Discuss why line-managers might not have an enthusiastic attitude Essay

Discuss why line-managers might not have an enthusiastic attitude towards equality and diversity policies. To what extent might diversity practitioners help to overcome this problem - Essay Example "If managers do not see the business case reflected in the behaviours and skills which an organisation values and the way in which performance is measured and monitored, then the business case risks being a paper based exercise that makes little impression on managers.† Echoing a sense of concern, Hodges (2008) feels that line managers must be encouraged to appreciate the strategic link between corporate social and diversity goals, vis-à  -vis, production, sales, and profitability goals through concrete case studies and examples. Hodges adds that line managers must feel involved in the diversity absorption process, which essentially can be facilitated through effective engagement with diversity practitioners. The Discussion Statement: This essay explores the nuances of diversity management, and examines some of the challenges that line managers face in adapting with a diversity policy for their team. The paper also studies some of the best practices exemplified by diversity practitioners in corporate, to seamlessly implement effective diversity practices in organizations. â€Å"Diversity is acknowledging, understanding, accepting, valuing, and celebrating differences among people with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, spiritual practice, and public assistance status.† Diversity management, Foster and Harris (2005) opine, â€Å"Encourages innovative practices in human resource management that values employment relationship by addressing individual needs.† Potentially, employers see immense advantage in deploying demographically diverse workforce. Diversity, as opposed to equal opportunity, extends beyond legislation and focuses more on differences amongst individuals and groups (Laflà ¨che, 2005). The liberal perspective has moved the diversity discourse from providing equal opportunities

Assignment 5 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

5 - Assignment Example It is mentioned that it is important not only to attract and employ the top talent but also provide them with a suitable work environment that is considerate of their needs as professionals (Clark). With the advent of technology, the fresh graduates from top colleges are tech savvy and require independence as far as work is concerned. Thus, in order to satisfy them organizations need to break their cultural mindset and be more flexible towards conditions that complement  their  performance. The article suggests that the procurement leader needs to be opening minded so as to how to make each member of his team feel at ease. Since the millennial have always been technologically savvy and require technologically sound facilities that can facilitate their work process, the leaders of procurement teams should accommodate them and allow them the discretion of doing things their way to a certain extent and recognize them for the outcome of their work. Today’s professionals are generally inquisitive about the why aspect of every decision and require a logical backing for every instruction they are given. Technology might increase their work efficiency and time consumption rate but their thought process is also enhance d as a result thus they prefer to work in organizations that are transparent and have their decisions clearly laid out for all the participants to reason, comprehend and ultimately act upon them effectively. Another aspect covered in the chosen article is that of continuous training and development. Professionals of today seek organizations that provide them with the adequate training that hones and nurtures their existing knowledge and help them gain sustainable knowledge that is periodically enhanced through training sessions In a nutshell the article suggests that the procurement leaders need to be open to change and strive to continuously equip their organization and teams with the

Quality Special Education Program Essay Example for Free

Quality Special Education Program Essay Recent reforms in education have emphasized the need for sensitivity and responsiveness to students social contexts. This is to increase not only the effectiveness of educational programs but also to create individual relevance to the student learning. Behavioral management is critical in special education programs because students behavior are often used by the public to determine the social roles and value of special-needs children. This can prove to be challenging for special education programs since social standards may vary in communities and therefore behavioral and social integration requirements will vary as well (Kopelowicz et al, 2006). Therefore, there is a need for special education teachers to have the means to evaluate individual student socialization requirements to ensure that they accomplish not only academic and behavioral educational goals but also to enhance their social integration and empowerment. Proposal The development of academic and behavioral programs that highlight socialization requires educators access to relevant research and the capacity to both research and their individual experience in developing interventions. In either case, Williams and Reisberg (2003) point out that teachers depend greatly on institutional support of such objectives and often have little direct participation in program development. This may be because of the need to develop general policies, procedures or methodologies but it also limits social context input thus diminishing the social relevance of interventions (Sailor et al, 2007). Therefore, there is a need for individual educational programs to develop their own evaluation methods to determine the socialization and social integration requirements of their students Recognizing the limitation on resources and manpower common to special education initiatives in public schools, the researchs target population will be limited to its existing students and extent of integration will only range from family to the school community interactions (Kopelowicz et al, 2006). It should be noted that the project should emphasize community and professional collaboration to create awareness and collect to multi-dimensional perspectives in improving socialization components to currently implemented academic and behavioral programs. Moreover, the evaluation or assessment programs must be easy to replicate so that it can be utilized in other educational settings and provide a baseline for socialization component evaluation. Rationale The assessment will then serve to develop high-impact low cost interventions, each intervention or program having a duration of twelve weeks. According to the studies conducted by Barry and Burlew (2004), Smith and Gilles (2003) and Koh and Robertson (2003), educators level of commitment to educational programs is often used as an indication of institutional commitment and concern to an issue. Thus, it is important for educators to take an active role in initiatives particularly where external stakeholders are involved. This is not only to utilize the social recognition of teachers role in education but also to utilize their professional practical experience. This becomes even more critical in special education programs since there is a limitation to public awareness and understanding of the socialization requirements of special needs students (Sailor et al, 2007). Even more critical is that without direct involvement in the evaluation or assessment program, educators will diminish their capacity to rational research and study results which in turn will impair the development of individual interventions and programs. Considering that the component of concern is socialization, the degree of sensitivity and relevance of the programs to specific social contexts will directly impact the level of social competency developed by students (Kopelowicz et al, 2006). More importantly, the assessment or evaluation program will be able to create a means to discuss perceived limitations in special education programs in addressing social stigmas and misconceptions regarding special education students, curriculum and requirements (Sloan et al, 2003). This will afford educators insights to the socialization impediments not only in education settings but society as a whole. In addressing such issues, programs will not only be able to sustain the relevance of programs after school but also initiate long-term social support systems for students. Conclusion In the case special education, this has become even more critical as the advocacy for social recognition and participation become critical to policies and treatments (Kam et al, 2004). Furthermore, research suggests that social skills development has been linked directly with perceived quality of special education and overall social acceptance of conditions being addressed by special education curriculum (Koh Robertson, 2003). This has translated to the inclusion of social integration objectives in both academic and behavioral interventions. This has increased the demand for collaborations between schools, parents and community (Sailor et al, 2007). However, to be able to fully meet this need, education stakeholders must not only develop programs but also institute evaluation and feedback systems to ensure the fulfillment of not only program objectives but also create opportunity to develop competencies, collaborations and public knowledge about special education concerns and issues. References Barry, Leasha M. and Burlew, Suzanne B. ( 2004). Using Social Stories to Teach Choice and Play Skills to Children With Autism.Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, Jan; 19: 45 51. Kam, Chi-Ming, Greenberg, Mark T. and Kusche, Carol A. ( 2004). Sustained Effects of the PATHS Curriculum on the Social and Psychological Adjustment of Children in Special Education. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, Jan; 12: 66 – 78. Koh, Myung-Sook and Robertson, Janna Siegel ( 2003). School Reform Models and Special Education. Education and Urban Society, Aug; 35: 421 442. Kopelowicz, Alex, Liberman, Robert Paul and Zarate, Roberto ( 2006). Recent Advances in Social Skills Training for Schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull, Oct; 32: S12 S23. Sailor, Wayne, Stowe,Matthew J. , Turnbull, H. Rutherford and Kleinhammer-Tramill, P. Jeannie ( 2007). A Case for Adding a Social—Behavioral Standard to Standards-Based Education With Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support as Its Basis Remedial and Special Education, Dec; 28: 366 376. Sloan,Morris, Hughes, Marie Tejero, Elbaum, Batya and Sridhar, Dheepa ( 2003). Social Skills Interventions for Young Children with Disabilities: A Synthesis of Group Design Studies. Remedial and Special Education, Jan; 24: 2 15. Smith, Stephen W. and Gilles, Donna L. ( 2003). Using Key Instructional Elements to Systematically Promote Social Skill Generalization for Students with Challenging Behavior. Intervention in School and Clinic, Sep; 39: 30 37. Williams, Gregory J. and Reisberg, Leon ( 2003). Successful Inclusion: Teaching Social Skills Through Curriculum Integration. Intervention in School and Clinic,

M Night Shyamalan, The Auteur

M Night Shyamalan, The Auteur Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan, also known as M. Night Shyamalan, has earned his auteur reputation with film productions such as The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and The Signs. He is best known for his ability to create a thoroughly fictional world with unbelievable events. His style is well expressed through his films as most of his stories focus on the supernatural. In this respect, M. Night Shyamalan can easily manipulate the viewers expectations by means of mystical elements and breath-taking twists. It can be claimed that M. Night Shyamalan achieved great success with the 1999 blockbuster The Sixth Sense. The narrative structure of the film could be interpreted from two quite different perspectives. On the one hand, Malcolm Crowe is a therapist, who survives a gun shot accident and tries to help Cole Sear, a very young and emotionally introverted child. On the other hand, the intensity that surrounds the entire storyline of the film keeps the audience in suspense until the very end of the film, only to reveal that Crowe has been murdered. The story then takes the viewers to a completely different dimension where Crowes presence is not physical anymore as he roams as a ghost who can be only seen by Cole. Indeed, it is the young Cole who helps Malcolm understand that he must leave his mournful life in the past and move on to take his place among the living dead. This is a perfect example of how M. Night Shyamalan can play games with the viewers expectations. After the enormous success of The Sixth Sense, M. Night Shyamalan came back with yet another thrilling film. Unbreakable is a story about ordinary people looking for the supernatural element or event in their lives. Bruce Willis plays the role of David Dunn who soon realizes he has extraordinary abilities as a consequence of a train accident. The relationship between him and his son, Joseph, emphasizes the supernatural element as Joseph is very excited with the idea that his father is a real-life superhero. Meanwhile, David and his wife, Audrey, have to patch up their crumbling marriage. Sooner rather than later, however, David meets Elijah Price, played by Samuel Jackson, who thinks and actually tries to persuade David that he is, indeed, a modern-day superhero. M. Night Shyamalan succeeds again in surprising the audience with another twist in the plot. The viewers realize at the end of the film that Elijah has staged numerous disasters for the past few years in order for him to dis cover his superhero ego. Signs is yet another example of a typically characteristic M. Night Shyamalan film. Released in 2002, the film explores a different supernatural phenomenon of crop circles that soon turn out to be an alien invasion of global scale. Hollywood star Mel Gibson plays Graham Hess who is a former minister of religion. As soon as his wife dies in a car accident, Graham decides to renounce his faith in God. Throughout the film Hess recollects the moment he saw his wife for the very last time and M. Night Shyamalan does an excellent job in conveying hidden messages. She talks to him about their family and asks him to tell his brother and a former baseball player, Merrill, to swing away. Although the audience might consider his wifes death as a random event in the storyline, the films finale proves that it is not a random event after all. In the scene where the alien is about to kill his son, Graham again remembers the moment when he talked to his wife just before she died. It is then when she somehow managed to foresee the future and tell her beloved how to save his family. Therefore, M. Night Shyamalan presents a story of Grahams moral passage from his loss in divine providence to the conditions that help him regain his religious faith again. It can be even argued that Graham is quite similar to Bruce Williss hero in The Sixth Sense who realizes and reconciles with the fact that he is a living dead man. In addition, the three films share common storyline features and themes. In The Sixth Sense Crowe cannot realize that he is a ghost at first and in Unbreakable David does not believe in his extraordinary powers and learns from both his son and Elijah that he must embrace them and the responsibility that comes with them. In Unbreakable Shyamalan presents the human side of mystical events in quite a new theme where he illustrates how different people could be. In Signs Mel Gibsons character questions his faith in God until the moment he understands that the circumstances, which helped him save his family, are not accidental. Indeed, Signs bears a strong religious theme as Graham Hess is being subjected to a test of what he actually believes in and why he believes it. Aided by a recovered memory and a supernatural occurrence, Graham Hess manages to revive his relationship with God. Moreover, not only does M. Night Shyamalan pay attention to the storyline of all his films, but he also focuses on interpersonal relations. It is important to note the strong relationship between Malcolm and Cole in The Sixth Sense, David and his son, Joseph, in Unbreakable, and Graham with both his children Morgan and Bo as well as Merrill, his younger brother, with his nephew and niece in Signs. Another aspect of Shyamalans work is the slow pace he imposes on the plot. Malcolm Crowe gradually realizes that he is dead in The Sixth Sense, David Dunn gradually sees the superhuman powers he has in Unbreakable, and Graham Hess gradually rediscovers his faith in God in Signs. Also, in order to establish a stronger and more emotional bond between the characters, M. Night Shyamalan uses long-take shots. For example, in The Sixth Sense shot duration helps him build up emotional bonds not only between Malcolm and Cole, but also between Cole and his mother, Lynn. There is also a scene in Unbreakable which is a direct analogue of the one that takes place at the Anniversary Dinner restaurant in The Sixth Sense with the only exception being that David Dunn is alive as he talks to his wife, Audrey. M. Night Shyamalan makes use of long-take shots in Signs as well in order to highlight the strong bond between the two brothers. The most notable scene between Graham and Merrill is when they sit before the television set and have a long conversation, in which they share their feelings on the menacing alien invasion and what they believe in. In such dialogue scenes, long-take shots are the most appropriate visual tool that can cast further emphasis on the strong emotion al relationships between the main characters. Furthermore, M. Night Shyamalan uses windows, glasses, and mirrors as symbols for thematic reasons in most of his films. For example, in The Sixth Sense M. Night Shyamalan uses parallel shots and mirror images in a scene where Crowes wife, Anna, appears with a bottle of wine in order for them to celebrate the award Malcolm has earned for outstanding achievement in the field of child therapy. Sitting in front of the fireplace they both enjoy it sarcastically, with their images reflected in the glass encased award. Shyamalan shows Malcolm and Anna as well as their reflection in parallel shots with purpose. The mirror image symbolizes the false reality of Crowe who soon becomes a reflection of himself. In addition, reflected images take an important part in Signs as well. When Graham comes out of the basement he feels as if the aliens are already gone and everything is back to normal again. It is then when he goes to take the television set from the closet and rolls it back into the living room. The timing of the scene turns into a powerful device as it only contributes to the one of the most horrifying scenes in the film. As soon as Graham brings the television set, there is a loud sound which emphasizes the terrifying revelation of an alien reflected on the screen. Similar shots are used in Unbreakable where the image of Elijah Price is reflected on a television set as well. It is an indisputable fact that the great amount of themes Shyamalan uses in his films reflects his directing style. Last but not least, M. Night Shyamalan makes cameo appearances in most of his films. In The Sixth Sense he appears as a doctor and shows in quite a short scene with Coles mother. In Unbreakable he plays the role of a drug dealer at a stadium, while in Signs Shyamalan takes a bigger part as Ray Reddy, the veterinarian who is accused guilty by Graham of the car accident, in which Grahams wife died. In conclusion, the slow pace and mystical elements constitute the plots as well as the characters in M. Night Shyamalans films. This is what appears to be his signature and philosophy in terms of directing and this is why I think his films are far better than the ordinary horror and thriller films. In addition to the visual technique, he also makes use of mystical elements and ambiguity in such a way that the storyline can easily get under the viewers skin and hold suspension until the very end.

Culture: The Wests Biggest Export? :: Tourism Tourist Papers

Culture The West's Biggest Export? I spent a month over the summer of 2002 trekking in Borneo with a team of 15 other boys from my school. This was the first time that I had traveled outside England, my home, to a destination that was not geared towards hosting tourists. The expedition provided me with a very interesting perspective on the march of developed culture across the globe. The tourism industry is simply one example of this expansion, but it is an interesting example because it is the industry that takes the public to these â€Å"exotic† lands. The 20th century has seen the creation and rapid expansion of the tourism industry, fuelled by our ability to travel faster and more conveniently to remote places on the planet. Tourism describes a huge variety of different activities, all falling under the banner of people traveling for pleasure. I think of tourists as falling into two main categories, those people who travel to find somewhere to relax, and those who travel to experience new cultures. The first category has less direct effect on the spread of tourism, as these people prefer to travel to places in developed countries, where they can relax in comfort. The second category likes to travel to experience new cultures and environments without necessarily having a relaxing trip. It is these people who are constantly pushing the tourist industry into new areas. Once the tourist industry realizes a region is becoming popular with adventurous tourists, big resort hotels appear, and the wild is tamed for the benefit of the to urist who likes to feel adventurous without having to endure the hardship of dingy, cockroach-ridden hotels. The location is now ruined for the adventurous tourist. These westernized resorts can be found all over the world, giving a highly sanitized version of the local culture. This leaves the adventurers to go in search of a new location to visit, an even more remote and exotic place is visited, and so the cycle continues until we will have a resort hotel next to every lake, mountain, forest and beach on the planet. I have been lucky enough to see this expansion of tourism firsthand during my trip to Malaysian Borneo in the summer of 2002. This was a very interesting place to visit because different parts of the country are at different points in the transition between untouched wilderness and popular tourist spots.

Germany: Economic Powerhouse of the EU Essay -- Germany Economy

The country of Germany is one of the strongest economies in Europe as a whole. A brief history and overall status of this country is going to be explained giving examples and demographics. Along with my understanding of the information, I will try to help you understand the importance of this country’s overall macroeconomic stance that contributes to today’s wealth of the European Union. The barbaric Celts are believed to have been the first settlers of the Germanic lands before the tribes of the second century before Christ. The German barbaric attacks against the declining roman infrastructure added in the destruction of the Roman Empire in the 400’s and 500’s A.D. The Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne, was crowned after he attained the supremacy of Western Europe in 800 A.D. Charlemagne derived from one of the tribes known as the Franks, native to present day Germany. For many of the years following the rule of Otto the Great many of the leaders of Germany had high positions of leadership in the Holy Roman Empire, this lasted for several centuries. (Education) The Holy Roman Empire was to loosely spread around the 14th Century. The long line of Hapsburgs ruled the Holy Roman Empire until its down fall in 1806. A dispute brought an internal war for Germany in 1618 and lasted for 30 years until 1648. This war left Germany torn apart, spread into hundreds of principalities that independently survived with out the Emperor. In a short time after, Prussia developed into impressive strength. Frederick the Great, organized the Prussian military and defeated the Austrians. The struggle for power between the Austrians and Prussians continued and ended in the defeat of Austria in 1866. (Education) Following the Defeat, Pru... ...and resilient one full of economic prosperity. The geography, demographics, and politics have shaped this country into what it is today. From a Macroeconomic stance, Germany has out done all of its neighbors. Many other countries should enact what polices Germany has in play. Germany also has some of the top business schools in the world that I believe is responsible for the majority of the outcomes of the GDP being where it is today. Works Cited Education, Pearson. Germany. 2005. 01 December 2013 http://www.infoplease.com/country/germany.html. Foundation, The Heritage. "Germany." 2013. 2013 Index of Economic Freedom. 01 December 2013 http://www.heritage.org/index/country/germany. Gurtler, Detlef. Wirtshcftstlas Deutschland. Berlin, 2010. X-Rates. 01 December 2013. 01 December 2013 http://www.x-rates.com/table/?from=USD&amount=1.00.

Blood Promise Chapter Twenty-Nine

The flight was more like thirty hours. Getting from the middle of Siberia to the middle of Montana wasn't easy. I flew from Novosibirsk to Moscow to Amsterdam to Seattle to Missoula. Four different flights. Five different airports. A lot of running around. It was exhausting, yet when I handed over my passport to get back into the U.S. in Seattle, I felt a strange surge of emotion in me†¦ joy and relief. Before leaving Russia, I had thought Abe might come back with me and finish his task himself, hand-delivering me to whomever had hired him. â€Å"You really are going back now, aren't you?† he asked at the airport. â€Å"To the school? You aren't going to get off at one of your stops and disappear?† I smiled. â€Å"No. I'm going back to St. Vladimir's.† â€Å"And you'll stay there?† he pressed. He didn't quite look as dangerous as he had in Baia, but I could see a glint of hardness in his eyes. My smile slipped. â€Å"I don't know what's going to happen. I don't have a place there anymore.† â€Å"Rose-â€Å" I held up a hand to stop him, surprised at my own determination. â€Å"Enough. No after-school specials. You said you were hired to get me back there. It isn't your job to say what I do after that.† At least, I hoped not. Whoever wanted me back had to be someone at the Academy. I'd be there soon. They had won. Abe's services were no longer required. Despite his victory, he didn't look happy about relinquishing me. Glancing up at one of the departure boards, he sighed. â€Å"You need to go through security, or you'll miss your flight.† I nodded. â€Å"Thanks for†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What exactly? His help? â€Å"†¦ For everything.† I started to turn away, but he touched my shoulder. â€Å"Is that all you're wearing?† Most of my clothing had been scattered around Russia. One of the other Alchemists had located shoes, jeans, and a sweater, but otherwise, I was winging it until I got back to the U.S. â€Å"I don't really need anything else,† I told him. Abe arched an eyebrow. Turning to one of his guardians, he made a small gesture toward me. Immediately, the guardian took off his coat and handed it over. The guy was lanky, but the coat was still too big for me. â€Å"No, I don't need-â€Å" â€Å"Take it,† ordered Abe. I took it, and then to my further shock, Abe began unwinding the scarf from around his neck. It was one of his nicer ones, too: cashmere, woven with an array of brilliant colors, more suited to the Caribbean than here or Montana. I started to protest this as well, but the look on his face silenced me. I put the scarf around my neck and thanked him, wondering if I'd ever see him again. I didn't bother asking because I had a feeling he wouldn't tell me anyway. When I finally landed in Missoula thirty hours later, I was pretty sure I didn't want to fly in a plane anytime soon-as in, like, the next five years. Maybe ten. Without any luggage, getting out of the airport was easy. Abe had sent word ahead of my arrival, but I had no idea who they'd send to get me. Alberta, who ran the guardians at St. Vladimir's, seemed a likely choice. Or maybe it would be my mother. I never knew where she was at any given moment, and suddenly, I really, really wanted to see her. She would be a logical choice too. So it was with some surprise that I saw that the person waiting for me at the airport's exit was Adrian. A grin spread over my face, and I picked up the pace. I threw my arms around him, astonishing both of us. â€Å"I have never been happier to see you in my life,† I said. He squeezed me tightly and then let me go, regarding me admiringly. â€Å"The dreams never do justice to real life, little dhampir. You look amazing.† I'd cleaned up after the ordeal with the Strigoi, and Oksana had continued healing me in spite of my protests-even the bruises on my neck, which she had never asked about. I didn't want anyone else to know about those. â€Å"And you look†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I studied him. He was dressed as nicely as always, with a three-quarter-length wool coat and green scarf that matched his eyes. His dark brown hair had that crafted messiness he liked, but his face-ah, well. As I'd noted before, Simon had gotten a few good punches on him. One of Adrian's eyes was swollen and ringed with bruises. Nonetheless, thinking about him and everything he'd done†¦ well, none of the flaws mattered. â€Å"†¦ Gorgeous.† â€Å"Liar,† he said. â€Å"Couldn't Lissa have healed that black eye away?† â€Å"It's a badge of honor. Makes me seem manly. Come on, your carriage awaits.† â€Å"Why'd they send you?† I asked as we walked toward the parking lot. â€Å"You are sober, aren't you?† Adrian didn't dignify that with an answer. â€Å"Well, the school has no official responsibility to you, seeing as you're a dropout and everything. So they weren't really obligated to come get you. None of your other friends can leave campus†¦ but me? I'm just a free spirit, hanging out. So I borrowed a car, and here I am.† His words sparked mixed reactions in me. I was touched that he'd taken the trouble to come out here but was bothered by the part about the school having no responsibility to me. Throughout all my travels, I'd gone back and forth in thinking of St. Vladimir's as home†¦ yet, in the most technical terms, it truly wasn't anymore. I would just be a visitor. As we settled into the drive, Adrian caught me up on the aftermath at the school. After the big psychic showdown, I hadn't delved much into Lissa's mind. Oksana had healed my body, but mentally, I was still exhausted and grieving. Even though I'd accomplished what I set out to do, that image of Dimitri falling and falling still haunted me. â€Å"It turns out you were right about Avery bonding Simon and Reed,† Adrian said. â€Å"From what information we could gather, it sounds like Simon was killed in a fight that Avery witnessed years ago. Everyone thought it was a miracle he survived, not actually realizing the truth.† â€Å"She kept her powers hidden like the rest of you,† I mused. â€Å"And then Reed died later?† â€Å"Well, that's the weird thing,† said Adrian, frowning. â€Å"No one can really tell when he died. I mean, he's royal. He's been pampered his whole life, right? But based on what we could get out of him-which wasn't much, since they're all pretty messed up now-it sounds like Avery may have intentionally killed him and then brought him back.† â€Å"Just like with Lissa,† I said, recalling Simon's words during the fight. â€Å"Avery wanted to kill her, bring her back, and bond her. But why Lissa of all people?† â€Å"My guess? Because she's a spirit user. Now that spirit's not a secret anymore, it was only a matter of time before Avery heard about Lissa and me. I think Avery thought bonding Lissa would increase her own power. As it was, she was sucking up a lot of energy from those other two.† Adrian shook his head. â€Å"I wasn't kidding about sensing that spirit all the way across campus. The amounts Avery had to wield to compel so many people, mask her aura, and who knows what else†¦ well, it was staggering.† I stared off at the freeway ahead of us, considering the consequences of Avery's actions. â€Å"And that's why Reed was so messed up-why he was so angry and ready for a fight. He and Simon were absorbing all that darkness she was producing by using spirit. Just like I do with Lissa.† â€Å"Yeah, except you were nothing like these guys. It wasn't so obvious with Simon-he was better at keeping a straight face-but both of them were totally on the edge. And now? They're over the edge. All three of them are.† I recalled Simon staring at nothing and Avery screaming. I shivered. â€Å"When you say over the edge†¦?† â€Å"I mean totally and completely insane. Those three are going to be institutionalized for the rest of their lives.† â€Å"From what you†¦ we all did?† I asked, aghast. â€Å"Partly,† he agreed. â€Å"Avery was throwing all that power at us, and when we threw it back and then some†¦ well, I think it was like an overload to their minds. And to be honest, considering how Reed and Simon already were, the stage was probably set for this. With Avery too.† â€Å"Mark was right,† I murmured. â€Å"Who?† â€Å"The other shadow-kissed guy I met. He was talking about how Lissa and I might be able to heal the darkness away from each other someday. It takes a careful balance of power between the spirit user and the shadow-kissed. I still don't fully get it, but I'm guessing Avery's little circle of three wouldn't have been able to handle that kind of balancing act. I don't think bonding to more than one person is healthy.† â€Å"Huh.† Adrian didn't say anything for a while and simply pondered all this. Finally, he laughed. â€Å"Man, I can't believe you found another spirit user and shadow-kissed person. It's like finding a needle in a haystack, but that kind of thing always happens to you. I can't wait to hear the rest of what you've been doing.† I looked away and rested my cheek against the glass. â€Å"It's actually not very interesting.† None of the Academy officials knew about my role in the showdown with Avery. So it wasn't like anyone questioned me when we got back. They were still doing cleanup and asking Adrian and Lissa a lot of questions. Spirit was still such a new phenomenon that no one knew what to think of what had happened. Avery and her bondmates had been taken away for help, and her father had already gone on a temporary leave of absence. Adrian signed me in as his guest, which got me a campus pass. Like all visitors, I was also given a list of where I'd stay and what I could and couldn't do. I promptly ignored it. â€Å"I have to go,† I told Adrian immediately. He gave me a knowing smile. â€Å"I figured.† â€Å"Thank you†¦ for coming to get me. I'm sorry I've got to leave you-â€Å" He waved off my worries. â€Å"You aren't leaving me. You're back; that's what counts. I've been patient this long-I can hold out a little longer.† I held his eyes for a moment, startled at the warm feelings that suddenly bubbled up within me. I kept them to myself, though, only giving Adrian a quick smile before I set off across campus. I got a lot of strange looks when I went to Lissa's dorm. It was right after classes had ended, so student traffic was pretty busy with people rushing in or out to get somewhere. Yet, when I passed by, silence fell and people stopped moving and talking. It reminded me of when Lissa and I had been returned to school after running away. We'd been marched through the cafeteria and had received similar treatment from our peers. Maybe it was just my imagination, but it seemed worse this time. The looks more shocked. The silence heavier. Last time, I think people had believed we'd run off as some sort of prank. This time, no one really knew why I'd left. I'd come out of the school's attack a hero, only to drop out and disappear. I think some of Lissa's dorm mates thought they were seeing a ghost. Ignoring the gossip and opinions of others was something I had a lot of practice with, and I sprinted past the onlookers without a backward glance, taking the stairs two at a time. I shut myself off to Lissa's feelings as I walked down her hall. It seemed silly, but I wanted to be surprised. I just wanted to open my eyes and see her in person, with no warnings as to how she was feeling or what she was thinking. I knocked on the door. Adrian had said seeing me in dreams couldn't compare to seeing me in person. The same was true with Lissa. Being in her head was nothing like being near her in reality. The door opened, and it was like an apparition materializing before me, some sort of heavenly messenger descended from above. I'd never been away from her for this long, and after all this time, part of me wondered if I was imagining this. Her hand went to her mouth, and she stared at me wide-eyed. I think she felt the same way-and she hadn't even had warning of my visit. She'd just been told I was coming â€Å"soon.† No doubt I seemed like a phantom to her, too. And with that reunion†¦ it was like I was emerging from a cave-one I'd been in for almost five weeks-into the bright light of day. When Dimitri had turned, I'd felt like I'd lost part of my soul. When I'd left Lissa, another piece had gone. Now, seeing her†¦ I began to think maybe my soul might be able to heal. Maybe I could go on after all. I didn't feel 100 percent whole yet, but her presence filled up that missing part of me. I felt more like myself than I had in ages. A world of questions and confusion hung in the silence between us. In spite of everything we'd been through with Avery, there was still a lot of unresolved business from when I had first left the school. For the first time since I'd set foot on the Academy's grounds, I felt afraid. Afraid that Lissa would reject me or scream at me for what I'd done. Instead, she drew me into a giant hug. â€Å"I knew it,† she said. She was already choking on her sobs. â€Å"I knew you'd come back.† â€Å"Of course,† I murmured into her shoulder. â€Å"I said I would.† My best friend. I had my best friend back. If I had her, I could recover from what had happened in Siberia. I could go on with my life. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said. â€Å"So sorry for what I did.† I pulled away in surprise. Stepping into the room, I shut the door behind us. â€Å"Sorry? What do you have to be sorry for?† Despite my joy at seeing her, I'd come here expecting her to still be angry at me for leaving. None of that mess with Avery would have happened if I'd stayed around. I blamed myself. She sat down on her bed, eyes wet. â€Å"For what I said†¦ when you left. I had no right to say the things I did. I have no right to control you. And I feel horrible because†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She ran a hand over her eyes, trying to dry the worst of the tears. â€Å"I feel horrible because I told you I wouldn't bring back Dimitri. I mean, I know it didn't matter, but I should have still offered to-â€Å" â€Å"No, no!† I sank down in front of her and grabbed her hands, still awed to be with her again. â€Å"Look at me. You have nothing to be sorry for. I said things I shouldn't have, too. It happens when people are upset. Neither of us should beat ourselves up over it. And as for bringing him back†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I sighed. â€Å"You did the right thing in refusing. Even if we had found him before he'd been turned, it wouldn't have mattered. You can't safely bond more than one person. That's what went wrong with Avery.† Well, that was part of what had gone wrong with Avery. Manipulation and abuse of power had played a huge role too. Lissa's sobs quieted. â€Å"How did you do that, Rose? How were you there at the end when I needed you? How did you know?† â€Å"I was with another spirit user. I met her in Siberia. She can actively reach into people's minds-anyone's, not just those she's bonded to-and communicate. Like Avery could, actually. Oksana reached into me while I connected to you. It's really strange how it all went down.† To say the least. â€Å"Another power I don't have,† said Lissa ruefully. I grinned. â€Å"Hey, I have yet to meet any spirit user who can throw a punch like you can. That was poetry in motion, Liss.† She groaned, but I sensed her pleasure at my use of the old nickname. â€Å"I hope I don't ever have to do that again. I'm not meant to be a fighter, Rose. You're the one who charges out there. I'm the one who waits with moral support and post-battle healing.† She held up her hands and looked at them. â€Å"Ugh. No. I definitely don't want to do any more hitting or punching.† â€Å"But at least now you know you can. If you ever want to practice†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No!† She laughed. â€Å"I've got too many things to practice with Adrian now-especially after you keep telling me about more and more things that everyone else can do with spirit.† â€Å"Fine. Maybe it's best if things go back to how they were.† Her face sobered. â€Å"God, I hope so. Rose†¦ I did so many stupid things while Avery was around.† Through the bond, I felt her greatest regret: Christian. Her heart ached for him, and she'd shed a lot of tears. After having Dimitri ripped away from me, I knew how it felt to lose that kind of love, and I swore to myself that I'd do something to help her. But now wasn't the time. She and I need to reconnect first. â€Å"You couldn't help it, though,† I pointed out. â€Å"She was too strong with her compulsion-especially when she got you to drink and killed your defenses.† â€Å"Yeah, but not everyone knows that or will understand it.† â€Å"They'll forget,† I said. â€Å"They always do.† I understood her angst over her reputation, but I doubted there would be any truly permanent damage-aside from Christian. Adrian and I had analyzed Avery's manipulation and figured things out once we'd paired it with Simon's comment about Lissa having an unfortunate accident. Avery had wanted to make Lissa look unstable in the event Avery somehow didn't have the strength to resurrect her. If Lissa actually died, no one would investigate much. After weeks of crazy, drunken behavior, her losing control and accidentally falling out of a window would be tragic but not completely out of the realm of possibility. â€Å"Spirit's a pain in the ass,† Lissa declared. â€Å"Everyone wants to take advantage of you-non-users like Victor and users like Avery. I swear, I'd go back on my medication if I wasn't paranoid now about protecting myself from other Avery-type people. Why'd she want to kill me and not Adrian? Why am I always the target?† I couldn't help a smile in spite of the grim topic. â€Å"Because she wanted you for a minion and him for a boyfriend. She probably wanted a guy who could help escalate her rise in society and couldn't risk killing him in a bonding attempt. Or who knows? Maybe she would have eventually tried him, too. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she felt threatened by you and wanted to make sure she had the only other known female spirit user under her control. Face it, Liss. We could spend hours trying to figure out how Avery Lazar thinks and get nowhere.† â€Å"True, true.† She slid off the bed and sat next to me on the floor. â€Å"But you know what? I feel like we could talk about anything for hours. You've been here ten minutes, and it's like†¦ well, it's like you never left.† â€Å"Yeah,† I agreed. Before he was a Strigoi, being with Dimitri had always felt natural and right. Being with Lissa also felt natural and right-though it was a different kind of rightness. In my grief over Dimitri, I'd nearly forgotten what I had with her. They were two sides of me. In that uncanny way she had of guessing thoughts, Lissa said, â€Å"I meant what I said earlier. I'm sorry for what I said-about acting like I have some right to dictate your life. I don't. If you decide to stay or guard me, you do that by your choice and your kindness. I want to make sure you live and choose your own life.† â€Å"There's nothing ? ®kind' about it. I've always wanted to protect you. I still do.† I sighed. â€Å"I just†¦ I just had things to take care of. I had to get myself together-and I'm sorry I didn't handle it with you very well.† There was a lot of apologizing going on, but I realized that was how it was with people you cared about. You forgave each other and moved on. Lissa hesitated before asking her next question, but I'd known it was coming. â€Å"So†¦ what happened? Did you†¦ did you find him†¦?† At first, I didn't think I wanted to talk about it, but then I realized that I needed to. And the thing was, a few different things had gone wrong with Lissa and me before. One had been that she'd taken me for granted. The other had been that I wouldn't tell her the truth-and then I'd resent her for it later. If we were going to patch up this friendship and forgive each other, we had to make sure we didn't repeat the past. â€Å"I did find him,† I said at last. And I launched into the story, telling her everything that had happened to me: my travels, the Belikovs, the Alchemists, Oksana and Mark, the unpromised, and of course, Dimitri. Just as Lissa had joked earlier, we talked for hours. I poured out my heart to her, and she listened without judgment. Her face was compassionate the whole time, and when I reached the end, I was sobbing, all the love and rage and anguish I'd been holding onto since that night on the bridge exploding out of me. I hadn't told anyone else in Novosibirsk exactly where I'd been during my time with Dimitri. I hadn't dared tell anyone I'd been a blood whore for a Strigoi. I had stayed vague, hoping if I didn't talk about it, then maybe it wouldn't be real. Now, with Lissa, I had to accept the reality of everything and truly feel it: I had killed the man I loved. A knock at the door jolted us out of a world that contained only her and me. I glanced at the clock and was startled to see it was almost curfew time. I wondered if I was being thrown out. But when Lissa opened the door-after I'd hastily dried my eyes-the waiting dorm worker had a message of a different sort. â€Å"Alberta wants to see you,† the woman told me. â€Å"She thought you might be here.† Lissa and I exchanged glances. â€Å"When? Now?† I asked. The woman shrugged. â€Å"From the way she sounded? Yeah, I'd say now. Or sooner.† She shut the door. Alberta was the captain of the guardians on campus, and when she spoke, people acted. â€Å"I wonder what this is about?† asked Lissa. I stood up, hating to leave. â€Å"Any number of things, I imagine. I'll go see her and then head back to guest housing. Not that I'll sleep. I have no clue what time zone I'm in anymore.† Lissa gave me a parting hug, one we both had a hard time letting go of. â€Å"Good luck.† I started to turn the door's handle and then thought of something. I slipped the silver ring off of my finger and handed it to Lissa. â€Å"Is this the ring you-oh!† She wrapped her hand around it, her face growing enraptured. â€Å"Can you feel the magic in it?† I asked. â€Å"Yeah†¦ it's weak, but it's in there.† She held the ring up to the light and stared at it. She probably wasn't going to notice when I left because I had a feeling she'd be studying the ring all night. â€Å"It's so strange. I can almost immediately feel how she did this.† â€Å"Mark said we probably had a while to go before we could do the healing they do†¦ but maybe you could figure out how to make charms while we wait?† Her jade green eyes were still on the ring. â€Å"Yeah†¦ I think I might.† I smiled at her excitement and tried to leave again, but she caught my arm. â€Å"Hey†¦ Rose†¦ I know I'll see you tomorrow, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"But what?† â€Å"I just wanted to say, after everything that's happened†¦ well, I don't want us to ever have this kind of separation again. I mean, I know we can't be together every single second-and that's kind of creepy anyway-but we're bonded for a reason. We're meant to look out for each other and be there for each other.† Her words sent a shiver through me, like we were wrapped in powers greater than ourselves. â€Å"We will be.† â€Å"No, I mean†¦ you're always there for me. Every time, I'm in danger, and you come rushing in to save me. Not anymore.† â€Å"You don't want me to save you anymore?† â€Å"That's not what I meant! I want to be there for you too, Rose. If I can throw a punch, I can do anything. Even though that really hurt.† She exhaled in frustration. â€Å"God, I'm not making any sense. Look, the point is, if you ever have to go off alone, take me with you. Don't leave me behind.† â€Å"Liss-â€Å" â€Å"I'm serious.† Her luminous beauty burned with determination and purpose. â€Å"Whatever obstacles you have to go against, I'm going to be there for you. Don't go alone. Swear to me that if you ever decide to take off again, you'll bring me. We'll do it together.† I started to protest as a million fears came to my mind. How could I risk her life? Yet looking at her, I knew she was right. For better or worse, we had a bond we couldn't escape. Lissa was indeed tied to that piece of my soul, and we were stronger fighting together than apart. â€Å"Okay,† I said, clasping her hand. â€Å"I swear it. The next time I go do something stupid that might get me killed, you can come along.†