Billy Elliot Essay Example

Billy Elliot Essay Example Billy Elliot Essay Billy Elliot Essay Billy Elliot speech Hello I am here to talk about the film billy Elliot which was based on my life. In this movie it shows there is a variety of pathways and elements, which enables individuals to transition into a New World. ‘Into the World’ is about people choosing the next pathway into their life by their own determination, experiences and support. Which enables them to go beyond their original location and narrow view of the world? ‘Billy Elliot’ relates to ‘Into the World’ as the film is about new possibilities opening up, determination, family support and individual growth. The other relative text that I will be talking about shows a different kind of transition into the world is the article â€Å"young sailor prepares to set sail† these two different texts show two different approaches to the same theme. Throughout this film I face many challenges. My character billy is put through many tough ordeals, such as when I have no support from my family or community in trying to fulfil my dream in becoming a ballet dancer. hen the view of a boy becoming a man is to work in the mining industry to play rugby and doing boxing I was never interested in those things and never good at them the director shows that im different in the scene where i am sparring in the ring and have no fighting stance or desire to fight. The quote† Jesus Christ, Billy Elliot! Youre a disgrace to them gloves, your father, and the traditions of this boxing hall! † shows how billy is not living up to society’s expectations of what a young boy should be interested in and doing. In this boxing lesson I discovered my talent and passion for ballet. The director shows this in the scene in the boxing lesson there is contrast shown by the camera panning past many pairs of ballet slippers. Before stopping at billy’s feet with him wearing hit boxing shoes, This shot reinforces that billy is different and not living up to his father’s expectations which we see as the first step in billy moving into a new world. Throughout this film there are many obstacles I have to overcome to move into a new world such as the approval I seek from my father brother and community. To have their support and understanding of my dreams this is something that at first is not accepted firstly from my brother tony who hates the idea and it is shown from the quote â€Å"dance you little twat! † in the scene where tony finds out about the ballet and his lack of understanding turns to anger and he lashes out at billy and mrs Wilkinson

Corruption in Cry, the Beloved Country essays

Corruption in Cry, the Beloved Country essays Corruption is probably the most prominent theme in Alan Paton's Cry, the Beloved Country, as well as in today's world. In this story, the author pictures many different characters to illustrate this widespread corruption of society. John Kumalo, Absalom, and Gertrude are a few of the characters he uses to help carry out this theme. Johannesburg, itself, is the sum of all that is wrong in cities today. There are corruption and poverty; crime runs rampant, and law-abiding citizens are forced to live where only the strong survive. John Kumalo is one of the most typical products of corruption in Cry, The Beloved Country. He lives with a woman that he is not married to. He has no problem hiring a lawyer that will lie to condemn his nephew to death. His only positive trait is that he uses his political power to help further the cause of the African natives, but even this is marred by the fact that he is only doing it to further his ambitions. His weakness is that he does not have the heart necessary to be a revolutionary leader. If John were willing to go to prison and make sacrifices for what he believed in or wanted, he would have much more power than he has now. Absalom is a good example of corruption that does not come from the heart. Unlike John, Absalom does not want to be corrupt, and he is not proud of what he has done. When he killed Arthur, he was horrified; when the police found him, he didn't deny what he had done but confessed. Absalom was simply corrupted by Johannesburg and by his "friends." Gertrude, the most pathetic character in the novel, is another good example of what Johannesburg does to a person. She has been chewed up and spit out by a city that has no room for decent black people. She goes off in search of her husband and ends up by herself with "many husbands" as Msimangu said. Gertrude also sells illegal liquor and has gone to prison. Her child runs around ragged and dirty in the streets, with ...

Intercultural Communications Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Intercultural Communications - Research Paper Example From the day of its discovery until today, coffee has been a part of many nations’ customs and occasions. With a considerable market share, coffee, regardless of its kind, proves to be an interesting part of every culture, and that is why it is an important subject of research in the field of social studies. Tracing back the roots of coffee culture leads to rediscovering history, particularly how customs and traditions have evolved with the presence of the famous beverage. Coffee  is one of the most popular beverages in the world (Villanueva et al. 20-40). It would be difficult to find a restaurant, hotel, or any place that is not serving coffee. The popularity of coffee makes it an important part of human culture. Likewise, people cannot easily ignore its popularity due to its marketability and health benefits. A brief background of coffee, its origin and evolution is beneficial to know how it has become a part of human culture. Coffee is sourced from roasted  seeds of th e  coffee plant commonly known as coffee beans. The earliest trace of coffee dates back to the ninth century A.D. in southern Arabia (Weinberg and Bealer 75). Then from Ethiopia, it spread to Egypt and Yemen, then to Persia, Northern Africa, Turkey, and Armania, then to Italy and the rest of Europe; to Indonesia; and to the Americas (Meyers). Aside from being a part of many households’ breakfast, coffee has taken part in important historical occasions. For instance, it was employed in religious ceremonies in Africa and Yemen. Likewise, coffee has attracted much global attention as it was banned in  Ottoman Turkey in the 17th century due to political reasons (Hopkins). Moreover, it was also implicated in revolutionary political activities in Europe (Hopkins). These incidents associated with coffee make it a controversial beverage, a really important part of human history and culture. As a commodity, coffee is one of the most important agricultural products in the world. Mo re than 80 countries cultivate coffee (â€Å"Coffee Drinking Culture†). Likewise, coffee was at the top of agricultural export for 12 countries in 2004 (FAO Statistical Yearbook, 24) and was the world's seventh-largest legal agricultural export by value in 2006. To date, its production amounts to US$14 billion yearly (FAOSTAT Core Trade Data). The important role that coffee has played throughout history asserts the practice of drinking coffee as part of the universal culture. Due to its flavor, aroma, and energizing effects, coffee has become a popular beverage to complement home meals, and also serves as a socializing medium among people of different cultures. The role of coffee as a socializing medium may be referenced to the Les Deux Magots, a cafe formerly located in Rue de Buci in France. This cafe used to be the social hub of many literary writers in the 1900s. The place served as a venue for their meetings, literary sharing, and story telling. Indeed, in his book title d, â€Å"A Movable Feast† Ernest Hemingway (72), a world-acclaimed writer recalls his memories of Les Deux Magots as it used to be a rendezvous for all literary enthusiasts in the early 1900s. in Hemingway’s story, he and his friends used to go to Les Deux Magots for coffee before going home finally. Moreover, other literary authors such as Steve Matchett, Abha Dawesar, Vladimir Nabokov, and Craig Ferguson have their own reminiscences of the place in their own respective works. This shows not only the

The current status of childhood obesity on measured outcomes Essay

The current status of childhood obesity on measured outcomes - Essay Example A child who attends a public school and is eligible for national school lunch and school breakfast programs has a higher prevalence of BMI than one attending private school (Hooker, 2009, p. 100). Approximately 70% of the children being obese have a cardiovascular risk while on the other hand, 30% of them are at risk of hypertension (MMWR, 2011, p. 42). Due to increased concern about the condition, an initiative needs to be started to reduce child prevalence of obesity. The research indicates that the obesity levels are increasing tremendously especially with the increasing low child activity with one hour on TV and playing games being associated with 0.08%-1.4% increase in obesity (MMWR, 2011). For the condition to be reversed, children are to be encouraged to participate in physical activities such as games. This will play a great role in reversing the condition and reducing the escalating

Human Resource Outsourcing in India Essay Example for Free

Human Resource Outsourcing in India Essay This article attempts to discuss HRO in Indian context and the possible future of HRO in the Indian business scenario. Certain preparatory actions are also prescribed to effectively used HRO as a strategic business tool. HRO – HRM Architecture: Today, as we have moved into service – economy, dealing with knowledge and knowledge workers is very important as human capital has become a critical success factor for organizations. HRM is seen as a distinct identity, separate from Administration and Facilities section of the establishment. This can be clearly seen from the importance being given to HRM Architecture. In addition to the traditional roles for HR, over the years, in the IT and ITes sectors, distinct roles have emerged such as corporate HR, business HR, generalist HR, techno – functional HR, etc. The job holders in these roles are expected to give different â€Å"deliverables† as related to their functional aspects. It is pertinent to note that a 1998 survey by center for effective organization at university of southern California’s Marshal School of business shown that 79% of HRM managers describe themselves as â€Å"business partners† and 53% of line managers agreed that HR managers are now performing the roles of business partners. Thus, today HRM is getting well embodied into business functions such as marketing, finance or operations. This can be, in a way, considered as a starting point of HRO, because, from this, emerges the need for HR function to work smart for business results – whether by doing functions and activities all on their own, or by getting some of them done through outsourcing. Additionally, it also puts pressure on HR function to find â€Å"partners† who can â€Å"take over† specific transactions and processes at a lower cost. In this way, HR will get focused on â€Å"tangible† results (which was one of the complains against HR in the past). Thus, to some extent, it will help free up time for core-HR activities that result in improvements which positively influence the bottom line. A word of caution though that it may not â€Å"free up† time, and should not free up too much time. After all, HR is essentially a personal touch button of the organization and too much outsourcing might result in lack of personal touch and decreased human interaction which may frustrate the employees. HRO Evolution: HRO is always an evolutionary exercise for the organization. Initially, companies are reluctant to outsource, they prefer to do every act in the own backyard. As the organization grows in terms of its life cycle, slowly, â€Å"experimentation† phase will begin when they start outsourcing certain simple transactions or processes. Sometimes, they may even take a parallel run with the vendor. When the experience is positive and as they make progress, companies may make decisions to penetrate further into the HRO space. According to Everest Research institute’s annual HRO study, the most commonly outsourced HR functions include: †¢Pay roll †¢Benefits †¢Employee data management †¢Info systems †¢Contact centers. As the companies find that there are substantial benefits from outsourcing, they feel attracted to go in for deeper penetration. Thus, it is possible to categorize companies adopting different levels of HRO in their organization. (See Table 1) Table 1 LevelActivities OutsourcedType of HROBenefits 1Admin services, pay – roll, pension, PF mgt. , etc, temporary staffingTransactionCost efficiency 2L1 + training, new employee induction and executive searchProcess†¢Standardization †¢Cost †¢Replication of good practices 3L1 + L2 + campus hiring, online assessments, HR audits, employee surveys etc. Function†¢Quality †¢Cost, benchmarking etc. HRO in Indian Business The debate on HRO in India still hovers around the following questions: ‘Has HRO really arrived in India? ’ ‘Are we missing the HR outsourcing bus? ’ ‘Should companies outsource their HR functions? ’ We also seem to be aware that â€Å"The New Mantra is HR Outsourcing† In this maze of debates and arguments, some facts need to be cleared. â€Å"HR outsourcing in India has not seen the required momentum and is limited to trickle effect, with companies outsourcing a few selected, low end HR processes† – Says Anil Mahajan in an interview for an article on HRM. In India, most common outsource processes are related to training, pay – roll processing, benchmarks studies and legal compliance. Some HR consultants feel that in Indian HRO scene, quality is an issue. It is reported that some MNC’s wanted to outsource end to end HR solutions, but could find a suitable vendor and hence decided to set up its own outsourcing centre. While many experts in the field believe that there is a good scope for HRO in India, it is a fact that our present share in the global market of US $ 80 bn. is only a minuscule. Estimates show that size of HR outsourcing in India is about US $ 2. 5 – 3. 5 bn. But another study shows flat markets in HRO world wide between 2005 – 2007 but 2008 promises to be different! In the flat world of today, as India becomes more and more global in business and economy it will be a compelling need for companies to resort to outsourcing in the interest of survival and growth. Thus, even though, as of now, HRO in India has not caught up sufficiently time is right for making rapid strides to catch up and make best use of the opportunities presented by the wave of HR outsourcing. HRO as Double – edged Weapon: In India, we are fortunate to have the double advantage of HRO as we all know, HRO operates in an environment where there are abundant takers and abundant givers. HRO activities have two edges one as the service provider and another as a client who is outsourcing the process / transaction. At present many Indian companies are acting as service providers as a natural step, India with its vast millions of English speaking, trainable youth who are willing to learn and serve clients as and idle platform to take on the HRO wave. Thus, India may finally become the outsourcing centre for HR services. The growth in the HRO itself may trigger further developments. Any HRO companies may, in turn, begin to outsource some of their process to another service provider. Thus, a virtuous HRO business cycle may get activated. After all, â€Å"We Are All in Services Now† (Prof. James Teboul). According to him, the process, people and credibility are 3 key elements in the making of value proposition. People interaction may place a sort of limitation on HRO spreading without a human face! The basic tenet of HR philosophy should be that HRO must be implemented with utmost regard to â€Å"Human face† of activities being outsourced. This is because of the uniqueness of the HR issues. There cannot be a straightjacket solution for all human issues hence human interaction element needs to be always kept in mind and given a priority. We need to get over certain drawbacks as a community of employers in order to benefit from the HRO wave. If we have to shape up, good future we need to know aht we should to and what we should not so that our progress is never stalled. Hence, it is necessary to appreciate the barriers identified for the spread of HRO in our country. The following are some of the barriers identified in literature on the subject: †¢Cultural shift and top management thinking †¢Confidentiality and cost factors †¢Lack of awareness on cost-to-benefit equation of HRO †¢Quality of end results. A word or two about each of these barriers will clear the aspect. Cultural shift requires us to trust and be trusted. The two parties’ involved, namely service provider and client, need to trust each other not only about confidentiality but also about the capability to delay it. Many employers and top management feel that it is better to have own HR persons dealing with all the issues instead of outsourcing. Reasons may be many for such outlook, but there is a need to change in order to think professionally and ethically. If we can trust an advocate or a doctor or the tax consultant, why not HR service provider? Confidentiality and cost factors relate to the ability of HR service provider to handle information professionally and confidentially. Ethics both personal and corporate – play a great role. If we think proper work ethics can be created through good leadership, we need to develop and nurture such leaders appropriately. Lack of awareness among persons about cost / benefit equation needs to be overcome by education right from the top level to look at HRO as a hard core business option and to quantify the benefits correctly. Lastly, quality issues need to be addressed again through building a quality culture by following the total quality management (TQM) practices. Internal and external customer orientation among all and education and training for all on TQ practices and bring about improvement in quality. The Indian experience of TQM is quite satisfactory in this regard and there is a bright chance of success for improving the quality aspects of HRO. Preparatory Activities: While is it necessary to be clear about changes that we need to make on an individual or a company basis, it is equally important to focus on the preparations needed by us a community of service economy. For any service economy to grow, especially in the network era of today, there is a need for adequate preparation so that ultimately, the environment of business responds favorably to the needs of the market. In this regard, certain preparatory activities have to be undertaken immediately. The various activities for this purpose can be broadly classified as: †¢Infrastructural †¢Educational †¢Business/ operational †¢Social Under each of these, there are various elements that have to be taken under consideration. The following matrix will show these points clearly. As most of these items are self explanatory in nature, a detailed description of individual items is not done in this article. However, it has to be emphasized that these sub elements are very important contributions to the climate of HRO in a microeconomic sense. The elements given in the matrix are only illustrative and are not exhaustive. Preparatory activities needed for HRO Infrastructural / Technical †¢Telecommunications and network accessibility †¢Roads †¢TransportEducational – Training Related †¢Curriculum in colleges †¢HRO training centers †¢E Learning transactions / process Counseling centers Business Related †¢Performance parameters †¢Quality measures †¢Feedback †¢Relationships / Cultural sensitivitySocial †¢Quality of the work – Life balance †¢Stress management †¢Time management †¢Security at workplace Conclusion: In conclusion, it may be said that HRO is going to slowly but steadily beco me a part of business strategy. HR professionals will drive the initiatives of HRO, of course with support from top management. The time is now ripe for HRO to succeed in view of HRM being seen and treated as an important element of business resources in the service economy of today. Certain new roles have emerged which confirm this position. Though the Indian share of the revenue pie today is very small, there is a very good possibility of our riding high on the HRO wave that is round the corner. As a community, it is necessary to identify barriers and identify the changes or adjustments we need to make as individuals and companies. As HRO operates as a subset of BPO and overall business environment, certain preparatory steps need to be taken as a community in general. With all this, it is possible to ride high on HRO wave in the next few years.

Urbanization & Applied Anthropology Essay -- Anthropology

Urbanization is the process of life for many and the desired way of life for many others. Human beings both inhabit urban and rural areas today all over the world. Many people may be disappointed with the development of an increasing number of urban areas. Many peoples once rural areas are now swallowed up directly as cities sprawl outward. The effects of urbanization both positive and negative get examined in the following paragraphs. In addition, who is most effected by urbanization and who plays a role in preventing and/or properly planning development will also be revealed. Anthropology wears many hats in the world today. Human society gets impacted directly by the decisions made by countries or government agencies with the assistance of anthropologist. Let’s begin to examine where we are and where we are going with urbanization. Human societies live in settlements that get classified as rural or urban. Urban areas include human created structures and there are more residents that inhabit the area. Rural or country areas often develop randomly. Natural vegetation and land availability often play a significant role in determining human settlement in rural regions. Increasing the amount of rural areas becomes the focus of agencies and the government. Many urban areas were once rural areas before becoming developed. Urban areas include advanced civic amenities. Opportunities such as education, transportation, business, and social interface all typically increase in urban areas. Natural resources and natural events are often the basis for settlement in rural areas. Urban areas receive benefits of manmade advancements. Sciences and technology are playing an increasing role in day to day society functioning properly. Urban ar... ...n.d.). UN News Center. Retrieved April 07, 2012, from http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/habitat/units/un05txt.asp Kottak, C. P. (2012). Window on humanity: A concise introduction to anthropology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Smrcka, K. (2010, April 23). Effects of urbanisation to be most pronounced in megacities. Engineering News. Retrieved April 07, 2012, from http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/effects-of-urbanisation-to-be-most-pronounced-in-mega-cities-2010-04-23 Urbanization and Global Change. (2006, January 04). The Global Change Program at the University of Michigan. Retrieved April 07, 2012, from http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/urban_gc/ Urbanization It’s Causes,Effects and Benefits. (2010, July 01). Why Articles. Retrieved April 07, 2012, from http://www.whyarticles.com/urbanization-its-causeseffects-and-benefits/ Urbanization & Applied Anthropology Essay -- Anthropology Urbanization is the process of life for many and the desired way of life for many others. Human beings both inhabit urban and rural areas today all over the world. Many people may be disappointed with the development of an increasing number of urban areas. Many peoples once rural areas are now swallowed up directly as cities sprawl outward. The effects of urbanization both positive and negative get examined in the following paragraphs. In addition, who is most effected by urbanization and who plays a role in preventing and/or properly planning development will also be revealed. Anthropology wears many hats in the world today. Human society gets impacted directly by the decisions made by countries or government agencies with the assistance of anthropologist. Let’s begin to examine where we are and where we are going with urbanization. Human societies live in settlements that get classified as rural or urban. Urban areas include human created structures and there are more residents that inhabit the area. Rural or country areas often develop randomly. Natural vegetation and land availability often play a significant role in determining human settlement in rural regions. Increasing the amount of rural areas becomes the focus of agencies and the government. Many urban areas were once rural areas before becoming developed. Urban areas include advanced civic amenities. Opportunities such as education, transportation, business, and social interface all typically increase in urban areas. Natural resources and natural events are often the basis for settlement in rural areas. Urban areas receive benefits of manmade advancements. Sciences and technology are playing an increasing role in day to day society functioning properly. Urban ar... ...n.d.). UN News Center. Retrieved April 07, 2012, from http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/habitat/units/un05txt.asp Kottak, C. P. (2012). Window on humanity: A concise introduction to anthropology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Smrcka, K. (2010, April 23). Effects of urbanisation to be most pronounced in megacities. Engineering News. Retrieved April 07, 2012, from http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/effects-of-urbanisation-to-be-most-pronounced-in-mega-cities-2010-04-23 Urbanization and Global Change. (2006, January 04). The Global Change Program at the University of Michigan. Retrieved April 07, 2012, from http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/urban_gc/ Urbanization It’s Causes,Effects and Benefits. (2010, July 01). Why Articles. Retrieved April 07, 2012, from http://www.whyarticles.com/urbanization-its-causeseffects-and-benefits/

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 19

I galloped through the woods, kicking Mezzanotte to jump over logs, to dash through underbrush, anything to make sure I didn't lose sight of Katherine and Anna. How could I have trusted Katherine? How could I have thought I loved her? I should have killed her when I had the chance. If I didn't catch up to them, Anna's blood would be on my hands, too. Just as Rosalyn's was. We reached an uprooted tree and Mezzanotte reared up, sending me tumbling backward onto the forest floor. I felt a sharp stab as my temple cracked against a stone. The wind was knocked out of me, and I fought for breath, knowing it was only a matter of time before Katherine would kill Anna and then finish me off. I felt gentle, ice-cold hands lifting me up to a sitting position. â€Å"No †¦,† I gasped. The act of breathing hurt. My breeches were ripped, and I had a large gash on my knee. Blood flowed freely from my temple. Katherine knelt beside me, using the sleeve of her dress to stave off the bleeding. I noticed her licking her lips, then mashing them firmly together. â€Å"Y ou're hurt,† she said softly, continuing to apply pressure to my wound. I pushed myself away from her, but Katherine clasped my shoulder, holding me in place. â€Å"Don't worry. Remember. Y have my heart,† ou Katherine said, holding my gaze with hers. Wordlessly, I nodded. If death was to come, I hoped it would come quickly. Sure enough, Katherine bared her teeth, and I closed my eyes, waiting for the agonizing ecstasy of her teeth against my neck. But nothing came. Instead, I felt her cold skin near my mouth. â€Å"Drink,† Katherine commanded, and I saw a thin gash in her delicate white skin. Blood was trickling from the cut as though through a brook after a rainstorm. I was repulsed and tried to turn my head away, but Katherine held on to the back of my neck. â€Å"Trust me. It will help.† Slowly, fearfully, I allowed my lips to touch the liquid. Immediately I felt warmth run down my throat. I continued to drink until Katherine pulled her arm away. â€Å"That's enough,† she murmured, holding her palm over the wound. â€Å"Now, how do you feel?† She sat back on her heels and surveyed me. How did I feel? I touched my leg, my temple. Everything felt smooth. Healed. â€Å"Y did that,† I said incredulously. ou â€Å"I did.† Katherine stood up and brushed her hands together. I noticed her wound, too, was now completely healed. â€Å"Now tell me why I had to heal you. What are you doing in the forest? Y know ou it's not safe,† she said, concern belying her chiding tone. â€Å"Y †¦. Anna,† I murmured, feeling sluggish ou and sleepy, as one might feel after a long, wine- infused dinner. I blinked at my surroundings. Mezzanotte was hitched to a tree, and Anna was sitting on a branch, hugging her knees to her chest and watching us. Instead of terror, Anna's face was full of confusion as she looked from me, to Katherine, then back to me. â€Å"Stefan, Anna is one of my friends,† Katherine said simply. â€Å"Does Stefan †¦ know?† Anna asked curiously, whispering as if I wasn't standing three feet from her. â€Å"We can trust him,† Katherine said, nodding definitively. I cleared my throat, and both girls looked at me. â€Å"What are you doing?† I asked finally. â€Å"Meeting,† Katherine said, gesturing to the clearing. â€Å"Stefan Salvatore,† a throaty voice said. I whirled around and saw a third figure emerge from the shadows. Almost without thinking, I held up the vervain from my breast pocket, which looked as useless as a daisy clutched in my hand. â€Å"Stefan Salvatore,† I heard again. I glanced wildly between Anna and Katherine, but their facial expressions were impossible to read. An owl hooted, and I pressed my fist into my mouth to keep from screaming. â€Å"It's okay, Mama. He knows,† Anna called to the shadows. Mama. So that meant Pearl was also a vampire. But how could she be? She was the apothecary, the one who was supposed to heal the sick, not tear out human throats with her teeth. Then again, Katherine had healed me, and she hadn't torn out my throat. Pearl emerged from between the trees, her gaze tightening on me. â€Å"How do we know he's safe?† she asked suspiciously, in a voice that was much more ominous than the polite tone she used at her apothecary. â€Å"He is,† Katherine said, smiling sweetly as she gently touched my arm. I shivered and clutched the vervain, Cordelia's words echoing in my head. This herb could stop the devil. But what if we'd all gotten it wrong, and vampires like Katherine weren't devils but angels? What then? â€Å"Drop the vervain,† Katherine said. I looked into her large, cat-like eyes and dropped the plant to the forest floor. Immediately, Katherine used the tip of her boot to cover it with pine needles and leaves. â€Å"Stefan, you look as though you've seen a ghost,† Katherine laughed, turning toward me. But her laughter wasn't mean. Instead, it sounded melodic and musical and slightly sad. I collapsed onto a gnarled tree root. I noticed my leg was shaking and held my hands firmly against my knee, which was now completely smooth, as if the fall had never happened. Katherine took the motion as an invitation for her to perch on my knee. She sat and looked down on me, running her hands through my hair. â€Å"Now, Katherine, he doesn't look like he's seen a ghost. He's seen vampires. Three of them.† I glanced up at Pearl as if I were an obedient schoolboy and she were my schoolmarm. She sat down on a nearby rock slab, and Anna perched next to her, suddenly looking much younger than her fourteen years. But, of course, if Anna was a vampire, then that meant she wasn't fourteen at all. My brain spun, and I felt a momentary wave of dizziness. Katherine patted the back of my neck, and I began to breathe easier. â€Å"Okay, Stefan,† Pearl said as she rested her chin on her steepled fingers and gazed at me. â€Å"First of all, I need you to remember that Anna and I are your neighbors, and your friends. Can you remember that?† I was transfixed by her gaze. Pearl then smiled a curious half smile. â€Å"Good,† she exhaled. I nodded dumbly, too overwhelmed to think, let alone speak. â€Å"We were living in South Carolina right after the war,† Pearl began. â€Å"After the war?† I asked, before I could stop myself. Anna giggled, and Pearl cracked a tiny sliver of a smile. â€Å"The War of Independence,† Pearl explained briefly. â€Å"We were lucky during the war. All safe, all sound, all a family.† Her voice caught in her throat, and she closed her eyes for a moment before continuing. â€Å"My husband ran a small apothecary when a wave of consumption hit town. Everyone was affected–my husband, my two sons, my baby daughter. Within a week, they were dead.† I didn't know what to say. Could I say I was sorry for something that had happened so long ago? â€Å"And then Anna began coughing. And I knew I couldn't lose her, too. My heart would break, but it was more than that,† Pearl said, shaking her head as if caught in her own world. â€Å"I knew my soul and my spirit would break. And then I met Katherine.† I glanced toward Katherine. She looked so young, so innocent. I glanced away before she could look at me. â€Å"Katherine was different,† Pearl said. â€Å"She arrived in town mysteriously, without relatives, but she immediately became part of society.† I nodded, wondering who, then, was killed in the Atlanta fire that brought Katherine to Mystic Falls. But I didn't ask, waiting for Pearl to continue her story. She cleared her throat. â€Å"Still, there was something about her that was unusual. All the ladies and I talked about it. She was beautiful, of course, but there was something else. Something otherworldly. Some called her an angel. But then she never got sick, not during the cold seasons, and not when the consumption began in town. There were certain herbs she wouldn't touch in the apothecary. Charleston was a small town then. People talked.† Pearl reached for her daughter's hand. â€Å"Anna would have died,† Pearl continued. â€Å"That's what the doctor said. I was desperate for a cure, wracked with grief and feeling so helpless. Here I was, a woman surrounded by medicine, unable to help my daughter live.† Pearl shook her head in disgust. â€Å"So what happened?† I asked. â€Å"I asked Katherine one day if she knew of anything that could be done. And as soon as I asked, I knew she did. There was something in her eyes that changed. But she still took a few minutes of silence before she responded and then–â€Å" â€Å"Pearl brought Anna to my chambers one night,† Katherine interjected. â€Å"She saved me,† Anna said in a soft voice. â€Å"She saved me,† Anna said in a soft voice. â€Å"Mother too.† â€Å"And that's how we ended up here. We couldn't stay in Charleston forever, never growing old,† Pearl explained. â€Å"Of course, soon we'll have to move again. That's the way it goes. We're gypsies, navigating between Richmond and Atlanta and all the towns in between. And now we have another war to deal with. Seeing so much history really proves to us that some things never do change,† Pearl said, smiling ruefully. â€Å"But there are worse ways to pass the time.† â€Å"I like it here,† Anna admitted. â€Å"That's why I'm scared we'll be sent away.† She said that last part as a whisper, and something about her tone made me achingly sad. I thought of the meeting I'd attended that afternoon. If Father had his way, they wouldn't be sent away, they'd be killed. â€Å"The attacks?† I asked finally. It had been the one question that had been nagging at me ever since Katherine's confession. Because if she didn't do it, then who †¦ ? Pearl shook her head. â€Å"Remember, we're your neighbors and friends. It wasn't us. We never would behave like that.† â€Å"Never,† Anna parroted, shaking her head fearfully, as though she were being accused. â€Å"But some of our tribe have,† Pearl said darkly. Katherine's eyes hardened. â€Å"But it's not just we or the other vampires who are causing trouble. Of course, that's who everyone blames, but no one seems to remember that there's a war going on with untold bloodshed. All people care about are vampires.† Hearing Damon's words in Katherine's mouth was like a bucket of cold water in my face, a reminder that I wasn't the only person in Katherine's universe. â€Å"Who are the other vampires?† I asked gruffly. â€Å"It's our community, and we will take care of it,† Pearl said firmly. She stood up, then walked across the clearing, her feet crunching on the ground until she stood above me. â€Å"Stefan, I've told you the story and now here are the facts: We need blood to live. But we don't need it from humans,† Pearl said, as if she were explaining to one of her customers how an herb worked. â€Å"We can get it from animals. But, like humans, some of us don't have self-control, and some of us attack people. It's really not that much different from a rogue soldier, is it?† I suddenly had an image of one of the soldiers we'd just played poker with. Were any of them vampires, too? â€Å"And remember, Stefan, we only know some. There could be more. We're not as uncommon as you may think,† Katherine said. â€Å"And now, because of these vampires we don't even know, we're all being hunted,† Pearl said, tears filling her eyes. â€Å"That's why we're meeting here tonight. We need to discuss what to do and come up with a plan. Just this afternoon, Honoria Fells brought a vervain concoction to the apothecary. How that woman even knows about vervain, I have no idea. Suddenly, I feel like I'm an animal about to be trapped. People have glanced at our necks, and I know they're wondering about our necklaces, piecing together the fact that all three of us always wear them†¦.† Pearl trailed off as she raised her hands to the sky, as if in an exasperated prayer. Quickly, I glanced at each of the women and realized that Anna and Pearl were wearing ornate cameos like the one Katherine wore. â€Å"The necklace?† I asked, clutching my own throat as if I, too, had a mysterious blue gem there. â€Å"Lapis lazuli. It allows us to walk in daylight. Those of our kind cannot, usually. But these gems protect us. They've allowed us to live normally and, perhaps, even allowed us to stay more in touch with our human side than we would have otherwise,† Pearl said thoughtfully. â€Å"Y don't know ou what it's like, Stefan.† Pearl's matter-of-fact voice dissolved into sobs. â€Å"It's good to know that we have friends we can trust.† I took out my handkerchief from my breast pocket and handed it to her, unsure what else I could do. She dabbed her eyes and shook her head. â€Å"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that you have to know about this, Stefan. I knew from the last time that war changes things, but I never thought †¦ it's too soon to have to move again.† â€Å"I'll protect you,† I heard myself saying, in a voice that didn't quite sound like mine. â€Å"But †¦ but †¦ how?† Pearl asked. Far off in the distance, a branch broke, and all four of us jumped. Pearl glanced around. â€Å"How?† she said again, finally, when all was still. â€Å"My father's leading a charge in a few weeks.† I felt a tiny pinprick of betrayal as I said it. â€Å"Giuseppe Salvatore.† Pearl gasped in disbelief. â€Å"But how did he know?† I shook my head. â€Å"It's Father and Jonathan Gilbert and Honoria Fells and Mayor Lockwood and Sheriff Forbes. They seem to know about vampires from books. Father has an old volume in his study, and together they came up with the idea to lead a siege.† â€Å"Then he'll do it. Giuseppe Salvatore is not a man to have his opinions easily swayed,† Pearl stated. â€Å"No, ma'am.† I realized how funny it was to call a vampire ma'am. But who was I to say what was normal and what wasn't? Once again, my mind drifted to my brother and his words, his casual laughter when it came to Katherine's true nature. Maybe it wasn't that Katherine was evil, or uncommon at all. Maybe the only thing that was uncommon was the fact that Father was fixated on eradicating the vampires. â€Å"Stefan, I promise that nothing I've said to you was a lie,† Pearl said. â€Å"And I know that we will do everything in our power to ensure that no more animals or humans are killed as long as we're here. But you simply must do what you can. For us. Because Anna and I have come too far and gone through too much to simply be killed by our neighbors.† â€Å"Y won't be,† I said, with more conviction ou than I ever had in my life. â€Å"I'm not sure what I'll do yet, but I will protect you. I promise.† I was making the promise to the three of them, but was looking only at Katherine. She nodded, a tiny spark igniting in her eyes. â€Å"Good,† Pearl said, reaching out her hand to help a sleepy-eyed Anna to her feet. â€Å"Now, we've been here in the forest too long. The less we're seen together, the better. And, Stefan, we trust you,† she said, just the tiniest hint of a warning in her otherwise rich voice. â€Å"Of course,† I said, grabbing Katherine's hand as Anna and Pearl walked out of the clearing. I wasn't worried about them. Because they worked at the apothecary, they could get away with walking in the middle of the night; they could easily tell anyone who saw them that they were searching for herbs and mushrooms. searching for herbs and mushrooms. But I was scared for Katherine. Her hands felt so small, and her eyes looked so frightened. She was depending on me, a thought that filled me with equal amounts of pride and dread. â€Å"Oh, Stefan,† Katherine said as she flung her arms around my neck. â€Å"I know everything will be fine as long as we're together.† She grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the forest floor. And then, lying with Katherine amid the pine needles and the damp earth and the smell of her skin, I wasn't frightened anymore.