raw materials. Today, foreign entrepreneurs in China are allowed to purchase raw materials form outside China, in order to facilitate the growth of their businesses. The fact that China accepts individual investors form foreign countries to operate in the country is an achievement. Previously, China only allowed investors to set up businesses by use of joint ventures. According to Graham & Harm (2006) joint ventures continue to be the most prominent form of foreign investment in China. Methodology In this essay, I will use qualitative methods such as interviews and questionnaires to collect information. I will also use quantitative techniques such as statistics to affirm the information. I will distribute questionnaires to various foreign investors in various regions in China. This will enable me get actual information on how the relaxation of various economic policies has eased foreign business in China. I will also interview government officials to find out what specific policies have been done away with, or relaxed to allow for more foreign investment. In order to obtain statistical data on the growth of foreign ventures

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 64

Discussion - Essay Example oblem identifies significant effects on the students, with possible secondary effects on the students’ ability to concentrate on their studies and the students’ health. An empirical study of 195 students established significance of homesickness and effects such as depression, sexual behavior, and consumption of alcohol. The study that focused on moderation effects of religion on impacts of homesickness established significance of religion (Longo, 2010). Other effects of homesickness are isolation, inability to focus on studies, and stimulation of preexisting psychological disorder among students (Thurmber and Walton, n.d.). The data establishes significance of homesickness among college students and identifies its burden on students’ academic potentials and their health. I believe that effects of homesickness such as involvement in irresponsible sexual behavior, as Longo explains that more than 30 percent of his research participants engaged in unprotected sex, e xplains risks of sexually transmitted diseases while depression suppresses the students’ cognitive potentials. Longo, G. (2010). Homesickness in college students: The moderating effect of religiousness on the relationship between homesickness and Maladjustment. Retrieved from:

Should we impose tougher laws to combat the inequality within our law Research Paper

Should we impose tougher laws to combat the inequality within our law enforcement agencies - Research Paper Example In the discussion it is revealed that the implementation of tough laws have made it even harder to reduce inequalities. The issue cannot be overcome by implementation of a single law and recommendations are made on how the discrepancies can be corrected. Introduction Inequalities in the American justice system continue to be rampant. This has mostly been displayed in dealing with the drug problem. It has been observed that when it comes to drug related crimes, the law treats races differently. There was a survey that was conducted in 1991 that reveals that the prison population mostly consists of poorly educated, young and poor people who were mostly from the minority ethnic groups. It also showed that there only 4% of the whole jail population was female despite the two genders being equally represented in the normal population. It also found that 40% of the population of the male was between the ages of 18-25 despite them being only 16% in the general population. 40% of the males u nder age of 25 were reported to have dropped out of school before the age of 16 and in the general population this group consists of 16% only (Garland, D. (2001: 120). For instance, only 14% of the African Americans use drugs but 38% of people convicted of breaking the drug laws are African American. Moreover, people who break drug laws of equal magnitude are given different sentences. Person who is convicted of being in possession of powder cocaine get a sentence that is 100 times lesser than those convicted of powder cocaine. These inequalities in the justice problem have been slowing down the efforts to overcome ethnic inequalities among other inequalities found in the society. It is not possible to completely eradicate racism in the population if the justice system which is supposed to safeguards the rights of all people regardless of their color, age or gender continues to practice these inequalities (Tonry, 2008: 238). This paper discusses whether having tougher laws would be successful in dealing with the existing inequalities. Literature review Different surveys have shown that the criminal justice system in American has continued to be structurally discriminative against the poor, minority and poorly educated persons. The Home office national survey conducted in 1991 show that the prison population is very different from the normal population. Another survey has also shown an overrepresentation of people with drug problems and mental disorders. This research showed that 38% of the prison population had a problem related to drug dependency while 25% were reported to have a mental problem. It is good to understand whether these discrepancies are as a result of there being inequalities in operations of the criminal system or that it originates from somewhere else. This can be done by conducting self reporting studies. In one recent survey conducted by the home security on youth and crime reveals that there was a widespread criminal activity among the you ng people. A self-reporting survey was conducted to investigate into this issue and it was found that the gender difference in offense was very small and did not reflect the conviction rates. It is thus evident that more young males got convicted for crimes while the females were not hunted down by the law despite the fact that they also committed the same

Compare and contrast Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Compare and contrast - Assignment Example A recent study demonstrates that Latin American countries are lagging behind many of the world’s education system, as most students are unable to receive a higher education. In fact, only one in three students manage to receive a secondary school education, with many countries in developing nations such as Ecuador struggling to maintain funding for secondary teachers and schools. Another major problem is the high level of students who repeat a grade or who drop out of school before completing sixth grade. Rural areas face the challenge of many students having to work during harvesting season, further taking them away from school. However, it was stressed that the real problem for the region is not access to education, rather its poor quality. While the United States faces many deficiencies in education, including high drop-out rates in low income areas and relatively poor teacher quality, the base test scores indicate that the United States outscores most Hispanic countries. Yet, the similarities aren’t as striking as one might imagine, particularly when considering the structure of the systems. For instance, both share a similar University and Community College structure. The majority of Latin American countries also provide free and mandated primary and secondary education for all

The Organizing Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Organizing Process - Essay Example The first step involves reviewing objectives and plans. Objectives are activities that must be completed in order for the organization to achieve its goals. In this step, the organization shapes the activities needed for the achievement of organizational goals. Managers need to examine plans and identify the need for change as new goals are formulated. The second step is the determination of work activities that are necessary for the accomplishment of the objectives. This step requires managers to list and analyze all the tasks that are central to the achievement of organizational goals. The third step is the classification and grouping of the work activities into manageable units. Managers group activities based on the four models of departmentalization that is geographical, functional, customer and product. The fourth step is the assignment of activities and delegation of authority. Managers assign defined work activities to people within the organization. The assigned individuals are empowered to carry out their duties in accordance with the mission and vision of the organization. The last step is the design of a hierarchy of relationships. Managers begin by determining the horizontal and vertical relationships that exist in the organization. Managers develop an organizational chart, which shows the relationships. The concept of authority presupposes specific types of power. The mark of authority is in the index of recognition that usually accompanies authority that makes power legitimate.

Leadership 1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership 1 - Assignment Example This paper compares and contrasts these two leadership models. In addition, this paper also explicates under what conditions these theories would be utilized, what is important about them, and how they would be significant to the nursing profession. In defining leadership, Couig (2012) elucidates the four elements that make up leadership. Firstly, there must be a procedure or course of action between a leader and his or her adherents. Secondly, the leader must have authority or control over the adherents. Thirdly, leadership must occur in a group set-up with a universal target, and fourthly, projected objectives must be achieved. Leadership theories are based on these elements. Situational leadership theory was coined in by Hersey and Blanchard in the 1970s and was originally referred to as life-cycle theory. At first Ledlow and Coppola (2010. p. 73) notes that "Hersey and Blanchard identified four possible styles of leadership: telling, selling, participating, and delegating". Telling involves giving instructions to the followers on how to behave and conduct their activities; selling denotes giving directions while at the same time encouraging followers; participating involve crating connections or affiliations; and delegating involve allocating specific roles to followers but at the same time offer supervision (Ledlow and Coppola, 2010). According to this theory, the leader is obliged to consider the range of attributes available in a particular state of affairs in order to make an informed decision. According to Couig (2010), the leader is also obligated to alter or transform his leadership approach and align it with the level of preparedness of adheren ts, their level of motivation, and capability. For instance, employees with low levels of motivation require a different approach as compared to those with high motivation levels. The second leadership theory is

My work experience Essay Example for Free

My work experience Essay My placement was with a company called Oliver Lintotts Tree Surgery. I have known Oliver for about 2 years as he is my bosss son. When I heard that my placement would be with him I was thrilled as I had worked with him before and tree surgery is a very exciting profession. I knew I could expect hard work and a good laugh. The last time I worked for him, Andy, one of Olivers employees, and I had to dig a trench to drain a field. Towards the end of the day it started to rain and I ended up almost waist-deep in a trench which was quickly filling with water and we laughed so hard we barely noticed. I already own lots of work clothes as I have had experience in tree surgery, carpentry, roofing, plumbing and mixing concrete among other areas but Oliver usually lends me some work boots with steel toe-caps as they are what I am supposed to wear. The night before my first day of work experience I made my lunch, consisting of 4 sandwiches, 3 packets of crisps and 3 chocolate bars, and left it in the fridge. Then I made sure I had clean jeans, t-shirt and jumper for the next day. I got an early night that night as I had to be up at 6:30 to be at work at 7:00. Having woken up at 6:30 I left the house at 6:45 to walk to Heath End launderette where Oliver would pick me up and drive me to where we were working that day. He picked me up at the launderette because his dad, my boss, owns it and Oliver used to live above it. I found out I would be working with a Polish man named Tomak for the week. Which was fine by me but, unfortunately, Tomak didnt speak much English. It was a very cold morning so I put on two t-shirts and a jumper as well as my fleece. That day, we were working in Godalming felling some conifers. Olivers job was to cut them down bit by bit and Tomak and I had to put the branches and logs into the chipper. The chipper is a very powerful machine. You feed the branch into the hopper and once the first bit reaches the teeth it pulls the rest in and spits woodchip into the trailer we were filling. Then we had lunch which was about 45 minutes long as we were very tired and hungry. Fortunately, Oliver had brought a flask of hot tea for us all to enjoy. When we had finished cutting down the trees and chipping all of the branches, it was my job to take a pair of secateurs, which are like big scissors, and cut down all the little bits which were too small for Olivers powerful chainsaw. We finished clearing up at about 4:30 and then Oliver drove us back to the launderette and I walked home from there. I arrived home at about 5:15, very tired and dirty. The next day I woke at the same time to be at work at 7. It wasnt quite as cold as the previous day so I only wore one t-shirt and a jumper. That day Tomak and I had to clear logs which Oliver had cut down the previous week in a woodland. It was on the same site as the previous day but, as it is a very big site, was about 10 minutes walk from where we felled the conifers. As Tomak was a lot bigger and stronger than me, I lifted the smaller, dryer logs and Tomak carried the larger, wetter ones as they were heavier. He picked one up and, as he was walking along, suddenly threw the log about 4 feet away from him and fell to the floor. I dropped the log I was picking up at the time and ran to see what had happened. He had twisted his ankle and remained on the floor rubbing and stretching it for about 5 minutes then just got up and carried on working. Over the next three days we were at the same site in Godalming. Tomak and I had to stack hay bails on the Wednesday, split logs on Thursday and dig a trench to drain a field on Friday. Although on Friday we were assisted by Andy. Although I only worked with Tomak, Andy and Oliver I had a great time. I have always got on well with Andy and Oliver as I had worked with them before but Tomak and I got on surprisingly well despite his bad English. I had a bit of a sore neck by the end of the week though because Oliver is about 6 foot 4 inches and Andy is about 6 foot 6 and I had to keep looking up at them! My only low point was having to stack hay bails on Wednesday. I suffer from hayfever so I started sneezing and my eyes semi-closed plus it was really hot as well. Hay bails arent that light, theyre actually quite heavy so we got all hot and sweaty and I didnt know that if youre not used to hay then it can give you a rash. I only had shorts and a t-shirt and I got little itchy, white spots all over my arms and legs which was made worse by the sweat. Then we had a very long lunch break which meant I had to sit there itching for about an hour. The best part was on Friday. Oliver brought down his air rifle and we set up some targets on a nearby tree and we all had a go at shooting. As it turns out I have quite good aim and got more targets than everyone. Looking back it was a good experience and I think it showed me that, although I enjoyed the week, a career in tree surgery isnt for me. Im just not tall enough!

Approaches to Treating Depression: An Analysis

Approaches to Treating Depression: An Analysis Stacey Obispo NCU Intervention Program Depression is an issue that will affect 10 percent of the young adults in the United States (Buss, 2012). Possible solutions towards treating depression can be found through an evolutionary perspective. By looking through the lens of evolutionary psychology one can see how the ancient environments different from the ones we have today have developed and molded the structure and functions of our brains. Treating depression through understanding environmental influences and natural selection in shaping brain formation and behaviors can be an effective way towards incorporating an intervention plan to prevent and counter the effects of depression. Theoretical Approach The theoretical basis for the depression intervention program is based on an ethological approach. The role of biology in studying human behavior brought on from Darwin’s theory of natural selection was enforced through ethology (Buss, 2012) The ethological approach for treating depression is one that should be considered because it does not just treat the symptom (such as sadness) it attempts to treat the root of the problem. Using an ethological approach to depression answers the four whys of behavior. The four â€Å"whys† of behavior include: 1) the immediate influences of behavior; 2) the developmental influences of behavior; (life;3) the function of behavior or the â€Å"adaptive purpose† it fulfills, and 4) the evolutionary or phylogenetic origins of behavior (Buss, 2012). The first two â€Å"why† questions examine the causes of behaviors pertain to the processing of internal and external stimuli such as one’s anatomy (Geerts Brune, 2009). Th e second two â€Å"why† questions are referred as the evolutionary causes which address the evolutionary processes that molded the behavior (Geerts Brune, 2009). These questions are important pertaining to depression because with these answers a deeper understanding involving the biological action of behavior or selective advantages regarding a person’s survival and reproductive process can be understood as well as how the origins of the behavior may have come about and evolved. Evolutionary Psychology Darwin’s theory of natural selection composes of three essential ingredients variation, inheritance, and selection. Organisms vary in different ways such as personality, cell structure, defensive ability and etc. The raw materials provided that are essential for evolution to operate is variation (Buss, 2012). Some variations are inherited passed down from parents to offspring down through the generations(Buss,2012). As a result, more offspring results due to the aid of heritable variants for the task of survival or reproduction(Buss 2012). Another way variation applies is through phenotypes. Phenotypes are the physical and biochemical characteristics of an organism as determined by the interaction of its genetic make- up and the environment (Brune et al. ,2012). They are important to understanding how behaviors develop due to environmental factors. Phenotypic variation occurs when an intricate interaction of environment and genotype including epigenetic devices are decisively shaped by experiences of the individual lifespan (Brune et al., 2012). Implementation of an intervention program can be made by looking at how the origins of these traits apply to psychological development of maladaptive traits and the detection and the development and nature of its devices, explain the â€Å"proximate causes†, and evolutionary history and adaptive value (Brune et al, 2012). Treating depression through understanding environmental influences and natural selection in shaping brain formation and behaviors seen through the lens of genetics, environment and psychotherapy is the basis for the intervention program. Genetics and Environment Belsky and Pluess (2009) found that in humans parenting and gene environment interactions can affect ones susceptibility to depression. Individuals may be more likely to develop psychiatric conditions like depression because they carry variations of genes that make them vulnerable. What is even more striking in the research of Belsky and Pluess (2009) is the discovery of variations of genes can predispose an individual into developing depression due to unfavorable environmental conditions such as child abuse an these alleles can also protect and allow enhanced coping from experiencing favorable environmental conditions. So the gene can produce two results; predispose one to a psychiatric condition or enhance coping skills. These results show how genes and environment interplay with each other to get either a favorable or unfavorable result. The results advocate how selection favors flexibility which contributes towards individuals being more exposed to environmental possibilities (Br une et al., 2012). This knowledge is valuable for making interventions to depression because the research has suggested that if one is in a favorable environment can foster positive results such as enhanced coping skills (Belsky Pluess, 2009). Conversely, environmental influences such as poor parenting practices and insecure attachment with parents can predispose one to a psychiatric condition (Belsky Pluess, 2009). With this found knowledge the depression intervention program can be implemented because the genetic and environmental causes have been identified. Intervention Program The depression intervention model will be administered with participants who volunteer for the program. Eligible participants will include individuals who have been identified by California Department of Social Services who are currently encountering a depressive episode or who are living in unfavorable conditions which might provoke the occurrence of depression. Families that have been identified at being high risk for child abuse and neglect will also be invited to partake in the intervention program. Individuals who take part of the intervention will receive help through a clinical psychologist administering Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) which is drawn from Bowlby’s attachment theory. The length of treatment will be 1hour sessions given once weekly over the course of six months. Relating to Evolutionary Psychology Evolutionary concepts are important in understanding mental health issues such as depression. An example of how gene and environment interaction interplay with each other is seen in Bowlby’s attachment theory. Psychological and psychiatric clinical practices have drawn upon Bowlby’s attachment model which state that early social interaction between mother and newborn plays an important role in the social development in life and that abnormal early attachment can predispose the child to psychopathology later in life (Geerts Brune, 2009). Following on the evolutionary concept of Bowlby is CFT. CFT is a form of therapy that teaches patients the importance of phenotypic variation and evolutionary concepts. Gilbert (2009) points out that CFT focuses on distinguishing at least three types of emotion regulation systems: threat and protection systems; drive, resource-seeking and excitement systems; and contentment, soothing and safeness systems. The threat and protection system is the source of most psychopathologies and all living things have a threat detection and protection system (Gilbert, 2009). However environmental factors like early life events (unattached mother) may stimulate an individual’s threat protection system which in turn lead to the development of safety strategies which can operate automatically as a conditioned or conflicting response (Gilbert, 2009). Safety strategies according to Gilbert (2009) can include avoiding interpersonal conflict, seeing one’s self as inferior , and being quick to socially anxious and uncertain. Strategies such as these can increase one’s vulnerability to depression and low self- esteem and depression (Gilbert, 2009). According to Gilbert (2009) the drive system relates to the threat protection system by trying to avoid negativity through thoughts such as â€Å"shoulds†, â€Å"oughts† and â€Å" musts† .Material possessions, and achievement are pursued in order to feel safe and deter the feeling of inferiority and rejection (Gilbert, 2009). However in depression there is decreased activity in this system. The contentment system is related with being happy and not having the need to seek for things(Gilbert,2009). Contentment is the absence of activity in the threat protection system. The contentment system is linked to opiates which regulates happy feelings(Gilbert,2009). Bowlby’s attachment theory is related to contentment systems because a parent touching and soothing a baby has an effect on a baby’s physiology (Gilbert, 2009) According to Gilbert (2009) caring behavior is important because it activates the soothing in the threat and protection system and causes it to not be overstimulated. CFT uses attachment theory to help individuals understand the ecological bases ingrained and communicated through their symptoms and offers reasons for giving up unprofitable behavioral strategies or defenses. Conclusion Treating depression through an ethological approach treats the root of the problem not just the symptom. CFT approaches depression by considering phenotypic variations and informing patients of how these variations are a part of an evolutionary process. A depression intervention program like the one modeled which places emphasis on understanding the roles of genes, environment, and psychotherapy can be an effective tool in combating depression. References Belsky, J., Pluess, M. (2009). Beyond diathesis stress: Differential susceptibility to environmental influences. doi:DOI: 10.1037/a0017376 Brune, M., Belsky, J., Fabrega, H., Feierman, H., Glibert, H., Glantz, K., Polimeni, J. (2012). The crisis of psychiatry- insights and prospectus from evolutionary theory. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3266750/?tool=pubmed#B16 Buss, D. (2012) Evolutionary psychology: The new science of the mind 4th ed. Prentice Hall Geerts, E., Brune, M. (2009). Ethological approaches to psychiatric disorders: Focus on Depression and schizophrenia. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=10[emailprotected]hid=104 Gilbert, P. (2009). Introducing compassion -focused therapy. Retrieved from apt.rcpsych.org/content/15/3/199.full

Free College Essays - Lusting After Ladies at the A&P :: A&P Essays

Does lust lead to hardship and emptiness? In this paper (do you mean "this paper" or "John Updike's 'A&P'?) Sammy has a sexual appetite that causes him problems. His worship of a woman's (careful with placement of possessive apostrophe) body causes him to misplace his values and center only on one value. This value is his lustful pleasure he gets when he sees three girls in their skimpy swimsuits. The pleasure he receives outweighs the consequence of emptiness he finally feels after he defends those girls and they do not respond to his pleasurable feelings. Updike in his short story "A&P" uses characterization to illustrate that heroics based upon animalistic sexual appetite, which objectifies women, will lead to a hard and unsuccessful life. Updike uses the characterization of Sammy to illustrate that animalistic sexual appetite objectifies women. Sammy describes Queenie in a sexual manner when he described (try to avoid using the same word twice in a single sentence; try a synonym--to find synonyms there's a cool thesaurus webcite by Merrium Webster at www.m-w.com; also note that you have shifted from present to past tense here; when writing on art you normally stay in the present tense throughout) Queenie's body and bathing suit. He says (missing the proper punctuation after says; if you kept your Holt handbook you should be able to look up punctuation with quotations) "With the straps pushed off, there was nothing between the top of the suit and the top of her head except just her, this clean bare plane of the top of her chest down from the shoulder bones like a dented sheet of metal tilted in the light" (13). (don't forget that MLA style demands that you put the page number of each quote in parentheses immediately af ter each quote) Sammy describes this as more than pretty. His sexual appetite is geared in not seeing these three girls as people but as objects. Sammy sees these women as icons to lust after just like in an eastern orthodox church where they have icons of Jesus and Mary that you can have as objects to focus on and worship. Sammy in effect is using these women as objects to lust after and thus worship human sexuality. He sees these women as objects of pleasure thus fueling his animalistic sexual appetite. (I have a couple of comments on the preceding passage--which I've colored blue.

Examine the factors which explain the differences between economic Essa

Examine the factors which explain the differences between economic growth rates in countries. Economic growth is the long term increase in productive capacity as shown by an outward shift on a PPF curve. The PPF shows the maximum potential output of the economy. Productive capacity is an economies ability to produce goods and services, so if an economy grows, it can produce more goods and services for the population of the economy to use. Differences in Economic growth in countries result due to many factors, such as land and its resources. The amount of land a country possesses, and all the natural resources it finds on the land can affect the amount of output. For example, Saudi Arabia has experienced very high growth rates due to the richly endowed lands which contain much oil. In this developing economy, the oil exploitation was vital for its growth. Some 3rd world countries are so poor, and lack such growth as Saudi Arabia, because they have insufficient land, or insufficient resources to produce goods and have a higher output, and therefore have a higher economic growth. Another supply side factor determining the growth rate of countries is labour, i.e. the number of workers in an economy. More workers mean more output, so should lead to economic growth. Growth rates in different countries may differ due to population differences, as an economy with a higher population, will have a larger workforce. Some countries have immigration laws which can help increase economic growth. For example, an economy can employ migrant labour, by allowing migrants into the country only if they are educated, and in a position to work. This includes only letting younger people into the country, so that there are... ..., and experiences high growth rates. China, one of the fastest growing countries, also concentrates strongly on educating people at a young age. Another factor influencing growth is the significance of international trade. In countries that don’t participate in international trade, such as , there is very slow or no economic growth. This is because it is very hard for one economy to produce all goods which people require. It is better to specialise in a few goods, use them, sell the surplus, and use the money to buy other goods from other economies, rather than the economy to produce everything itself, which is very inefficient. In this country, there is a much slower rate of economic growth compared to other countries. So altogether, there are many factors influencing economic growth, and this leads to different growth rates in different countries.

Inequality in Legal System Essays -- essays research papers

Inequality Paper Inequality in the Legal System   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the United States, true equality has never existed. From the Declaration of Independence to modern times, the US legal system has failed at any attempt at equality. ‘...all men are created equal...’ may be what the Declaration says, but ‘some men are more equal than others’ is how the legal system really interprets that phrase. The actual reality of the Declaration of Independence is that all free, white, landowning men are created equal. Therefore, inequality has always existed in the united States’ legal system and continues to exist today; however, the inequality presently in the system is not as blatant as what it once was. Slavery continued in the United States for nearly ninety years after the Declaration, and African Americans still feel the sting of inequality today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most controversial issues today is the act of racial profiling. The most common form is direct, meaning victims are directly profiled, usually by the police. In this form, individual officers act on racial stereotypes against racial minorities, especially African Americans. Recent studies in New Jersey and Illinois have confirmed that minorities are disproportionately targeted by police officers, although minorities are almost helpless in reporting ‘color of law’ attacks. It is their word against a legal official and, in most cases, the minority victim does not receive justification because the officers are cleared of charges. Out of nearly 10,000 color of law complaints received each year by the Department of Justice, only about thirty police officers are actually prosecuted. According to a June 1999 study done by the American Civil Liberties Union, many states have denied that racial profiling occurs despite overwhelming evidence supporti ng it. The public wants to believe that police officers are doing their jobs righteously by protecting and serving; however, according to the study, most Americans can recognize the difference between racism and assertive, effective policing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Millions of Americans watch television everyday for various reasons, but the most common one is to get the latest news. People like to stay informed, but what good is it when they are constantly being misinformed? The media tend to ‘profile’ just as much... ...rican Americans made up 43 percent of the death row inmates, which was more than three times the 13 percent share of the US population. This is mainly because African Americans rarely receive strong legal representation. They either can’t afford good attorneys or attorneys who have experience in that area are so overburdened that defendants must rely on public defenders or other attorneys with little or no expertise in covering a capital defense. Most African Americans are on death row for the accusation of killing a Caucasian person, which makes the public wonder if there is a premium on Caucasian life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United States’ legal system has never been truly equal because it was founded on inequality and has always depended on inequality. The system could easily be changed to eliminate those inequalities, such as racial profiling, but that will not likely happen. So long as there is a majority dependent on the disparities of a minority, the system will maintain its current sanctity. In doing so, the system will remain dependent on inequality and provide means for future inequalities. The US legal system will always adapt to allow for inequalities.

Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity Essay

Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity People of different religions are in contact with each other every day, and do not even realize it. Here in the United States there is a compilation of many religions. Three major religions not only in the United States, but also throughout the world are Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. There are many differences, and few similarities when comparing Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. Not only are the backgrounds of these religions similar and different, but so are the practices that they still live out to this day. Hinduism originated between 4000 and 2000 BC. Hinduism believes in Karma, â€Å"you reap what you sow,† and reincarnation. Reincarnation is the belief that after death, the soul can come back to earth in another body. The Hindu trinity is the Brahma, Vishnu, and the Shiva, which are the three aspects of the same divine being. There are four goals in the life of a Hindu. They are Kama, Artha, Dharma, and Moksha. These mean the fulfillment of certain desires, wealth, religious duties, and not wanting things. The cow and the bull are both considered sacred and should not be slaughtered. So Hindus are forbidden from eating beef. There are many festivals affiliated with the Hindu religion, because they believe it keeps them close to their gods. At least once a month, there is a Hindu festival, where they celebrate their diversity. Islam is the second largest religion in the world, and the fastest growing religion in the world. Islam is the belief in the Judeo-Christian God. Muslims are monotheistic, and believe in the five pillars of Islam. The five pillars are the Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, and the Hajj. The Shahada means testimony, Salat is for prayer, Zakat is for giving, Sawm is for fasting, and Hajj means pilgrimage. According to Muslims, Muhammad was a cornerstone of Islam, and he was god’s messenger. For Muslims, the pig is an unclean animal, and is forbidden to eat unless prepared in accordance with prescribed rules. Intoxicating drinks and substances are prohibited. Christianity is a major world religion that adapted over 2000 years ago. It is the belief that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God. The major text of Christianity is the Bible. The Bible concludes of an Old and a New Testament, and is a compilation of books. Christians have many ways of religious practices. There are festivals and feasts, which are usually celebrated on holidays. The communal worship takes place on Sundays and other days of the week in which people from the church come together for rituals. The last is private worship, which is used when one is alone, where they can engage in prayer, devotions, and spiritual practices. Islam is a religion founded by a prophet. In contrast, Hinduism is a group of religious traditions, established over a period of time. In Hinduism personalities do not count as much as the divine law or the dharma. So in Islam the message of Islam is far more important than the person of Muhammad himself. Unlike Christianity, Muslims do not worship their prophet. Unlike Islam, Hinduism is strictly monogamous. Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam all share similarities and differences. Unlike Hinduism, Christianity and Islam share the belief of only one god. Hindus have a god for fire, death, water, etc. The practices of Christianity and Islam are sometimes in groups, while Hinduism is practiced alone. All three religions believe in the efficacy of prayer. But Hinduism and Islam believe in the importance of remembering and reciting the names, words, and deeds of god, for inner purification. Unlike Islam and Christianity, Hinduism has the choice of an intervener between god and a person, such as a priest or a guru for assistance. Intimate relationships are not approved of in Islam and Hinduism. Dating is considered both irreligious and immoral. In these two religions along with Christianity, premarital sex is considered immoral also. In conclusion all three religions share that they believe in an afterlife, and strive for immortality. For all religions death is a normal and natural thing that leads to an eternal life. Christianity and Islam are closer together then Hinduism. Mostly Europeans adopted Christianity along with Islam in the 18th and 19th centuries. This means that both Christianity and Islam have been influenced in some ways by the European culture. The Europeans have pulled Christianity and Islam close together while the Europeans have never influenced Hinduism, which makes Hinduism different from the other two religions.

Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Two

â€Å"Are you kidding? I barely got off suspension in time to be allowed to come tonight.† Of course, at the moment Gabe was wishing the timing hadn't been so helpful. â€Å"I'm lucky I didn't get expelled.† â€Å"Mr. Reese had it coming. Everyone knows that.† â€Å"Yeah, he did,† Gabe said, a sudden edge sharpening his tone. Everyone at school was wary of Mr. Reese, but there wasn't much they could do until the math teacher crossed a line he shouldn't have. All the upperclassmen knew about Mr. Reese, too, but Gabe wasn't about to stand by while he stalked that clueless freshman kid†¦ Still, knocking out a teacher was a bit extreme. There was probably some better way to have handled the situation. His parents had been supportive, though, as usual. Logan interrupted his thoughts. â€Å"Maybe we should take off,† Logan said. â€Å"I'd feel bad-if Celeste needs a way home†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"That girl is not your type, Gabe.† She's pure evil-and a full-on whore, Logan could have added, but those just weren't the kinds of things you wanted to say about any girl while Gabe was in hearing range. â€Å"Let her get a ride with the guy sticking his tongue down her throat.† Gabe sighed and shook his head. â€Å"I'll wait to make sure she's okay.† Logan groaned. â€Å"I can't believe you asked her. Well, can we ditch out long enough to pick up a few decent CDs at least? Then we could hijack that pile of crap the DJ's playing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I like the way you think. I wonder if the limo driver would mind a side trip†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Logan and Gabe ended up in a mock argument over the best CDs to retrieve-the top five were obvious, but from there down the list was a little more subjective-both of them having a better time than they'd had all evening. It was funny, but as they joked around, Gabe had a sense that they were the only ones having a good time. Everyone in the room seemed to be frowning about something. And over in the corner by the stale cookies, it looked like a girl was crying. Wasn't that Evie Hess? And another girl, Ursula Tatum, also had red eyes and smeared mascara. Maybe the music and the punch weren't the only things about this prom that sucked. Clara and Bryan looked happy, but aside from those two, Gabe and Logan-both recently humiliated and rejected-seemed to be enjoying themselves more than everyone else. Less perceptive than Gabe, Logan didn't register the negative atmosphere until Libby and Dylan started arguing; abruptly, Libby stalked off the dance floor. That caught his attention at once. Logan shifted his weight, his eyes glued to Libby's departing figure. â€Å"Hey, Gabe, do you mind if I ditch you?† â€Å"Not at all. Go for it.† Logan nearly sprinted after her. Gabe wasn't sure what to do with himself now. Should he find Celeste and ask whether she minded if he bailed? He wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of prying her loose from someone else in order to ask, though. He decided to get another bottle of water and find the quietest corner possible to wait for the evening to drag to an end. And then, as he went searching for that quiet corner, Gabe felt the strange pull again, stronger than he'd ever felt it in his life; it was like someone was drowning in black waters and screaming to him for help. He glanced around frantically, wondering where the urgent call was coming from. He couldn't understand the vital, jagged edge of this distress. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before. For just a moment, his eyes locked on one girl-on her back, as she was walking away from him. The girl's hair was black and glossy, with a mirrorlike sheen. She wore a spectacular floor-length dress the color of flames. As Gabe watched, her earrings flashed once, like little red sparklers. Gabe began walking after her in an almost unconscious movement, drawn by the wrenching need that surrounded her. She turned slightly, and he got a glimpse of an unfamiliar pale, aquiline profile-full ivory lips and black slanting brows-before she ducked through the ladies' room door. Gabe was breathing hard with the effort of not following the girl into no-man's-land. He could feel her need sucking at him like quicksand. He leaned against the wall across from the bathroom, folded his arms tight across his chest, and tried to talk himself out of waiting for the girl. This lunatic instinct he had was way off base. Wasn't Celeste proof of that? It was all just imagination. Maybe he should leave now. But Gabe couldn't force his feet to move one step away. Though the girl barely reached five foot three inches in her stiletto heels, something about her figure-whip-slender and rod-straight as a fencing foil-made her appear tall. She was a walking contradiction in more ways than height-both dark and light with her inky hair and chalky skin, both delicate and hard with her tiny, sharp features, and both inviting and repellent with the mesmerizing undulations of her body under the hostile expression on her face. Only one thing about her was not ambiguous-her dress was, without question, a work of art: Bright red tongues of leather flame bared her pale shoulders and licked down her willowy curves until they kissed the floor. As she crossed the dance floor, female eyes followed the pathway of the dress with envy and male eyes followed it with lust. There was another phenomenon that followed her; as the girl in the fiery dress passed through the dancers, little gasps of horror and pain and embarrassment rippled out from around her in strange eddies that could only be coincidence. A high heel cracked, twisting the ankle inside it. A satin dress split along a seam from thigh to waist. A contact lens popped out and was lost on the dirty floor. A vital bra strap snapped in two. A wallet slipped from a pocket. An unexpected cramp announced an early period. A borrowed necklace scattered in a shower of pearls to the floor. And on and on-little disasters spinning small circles of misery. The pale dark 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 then she frowned, furrowing her brow in fierce concentration. The one boy who was watching her face saw a strange red glitter near her earlobes, like shooting red sparks. Everyone else turned just then to stare at Brody Farrow, who clutched his arm and shouted in pain; the slight movement of the slow 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. Faint moans of pain and chagrin trailed after her. A crowd of girls hovered in front of the wall-length mirrors inside the bathroom. They only had a moment to gape at the stunning dress, to notice how the slight girl inside it shivered briefly in the stuffy, too-warm room, before the chaos distracted them. It started with Emma Roland stabbing herself in the eye with a mascara wand. She flailed in dismay, striking the full glass of punch in Bethany Crandall's hand, which then drenched Bethany and stained three other dresses in the most inconvenient places. The atmosphere in the restroom was suddenly hotter than the temperature as one girl-sporting a hideous green smear across her chest-accused Bethany of throwing the punch on her purposely. The pale dark girl only smiled slightly at the brewing fight, and then strode to the farthest stall in the long room and locked the door behind her. She did not make use of the privacy the way one might expect. Instead-showing no fear of the less-than-sterile environment-the girl leaned her forehead against the metal wall and squeezed her eyes shut. Her hands, 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 have wondered what was causing the red glow that shone dully through the crack between the door and the wall. But no one was paying attention. The girl in the red dress clenched her teeth tightly together. From between them, a hot spurt of bright flame shot 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 fingers of red crackling against the cold metal. The fire reached up to her hair, but did not scorch the smooth, inky locks. Traces of smoke began to seep from her nose and ears. A shower of sparks popped from her ears as she whispered one word through her teeth. â€Å"Melissa.† Back out on the crowded dance floor, Melissa Harris looked up, distracted. Had someone just called her name? There didn't seem to be anyone close enough to be responsible for the low sound. Just her imagination, then. Melissa looked back at her date and tried to concentrate on what he was saying. Melissa wondered why she had agreed to go to the prom with Cooper Silverdale. He wasn't her type. A small boy, consumed with his own importance, with too much to prove. He'd been oddly hyper all night, bragging about his family and his possessions nonstop, and Melissa was tired of it. Another faint whisper caught Melissa's attention, and she turned. There, too far across the crowd to be the source behind the sound, Tyson Bell was staring straight at Melissa over the head of the girl he danced with. Melissa looked down at once, shuddering, trying not to care who he was with, forcing herself not to look. She moved closer to Cooper. Boring and shallow, maybe, but better than Tyson. Anyone was better than Tyson. Really? Is Cooper really the better option? The questions popped into Melissa's thoughts as if they came from someone else entirely. Involuntarily, she glanced up into Tyson's heavily lashed dark eyes. He was still staring. Of course Cooper was better than Tyson, no matter how beautiful Tyson was. That beauty was just part of the trap. Cooper babbled on, stumbling over his words as he tried to capture Melissa's interest. You're out of Cooper's league, the thought whispered. Melissa shook her head, embarrassed for thinking that way. It was vain. Cooper was just as good as she was, as good as any other boy. Not as good as Tyson. Remember how it was†¦ Melissa tried to keep the images out of her mind: Tyson's warm eyes, full of longing†¦ his hands, rough and soft against her skin†¦ his rich voice that made even the most common words sound like poetry†¦ the way just the lightest pressure of his lips against her fingers could send her pulse sprinting in her veins†¦ Her heart thumped, aching. Deliberately, Melissa dredged up a new memory to combat the rebel images. Tyson's iron fist smashing into the side of her face without warning-the black spots blossoming in front of her eyes-her hands bracing against the floor-vomit choking in her throat-raw pain shaking her whole body- He was sorry. So sorry. He promised. Never again. Unwanted, the image of Tyson's coffee eyes swimming with tears clouded her vision. Reflexively, Melissa's eyes sought Tyson. He was still staring. His forehead creased, his eyebrows pulled together, grief-stricken†¦ Melissa shuddered again. â€Å"Are you cold? Do you want my-?† Cooper half-shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket and then stopped himself, his face flushing. â€Å"You can't be cold. It's so hot in here,† he said lamely as he withdrew the offer, buttoning the jacket back into place. â€Å"I'm fine,† Melissa assured him. She forced herself to look only at his sallow, boyish face. â€Å"This place kinda sucks,† Cooper said, and Melissa nodded, happy to agree with him. â€Å"We could go to my father's country club. There's an incredible restaurant, if you're in the mood for dessert. We won't have to wait for a table. As soon as I mention my name†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Melissa's attention wandered again. Why am I here with this little snob? asked the thought that was so strangely unfamiliar in her head, though it came in her own voice. He's a weakling. So what if he couldn't hurt a kitten? Isn't there more to love than safety? I don't feel the same need in my stomach when I look at Cooper-when I look at anyone besides Tyson†¦ I can't lie to myself. I still want him. So much. Isn't that love, that wanting? Melissa wished she hadn't drunk so much of that vile, burning punch. It was impossible to think clearly. She watched as Tyson left his partner stranded and crossed the floor until he stood right in front of her-the perfect broad-shouldered football hero cliche. It was as if Cooper didn't exist there between them. â€Å"Melissa?† he asked in his melting voice, sorrow twisting his features. â€Å"Melissa, please!† He held his hand out toward her, ignoring Cooper's wordless spluttering. Yes yes yes yes yes chanted in her head. A thousand memories of desire rocked 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. Melissa's blood ran through her veins like fire. Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Two The mist of nothing slipped slowly from me in a painful series of prickles and the sound of two people arguing. I felt sick, not from my entire back tingling so painfully I could hardly stand to breathe, but from the feeling of helpless fear that the hushed, back-and-forth voices pulled from my past. I could almost smell the moldy fluff of my stuffed rabbit as I had curled into a ball and listened to the two people who were my entire world frighten me beyond belief. That they had both told me it hadn't been my fault hadn't lessened my grief at all. Grief I had to hold inside until it became a part of me. Pain that adhered to my bones. To cry in my mother's arms would say I loved her more. To cry into my dad's shoulder would say I loved him best. It was a crappy way to grow up. But this†¦ this wasn't my parents arguing. It sounded like two kids. I took a breath to find it came easier. The last of the haze started to fade with the tingles, and my lungs moved, aching as if someone were sitting on them. Realizing my eyes were shut, I opened them to find a blurry black just before my nose. There was a heavy, plasticky smell. â€Å"She was sixteen when she got in that car. It's your fault,† a young but masculine voice said hotly, oddly muffled. I was getting the distinct impression that the argument had been going on for some time, but I only remembered snatches of it amid uneasy thoughts of nothing. â€Å"You are not going to put this on me,† a girl said, her voice just as hushed and determined. â€Å"She was seventeen 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?† â€Å"I missed it because she wasn't seventeen!† he shot back. â€Å"She was sixteen when he picked her up. How was I supposed to know he was after her? How come you weren't there? You slipped up big time.† The girl gasped in affront. I was cold. Taking a deeper breath, I felt a surge of strength. Fewer tingles, more aches. It was stuffy, my breath coming back warm to me. It wasn't dark; I was in something. â€Å"You little piss-ant!† the girl snapped. â€Å"Don't tell me I slipped up. She died at seventeen. That's why I wasn't there. I was never notified.† â€Å"But I don't do sixteen,† he said, his voice going nasty. â€Å"I thought he was flipping the boy.† I suddenly realized the black blur throwing back my breath was a sheet of plastic. My hands came up, and my nails pushed through it in a stab of fear. Almost panicking, I sat up. I'm on a table? It sure felt hard enough for one. I shoved the plastic off me. Two kids were standing by a set of dirty white swinging doors, and they spun in surprise. The girl's pale face went red, and the guy backed up as if embarrassed to have been caught arguing with her. â€Å"Oh!† the girl said, tossing her long dark braid behind her. â€Å"You're up. Uh, hi. I'm Lucy, and this is Barnabas.† The guy dropped his eyes and waved sheepishly. â€Å"Hey,† he said. â€Å"How you doing?† â€Å"You were with Josh,† I said, my finger shaking as I pointed, and he nodded, still not looking at me. His costume looked odd next to her shorts and tank top. Both of them wore a black stone pendant around their necks. They were dull and insignificant, but my eye went to them because they were the only thing the two shared. Other than their anger at each other and their surprise at me. â€Å"Where am I?† I said, and Barnabas winced, a tall form scuffing his feet against the tile. â€Å"Where's Josh?† I hesitated, realizing I was in a hospital, but†¦ Wait a minute. I was in a freaking body bag? â€Å"I'm in the morgue?† I blurted. â€Å"What am I doing in the morgue?† Moving wildly, I got my legs out of the plastic bag and slid to the floor, heels clicking in some weird counterpoint as I caught my balance. There was a tag on a rubber band around my wrist, and I yanked it off, taking some hair along with it. I had a long rip in my skirt, and heavy grease marked it. Dirt and grass were plastered to me, and I stank of field and antiseptic. So much for getting my deposit back. â€Å"Someone made a mistake,† I said as I shoved the tag in a pocket, and Lucy snorted. â€Å"Barnabas,† she said, and he stiffened. â€Å"This is not my fault!† he exclaimed, rounding on her. â€Å"She was sixteen when she got in that car. I don't do sixteen! How was I supposed to know it was her birthday?† â€Å"Yeah? Well, she was seventeen when she died, so it is your problem!† Dead? Were they blind? â€Å"You know what?† I said, feeling more steady the longer I stood here. â€Å"You two can argue till the sun goes nova, but I have to find someone and tell them I'm okay.† Heels clicking, I headed for the dirty white twin doors. â€Å"Madison, wait,† the guy said. â€Å"You can't.† â€Å"Watch me,† I said. â€Å"My dad is going to be so-o-o-o ticked.† I strode past them, getting twenty feet before a feeling of disconnection hit me. Dizzy, I put a hand to an empty table as the odd sensation roared from nowhere. My hand cramped where it rested, and I pulled it away as if burned when it seemed the coldness of metal had touched my bone. I felt†¦ spongy. Thin. The soft hum of the ventilation grew muffled. Even the pounding of my heart became distant. I turned, hand to my chest to try and make it feel normal again. â€Å"What†¦Ã¢â‚¬  From across the room, Barnabas shrugged his thin shoulders. â€Å"You're dead, 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 fell against the empty table. I was still there. I mean, I was still on the gurney. I was lying on the cart in a torn body bag, looking far too small and pale, my elaborate dress bunched up around me in an elegant display of forgotten grace out of time. I was dead? But I could feel my heart beat. Limbs going weak, I started to crumple. â€Å"Swell. She's a fainter,† the girl said dryly. Barnabas lurched forward 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, Barnabas's lips pressed tight. He was so close, and I thought I could smell sunflowers. â€Å"Why don't you shut up?† he said to Lucy as he eased me to the floor. â€Å"Show a little compassion? That's your job, you know.† The cold from the tile soaked into me, seeming to clear the gray about my sight. How could I be dead? Did the dead pass out? â€Å"I'm not dead,† I said unsteadily, and Barnabas helped me sit up and put my back to a table leg. â€Å"Yes, you are.† He crouched beside me, his brown eyes wide and concerned. Sincere. â€Å"I'm really sorry. I thought he was going to flip Josh. They usually don't leave evidence like a car behind like that. You must really be a broken 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. â€Å"He thinks I'm dead. Josh, I mean.† From across the room came Lucy's caustic â€Å"You are dead.† I sent my gaze to the gurney, and Barnabas shifted to block my view. â€Å"Who are you?† I asked as the dizziness slipped away. Barnabas stood. â€Å"We, ah, are Reconnaissance Error Acquisitions Personnel. Evaluation and Recovery.† I thought about that. 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 alive! That might be me, but I was standing here, too. â€Å"You're grim reapers!† 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 Barnabas's neck. â€Å"Oh my God, I'm dead,† I whispered. â€Å"I can't be dead. I'm not ready to be dead. I'm not done yet! I'm only seventeen!† â€Å"We're not grim reapers.† Lucy had her arms crossed defensively as if it were a sore spot. â€Å"We're white reapers. Black reapers kill people before their coin should be flipped, white reapers try to save them, and grim reapers are treacherous betrayers who brag too much and won't survive to see the sun turn back to dust.† Barnabas looked embarrassed as he shuffled his feet. â€Å"Grim reapers are white reapers who were tricked into working for†¦ the other side. They don't do much culling since black reapers don't let them, but if there is a sudden, massive death toll, you know they'll show to pull a few souls early, in as dramatic a way as possible. They're hacks. No class at all.† This last was said with a bitter voice, and I wondered at the rivalry, backing up until I started going spongy again. Eyeing their amulets, I edged forward until the feeling went away. â€Å"You kill people. That's what Seth said. He said something about culling my soul! You do kill people!† Barnabas ran a hand across the back of his neck. â€Å"Ah, we don't. Most of the time.† He glanced at Lucy. â€Å"Seth is a black reaper, a dark reaper. We only show up when they target someone out of time, or there's been a mistake.† â€Å"Mistake?† My head swung up in hope. Did that mean they could put me back? Lucy came forward. â€Å"You weren't supposed to die, see. A dark reaper took you out before your coin should have been flipped. It's our job to stop them, but we can't sometimes. We're here to make a formal apology and get you where you're going.† Frowning, she looked at Barnabas. â€Å"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. â€Å"I'm not going anywhere. If you made a mistake, fine. Just put me back! I'm right there.† I took a step forward, scared out of my mind. â€Å"You can, right?† Barnabas winced. â€Å"It's kinda too late. Everyone knows you're dead.† â€Å"I don't care!† I shouted. Then my face went cold in a sudden thought. Dad. He thought I was†¦ â€Å"Dad†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I whispered, panicking. Taking a breath, I turned to the swinging doors and broke into a run. â€Å"Wait! Madison!† Barnabas shouted, but I hit the doors hard, stumbling through them even though they only swung three inches. But I was in the next room. I had sort of passed through them. As if I weren't 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. Mouth open, he pointed. â€Å"There's been a mistake,† I blurted, heading to the open archway and the dimly lit hall. â€Å"I'm not dead.† But I was feeling really weird again. Misty and thin. Stretched. Nothing sounded right, either, and the gray was edging my sight to make a tunnel-like vision. Behind 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. â€Å"Yes, she is,† he said, never slowing down until he grabbed my wrist. â€Å"You're hallucinating. She's not really here. Neither am I.† â€Å"Where did you come from?† the guy managed, staring. â€Å"How did you get in there?† Lucy shoved in, the swinging door banging against the wall to make me and Desk Guy jump. â€Å"Madison, quit being a stiff. You gotta go.† This was too much for the technician, and he reached for the phone. I twisted my wrist, but Barnabas wouldn't release me. â€Å"I have to talk to my dad!† I exclaimed, and he yanked me off balance. â€Å"We're leaving,† he said, a new threat in his eyes. â€Å"Right 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. Try to stop me, I thought, then ran right into something big, warm, and smelling of silk. I backed up, becoming scared when I saw 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. â€Å"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 scent of sea now smelled like rot. â€Å"That's right,† he added, pulling his gaze back to me, and I shuddered. â€Å"You died on the anniversary of your birth. Two reapers. My, my, my. Such the drama queen, Madison. I'm glad you're up. It's time to go.† Hunched and afraid, I retreated. â€Å"Don't touch me.† â€Å"Madison!† Barnabas shouted. â€Å"Run!† But 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. â€Å"What are you doing here?† she said, voice shaking. â€Å"She's already dead. You can't flip her twice.† Seth scuffed his shoes confidently. â€Å"As you said, I flipped her coin. She's mine if I want her.† Barnabas paled. â€Å"You never come back for them. You're†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His eyes darted to the stone about Seth's neck. â€Å"You're not a black reaper, are you?† Seth grinned as if it was a big joke. â€Å"No. I'm not. I'm a little bit more. More than you can handle. Leave, Barnabas. Just walk away. It won't hurt if you do.† I stared at Barnabas, helpless. His brown eyes met mine, saw my fear. I watched him visibly gather his courage. â€Å"Barnabas!† Lucy shouted, terrified. â€Å"Don't!† But 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. â€Å"Run!† Lucy shouted, pushing me toward the morgue. â€Å"Stay in the sun. Don't let the black wings touch you. We'll get help. Someone will find you. Get out of here!† â€Å"How?† I exclaimed. â€Å"He's 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. â€Å"She meant,† Seth said, his voice both familiar and strange, â€Å"to run through the walls. You had a better chance against the black wings in the sun than with me under the ground.† â€Å"But I can't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  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. â€Å"Nice to see you, Madison, now that I can really†¦ see you.† He took off his mask and let it drop. His face was beautiful, like chiseled stone made soft. I licked my lips and went cold to the bone when I remembered him kissing me. Holding one arm to myself, I backed away, trying to get out of Barnabas's and Lucy's 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. â€Å"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. â€Å"I'd rather stay, 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 wasn't. I stared at Seth, then at that black stone about his neck. It was the same. Damn it! â€Å"You don't have a choice,† he said. â€Å"I'm the one that killed you. You're mine.† He reached out, grabbing my wrist. Adrenaline surged, and I twisted. â€Å"The hell I am,† I said, then kicked him in the shins. He clearly felt it, grunting as he bent in pain, but didn't let go. He had put his face in my reach, though, and grabbing his hair, I slammed his nose against my rising knee. 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 I'd never make it. Heart pounding, I grabbed the stone about his neck, pulling 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 covering his face. He looked as surprised as if he had run into a glass wall. â€Å"Madison†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Barnabas rasped from the floor. I turned, seeing him stare at me with pain-laced, unfocused eyes. â€Å"Run,† he gasped. Seth's amulet in my hand, I turned to the open hallway†¦ and I ran. Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Two EIGHT HOURS EARLIER†¦ â€Å"Foxy girls know that silence may be golden-but only for four seconds. Anything longer and you re heading for Awkward Avenue,† Miranda read, then frowned at the book. â€Å"If you feel the countdown creeping, make him an offer! A simple ‘Would you like some nuts? said with a smile can break the silence stagnation in a snap. Remember, foxy is as foxy does.† Miranda was starting to deeply distrust How to Get-And Kiss! – Your Guy. Leaning against the side of the black Town Car parked in the loading zone at the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport that June evening, she thought of how totally thrilled she'd been when she'd found it at the bookstore. It looked like an and-they-all-lived-happily-ever-after dream come true in book form-who wouldn't want to learn â€Å"The Five Facial Expressions That Will Change Your Life† or â€Å"The Secrets of the Tongue Tantra Only Da Pros Know†? – but having done all the exercises, she wasn't convinced of the transformative powers of the Winsome Smile or spending half an hour a day sucking on a grape. It wasn't the first time a self-help book had let her down-Procrastinate No More and Make Friends with YOU had both been total disasters-but it was depressing because she'd had such high hopes this time. And because, as her best friend, Kenzi, recently pointed out, any senior in high school who acted like Miranda did around her crush really, really needed help. She tried another passage. â€Å"Rephrase one of his questions back to him, adding that hint of suggestion with a raised eyebrow. Or pick up the conversation with a pickup line! You: Are we in the china section? Him: No, why? You: Because you are fine. If china isn't your thing, this one never fails to launch-You: Are you wearing space pants? Him: No, why? You: Because your butt is-â€Å" â€Å"Hello, Miss Kiss.† Miranda looked up and found herself staring up at the cleft chin and tanned face of Deputy Sergeant Caleb Reynolds. She must have been really distracted to not even have heard his heartbeat when he approached. It was distinctive, with a little echo at the end, kind of like a one-two-three cha-cha beat (she'd learned about the cha-cha beat from You Can Dance! another massively unfortunate self-help experience). He'd probably have trouble with that when he got old, but at twenty-two it didn't 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 cute guy-let alone Santa Barbara's youngest sheriff's deputy, who was only four years older than she and who surfed every morning before work and who was cool enough to get away with wearing sunglasses even though it was almost 8:00 p.m.-she said, â€Å"Hi, deputy. Come here often?† Causing him to frown. â€Å"No.† â€Å"No, you wouldn't, why would you? Me either. Well, not that often. Maybe once a week. Not 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 hatch you could disappear through when you'd utterly and completely mortified yourself. Or when you had spontaneous zit eruptions. â€Å"Good book?† he asked, taking it from her and reading the subtitle, â€Å"A Guide for Good Girls Who (Sometimes) Want to Be Bad† out loud. But life did not come with a trapdoor. â€Å"It's for a school project. Homework. On, um, mating rituals.† â€Å"Thought crime was more your thing.† He hit her with one of his half smiles, too cool to pull out a big grin. â€Å"You planning on foiling any more convenience store heists any time soon?† That had been a mistake. Not stopping the guys who'd held up Ron's 24-Hour Open Market #3, but sticking around long enough to let the police see her. For some reason they'd found it hard to believe that she'd 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 law enforcement. And school administration. But she'd learned a lot since then. â€Å"I'm trying to keep it to one heist a month,† she said, hoping for a light, ha-ha-I'm-just-kidding-foxy-is-as-foxy-does tone. â€Å"Today it's just my regular job, VIP airport pickup.† Miranda heard his cha-cha heartbeat speed up slightly. Maybe he thought VIPs were cool. â€Å"That boarding school you go to, Chatsworth Academy? They let you off campus any time you want or only certain days?† â€Å"Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, if you're a senior. We don't have classes then,† she said and heard his heartbeat pick up more. â€Å"Wednesday and Saturday afternoons free. What do you do for fun?† Was he asking her out? No. Way. NOWAYNOWAYNOWAY! Flirt! she ordered herself. Winsome Smile! Say something! Anything! Be foxy! Now! â€Å"What 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, â€Å"I work, Miss Kiss.† Please give a warm welcome to Miranda Kiss, our new Miss Idiot Girl of the year, she thought. Said: â€Å"Of course. Me too. I mean, I'm either driving clients or at team practice. I'm one of Tony Bosun's Bee Girls? The Roller Derby team? That's why I do this,† meaning to point to the Town Car but bashing it with her hand instead. â€Å"You have to be a driver for Tony's company, 5Bs Luxury Transport, to be on the team. We usually only have games on the weekends, but we practice on Wednesdays, sometimes on other days†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Crazy Mouth trailed off. â€Å"I've seen the Bees play. That's a professional team, isn't it? They let a high school student play?† Miranda swallowed. â€Å"Oh, sure. Of course.† He looked at her over the top of his sunglasses. â€Å"Okay, I had to lie to get on the team. Tony thinks I'm twenty. You won't tell him, will you?† â€Å"He believed you were twenty?† â€Å"He needed a new jammer.† Deputy Reynolds chuckled. â€Å"So you're the jammer? You're good. I can see why he might have made an exception.† Eyeing her some more. â€Å"I never would have recognized you.† â€Å"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. â€Å"So you put on one of those red, white, and blue satin outfits? The ones with the short skirts and that cute cape? I'd 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 pitcher of maple syrup and a big- â€Å"Well, there's my lady,† he said. â€Å"Catch you.† And then walked away. – stack of pancakes. Miranda watched him go up to a woman 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, â€Å"Wait until we get to the house. I've got some amazing new toys, something special just for you,† his voice husky, heart racing. As he passed Miranda, he lifted his chin in her direction and said, â€Å"You stay out of trouble.† â€Å"Yeah, you too,† Crazy Mouth told him. Miranda wanted to bang her head against the top of the car at how idiotic she was. She tried to give a Lite Laff (expression number four from the book) but ended up making herself choke instead. When they were across the parking lot, she heard the woman asking who she was and heard Deputy Reynolds say, â€Å"The local Town Car driver.† â€Å"She's the driver?† the woman said. â€Å"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. You're sure I don't need to be concerned?† Miranda heard him laugh, the genuine amusement in his voice as he said, â€Å"Her? Baby, she's just a high school student who has a crush on me. Trust me, you've got nothing to worry about.† And thought: Trap. Door. Now. Please. Sometimes having superhearing supersucked. Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Two And he wants me to know that he's coming. He's 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 â€Å"Dammit!† What is happening? â€Å"Sebastian.† Lila's voice sounds bemused. â€Å"Someone is shooting ketchup at you!† What? Did she just say†¦ ketchup?. And then, as I carefully turn to try to get a look past the pillar to see what Lila is talking about, I see him. Not Sebastian. His shooter. And I can hardly believe my eyes. What's he doing here? Adam It's all Ted's fault. He's the one who said we should follow them on their date. I was like, â€Å"Why?† † ‘Cause the dude's trouble, man,† Ted said. Except there's no way Ted could have known that. Drake had basically turned up from out of nowhere outside Lila's Park Avenue apartment building 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, â€Å"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 & Fitch catalog or something. You can't trust a guy who's that, well, perfect. Still, I'm not down with following other guys around. It's not cool. Even if, like Ted said, it was just to make sure Lila didn't get into trouble. I know Lila is Ted's lady-ex-lady now, thanks to Drake. And okay, she's never been the shiniest fork in the drawer. But following her on this date with the dude she's hooked up with? That just seemed like a bigger waste of time than-well, that two thousand-word, double-spaced essay I've got due in Mrs. Gregory's U.S. History class on Monday. Then Ted had to go and suggest I bring the Beretta 9mm. The thing is, even though it's just a water pistol, toy guns that look as real as that are illegal in Manhattan. So I haven't really had an opportunity 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 wouldn't be able to resist. The ketchup was my idea. And, yeah, it is pretty juvenile. But what the hell else am I going to do on a Friday night? It beats a U.S. History paper. Anyway, I told the T Man I guessed I'd be down with his plan. So long as I was the one who got to do the shooting. Which was fine with Ted. â€Å"I just gotta know, man,† he'd said, shaking his head. â€Å"Know what?† â€Å"What this Sebastian dude's got,† he said, â€Å"that I don't.† I could've told him, of course. I mean, it's pretty obvious to anyone who freaking looks at Drake what he's got that Ted doesn't. Ted's a decent-looking guy and all, but Abercrombie material he is not. Still, I didn't say anything. Because the T Man was really hurtin' over this one. And I could sort of understand why. Lila's just one of those girls, you know? All big brown eyes and big, well, other parts, too. But I won't go there on account of my sister, Veronica, who says I need to stop thinking of women as sex objects and start thinking of them as future partners in the inevitable struggle to survive in postapocalyptic America (which Veronica's writing her senior thesis on because she feels the apocalypse is going to occur sometime in the next decade, due to the country's current state of religious fanaticism and environmental recklessness, both of which were present at the fall of Rome and various other societies that no longer exist). So that's how me and the T Man ended up at Swig-fortunately, Ted's 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 guy's got to have some fun, right? And it was fun to see those red stains spurting all over the guy's chest. The T Man was actually laughing for the first time since Lila sent him that text message during lunch, telling 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 didn't make any sense. You'd have thought he'd have been looking over at us, in our VIP booth (thanks, Uncle Vinnie), considering that's the direction the ketchup assault was coming from. That's when I noticed 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 Ted's uncle Vinnie. Not that it matters. All that matters is that Drake's staring at the pillar Mary's crouched behind like he can see straight through it. There's something about the way he's looking over at her that makes me†¦ well, all I know is that is not where I want that guy looking. â€Å"Moron,† I mutter. Mostly about Drake. But also about myself, a little. And then I aim and shoot once more. â€Å"Oh, snap,† Ted yells happily. â€Å"Did you see that? Right in the ass!† That gets Drake's 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 I'd actually see a pair. But that's exactly what Drake's got, as he stares at us. Eyes that are most definitely blazing. Come on, I find myself thinking in Drake's direction. That's right. Come on over here, Drake. You wanna fight? I've got a lot more than just ketchup, dude. Which isn't exactly true. But it doesn't end up mattering, because Drake doesn't come over anyway. Instead, he disappears. I don't mean that he turns around and leaves the club. I mean that one minute he's standing there, and the next he's†¦ well, he's just gone. For a second the fog from the dry ice seems to get thicker-and when it clears, Lila is dancing by herself. â€Å"Here,† I say, thrusting the Beretta into Ted's hand. â€Å"What the-† Ted scans the dance floor. â€Å"Where'd he go?† But I've already taken off. â€Å"Grab Lila,† I yell back at Ted. â€Å"And meet me out front.† Ted utters some pretty choice expletives after that, but no one even notices. The music's too loud, and everyone's having too good a time. I mean, if they didn't notice us shooting at some dude with a ketchup-filled water gun-or a few seconds later, that dude literally vanishing into thin air-they're hardly likely to notice Ted shouting the F word. I reach the pillar and look down. She's there, panting as if she's just run a marathon or something. She's got the crossbow clutched to her chest like a kid's security blanket. Her face is as white as notebook paper. â€Å"Hey,† I say to her, gently. I don't want to startle her. But I do anyway. She practically jumps out of her skin at the sound of my voice and turns wide, frightened eyes up at me. â€Å"Hey, take it easy,† I say. â€Å"He's gone. Okay?† â€Å"He's gone?† Her eyes-green as the Great Lawn in Central Park in May-stare up at me. And there's no missing the terror in them. â€Å"How-what?† â€Å"He just vanished,† I say with a shrug. â€Å"I saw him looking at you. So I shot him.† â€Å"You what?† Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Two Gee, thanks, Madame Z, I thought. Could we dig a little deeper here? Give me something to work with? â€Å"But is he-I mean, the person-going to act on his passion?† I was brazen, despite my knotted stomach. â€Å"To act or not to act†¦ that is the question?† Madame Z said. â€Å"Yes, that is the question.† â€Å"Ahhh. That is always the question. And what one must always ask oneself-† She broke off. Her eyes flew to Will, and she paled. â€Å"What?† I demanded. â€Å"Nothing,† she said. â€Å"Something,† I said. Her message-from-the-spirits performance wasn't fooling me. She wanted us to think she'd been suddenly possessed? That she'd had a stark and powerful vision? Fine! Just get to the bloody answer! Madame Z made a show of pulling herself together, complete with a long, shaky draw on her cigarette. Looking dead at me, she said, â€Å"If a tree falls in a forest, and no one's there to hear it, does it still make a sound?† â€Å"Huh?† I said. â€Å"That's all I've got. Take it or leave it.† She seemed agitated, so I took it. Although I made cuckoo eyes at Yun Sun when Madame Z wasn't watching. Will 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 appropriate as Will was an avid rock climber. What was more curious was Will's reaction. First his eyebrows shot up, and then a different emotion took over, like some secret anticipatory pleasure. He glanced at me and blushed. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked. â€Å"You have your sneaky face on.† â€Å"Exsqueeze me?† he said. â€Å"What are you not telling us, Will Goodman?† â€Å"Nothing, I swear!† â€Å"Don't be stupid, boy!† Madame Z harped. â€Å"Listen to what I'm saying.† â€Å"Oh, you don't have to worry about him,† I said. â€Å"He's a total Mr. Safety.† I turned back to Will. â€Å"For real. Do you have a fabulous new climbing spot? A brand-new shiny carabiner?† â€Å"It's Yun Sun's turn,† Will said. â€Å"Yun Sun, go.† â€Å"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 below Yun Sun's thumb. â€Å"You will be as beautiful 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. â€Å"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. â€Å"No, Silas. It's called a†¦ yes, you can say it, a yeast infection. Yeast infection.† Yun Sun and I shared a glance of horror, although-I couldn't 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 money's worth. â€Å"Tell the pharmacist it's the second time this month,† Madame Z groused. â€Å"I need something stronger. What? For the itching, you idiot! Unless he wants to scratch it for me!† She twisted on her swivel chair, pumping one Juicy Coutured leg over the other. Will looked up at me, his brown eyes wide with alarm. â€Å"I will not be scratching it for her,† he stage-whispered. â€Å"I refuse!† I laughed, thinking it a good sign that he was showing off for me. The Madame Z experience hadn't gone as intended, but who knew? Maybe it would end up having the desired effect after all. 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 Ordinary and another titled What to Do When the Dead Speak-But You Don't Want to Listen. I nudged Will with my knee and pointed. He mimed choking the poor deceased bastard, and I snortled. Above the books I saw: a bottle of rat poison, an old-fashioned monocle, a jar of what looked like fingernail clippings, a stained Starbucks cup, and a rabbit's foot, claws attached. And on the shelf above that was†¦ oh, lovely. â€Å"Is that a skull?† I asked Will. Will whistled. â€Å"Holy cannoli.† â€Å"Okey-doke,† Yun Sun said, averting her eyes. â€Å"If there really is a skull, I don't want to know about it. Can we leave now?† I took her head in my hands and pointed her in the right direction. â€Å"Look. It still has hair!† Madame Z snapped her cell phone shut. â€Å"Fools, every one of them,† she said. Her pallor was gone; apparently talking to Silas had shaken her out of her funk. â€Å"Ahh! I see you found Fernando!† â€Å"Is that whose skull that is?† I asked. â€Å"Fernando's?† â€Å"Oh God,† Yun Sun moaned. â€Å"Wormed his way to the surface after a gully washer, out in Chapel Hill Cemetery,† Madame Z told us. â€Å"His coffin, that is. Crappy wooden thing, must'a been from the early nineteen hundreds. No one left to care for him, so I took pity on him and brought him here.† â€Å"You opened the coffin?† I said. â€Å"Yep.† She seemed proud. I wondered if she'd worn her Juicy Couture during the grave robbing. â€Å"That's gross that it still has hair,† I said. â€Å"He still has hair,† Madame Z said. â€Å"Show some respect.† â€Å"I didn't know dead bodies had hair, that's all.† â€Å"Skin, no,† Madame Z said. â€Å"Skin starts to rot right away, and believe me, you don't want to smell it when it goes. But hair? Sometimes it keeps growing for weeks after the deceased has made his crossing.† â€Å"Wowzers.† I reached down and tousled Will's honey-colored curls. â€Å"Hear that, Will? Sometimes the hair keeps growing.† â€Å"Amazing,† he said. â€Å"What about that?† Yun Sun asked, pointing to a clear Tupperware container in which something reddish and organlike floated in clear liquid. â€Å"Please tell me it didn't come from Fernando, too. Please.† Madame Z waved her hand, like Don't be ridiculous. â€Å"That's my uterus. Had the doc give it to me after my hysterectomy.† â€Å"Your uterus?† Yun Sun looked ill. â€Å"I'm going to let 'em toss it in the incinerator?† Madame Z said. â€Å"Fat chance!† â€Å"And that?† I pointed to a clump of dried-up something on the highest shelf. This show-and-tell was proving far more enjoyable than our actual readings. Madame Z followed my gaze. She opened her mouth, then closed it. â€Å"That's nothing,† she said firmly, although I noticed she had a hard time tearing her eyes from it. â€Å"Now. Are we done here?† â€Å"Come on.† I made praying hands. â€Å"Tell us what it is.† â€Å"You don't want to know,† she said. â€Å"I do,† I said. â€Å"I don't,† Yun Sun said. â€Å"Yes, she does,† I said. â€Å"And so does Will. Right, Will?† â€Å"It can't be worse than the uterus,† he said. Madame Z pressed her lips together. â€Å"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 didn't jiggle, but stayed firm and rigid beneath her top. She retrieved the clump and placed it in front of us. â€Å"Oh,† I breathed. â€Å"A corsage.† Brittle rosebuds, their edges brown and papery. Sprigs of graying baby's breath, so desiccated that puffs of fiber dusted the table. A limp red ribbon holding it all together. â€Å"A peasant 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 didn't want to. Or, no. More like she did want to but was struggling to resist. â€Å"She wanted to show that true love is guided by fate, and that anyone who tries to interfere does so at her own peril.† She moved to return the corsage.