The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 5

Elena got into the backseat of the Jaguar and put on a plush aquamarine T-shirt and jeans underneath her nightgown, just in case a police officer – or even someone trying to help the owners of a car apparently stalled by a deserted highway – stopped by. And then she lay down in the Jag's backseat. But although she was now warm and comfortable, sleep wouldn't come. What do I want? Really want right now? she asked herself. And the answer came to her immediately. I want to see Stefan. I want to feel his arms around me. I want to just look at his face – at his green eyes with that special look that he only ever shows to me. I want him to forgive me and tell me that he knows I'll always love him. And I want†¦Elena felt herself flush as a warmth went through her body, I want Stefan to kiss me. I want Stefan's kisses†¦warm and sweet and comforting†¦. Elena was thinking this as for the second or third time she shut her eyes and shifted position, tears once again welling up. If only she could cry, really cry, for Stefan. But something stopped her. She found it hard to squeeze out a tear. God, she was exhausted†¦. Elena tried. She kept her eyes shut and turned back and forth, trying not to think about Stefan for just a few minutes. She had to sleep. Desperate, she gave a mighty heave to try to find a better position – when everything suddenly changed. Elena was comfortable. Too comfortable. She couldn't feel the seat at all. She bolted upright and froze, sitting on air. She was almost hitting her head against the Jag's top. I've lost gravity again! she thought, horrified. But, no – this was different than what had happened when she had first returned from the afterlife, and had floated around like a balloon. She couldn't explain why, but she was sure. She was afraid to move in any direction. She wasn't sure of the cause of her distress – but she didn't dare move. And then she saw it. She saw herself, with her head back and her eyes closed in the backseat of the car. She could make out every tiny detail, from the wrinkles in her plush aquamarine shirt to the braid she'd made from her pale golden hair, which, for the lack of a hair tie, was coming unbraided already. She looked as if she were serenely sleeping. So this was how it all ended. This is what they'll say, that Elena Gilbert, one summer day, died peacefully in her sleep. No cause of death was ever found†¦. Because they could never see heartbreak as a cause of death, Elena thought, and in a gesture even more melodramatic than her usual melodramatic gestures, she tried to fling herself down on her own body with one arm covering her face. It didn't work. As soon as she reached out to begin to fling herself, she found herself outside the Jaguar. She'd gone right through the ceiling without feeling anything. I suppose that's what happens when you're a ghost, she thought. But this is nothing like the last time. Then I saw the tunnel, I went into the Light. Maybe I'm not a ghost. Suddenly Elena felt a rush of exhilaration. I know what this is, she thought triumphantly. This is an out of body experience! She looked down at her sleeping self again, searching carefully. Yes! Yes! There was a cord attaching her sleeping body – her real body – to her spiritual self. She was tethered! Wherever she went, she could find her way home. There were only two possible destinations. One was back to Fell's Church. She knew the general direction from the sun, and she was sure that someone having an O.O.B. (as Bonnie, who had once gone through a spiritualist fad and had read lots of books about the subject, familiarly called them) would be able to recognize the crossing of all those ley lines. The other destination, of course, was to Stefan. Damon might think she didn't know where to go, and it was true that she could only vaguely sense from the rising sun that Stefan was in the other direction – to the west of her. But she'd always heard that the souls of true lovers were connected somehow†¦by a silver string from heart to heart or a red cord from pinky to pinky. To her delight, she found it almost immediately. A thin cord the color of moonlight, that seemed to be stretched taut between the sleeping Elena's heart, and†¦yes. When she touched the cord, it resonated so clearly to her of Stefan that she knew it would take her to him. There was never a doubt in her mind as to which direction she would take. She'd been in Fell's Church. Bonnie was a psychic of some impressive powers, and so was Stefan's old landlady, Mrs. Theophilia Flowers. They were there, along with Meredith and her brilliant intellect, to protect the town. And they would all understand, she told herself somewhat desperately. She might not ever have this chance again. Without another moment's hesitation, Elena turned toward Stefan and let herself go. Immediately she found herself rushing through the air, far too quickly to take note of her surroundings. Everything she passed was a blur, differing only in color and texture as Elena realized with a catch in her throat that she was going through objects. And so, in just a few instants, she found herself looking at a heart-wrenching scene: Stefan on a worn and broken pallet, looking gray-faced and thin. Stefan in a hideous, rush-strewn, lice-infested cell with its damned bars of iron from which no vampire could escape. Elena turned away for a moment so that when she woke him he wouldn't see her anguish and her tears. She was just composing herself, when Stefan's voice jolted through her. He was awake already. â€Å"You try and try, don't you?† he said, his voice heavy with sarcasm. â€Å"I guess you should get points for that. But you always get something wrong. Last time it was the little pointed ears. This time it's the clothes. Elena wouldn't wear a wrinkled shirt like that and have dirty, bare feet if her life depended on it. Go away.† Shrugging his shoulders under the threadbare blanket, he turned from her. Elena stared. She was in too many kinds of distress to choose her words: they burst from her like a geyser. â€Å"Oh, Stefan! I was just trying to fall asleep in my clothes in case a police officer stopped by while I was in the backseat of the Jag. The Jag you bought me. But I didn't think you'd care! My clothes are wrinkled because I'm living out of my duffel bag and my feet got dirty when Damon – well – well – never mind that. I have a real nightgown, but I didn't have it on when I came out of my body and I guess when you come out you still look like yourself in your body†¦.† Then she threw up her hands in alarm as Stefan swung around. But – marvel of marvels – there was now a tinge of blood in his cheeks. Moreover, he was no longer looking disdainful. He was looking deadly, his green eyes flashing with menace. â€Å"Your feet got dirty – when Damon did what?† he demanded, enunciating carefully. â€Å"It doesn't matter – â€Å" â€Å"It damn well does matter – † Stefan stopped short. â€Å"Elena?† he whispered, staring at her as if she had only just appeared. â€Å"Stefan!† She couldn't help holding out her arms to him. She couldn't control anything. â€Å"Stefan, I don't know how, but I'm here. It's me! I'm not a dream or a ghost. I was thinking about you and falling asleep – and here I am!† She tried to touch him with ghostlike hands. â€Å"Do you believe me?† â€Å"I believe you†¦because I was thinking about you. Somehow – somehow that brought you here. Because of love. Because we love each other!† And he spoke the words as if they were a revelation. Elena shut her eyes. If only she could be here in her body, she would show Stefan how much she loved him. As it was, they had to use clumsy words – clichs that just happened to be uniquely true. â€Å"I will always love you, Elena,† Stefan said, whispering again. â€Å"But I don't want you near Damon. He'll find a way to hurt you – â€Å" â€Å"I can't help it,† Elena interrupted him. â€Å"You have to help it!† † – because he's my only hope, Stefan! He's not going to hurt me. He's already killed to protect me. Oh, God, so much has happened! We're on our way to – † Elena hesitated, her eyes flicking around warily. Stefan's eyes widened for an instant. But when he spoke his face was deadpan. â€Å"Someplace where you'll be safe.† â€Å"Yes,† she said, just as seriously, knowing that phantom tears were now racing down her bodiless cheeks. â€Å"And†¦oh, Stefan, there's so much you don't know. Caroline accused Matt of attacking her while they were on a date because she's pregnant. But it wasn't Matt!† â€Å"Of course not!† Stefan said indignantly, and would have said more, but Elena was racing on. â€Å"And I think that the – the litter is really Tyler Smallwood's because of the timing, and because Caroline's changing. Damon said that – â€Å" â€Å"A werewolf baby will always turn its mother into a werewolf – â€Å" â€Å"Yes! But the werewolf part is going to have to fight the malach that's already inside her. Bonnie and Meredith told me things about Caroline – like how she was scuttling on the floor like a lizard – that just terrified me. But I had to leave them to deal with that so that I could – could get to that safe place.† â€Å"Werewolves and were-foxes,† Stefan said, shaking his head. â€Å"Of course, the kitsune, the foxes, are much more powerful magically, but werewolves tend to kill before they think.† He struck his knee with his fist. â€Å"I wish I could be there!† Elena burst out with mixed wonder and despair, â€Å"And instead here I am – with you! I never knew I could do this. But I haven't been able to bring you anything this way, not even myself. My blood.† She made a helpless gesture and saw the smugness in Stefan's eyes. He still had the Clarion Loess Black Magic wine she'd smuggled to him! She knew it! It was the only liquid that would – in a pinch – help keep a vampire alive when no blood was available. Black Magic â€Å"wine† – nonalcoholic and never made for humans in the first place, was the only drink that vampires really enjoyed aside from blood. Damon had told Elena that it was magically made from special grapes that were grown in the soil at the edges of glaciers, loess, and that they were always kept in complete darkness. That was what gave it its velvety dark taste, he'd said. â€Å"It doesn't matter,† Stefan said, undoubtedly for the benefit of anyone who might be spying. â€Å"Exactly how did it happen?† he asked then. â€Å"This out of body thing? Why don't you come down here and tell me about it?† He lay back on his pallet, turning aching eyes on her. â€Å"I'm sorry that I don't have a better bed to offer you.† For a moment the humiliation showed clearly in his face. All this time he'd managed to hide it from her: the shame he felt in appearing before her in this way – in a filthy cell, with rags for clothes, and infested with God knew what. He – Stefan Salvatore, who had once been – had once been – Elena's heart truly broke then. She knew it was breaking, because she could feel it inside shattering like glass, with each needle-like shard skewering flesh inside her chest. She knew it was breaking, too, because she was weeping, huge spirit tears that dropped on Stefan's face like blood, translucent in the air as they fell, but turning deep red when they touched Stefan's face. Blood? Of course, it wasn't blood, she thought. She couldn't even bring anything so useful to him in this form. She was really sobbing now; her shoulders shaking as the tears continued to fall onto Stefan, who now had one hand held up as if to catch one†¦ â€Å"Elena – † There was wonder in his voice. â€Å"Wha – what?† she keened. â€Å"Your tears. Your tears make me feel†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He was staring up at her with something like awe. Elena still couldn't stop weeping, although she knew that she had soothed his proud heart – and done something else. â€Å"I d-don't understand.† He caught one of her tears and kissed it. Then he looked at her with a sheen in his own eyes. â€Å"It's hard to talk about, lovely little love†¦.† Then why use words? she thought, still weeping, but coming down to his level so she could snuffle just above his throat. It's just†¦they're not too free with the refreshments around here, he told her. As you guessed. If you hadn't – helped me – I'd've been dead by now. They can't figure out why I'm not. So they – well they run out before they get to me, sometimes, you see – Elena lifted her head, and this time tears of pure rage fell right onto his face. Where are they? I'll kill them. Don't tell me I can't because I'll find a way. I'll find a way to kill them even though I'm in this state – He shook his head at her. Angel, angel, don't you see? You don't have to kill them. Because your tears, the phantom tears of a pure maiden – She shook her head back at him. Stefan, if anyone knows I'm not a pure maiden, it's you – – of a pure maiden, Stefan continued, not even disturbed by her interruption, can cure all ills. And I was ill tonight, Elena, even though I tried to hide it. But I'm cured now! As good as new! They'll never be able to understand how it could happen. Are you sure? Look at me! Elena looked at him. Stefan's face, which had been gray and drawn before, was different now. He was usually pale, but now his fine features looked flushed – as if he had been standing in front of a bonfire and the light was still reflecting off the pure lines and elegant planes of his beloved face. I†¦did that? She remembered the first tear droplets falling, and how they had looked like blood on his face. Not like blood, she realized, but like natural color, sinking into him, refreshing him. She couldn't help but hide her face again in his throat as she thought, I'm glad. Oh, I'm so glad. But I wish we could touch each other. I want to feel your arms around me. â€Å"At least I can look at you,† Stefan whispered, and Elena knew that even this is like water in the wasteland to him. â€Å"And if we could touch, I'd put my arm around your waist here, and kiss you here and here†¦.† They spoke to each other this way for a while – just exchanging lovers' nonsense, each sustained by the sight and sound of the other. And then, softly but firmly, Stefan asked her to tell him all about Damon – everything since they'd started. By now Elena was cool-headed enough to tell him about the incident with Matt without making Damon sound too much like a villain. â€Å"And Stefan, Damon really is protecting us as best he can.† She told him about the two possessed vampires who had been tracking them and what Damon had done. Stefan merely shrugged and said wryly, â€Å"Most people write with pencils; Damon writes people off with them.† He added, â€Å"And your clothes got dirty?† â€Å"Because I heard a great big crash – which ended up being Matt on top of the car,† she said. â€Å"But, to be fair, he was trying to stake Damon at the time. I made him get rid of the stake.† She added, in the barest of whispers: â€Å"Stefan, please don't mind that Damon and I have to – to be together a lot right now. It doesn't change anything between us.† â€Å"I know.† And the amazing thing was that he did know. Elena was bathed in the deep glow of his trust for her. After that they â€Å"held† each other, Elena snuggling weightlessly above the curve of Stefan's arm†¦and it was bliss. And then abruptly the world – the entire universe – shuddered at the sound of a gigantic slamming sound. It jerked at Elena. It didn't belong in here with love and trust and the sweetness of sharing every part of her self with Stefan. It began again – a monstrous booming that terrified Elena. She clutched uselessly at Stefan, who was looking at her with concern. He didn't hear the clanging that was defeaning her, she realized. And then something even worse happened. She was torn out of Stefan's arms bodily, and she was rushing backward, back through objects, back faster and faster until with a jar she landed in her body. For all her reluctance she landed perfectly on the solid body that until now had been the only one she'd known. She landed on it and melded into it and then she was sitting up and the sounds were the sounds of Matt rapping at the window. â€Å"It's been over two hours since you went to sleep,† he said as she opened the door. â€Å"But I figured you needed it. Are you all right?† â€Å"Oh, Matt,† Elena said. For a moment it seemed impossible that she was going to be able to keep from crying. But then she remembered Stefan's smile. Elena blinked, forcing herself to deal with her new situation. She hadn't seen Stefan for nearly long enough. But her memories of their short, sweet time together were wrapped in jonquils and lavender and nothing could ever take them away from her. Damon was irritated. As he flew higher on his wide, black crow's wings, the landscape beneath him unfolded like a magnificent carpet, the breaking day making the grasslands and rolling hills glow like emerald. Damon ignored it. He'd seen it too many times. What he was looking for was una donna splendida. But his mind kept drifting. Mutt and his stake†¦Damon still didn't see why Elena wanted to take a fugitive from justice along with them. Elena†¦Damon tried to conjure up the same irritated feelings for her as he had for Mutt, but just couldn't manage it. He circled down toward the town below, keeping to the residential district, searching for auras. He wanted a strong aura as much as a beautiful one. And he'd been in America long enough to know that this early in the morning you could find three sorts of people up and outdoors. Students were the first, but this was summer, so there were fewer to pick from. Despite Mutt's assumptions, Damon seldom sank to high school girls. Joggers were the second. And the third, thinking beautiful thoughts, just like†¦that one down there†¦were home gardeners. The young woman with the pruning shears looked up as Damon turned the corner and approached her house, deliberately hurrying and then slowing his stride. His very footsteps made it clear that he was delighted to take in the floral extravaganza in front of the charming Victorian house. For a moment the girl looked startled, almost afraid. That was normal. Damon was wearing black boots, black jeans, a black T-shirt, and black leather jacket, in addition to his Ray-Bans. But then he smiled and at the same moment began the first delicate infiltration of la bella donna's mind. One thing was clear even before that. She liked roses. â€Å"A full flush of Dreamweavers,† he said, shaking his head in admiration as he looked at the bushes covered with brilliant pink bloom. â€Å"And those White Icebergs climbing the trellis†¦. Ah, but your Moonstones!† He lightly touched an open rose, its petals moonlight-colored but shading to palest pink at the edges. The young woman – Krysta – couldn't help smiling. Damon felt the information flow effortlessly from her mind to his. She was just twenty-two, not married, still living at home. She had precisely the kind of aura he was looking for, and only a sleeping father in the house. â€Å"You don't look like the type to know so much about roses,† Krysta said frankly, and then gave a self-conscious laugh. â€Å"I'm sorry. I've met all sorts at the Creekville Rose Shows.† â€Å"My mother is an avid gardener,† Damon lied fluently and without a trace of misgiving. â€Å"I guess I got my passion from her. Now I don't stay in one place long enough to grow them, but I can still dream. Would you like to know what my ultimate dream is?† By this time Krysta felt as if she were floating on a delicious rose-scented cloud. Damon felt every delicate nuance with her, enjoyed seeing her flush, enjoyed the slight tremor that shook her body. â€Å"Yes,† Krysta said simply. â€Å"I'd love to know your dream.† Damon leaned forward, lowered his voice. â€Å"I want to breed a true black rose.† Krysta looked startled and something flashed through her mind too quickly for Damon to catch. But then she said in an equally hushed voice, â€Å"Then there's something I'd like to show you. If – if you have time to come with me.† The backyard was even more splendid than the front and there was a hammock gently swinging, Damon noted with approval. After all, he would soon need a place to put Krysta†¦while she slept it off. But at the rear of the bower was something that caused his pace to quicken involuntarily. â€Å"Black Magic roses!† he exclaimed, eyeing the wine-dark, almost burgundy-colored blooms. â€Å"Yes,† Krysta said softly. â€Å"Black Magics. The closest anyone has ever gotten to a black rose. I get three flushes a year,† she whispered tremulously, no longer questioning who this young man might be, overwhelmed by her feelings which almost took Damon with her. â€Å"They're magnificent,† he said. â€Å"The deepest red I've ever seen. The closest to black ever bred.† Krysta was still trembling with joy. â€Å"You're welcome to one, if you like. I'm taking them to the Creekville show next week but I can give you one in full bloom now. Maybe you'll be able to smell it.† â€Å"I'd†¦like that,† Damon said. â€Å"You can give it to your girlfriend.† â€Å"No girlfriend,† Damon said, glad to get back to lying. Krysta's hands shook slightly as she cut one of the longest, straightest stems for him. Damon reached out to take it and their fingers touched. Damon smiled at her. When Krysta's knees went boneless with pleasure, Damon caught her easily and went on with what he was doing. Meredith was right behind Bonnie as she stepped into Caroline's room. â€Å"I said, shut the damn door!† Caroline said – no, snarled. It was only natural to look to see where the voice was coming from. Just before Meredith cut off the only sliver of light by shutting the door Bonnie saw Caroline's corner desk. The chair that used to sit in front of it was gone. Caroline was underneath. It might have been a good hiding space for a ten-year-old, but as an eighteen-year-old Caroline had curled into an impossible position in order to fit there. She was sitting on a pile of what looked like shreds of clothing. Her best clothes, Bonnie thought suddenly, as a twinkle of gold lam flashed and was gone when the door shut. Then it was just the three of them together in the darkness. No illumination came from above or below the door to the hall. It's because the hall is in another world, Bonnie thought wildly. â€Å"What's wrong with a little light, Caroline?† Meredith asked quietly. Her voice was steady, comforting. â€Å"You asked us to come and see you – but we can't see you.† â€Å"I said come and talk to me,† Caroline corrected instantly, exactly as she always had in the old days. That should have been comforting, too. Except – except that now that Bonnie could hear her voice sort of reverberating under the desk, she could tell it had a new quality. Not so much husky as – You really don't want to be thinking this. Not in the midnight darkness of this room, Bonnie's mind told her. Not so much husky as snarly, Bonnie thought helplessly. You could almost say Caroline growled her answers. Little sounds told Bonnie that the girl under the desk was moving. Bonnie's own breathing quickened. â€Å"But we want to see you,† Meredith said quietly. â€Å"And you know that Bonnie's scared of the dark. Can I just turn on your bedside lamp?† Bonnie could feel herself trembling. That wasn't good. It wasn't smart to show Caroline you were afraid of her. But the pitch-blackness was making her tremble. She could feel that this room was wrong in its angles – or maybe it was only her imagination. She could also hear things that made her jump – like that loud double clicking noise directly behind her. What had made that? â€Å"All rrright then! Turrn on the one by the bed.† Caroline was definitely snarling. And she was moving toward them; Bonnie could hear rustling and breathing getting closer. Don't let her get to me in the dark! It was a panicked, irrational thought, but Bonnie couldn't help thinking it any more than she could help stumbling blindly sideways into†¦ Something tall – and warm. Not Meredith. Never since Bonnie had known her had Meredith smelled like rancid sweat and rotten eggs. But the warm something took hold of both Bonnie's upraised hands, and there were strange little clicking noises as they clenched. The hands weren't just warm; they were hot and dry. And the ends poked oddly into Bonnie's skin. Then, as a light by the bedside went on, they were gone. The lamp Meredith had found put out a very, very dim ruby light – and it was easy to see why. A ruby negligee and peignoir had been tied around the shade. â€Å"This is a fire hazard,† Meredith said, but even her level voice sounded shaken. Caroline stood before them in the red light. She seemed taller than ever to Bonnie, tall and sinewy, except for the slight bulge of her belly. She was dressed normally, in jeans and a tight T-shirt. She was holding her hands playfully hidden behind her back, and smiling her old insolent, sly smile. I want to go home, Bonnie thought. Meredith said, â€Å"Well?† Caroline just kept smiling. â€Å"Well, what?† Meredith lost her temper. â€Å"What do you want?† Caroline just looked arch. â€Å"Have you visited your friend Isobel today? Had a little talk with her?† Bonnie had a powerful urge to slap that smug smile off Caroline's face. She didn't. It was just a trick of the lamplight – she knew it had to be – but it looked almost as if there was a red dot shining in the center of each of Caroline's eyes. â€Å"We visited Isobel at the hospital, yes,† Meredith said expressionlessly. Then, with unmistakable anger in her voice, she added, â€Å"And you know very well that she can't talk yet. But† – with a triumphant little pounce – â€Å"the doctors say she will be able to. Her tongue will heal, Caroline. She may have scars from all the places she pierced herself, but she's going to be able to talk again just fine.† Caroline's smile had faded, leaving her face looking haggard and full of dull fury. At what? Bonnie wondered. â€Å"It would do you some good to get out of this house,† Meredith told the copper-haired girl. â€Å"You can't live in the dark – â€Å" â€Å"I won't forever,† Caroline said sharply. â€Å"Just until the twins are born.† She stood, hands still behind her, and arched her back so that her stomach protruded more than ever. â€Å"The – twins?† Bonnie was startled into speaking. â€Å"Matt Junior and Mattie. That's what I'm going to call them.† Caroline's gloating smile and impudent eyes were almost too much for Bonnie to stand. â€Å"You can't do that!† she heard herself shouting. â€Å"Or maybe I'll call the girl Honey. Matthew and Honey, for their daddy, Matthew Honeycutt.† â€Å"You can't do it,† Bonnie shouted, more shrilly. â€Å"Especially with Matt not even here to defend himself – â€Å" â€Å"Yes, he did run away very suddenly, didn't he? The police are wondering why he had to run. Of course† – Caroline lowered her voice to a meaningful whisper – â€Å"he wasn't alone. Elena was with him. I wonder what the two of them do in their spare time?† She giggled, a high, fatuous giggle. â€Å"Elena isn't the only person with Matt,† Meredith said, and now her voice was low and dangerous. â€Å"Someone else is, too. Do you remember an agreement you signed? About not telling anyone about Elena or bringing publicity around her?† Caroline blinked slowly, like a lizard. â€Å"A long time ago. In a different lifetime, for me.† â€Å"Caroline, you're not going to have a lifetime if you break that oath! Damon would kill you. Or – have you already – ?† Meredith stopped. Caroline was still giggling in that childish way, as if she were a little girl and someone had just told her a naughty joke. Bonnie felt cold sweat break out all over her body at once. Fine hairs lifted on her arms. â€Å"What are you hearing, Caroline?† Meredith wet her lips. Bonnie could see that she was trying to hold Caroline's eyes, but the copper-haired girl turned away. â€Å"Is it†¦Shinichi?† Meredith moved forward suddenly and grasped Caroline's arms. â€Å"You used to see and hear him when you looked in the mirror. Do you hear him all the time now, Caroline?† Bonnie wanted to help Meredith. She did. But she couldn't have moved or spoken for anything. There were – gray threads – in Caroline's hair. Gray hairs, Bonnie thought. They shone dully, much lighter than the flaming auburn Caroline was so proud of. And there were†¦other hairs that didn't shine at all. Bonnie had seen this brindled coloration on dogs; she knew vaguely that some wolves must look the same. But it was really something else to see them in your girlfriend's hair. Especially when they seemed to bristle and quiver, lifting like the hackles of a dog†¦. She's mad. Not angry mad; insane mad, Bonnie realized. Caroline looked up, not at Meredith, but straight into Bonnie's eyes. Bonnie flinched. Caroline was gazing at her as if considering whether or not Bonnie were dinner or just garbage. Meredith stepped to stand beside Bonnie. Her fists were clenched. â€Å"Don't starrre,† Caroline said abruptly, and turned away. Yes, that was definitely a snarl. â€Å"You really wanted us to see you, didn't you?† Meredith said softly. â€Å"You're – flaunting yourself in front of us. But I think that maybe this is your way of asking for help – â€Å" â€Å"Harrrrdly!† â€Å"Caroline,† Bonnie said suddenly, amazed by a wave of pity that swamped her, â€Å"please try to think. Remember back when you said you needed a husband? I – † She broke off and swallowed. Who was going to marry this monster, who a few weeks ago had looked like a normal teenage girl? â€Å"I understood you back then,† Bonnie finished lamely. â€Å"But, honestly, it won't do any good to keep on saying Matt attacked you! No one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She couldn't bring herself to say the obvious. No one will believe something like you. â€Å"Oh, I clean up rrrreal prrretty,† Caroline growled and then giggled. â€Å"You'd be surprrrised.† In her mind's eye, Bonnie saw the old insolent flash of Caroline's emerald gaze, the sly and secretive expression on her face, and the shimmering of her auburn hair. â€Å"Why pick on Matt?† Meredith demanded. â€Å"How did you know he was attacked by a malach that night? Did Shinichi send it after him just for you?† â€Å"Or did Misao?† Bonnie said, remembering that it was the female of the twin kitsune, the fox spirits, who had spoken the most to Caroline. â€Å"I went out on a date with Matt that night.† Suddenly Caroline's voice was a singsong, as if she were reciting poetry – badly. â€Å"I didn't mind kissing him – he's so cute. I guess that's when he got the hickey on his neck. I guess I might have bitten his lip a little.† Bonnie opened her mouth, felt Meredith's restraining hand on her shoulder, and shut it again. â€Å"But then he just went crazy,† Caroline lilted on. â€Å"He attacked me! I scratched him with my fingernails, all up and down one arm. But Matt was too strong. Much too strong. And now – â€Å" And now you're going to have puppies, Bonnie wanted to say, but Meredith squeezed her shoulder and she stopped herself again. Besides, Bonnie thought with a sudden twinge of alarm, the babies might look human, and there might only be twins, as Caroline herself had said. Then what would they do? Bonnie knew the way adult minds worked. Even if Caroline couldn't dye her hair back to auburn, they would say, look what stress she's been under: she's actually going prematurely gray! And even if the adults saw Caroline's bizarre appearance and strange behavior, as Bonnie and Meredith just had, they would dismiss it as being due to shock. Oh, poor Caroline, her whole personality has changed since that day. She's so frightened of Matt that she hides under her desk. She won't wash herself – maybe that's a common symptom after what she's been through. Besides who knew how long it would take these werewolf babies to be born? Maybe the malach inside Caroline could control that, make it seem to be like a normal pregnancy. And then suddenly Bonnie was snatched away from her own thoughts to tune into Caroline's words. Caroline was through growling for the moment. She sounded almost like the old Caroline, offended and nasty, as she said, â€Å"I just don't understand why you should take his word over mine.† â€Å"Because,† Meredith said flatly, â€Å"we know both of you. We would have known if Matt had been dating you – and he wasn't. And he's hardly the kind of guy to just show up at your front door, especially when you consider how he felt about you.† â€Å"But you've already said that this monster that attacked him – â€Å" â€Å"Malach, Caroline. Learn the word. You've got one inside you!† Caroline smirked and waved a hand, dismissing this. â€Å"You said these things can possess you and make you do things out of character, right?† There was a silence. Bonnie thought, if we have said it, we've never said it in front of you. â€Å"Well, what if I admitted that Matt and I weren't dating? What if I said that I found him driving around our neighborhood at about five miles an hour, just looking lost. His sleeve was torn to pieces and his arm was all chewed up. So I took him inside my house and tried to bandage his arm – but suddenly he went crazy. And I did try to scratch him, but the bandages were in the way. I scratched them off him. I even still have them, all covered in blood. If I told you that, what would you say?† I'd say that you were using us as a dry run before telling Sheriff Mossberg, Bonnie thought, chilled. And I'd say that you were right, you probably can clean up pretty normal looking when you make an effort. If you'd just stop that childish giggling and get rid of the crafty look, you'd be even more convincing. But Meredith was speaking. â€Å"Caroline – they've got DNA tests for blood.† â€Å"Of course I know that!† Caroline looked so indignant that for a moment she forgot to look sly. Meredith was staring at her. â€Å"That means they can tell if the bandages you've got have Matt's blood on them or not,† she said. â€Å"And if it flows in the right pattern to match your story.† â€Å"There isn't any pattern. The bandages are just soaked.† Abruptly, Caroline strode over to a dresser and opened it, plucking out a length of what might have originally been athletic bandage. Now it shone reddish in the faint light. Looking at the stiff fabric in the ruby light, Bonnie knew two things. It wasn't any part of the poultice that Mrs. Flowers had put on Matt's arm the morning after he'd been attacked. And it was soaked with genuine blood, right to the stiff tips of the cloth. The world seemed to be spinning around. Because even though Bonnie believed in Matt, this new story scared her. This new story might even work – provided that no one could find Matt and test his blood. Even Matt admitted that there was time unaccounted for that night†¦time he couldn't remember. But that didn't mean Caroline was telling the truth! Why would she start out with a lie, and only change it when the facts got in the way? Caroline's eyes were the color of a cat's. Cats play with mice, just for amusement. Just to see them run. Matt had run†¦. Bonnie shook her head. All at once she couldn't stand this house any longer. It had somehow settled into her mind, making her accept all the impossible angles of the distorted walls. She had even grown accustomed to the awful smell and the red light. But now, with Caroline holding out a blood-soaked bandage and telling her that it was Matt who had bled all over it†¦ â€Å"I'm going home,† Bonnie announced suddenly. â€Å"And Matt didn't do it, and – and I'm never coming back!† Accompanied by the sound of Caroline's giggling, she whirled, trying not to look at the nest Caroline had made under her corner desk. There were empty bottles and half-empty plates of food piled in there with the clothes. Anything could be under them – even a malach. But as Bonnie moved, the room seemed to move with her, accelerating her spin, until she had gone twice around before she could put out a foot to stop herself. â€Å"Wait, Bonnie – wait, Caroline,† Meredith said, sounding almost frantic. Caroline was folding her body like a contortionist, getting back under the desk. â€Å"Caroline, what about Tyler Smallwood? Don't you care that he's the real father of your – your kids? How long were you dating him before he joined up with Klaus? Where is he now?† â€Å"Forrr all I know he's dead. You and yourrr friends killed him.† The snarl was back, but it wasn't vicious. It was more of a triumphant purr. â€Å"But I don't miss him, so I hope he stays dead,† Caroline added, with a muffled giggle. â€Å"He wouldn't marrrry me.† Bonnie had to get away. She fumbled for the doorknob, found it, and was blinded. She had spent so long in ruby dimness that the hall light was like the midday sun on the desert. â€Å"Turrn off the lamp!† Caroline snapped from under the desk. But as Meredith moved to do it Bonnie heard a surprisingly loud explosion and saw the red-swathed shade go dark by itself. And one thing more. The hallway light swept across Caroline's room like a beacon as the door swung shut. Caroline was already tearing at something with her teeth. Something with the texture of meat, but not cooked meat. Bonnie jerked back to run and almost knocked over Mrs. Forbes. The woman was still standing in the hall where she had been when they went into Caroline's room. She didn't even look as if she'd been listening at the door. She was just standing, staring at nothing. â€Å"I have to show you out,† she said in her soft, gray voice. She didn't lift her head to meet Bonnie's or Meredith's eyes. â€Å"You might get lost otherwise. I do.† It was a straight shot to the stairs and down and four steps to the front door. But as they walked, Meredith didn't say anything, and Bonnie couldn't. Once outside, Meredith turned to look at Bonnie. â€Å"Well? Is she more possessed by the malach or the werewolf part of her? Or could you tell anything from her aura?† Bonnie heard herself laugh, a sound that was like crying. â€Å"Meredith, her aura isn't human – and I don't know what to make of it. And her mother doesn't seem to have an aura at all. They're just – that house is just – â€Å" â€Å"Never mind, Bonnie. You don't have to go there ever again.† â€Å"It's like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Bonnie didn't know how to explain the fun-house look of the walls or the way the stairs went down instead of up. â€Å"I think,† she said finally, â€Å"that you'd better do some more research. On things like – like possession of the American kind.† â€Å"You mean like possession by demons?† Meredith shot her a sharp look. â€Å"Yes. I guess so. Only I don't know where to start listing what's wrong with her.† â€Å"I have a few ideas of my own,† Meredith said quietly. â€Å"Like – did you notice that she never showed us her hands? That was very strange, I thought.† â€Å"I know why,† Bonnie whispered, trying not to let the sobbing laughter out. â€Å"It's because – she doesn't have fingernails anymore.† â€Å"What did you say?† â€Å"She put her hands around my wrists. I could feel them.† â€Å"Bonnie, you're not making any sense.† Bonnie made herself speak. â€Å"Caroline has claws now, Meredith. Real claws. Like a wolf.† â€Å"Or maybe,† Meredith said in a whisper, â€Å"like a fox.†

The Epidemic called Childhood Obesity. Professor Ramos Blog

The Epidemic called Childhood Obesity. Is Childhood Obesity an epidemic?   Obesity is a condition that occurs when a person carries excess weight or body fat that affects their health. They say â€Å"A healthy body eats healthy food†. I say â€Å"An unhealthy eating creates an unhealthy body and has a short life span.† Childhood Obesity is becoming a global concern, as more children/adolescents are either obese or tending towards being obese. Childhood obesity has been linked to Ethnicity, Social class, and lifestyle. This is a wake-up call for the Government, Parents, and everyone to do something to stop this issue before it becomes uncontrollable. All over the world, the issue of childhood obesity is increasing yearly (Lobstein et al). Ten percent of the worlds school-aged children are estimated to be carrying excess body fat with an increased risk for developing chronic disease. Of these overweight children, a quarter is obese with a significant likelihood of some having multiple risk factors for type 2 diabetes, heart disease and a variety of other co-morbidities before or during early adulthood. The problem of childhood obesity is linked to Ethnicity. According to a study carried out in 1988-1998 by the national Longitudinal survey of youth among 8270 children aged 4-12years, the result shows that prevalence of overweight increased significantly and steadily among Hispanic and African American and non-Hispanic white. (Strauss and Pollack). Also, a survey study in the 1990s shows that in Brazil and the USA, an additional 0.5% of the entire child population became overweight each year. In Canada, Australia, and parts of Europe, the rates were higher with an additional 1% of all children becoming overweight each ye ar (Lobstein et.al) Childhood obesity is prevalent in economically developed countries but is rising significantly in most parts of the world. In developing countries, child obesity is most common in the wealthier section of the population (Lobstein et. al). Children of lower income families are particularly vulnerable because of poor diet and limited opportunities for physical activity. The root causes of obesity are any factor that raises energy intake by even a small amount will cause obesity in the long term (Ebbeling et.al). One of the causes of obesity in children is Television viewing. It is believed that television viewing promotes weight gain not only by displacing physical activity but also by increasing energy intake. Children while watching television consume an excessive amount of energy-dense food and drinks without resistance. Additionally, television advertisement could adversely affect dietary patterns throughout the day. American and British children are exposed to about 10 foods commercial per hour of Television time; most of these adverts are for fast food, soft drinks, sweets, and sugar-sweetened breakfast cereal. Diet is also a cause of obesity in children. Excessive fat consumption is known to cause weight gain. Intake of partially hydrogenated (trans) fat, commonly found in commercial bakery product and fast food increase risk for both cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Consumption of carbohydrate foods especially in the form of refined foods e.g. bread, ready to eat cereal, p otatoes, soft drinks, cakes, and biscuits, increase the chances of being obese. These type of food are called high glycemic index food and they can stimulate hunger and cause overeating in children. Consumption of fast food is on the increase in both developed and developing nations. The regular consumption of fast food increases the chances of being obese, the reason being that fast food contains high calories, high glycemic index, saturated and trans fats and they are low in fibre, micronutrients, and antioxidants. Family factor is also a major cause of obesity in children and adolescent. Parent-child interaction and the home environment can affect behaviours related to the risk of obesity. (Ebbeling et.al). African American and Hispanic families often time like to eat out, and thus tend to increase the chances of developing obesity in children. Children consume more energy dense food when meals are eaten in restaurants than at home. Some of the solutions to the problem of childhood obesity can be by increasing access to healthy food for poor and low-income families. For them, it is easier and cheaper to afford unhealthy food. Getting rid of fast food wouldn’t be beneficial unless there was a replacement. For the wealthy ones in the society that can afford to buy healthy food but still prefers to eat unhealthily, Counselling and educating them on the health implications of eating unhealthy food will be a better solution. Parent, schools and the Government should discourage the consumption of soft drinks and sweetened juice in children and adolescents. A study that was conducted by the American Dietetic Association (ADA), it was concluded that sweetened beverages intake is related to obesity and over weight in children and adolescents (Davis et. al). It was also found that among low income children to years of age, consumption of sweetened drinks increased the odds of becoming obese by more than 60%. I will encourage Parents, schools and the community to replace the consumption of sweetened beverages and sweetened juice among young children and adolescents with water which is healthier. Drinking of water is beneficial in numerous ways. Also, Parents should reduce the consumption of food rich in saturated fats and increase the intake of fruits and vegetables that is healthier when serving meals to their children. In schools, mealtime should be a fun time, where fruits and vegetables are presented to children in a colorful and appetizing manner. Food rich in saturated fat should be completely removed from the school menu. I will propose that physical exercise be introduced in all level of education in schools. Parents should also take time off on weekends and go do some physical activity with their children. In the last few decades, obesity prevalence as increased as a function of number of hours that TV network devote to target children population (M.Caroli et. al). Television could be convenient tool to spread correct information on good nutrition and obesity prevention. The likeness of food and obesity in television has many negative consequences on food habits and pattern. Reducing the hours spent viewing television could help in reducing and preventing obesity and overweight in children and Adolescents. Work Cited. Strauss, Richard S. â€Å"Epidemic Increase in Childhood Overweight, 1986- 1998.†Jama, vol. 286, no. 22, 2001, p. 2845, doi:10.1001/jama.286.22.2845. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/194443 Lobstein, T., et al. â€Å"Obesity in children and young people: a crisis in Public health†. Obesity Review, Vol 5, no. Sl, 2004, pp.4-85. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2004.00133.x Ebbeling, Cara B, et al. â€Å"Childhood Obesity: Public Health Crisis, Common Sense Cure†. The Lancet, vol.360, no.9371, 2002, pp.473-482, doi: 10:10161/s 0140-6736(02709678-2 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673602096782 Davis, Mathew M, et al. â€Å"Recommendation for Prevention of Childhood Obesity†. December 2007, vol 120/issue supplement 4. https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/120/Supplement_4/S229?eaf= Caroli, M, et al. â€Å"Role of Television in Childhood Obesity Prevention.† International Journal of Obesity, vol. 28, no.sb, 2004, doi: 10.10381 sj: ijo.0802802. https://www.nature.com/articles/0802802 Picture credit: https://www.debate.org/opinions/should-parents-be-responsible-for-their-obese- childs-condition

Happiness Essays

Happiness Essays Happiness Essay Happiness Essay William Min Lacy 3A AP Lang NOV. 14, 2013 The Fluid, Ambiguous Nature of Happiness Happiness is green and adorned with the faces of our nations fathers. Happiness is a good cigar and a strong margarita. Happiness is finishing your paper early so you can enjoy the rest of your weekend. Happiness is the sensation brought by victory or triumph. Happiness is having the picture-perfect family often seen on the screen of televisions. Happiness is large pizzas, a couple beers, and enjoying the Sunday Night prime time matchup with a group of fellow fans. Happiness can be represented by irtually anything, yet people give vague answers when asked What makes you happy? or Are you happy? We oft receive answers that leave us more unfulfilled than if we simply did not ask at all. Is everyone ashamed of what makes them happy or do they Just simply not know? Perhaps the best and only explanation for this befuddling situation is: Happiness is cannot be defined. We know what has made us happy before, but at any given time, what makes us happy is a mystery hiding in the depths of our hearts. As it is written in the constitution, every American is ntitled to the basic right: the pursuit of happiness. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck represents this concept perfectly, as Lennie and George are driven by their vision of eventually owning their own plot of land and a bunny patch on that land. However, Crooks, the black farmhand, delivers the reality of the situation: Just like heaven. Everbody wants a little piece of Ian. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. Its Just in their head. : Theyre all the time talkin about it, but its Jus in their head. (43) This emphasizes how it is only the ursuit, and not the goal, that we are entitled to. This Journey to find Joy often also ends tragically, sometimes more so than not even reaching the arbitrary line in the ground where we draw our happiness. Jay Gatsby experiences the heartbreak of this empty Journey in The Great Gatsby after the magic with him and Daisy fades had occurred to [Gatsby] that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. It had seemed as close as a star to the oon. Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one. (121) Fitzgerald describes, how after the initial honeymoon period, Gatsby realizes Daisy Buchanan is not the same woman from his dream. His whole life has been driven by the motivation of finishing the fairy tale between him and Daisy, yet once he is with her, Gatsby finds that the void in his heart is still left unfilled. Despite how much he believed it, Daisy was not a one-way ticket to euphoria and was imperfect Just like himself. The quest of happiness is rarely finished and hose who finish after many years of toiling find that what they wanted before is not what they want now. The fluctuating nature of human happiness has been well- initially respond with miou choose or l dont care, but right as we enter the car, we form our own opinion after the decision has been made. A new taco place Just opened up, maybe there was a special deal at the buffet, perhaps an overwhelming craving for chocolate cake at that one place suddenly developed. Then once we arrive at the restaurant that took arguing and manipulation to get to, the question of what o eat becomes even more difficult than the question of where. If we knew what made us happy, this classic, sticky dinner situation would not sound so familiar. What made us happy yesterday or what makes us happy right now likely will not be the same even a couple hours into the future. Just like our Christmas presents and dinner plans, to be truly happy, we ask for something different every time and what we say might not even be what we want. Speaking of dinner plans, Malcolm Gladwell discusses the fickle nature of human happiness in his TED talk, Choice, Happiness, and Spaghetti Sauce. Referencing the progression of the food industry, he mentions the innovation that Howard Moskowitz brought to the table, literally. Prior to Moskowitz, food science was always based on studies where researchers would verbally ask people what they wanted out of a certain food. Moskowitz asked the same question, but to their taste buds, rather than their ears. He discovered people could not always express their desire and perhaps were oblivious to their own preferences. Extra-chunky spaghetti sauce was not a thing before the studies Moskowitz conducted. One-third of all Americans now prefer extra-chunky, but could ot express their deep longing for this type of spaghetti sauce until Moskowitz cooked it up and realized the widespread popularity of this variety that was yet to be produced. Gladwell also mentions coffee and how people claim they want a dark, rich, hearty blend, yet most people actually prefer a milky, weak coffee. (Gladwell) Humans may not know what they want at all, not until theyVe tried and established preferences for themselves. Calling happiness elusive or hard to find would be misleading, as virtually anybody can find a moment in their day where they are appy. Rather, it avoids those who aimlessly attempt to seek it. Impulses are wired into human mentality and it makes us impulsive beings by nature. The criteria happiness is contingent upon is everchanging and fluctuates with our urges. What you yourself find happiness in, others may find laughable. What made you happy when you were 10 years old is likely not going to make you happy now. What you thought would make you happy may very well not be what you wanted at all. Happiness will always exist, but will always do so in a capricious state. Ironic as it ay be, those who set out to define and find their personal happiness often end up finding the least. Too often do we try to define ourselves as someone who we want to be, rather than who we are, and forget that our happiness is not found in a fictitious image of ourselves, but in the essence of the person we actually are. Fitzgerald, F. Scott, and Matthew J. Bruccoli. The Great Gatsby. New York, NY: Scribner, 1996. Print. Gladwell, Malcolm. Choice, Happiness, and Spaghetti Sauce. TED Talks. Long Beach. 15 Feb. 2004. Lecture. Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin, 1993. Print.

Communication stumbling blocks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Communication stumbling blocks - Essay Example For example, Barna in his works noted,â€Å"increased interaction through travel, students exchange programs, and other ventures should result in more understanding and friendship between nations†(Barna, p. 66). However, this is different especially due to variations of cultural contexts. These variations in cultural contexts create intercultural communication stumbling blocks, such as non verbal communication and time sense variations, thus lack of consensus during mediation and negotiations. Although I do not agree with Barna’s presumption that intercultural communication would result in understanding between nations, I agree with his assertion that â€Å"it takes a long time before a foreigner can adjust in a new culture† (Barna, p. 66). According to Kinetics, (2010), among the six stumbling blocks to effective cross cultural communication is nonverbal misinterpretation.A good example is the one given by the Japanese student, whereby he noticed that his non verbal communication did not coincide with the one of his Japanese culture (Barna, p. 67). He received a smile from American girls but only came to discover that the girls had no interest for him, unlike in his Japanese case, whereby such a smile can mean the person is sexual maniac. In such a situation, it would take quite some time before the Japanese student can fully adapt to the American culture. In regard to my own experience, I think the situation is more complext that it can be explained in writing. As I noted earlier during my visit to Tanzania in East Africa, I learned many things apart from their time factor issue. As I was speaking with some young girls, I noticed that they talked to me while bowing. In my own culture, this could mean that the person you are talking to is not attentive to what you are talking about, while in African culture it means that the person has high respect for you,

Evaluation of the chairman report for AL MAZAYA HOLDING CO Essay

Evaluation of the chairman report for AL MAZAYA HOLDING CO - Essay Example It implies that gap between the auditor’s signature and that of the chairperson was one month. One month is a short time and it enhances the timeliness of the company’s chairperson report thus improving the relevance of such information to users such as investors. The precision of the chairperson’s report enables the users of such information to base their decisions on current information rather than outdated information. Thus, it is easy for users of financial information to assess how much the company’s financial situation has changed since the publication of the financial statements. In this case, the information presented in the chairperson’s report reflects the information contained in the financial statements because of its precision. The balance between past information and future information is 92.3 percent. The chairperson’s report focuses more on past information than future information. For instance, he reflects on the promise the company made at the beginning of 2013 and reminds the reader that the company has fulfilled its promise. Additionally, the report primarily focuses on the company’s achievement in the year 2013. Approximately twelve sentences talk about the past while on the contrary only two sentences discuss the future. The chairperson is obsessed with the past because the company recorded stellar performances in its operations. For example, the company achieved a 2000 percent increase in profits. It is amazing to see a company record such performances and investors must be glad that their investments yielded high returns. Past information is important for the company because it attracts new investors who will be willing to buy shares in the company because of its stellar record. Ho wever, there should be a balance between the past and the future so that investors can acquaint themselves with where the company is coming from and where it is heading. Thus, the chairperson fails to give a

Shiite Festivals in Iran and Iraq Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Shiite Festivals in Iran and Iraq - Essay Example Although the Shiites were considered a minority in most of the Islamic world, they were the majority in countries like Iran and Iraq. Shiites who venerate Ali and his son Husayn or Hussein commemorate their death in the hands of the Sunni's in the 7th century battle in Karbala. Karbala is located in Iraq (Associated Press). The other holy site located in Iraq is Najaf. Shiites in Iraq comprised sixty percent of the Iraqi population but the most oppressed and marginalized during the regime of Saddam Hussein. There is a basic difference between Shiite Muslims in Iran and Iraq. Primarily, Iran's ethnic origin was Persian while Iraq's is recognized as Arab. The most significant festival for Shiites all over the world is the observance of Ashura, a ten-day commemoration of the martyrdom of Hussein. Its observance followed the Shiite calendar usually on the tenth day of the first month of the lunar year or Muharram (Rauf). The Shiites observed it as a day of mourning when Hussein and his kinsmen were killed in 680 AD or 61 AH (Shiite calendar) ("Everyday is Ashura and Every land is Karbala", Rauf). Shiites observe the day with public display of mourning, self-flagellation or wounding to commemorate the sacrifices of Hussein. Hussein opposed against the corrupt rule of Yazid, a Muslim caliph and he and his family paid for it with their lives. Unlike the Shiites in Iran where they enjoyed majority rule and political power, the Shiites of Iraq underwent severe oppression and misfortune for decades under Saddam Hussein despite outnumbering Sunni's by 2 to 1. Many of the Shiites in Iraq sought refuge in Iran. The Shiites of Iraq had to celebrate and practice their beliefs with restraint. It was not until Saddam Hussein was deposed in 2003 could they openly commemorate Ashura. In Iran, however, Shiism was the recognized Islamic denomination and therefore everyone could observe customs and traditions freely. The Origins of the Shiite Branch of Islam Conflict ensued concerning succession after Prophet Muhammad died in 632 AD between the Sunni and Shiites. According to the Shiites, succession should come from the bloodlines of Prophet Muhammad. The Sunni's believed otherwise. For them, the selection of a successor should be a consensus among community members, on political ascendancy and individual merit. (Armanios CRS-2). However, the closest companion of the Prophet, Abu Bakr was elected by majority of the community as caliph. Although majority would accept this decision, some felt that Ali ibn Abi Talib, a cousin and the Prophet's son-in-law and husband to the Prophet's daughter Fatima was bypassed. Several members of the community supported Ali's ascension as caliph (Armanios CRS-1). The Shiites would later consider Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman as usurpers and illegitimate successors. Shiites considered Ali as the one deserving the recognition as successor. Ali would later be assassinated in 661 AD and his sons, Hassan and Hussein would die in the hands of the Sunnis (Armanios CRS-2). Those that supported Ali's leadership

Analysis of “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin Essay Example for Free

Analysis of â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin Essay The short story â€Å"The Story of an Hour† was written by Kate Chopin and first appeared in 1984. It tells about the ‘one hour’ brief story of the main protagonist, Louise Mallard, and her reaction upon hearing the news of her husband’s death by a car accident. And because she had a heart problem, her sister Josephine and her husband’s friend Richards decided to break to her the news as gently as possible. Not long after the supposedly bad news was revealed, Brently, Louise’s husband, suddenly comes home alive disproving the former, causing death to her by heart attack. Majority of the story’s progression revolve around Louise’s reaction upon hearing the news about her husband’s death (Brian, 2001). The scenes where Louise isolate herself in her room and savor her new-found freedom add up to the hanging idea of the real reason behind her death. It seems that the author actually give two possible emotional state to answer the underlying question of Louise’s joyful death: one is that she has become too overwhelmed to see her husband alive in contrary to the news about his involvement in a recent car accident and the other one is that she is saddened by the realization of the freedom that she thought she will have after hearing her husband’s loss is completely taken away from her again. Contrasting Representations Suprisingly, the short-story is written in complete contrasts of the main theme. First of these contrasting representations within the story is Louise’s reaction upon hearing the news. The news about her husband’s death should bring her agony and tears but instead; she sits calmly â€Å"facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. † Here we see a strange approach to the situation with the word â€Å"comfortable† being used to modify the chair near the window. Louise, a new widow herself, must not see the chair as â€Å"comfortable† as it seems just right after hearing the unbearable news of her husband’s death. Added to this, the scene outside the window also symbolizes something in contrast to the story’s progression. The spring day from the view outside her window shows a contrasting image to the situation she has. The spring is a symbol of â€Å"rebirth† or â€Å"new life† thus the spring prognosticates Louise’s new life after Brently’s death. Another interesting symbol in the story is the description of the view laid upon Louise’s eyes as she sits near the window: â€Å"The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves† (Brian, 2001). For the readers, the description made by Louise about the view she was seeing clouds what her true emotions were at that moment. It seemed that as she isolated herself in a room, she completely disregarded the news of her husband’s death. These representations had become tricky in contrasting the main theme the story supposes to have or tell. Kate Chopin’s idea of a Joyful Death: Appearance versus Conflict What the readers may discover in reading this story is the possibility that there is an ironic truth behind the death of the main protagonist’s beloved. In the main setting of the story where Louis sits in a comfortable chair, she mouth over the words we never expect to read or hear from her. She seems to be happy rather than being sad about Brently’s loss with what the story emphasizes on her shouting â€Å"free, free, free! The freedom she pertains here signifies of her having the will to live a life all by herself, after her husband is gone. As she plays a youthful characteristic of a woman, it is a well played proof that she was indeed after the freedom, of doing what she want to do and make decisions for herself. With this fact, the story seems to have a conflict of its own: conflict between the ideas of appearance and reality. From the moment that the story emphasizes about Louise having her â€Å"freedom† at last, it could suggest the notion to the reader(s) that she is not saddened by the news. Unlike what she had shown in the central point of the story, Louise somehow is expected to grieve by the people around her, all having the idea that her marriage with Brently was a happy one. This is what her sister Josephine completely understood with her reaction as she misinterprets Louise’s behavior and thinking. She hysterically calls out her sister in the room, believing that Louise is heart-broken but in reality, Louise is more lightened up by the news. The doctors’ judgment about Louise’s death also deals with this conflict. For them, it seemed that Louise died after realizing that her husband is alive. This appearance of Louise’s happiness is more illustrated when they predicted that due to heart attack â€Å"of joy that kills† (Brians, 2001). Never did they think of the reality that she died because of another reason. That she dies because she was heart-broken to recognize the truth that she will not be able to gain her freedom as what she expected earlier. Role of Woman versus Man Another conflict in the story accentuates the role of woman versus man in the society. It is illustrated in the story that Louise is a submissive wife to Brently. But there is an internal struggle within her that tells that she was not happily married at all. As what Louise thinks, â€Å"What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being† justifies more to the idea that she, indeed, had loved Brently but more were the times she feel not. Maybe for Brently, Louise appeared to be happy with their relationship or he thinks and assumes that she is. Apparently, Louise wanted more the freedom she had felt for in that short while. After finding out the truth that she was not yet totally free, she had thought that only by death that she would took possession of it at last. There in death she would find peace and liberty. Ironically, Louise took the realization that her husband was alive and chose to die in able to attain the freedom she longed for. Character Analysis Chopin made her characters compliment along with the theme of the story. The main character, Louise plays a youthful wife who tends to have her freedom despite her marriage with Brently. Her youth marked up the end of her life and this irony of life, of choosing liberty by death, seemed to be one of the uncertain situations in the matter of choosing life over death. Brently, although his character is not discussed further on in the story, seemed to be playing a role of a husband who wants her wife under his control. Louise would never want liberation if he was a good man to her. His characteristic gives a deeper impact in the story, making Louise choose to die with freedom rather than living with him in a life full of despair. Josephine, Louise’s sister, was recognized here as a doting sister who takes care of her and all the matters that has a connection with her. Josephine, together with Richards, had taken care of gently telling to her the â€Å"death† of her husband Brently. She half-concealed the truth, in order for Louise to accept it without suffering her heart problem. Richards, Louise’s friend, is the one who brought the news to the house, he is responsible for assuring Brently’s death. As he rushes to tell the news to his friend, there is a suggestive truth that he was worried about what his friend’s reaction would be after hearing the news. If he had not rushed over to deliver the news, there is a possibility that Brently could arrive first in the house and justify that his name in the news is a big mistake, preventing Louise’s death and would have lived more. Apart from Brently, Richards is also responsible for the protagonist’s death. The story gives us the impression that not every death could bring grief to someone. It could be, in another way, a joyful event. Chopin had also brought about the issues of women and their role in the society. The story, written in the nineteenth-century, showed how women years back had no rights to be at their own will. Women then were still under the prying eyes of the society and men dominate over them. Chopin tackles a lot of moral issue within the story. Her story suggests that it would still be better if women of her own time maintain their roles in the society. In the nineteenth-century, men are expected to be superior over women and not the other way around, not what Louise wanted to be. Her insights within the story inspires us with the vision of what harmonious relationships are ought to be and the wide complexity in bearing the contrasting truth between appearance and reality. References: Brians, Paul. et al. Reading about the World. (Vol. 2) 3rd Edition. Texas: Harcourt Brace College, 2001.