Current and Significant Trend in Health Care Essay

Current and Significant Trend in Health Care - Essay Example The health sector, in the recent past, was marred with a shortage of staff, especially nurses. This was a setback to the sector as many people had to wait in long queues for the services. However, there is an emerging trend where the staffing has been increased. The healthcare sector has employed more nurses and health practitioners to help in serving the up surging demand. For example, according to the US Bureau of Statistics, employment in healthcare increased by an average of 26,000 jobs monthly (Acton, 2013). This is evident that the sector has initiated a plan of increasing the number of people offering services. According to the forecasts in the sector, it is estimated that the number of healthcare workers will have increased overall by 30% by the year 2020. This trend is significant as it has various advantages. First, people will receive high quality services. Secondly, people in need of healthcare services will avoid long queues. Advancement in technology is an aspect that has been gaining prevalence in many sectors of the economy. The healthcare sector has also started to appreciate technology (Ginter, Duncan and Swayne, 2013). In this era, there is a need to enhance accuracy in treatment. This is by enhancing diagnosis of different kinds of diseases and complications in the patients. The use of technology has had a positive influence on accurate diagnosis of diseases and complications. For example, cancer is a complication that is affecting a larger percentage of the American population. Apparently, the complication is controllable and treated with early diagnosis. However, when cancer is in its final stages, it is not easy to control or even cure. According to statistics in 2011, over 45% of practitioners in the health sector were using modern technology, which includes use of specialized computers and tablets. One year later, over 65% of the health practitioners in the health sector had access to

Mental instability Essay Example for Free

Mental instability Essay Through her Noon Wine novel, Katherine Anne Porter describes 1890s Texas settings that serve to build on the novel’s theme besides causing conflict at the end. For example, the author describes Mr. Royal Earle Thompson’s farm as barely productive primarily due to Thompson’s laziness. Strangely, Thompson holds that farm work is women’ work, indicating some mental instability in him. Amid such circumstances, Olaf Eric Helton comes to Thompson looking for work which he is promptly offered. Helton’s employment at the Thompson farm soon proves to be very beneficial. The farm miraculously becomes very productive, making Thompson to highly value Helton. The farmhand however has the strange habit of always remaining quiet and playing harmonicas. The arrival of Homer T. Hatch at the farm brings conflict since he intends to take Helton away from the farm. Thompson cannot give Helton away while Hatch wants to return the worker to a madhouse from which Hilton escaped years back. This incidence, which leads to Thompson mistakenly killing Hatch, amplifies the theme that both Helton and Hatch are insane in their unique ways (Porter 25). Firstly, the almost desperate way in which the Thompsons treasure Helton due to his remarkable good work, coupled with Hatch’s attempts at recapturing Helton, lead to a deadly conflict. A hallucinatory Thompson fatally hits Hatch, thinking that Hatch is killing Helton. This incidence shows that Thompson’s liking for Helton has built up to obsessive levels, where the farmer cannot bear seeing Helton move away. Moreover, Hatch’s disclosure of Helton’s past indicates that Helton is also insane. Porter’s theme of the presence of subtle madness in characters, Helton and Thompson, is thus supported by this conflict. In conclusion, Porters, Noon Wine description of the events surrounding the Thompson farm designate both Thompson and Helton as inherently mad. In addition, Hatch’s and Thompson’s contradictory acts lead to a concluding lethal conflict. Works Cited Porter, Katherine Anne. Noon Wine. Tulsa, Oklahoma: Schumans, 1937.

Mills The Power Elite Analysis

Mills The Power Elite Analysis   Rudenko Viacheslav   The ruling elite consists of people occupying such positions that give them the opportunity to rise above the environment of ordinary people and make decisions that have the greatest consequences. Whether they make these decisions or not- it is less important than the fact of owning such key positions; their avoidance of known actions and decisions is in itself an action that often entails more important consequences than the decisions they make. This is due to the fact that they command the most important institutions and organisations of modern society. For us, it is important that the activities of the elite not only can provide a stabilising function for the whole society or its subsystems, but can also destabilise its condition. In the work The Power Elite, Mills carried out an institutional analysis of Americas contemporary. As he points out, among all spheres of the life of the society, there are three most important: economic, political and military. It is here where we must look for the roots of the real elite of society. Mills concluded that at the head of America more or less permanent group of families. Representatives of this ruling elite have so much in common (beginning with religion and education and ending with membership in the same clubs) that they represent a single group that gradually concentrates in their hands full power. Although these people consist in different parties, they also have similar interests and views. Because of this, it leads to that the election of the president or congressmen, in fact, a fiction that has no significant meaning. Thus, the country is governed by a narrow ruling elite, which occupies the highest level in the power structure. The lower level in this structure is occupied by the majority of citizens who allegedly are the reliance of democracy, but in reality, they are subordinate to the will of the elite. The single rule of the ruling elite, as C. Mills asserted, not only poses a threat to democracy, but can also provoke a third world war. Sharply criticising the dominance of the elite, Charles Mills posited positive hopes for intellectuals, which, in his opinion, should become the core that will strengthen American society, returning it to democratic origins. The book The Power Elite contains a comprehensive analysis of the American ruling elite:   Ã‚   its composition and main characteristics; mechanisms of its formation; its place in society; its historical evolution; etc. The research itself is a visual example of how a practical embodiment of the style of thinking should look like, which called by Mills as sociological imagination,. The ruling elite: consists of people occupying positions that give them the opportunity to rise above the environment of ordinary people and make decisions that have the greatest consequences. C. Mills believed that there are three distinct levels of power. The first the highest level is occupied by the ruling elite, which formally and informally accepts the most important political decisions and removes the popular masses from governing the country; The second level is an intermediate level of power reflecting group interests in local and regional authorities, whose influence on the adoption of fundamental decisions is limited; The third level is the level of the actual lack of rights of the masses, on which the main part of society is located, which does not exert any influence on the decision-making. This naturally leads to the conclusion that in fact American democracy and peoples democracy is nothing more than a deception. The main fact: the possession of command positions in the social system, in which effective means are concentrated, providing power, wealth, prestige, fame. The ruling elite has a national character:Analysing the provincial upper classes of the old and new formations and the upper strata of the central cities (the so-called layer of four hundred families), and Mills showed that their power capabilities are limited, and their decisions do not have a decisive influence on social processes. Higher positions in local hierarchies have lost the importance they had before. This is due to the institutional development of society, its enlargement and the formation of national social networks. Many members of the ruling elite came out from the local tops; But those who occupy the highest positions in the local hierarchies do not belong to it. The key to understanding the power of the elite must be sought in the social structure of modern society, its most important institutions. That is: (1) economic institutions: corporations; (2) political institutions: the state; (3) military institutions: the army. These institutions in American society dominate and subordinate all other institutions (school, family, church, science, etc.), turning them into tools for the realisation of their goals. There have been processes of enlargement and centralisation in these three areas: Economy: instead of a lot of small entrepreneurs 200-300 large corporations; Public administration: instead of a decentralised structure of state and municipal governments, a centralised government; Military: instead of a decentralised structure of means of violence, a centralised military department that has become the largest and the most expensive government agency. The ruling elite is effectively closed from foreign: through the working mechanisms of selection and recruitment, predominance of appointees and the role of subjective evaluation in appointments. Staying in the elite gives you direct access to the valuable benefits of life: wealth, power, prestige. Access to these benefits depends not so much on the personal qualities of a person, but on the positions in power. Disappearance of the public: The questions that determine the fate of people are not put and are not solved by the general public. Key decisions for society are made by the elite, often without any regard for the public. Also, there is a growing gap between the elite and the managed population. A huge role here is played by the media: in place of democratic discussion and decision-making, authoritarian decision-making mechanisms based on the technologies of propaganda processing and the formation of public opinion come. The market of opinions is monopolised: several large monopolists came to the place of numerous independent producers of opinions. Outcome: universal spiritual ignorance, stupor, loss of life guides and criteria, the triumph of immorality, the collapse of the mind, the general atmosphere of insecurity and impotence. A similar function is also performed by the education system. Immorality at the top: a structural problem. The society itself is arranged in such way that to achieve success person must drop moral. Moral orientations are often become disastrous for a career. In the lower classes a similar structural problem is philistine Machiavellianism. In a society where money is the only indisputable measure of prosperity (and human value), it cannot be otherwise. The main Elite-forming sign is not outstanding individual qualities, but possession of command positions, leading positions. The ruling elite, writes Mills, consists of people, occupying such positions that give them the opportunity to rise above the environment of ordinary people and make decisions that have major consequences. This is due to the fact that they command the most important hierarchical institutions and organizations of modern society. They occupy strategic command posts in the social system, in which effective means are concentrated, ensuring the power, wealth and fame that they use. It is the occupation of key positions in the economy, politics, military and other institutions that provides power and thereby constitutes the elite. Such an understanding of the elite distinguishes left-liberal concepts from Machiavellian and other theories that lead to elitism from special qualities of people. Group cohesion and the diversity of the composition of the ruling elite, which is not limited to the elite of the political, directly taking state decisions, but includes the leaders of corporations, politicians, senior civil servants and higher officers. They are supported by intellectuals, well-established within the existing system. The unifying factor of the ruling elite is not only the common interest of the constituent groups in preserving their privileged position and the social order that provides it, but also the proximity of the social status, educational and cultural level, the range of interests and spiritual values, lifestyle, and personal and family ties. There is also profound difference between the elite and the masses. Natives of the people can enter the elite only by occupying high positions in the social hierarchy. However, they have few real chances for this. The possibilities for the influence of the masses on the elite through elections and other democratic institutions are very limited. With the help of money, knowledge, the sophisticated mechanism of manipulating consciousness, the ruling elite controls the masses virtually uncontrollably. The recruiting of the elite is carried out mainly from its own environment based on acceptance of its social and political values. The most important criteria for selection are the possession of resources of influence, as well as business qualities and a conformist social position. The first and main function of the ruling elite in society is to ensure its own domination. Exactly this function by which decision of administrative tasks is subordinated. Mills denies the inevitability of the elitism of society, criticizes it from consistently democratic positions. Mills comments on the popular ideas about the managerial revolution, according to which, the power in the enterprises passed to the managers from the bottom, rational managers who care about both the profits for the owners and the dignity of the workers. Mills argues that in fact, managers are divided into two classes: those who are engaged in executive organisational work, and those who make key decisions. So, the second, higher class of managers is not separate from the owners of the group. As a rule, they have part in the shares of the enterprise. In fact, their interests do not differ from the interests of owners, as in their position they make money. At the very top of the social structure of the United States is the ruling elite, and below it is a politically formless inert society. If you look at it objectively, there is not so widely praised by the liberals the public, which discusses various issues, and then implements decisions directly or through representatives. The place of a reasonable and free personality envisaged by such a model is now occupied by the crowd man, and a mass society takes the place of a politically active organisation organised into grassroots associations of civil society. As We see large corporations instead small shopkeepers today, and instead of communicating between the buyer and the seller, we see mass advertising, as well in politics: instead of exchanging views, we see mass ideological processing. From what has been said it is clear that an inert society is the result of the influence of the mass media. The basis of resistance to them may be the comprehension of their experience, but the problem is that even our experience we perceive through the prism created by the mass media. Also, these media divert us from knowing the world through communication with loved ones. Probably, this function is performed by the TV bursting into the kitchen? Media does not only form our view of the world, but also our view of ourselves, imposing desires, dreams, and a vision of our position in society. The way out of this situation is to create and maintain alternative media that are not monopolised by the powers that be. This will allow us to see a real clash of opinions and analyse them. The education system has an effect similar to the mass media. In modern educational institutions, instead of political goals (the ability to link personal experience with social processes and to be active in public life), dominate market goals (the desire to become a steep specialist and move along the career ladder) which go together with ideologic propaganda of ruling class. The structure of an inert society is this: we are alienated from each other and closed in our own world, to which we look through the prism created by the mass media and the education system. We cannot relate our position to a real social structure. As a result, we become non-initiative and politically inert. Above the mass of such disunited people rises the organised elite, making the most important decisions, concerning all. Such pessimistic picture drawn by Mills. Pessimistic, because it does not contain a hint of a strategy of liberation. Perhaps Mills simply did not set the goal of this book to reflect on liberation strategies, or maybe he did not really see the opportunity to change society for the better, who knows? The concept of elite within the framework of the proposed cultural-institutional approach which historically defined (along with aristocracy and nomenclature) as a form of existence of power groups that define institutional boundaries. In other words, the elites are groups that perform, first of all, stabilising functions on the scale of the whole society, as well as its individual subsystems. And within the framework of this function, the elites consider the limits of the existence of other institutions and individuals. In this sense, they are institutionalising institutions. The existence of the elite is connected with the bourgeois industrial society. This means that they are the product of the social relations of this particular society. In this context, there are three characteristics of the modern society which are important: openness of the society, openness of power and openness of politics. In connection with these changes, the elites are institutionalised. The study of the ruling elite of the US did not go unnoticed. Later, the conclusions of C. Mills were reflected in the ideology of the new left throughout the world. In addition, the modern English sociologist A. Giddens who has convincingly shown that the term ruling elite, invented by C. Mills in relation to the United States, can rightly be attributed to the Soviet Union. Mills carried out an institutional analysis of Americas contemporary. He pointed out that among all spheres of the life of society the leading place is occupied by three economic, political and military. Mills believes that power elites represent only their own interests, which include maintaining an eternal economic war to control American capitalism, and masking manipulative control of social and political order with the help of the mass media. Mills concluded that at the head of America is more or less the permanent group of families. This leads to the fact that the election of the president or congressmen is a fiction, which has no essential meaning. The lower level in this structure is occupied by the majority of citizens who allegedly to the reliance of democracy, but in reality they are subordinate to the will of the elite. Mills saw the main social danger in increasing rationality without reason, that is, in using ruling elite rational means ,developed by scientists, to achi eve irrational goals.

The Merchant of Venice Should be Studied in High Schools Essay

Since middle school, I have believed that all of Shakespeare’s works, similar to A Mid Summer Night’s Dream, were plays that one would read to hear a happy, entertaining story; but, it was not until this year, after reading The Merchant of Venice, that I recognized the darker, more sinister, side of Shakespeare’s plays. The Merchant of Venice supports the Jewish, anti-Semitic stereotype as the wicked character of Shylock is developed. Many individuals fear that it is improper to teach and discuss The Merchant of Venice in high school classrooms because of the negative way it presents Jews; however, I believe that it is important to read this controversial play in high schools because it enables students to learn anti-Semitic history and because reading Shakespeare’s works, due to their complexity, expands the literary mind of those who read it. It is so important for people to recognize how Jews were portrayed during Shakespeare’s life so that historic events such as the holocaust do not repeat themselves. Teachers who plan on presenting their students with The Merchant of Venice should also present them with articles explaining how Jews received their negative stereotype and explain to them that Jews are not as evil as Shylock. The play can still be useful as a high school reading experience only if taught correctly, in a manner that avoids Jews being insulted and non-Jews getting a completely flawed idea about Jews. Although comedic during the 16th century, The Merchant of Venice can no longer be viewed as a comedy in the 21st century due to the diversity of people and general acceptance of their cultures throughout the United States. Without proper instruction from teachers, non-Jewish students may begin to express h... ...ent in their society. In reading Shakespeare, minds of readers are expanded due to his use of Early Modern English and extensive vocabulary. Shakespeare’s works also provide readers with great entertainment whose portrayal of the human condition transcends the generations. The Merchant of Venice contains many witty lines and sub-plots. â€Å"Prejudice feeds on ignorance† (Leggatt 215). If teachers do not teach their students the origin of such stereotypes, then they are developing ignorant students who will forever believe that Jews are incarnations of the devil. Considering the Jewish Stereotype that is supported and developed in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, the play is, indeed, still useful as a high school reading experience because, due to its sensitive topics, assists in eliminating innocence and creates a more discerning eye for world issues in students.

My Dreams and Ambitions Essay

I was raised in a small town called Joao Pessoa by my grandmother .The town was very small that everyone knew their neighbors and the town. At this time as was single and living in Brazil. We had a very nice house, which I had my own room and I loved it. I had everything in my room. But was a especial place that I like about my room, It was where I keep all of my favorite things, my craft supplies, favorite CD’s, books, magazines, cameras, photos, and my diary. A place to escape when my house was a little crazy and noise. I used to love stay on my room writing on my diary for hours, every day before go to bed, I used to sat down on my desk and writing about my life. I always think about the future. My grandmother was old, almost 65, and I was always worrying what will happen to me after she dies. I grew up with opportunities for intellectual and spiritual growth, secure in the knowledge that I was loved by her. But not from my parents who gave me away. When I was 16, my life changed dramatically in the fall of my sophomore year of high school. My beloved grandmother was dying of cancer. I was forced my view of the world and my sense of responsibility to take a dramatic turn. Each morning before school I went to the hospital where she received chemotherapy to treat the cancer that was destroying her body. After school finished, I went back to the hospital to speed the rest of afternoon with her. Many times I eat at the hospital just to spend more time with her. Because I knew that after she dies everything will change in my life. In the fall of the same year she dies. I was very depressed about my life. I knew that I need to move on, but didn’t know how. Years passed, and I was finished high school. In 1998 was accepted into the nurse school, and the same time studying to be an elementary school teacher. In 2000, after graduate as a teacher, my aunt invited me to come to United of States. That happen 6 months after found the love of my life. I was undecided, but I ended up accepting my aunt offer and postpone my love history and my career as nurse. I came to Orlando in 2000 and sign up to English school. Since already decided to leave, I had to learn the language. I remember like today, I was feeling lost, since I didn’t had any friends or family here. But, I came with a purpose, to learn the language and make my life here. One year after living here, I break up with my boyfriend in  Brazil. I was not sure any more about going back to my country. I want to try the whole long distance thing but he doesn’t, so we ended up finishing our relationship. My actual husband, I met at school. Close to the apartment that I used to leave, there was a high school, and I decide to go there to get more information about the English classes. When I arrived to school, there were a lot of people waiting to enroll for the classes. I sign in and wait until somebody calls me. After few minutes the lady called my name and asked me for some documentation that was required to enroll. My purse was so crowded with a lot of papers and credit cards inside, that when I opened, I dropped all my cards on the floor, and then a guy came to help me. I thank you him for the help and I went to the registration desk. After I finish with all paper work, he follows me through the exit door and ask if he can see me another day. I guess he liked me. Then he offers to take me home since I didn’t have transportation. I didn’t want to accept. But I felt I could trust on him. Time passed and we went out many times. On the beginning I didn’t like him, but he always surprises me. A month later, we stared dating, and after two years we got married. My family is warm and loving. There’s me, my husband, and my son. I am thirty two years old. My husband Jorge is forty two, and the 9 year-old Kevin Gabriel is our only child. . We’ve been married for nine years. My husband is a Dentist on his country, but here in the United States, he was not able yet to take his license, so he works for a hotel as Supervisor. My son Kevin Gabriel is the best son in the world. He is very calm, is carrying about his family. He loves to go school and paint. When he has a free time he drawn his family on the peace of paper and stick on his bedroom wall. He is always telling me how much he loves our family. I am a woman who loves enjoy the life each day, and speed time going to the church every Sunday with my son. Unfortunately, my husband doesn’t like to attend to church with me because his is Catholic and I’m Christian. I believe one day he will change. He always said that his is Catholic, but never attend to the service on church. I think is just one more excuse to not go. I work for a very successful company on hospitality industry â€Å"Marriott†. I like my job, but I’m not planning in staying there the rest of my life. My dream is became a plastic surgeon, maybe one day my dream came true. I  believed that dreams are the most amazing things in life, we all love to dream and we all love to hope and to see ourselves getting better and achieving more each day. That was the reason I decided to go back to college and finish my career. Everyone dreams of being something and tries to achieve their goals; everyone has their own resolutions and has something to look up to and reach. For me, I would like to achieve many things during my life such as: entering in to a high respected university to study medicine. Also, have my own house at the beach for my family. For some people, money is the first thing, and most of the times the only thing that measures success in their life, but that is not my case. Money can buy power, fame, time, and much more. But there is one thing that money could not buy is happiness. My dream is to become a good plastic surgeon and day after day it has transformed into an ambition which I want to move towards. I do not want to be famous, but just good enough to have my own clinic and work for a very successful hospital. Many people think that becoming a doctor is difficult, and I know that takes many years of preparation, but anyone can achieve if they have determination. Also, I would like to help people that have dreams to do a plastic surgery, but doesn’t have the money. I am interested in this career because I like to help people. Even though studying and working at the same time are very hard, it pays off in the end, when someone makes a difference in someone’s life. I think it is really great to dream and to live my life trying to reach my hopes. I always try to set my goals and work as hard as I can to reach them. Another ambition of mine is someday to have my own house on one of the beaches in Hawaii. The color of the house will be white and it will be surrounded by a large garden with a few trees. Every morning I will go outside and breathe the wonderful breeze, which carries the smell of the sea. It may not seem like an ambition as much as it seems like a dream, but I would really like to live in such a place and I am willing to do everything to make it come true. To conclude, I believe with determination and commitment I will climb  up the ladder of life and with practice I will avoid slipping, however, drawing a plan in my mind has helped me achieve a lot and will still do so. I always convince myself to never give up and I strive to look forward to what person I would become if I achieve my goals. I hope one day my dreams will came true.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 21 VERDICT

WE WERE IN A BRIGHTLY LIT, UNREMARKABLE HALLWAY. The walls were off-white, the floor carpeted in industrial gray. Common rectangular fluorescent lights were spaced evenly along the ceiling. It was warmer here, for which I was grateful. This hall seemed very benign after the gloom of the ghoulish stone sewers. Edward didn't seem to agree with my assessment. He glowered darkly down the long hallway, toward the slight, black shrouded figure at the end, standing by an elevator. He pulled me along, and Alice walked on my other side. The heavy door creaked shut behind us, and then there was the thud of a bolt sliding home. Jane waited by the elevator, one hand holding the doors open for us. Her expression was apathetic. Once inside the elevator, the three vampires that belonged to the Volturi relaxed further. They threw back their cloaks, letting the hoods fall back on their shoulders. Felix and Demetri were both of a slightly olive complexionit looked odd combined with their chalky pallor. Felix's black hair was cropped short, but Demetri's waved to his shoulders. Their irises were deep crimson around the edges, darkening until they were black around the pupil. Under the shrouds, their clothes were modern, pale, and nondescript. I cowered in the corner, cringing against Edward. His hand still rubbed against my arm. He never took his eyes off Jane. The elevator ride was short; we stepped out into what looked like a posh office reception area. The walls were paneled in wood, the floors carpeted in thick, deep green. There were no windows, but large, brightly lit paintings of the Tuscan countryside hung everywhere as replacements. Pale leather couches were arranged in cozy groupings, and the glossy tables held crystal vases full of vibrantly colored bouquets. The flowers' smell reminded me of a funeral home. In the middle of the room was a high, polished mahogany counter. I gawked in astonishment at the woman behind it. She was tall, with dark skin and green eyes. She would have been very pretty in any other companybut not here. Because she was every bit as human as I was. I couldn't comprehend what this human woman was doing here, totally at ease, surrounded by vampnes. She smiled politely in welcome. â€Å"Good afternoon, Jane,† she said. There was no surprise in her face as she glanced at Jane's company. Not Edward, his bare chest glinting dimly in the white lights, or even me, disheveled and comparatively hideous. Jane nodded. â€Å"Gianna.† She continued toward a set of double doors in the back of the room, and we followed. As Felix passed the desk, he winked at Gianna, and she giggled. On the other side of the wooden doors was a different kind of reception. The pale boy in the pearl gray suit could have been Jane's twin. His hair was darker, and his lips were not as full, but he was just as lovely. He came forward to meet us. He smiled, reaching for her. â€Å"Jane.† â€Å"Alec,† she responded, embracing the boy. They kissed each other's cheeks on both sides. Then he looked at us. â€Å"They send you out for one and you come back with two and a half,† he noted, looking at me. â€Å"Nice work.† She laughedthe sound sparkled with delight like a baby's cooing. â€Å"Welcome back, Edward,† Alec greeted him. â€Å"You seem in a better mood.† â€Å"Marginally,† Edward agreed in a flat voice. I glanced at Edward's hard face, and wondered how his mood could have been darker before. Alec chuckled, and examined me as I clung to Edward's side. â€Å"And this is the cause of all the trouble?† he asked, skeptical. Edward only smiled, his expression contemptuous. Then he froze. â€Å"Dibs,† Felix called casually from behind. Edward turned, a low snarl building deep in his chest. Felix smiledhis hand was raised, palm up; he curled his fingers twice, inviting Edward forward. Alice touched Edward's arm. â€Å"Patience,† she cautioned him. They exchanged a long glance, and I wished I could hear what she was telling him. I figured that it was something to do with not attacking Felix, because Edward took a deep breath and turned back to Alec. â€Å"Aro will be so pleased to see you again,† Alec said, as if nothing had passed. â€Å"Let's not keep him waiting,† Jane suggested. Edward nodded once. Alec and Jane, holding hands, led the way down yet another wide, ornate hallwould there ever be an end? They ignored the doors at the end of the halldoors entirely sheathed in goldstopping halfway down the hall and sliding aside a piece of the paneling to expose a plain wooden door. It wasn't locked. Alec held it open for Jane. I wanted to groan when Edward pulled me through to the other side of the door. It was the same ancient stone as the square, the alley, and the sewers. And it was dark and cold again. The stone antechamber was not large. It opened quickly into a brighter, cavernous room, perfectly round like a huge castle turret which was probably exactly what it was. Two stories up, long window slits threw thin rectangles of bright sunlight onto the stone floor below. There were no artificial lights. The only furniture in the room were several massive wooden chairs, like thrones, that were spaced unevenly, flush with the curving stone walls. In the very center of the circle, in a slight depression, was another drain. I wondered if they used it as an exit, like the hole in the street. The room was not empty. A handful of people were convened in seemingly relaxed conversation. The murmur of low, smooth voices was a gentle hum in the air. As I watched, a pair of pale women in summer dresses paused in a patch of light, and, like prisms, their skin threw the light in rainbow sparkles against the sienna walls. The exquisite faces all turned toward our party as we entered the room. Most of the immortals were dressed in inconspicuous pants and shirtsthings that wouldn't stick out at all on the streets below. But the man who spoke first wore one of the long robes. It was pitch-black, and brushed against the floor. For a moment, I thought his long, jet-black hair was the hood of his cloak. â€Å"Jane, dear one, you've returned!† he cried in evident delight. His voice was just a soft sighing. He drifted forward, and the movement flowed with such surreal grace that I gawked, my mouth hangmg open. Even Alice, whose every motion looked like dancing, could not compare. I was only more astonished as he floated closer and I could see his face. It was not like the unnaturally attractive faces that surrounded him (for he did not approach us alone; the entire group converged around him, some following, and some walking ahead of him with the alert manner of bodyguards). I couldn't decide if his face was beautiful or not. I suppose the features were perfect. But he was as different from the vampires beside him as they were from me. His skin was translucently white, like onionskin, and it looked just as delicateit stood in shocking contrast to the long black hair that framed his face. I felt a strange, horrifying urge to touch his cheek, to see if it was softer than Edward's or Alice's, or if it was powdery, like chalk. His eyes were red, the same as the others around him, but the color was clouded, milky; I wondered if his vision was affected by the haze. He glided to Jane, took her face in his papery hands, kissed her lightly on her full lips, and then floated back a step. â€Å"Yes, Master.† Jane smiled; the expression made her look like an angelic child. â€Å"I brought him back alive, just as you wished.† â€Å"Ah, Jane.† He smiled, too. â€Å"You are such a comfort to me.† He turned his misty eyes toward us, and the smile brightenedbecame ecstatic. â€Å"And Alice and Bella, too!† he rejoiced, clapping his thin hands together. â€Å"This is a happy surprise! Wonderful!† I stared in shock as he called our names informally, as if we were old friends dropping in for an unexpected visit. He turned to our hulking escort. â€Å"Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss this.† â€Å"Yes, Master.† Felix nodded and disappeared back the way we had come. â€Å"You see, Edward?† The strange vampire turned and smiled at Edward like a fond but scolding grandfather. â€Å"What did I tell you? Aren't you glad that I didn't give you what you wanted yesterday?† â€Å"Yes, Aro, I am,† he agreed, tightening his arm around my waist. â€Å"I love a happy ending.† Aro sighed. â€Å"They are so rare. But I want the whole story. How did this happen? Alice?† He turned to gaze at Alice with curious, misty eyes. â€Å"Your brother seemed to think you infallible, but apparently there was some mistake.† â€Å"Oh, I'm far from infallible.† She flashed a dazzling smile. She looked perfectly at ease, except that her hands were balled into tight little fists. â€Å"As you can see today, I cause problems as often as I cure them.† â€Å"You're too modest,† Aro chided. â€Å"I've seen some of your more amazing exploits, and I must admit I've never observed anything like your talent. Wonderful!† Alice flickered a glance at Edward. Aro did not miss it. â€Å"I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced properly at all, have we? It's just that I feel like I know you already, and I tend get ahead of myself. Your brother introduced us yesterday, in a peculiar way. You see, I share some of your brother's talent, only I am limited in a way that he is not.† Aro shook his head; his tone was envious. â€Å"And also exponentially more powerful,† Edward added dryly. He looked at Alice as he swiftly explained. â€Å"Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts, but he hears much more than I do. You know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment. Aro hears every thought your mind has ever had.† Alice raised her delicate eyebrows, and Edward inclined his head. Aro didn't miss that either. â€Å"But to be able to hear from a distance† Aro sighed, gesturing toward the two of them, and the exchange that had just taken place. â€Å"That would be so convenient.† Aro looked over our shoulders. All the other heads turned in the same direction, including Jane, Alec, and Demetri, who stood silently beside us. I was the slowest to turn. Felix was back, and behind him floated two more black-robed men. Both looked very much like Aro, one even had the same flowing black hair. The other had a shock of snow-white hairthe same shade as his facethat brushed against his shoulders. Their faces had identical, paper-thin skin. The trio from Carlisle's painting was complete, unchanged by the last three hundred years since it was painted. â€Å"Marcus, Caius, look!† Aro crooned. â€Å"Bella is alive after all, and Alice is here with her! Isn't that wonderful?† Neither of the other two looked as if wonderful would be their first choice of words. The dark-haired man seemed utterly bored, like he'd seen too many millennia of Aro's enthusiasm. The other's hice was sour under the snowy hair. Their lack of interest did not curb Aro's enjoyment. â€Å"Let us have the story,† Aro almost sang in his feathery voice. The white-haired ancient vampire drifted away, gliding toward one of the wooden thrones. The other paused beside Aro, and he reached his hand out, at first I thought to take Aro's hand. But he just touched Aro's palm briefly and then dropped his hand to his side. Aro raised one black brow. I wondered how his papery skin did not crumple in the effort. Edward snorted very quietly, and Alice looked at him, curious. â€Å"Thank you, Marcus,† Aro said. â€Å"That's quite interesting.† I realized, a second late, that Marcus was letting Aro know his thoughts. Marcus didn't look interested. He glided away from Aro to join the one who must be Caius, seated against the wall. Two of the attending vampires followed silently behind himbodyguards, like I'd thought before. I could see that the two women in the sundresses had gone to stand beside Caius in the same manner. The idea of any vampire needing a guard was faintly ridiculous to me, but maybe the ancient ones were as frail as their skin suggested. Aro was shaking his head. â€Å"Amazing,†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ he said. â€Å"Absolutely amazing.† Alice's expression was frustrated. Edward turned to her and explained again in a swift, low voice. â€Å"Marcus sees relationships. He's surprised by the intensity of ours.† Aro smiled. â€Å"So convenient,† he repeated to himself. Then he spoke to us. â€Å"It takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus, I can assure you.† I looked at Marcus's dead face, and I believed that. â€Å"It's just so difficult to understand, even now,† Aro mused, staring at Edward's arm wrapped around me. It was hard for me to follow Aro's chaotic train of thought. I struggled to keep up. â€Å"How can you stand so close to het like that?† â€Å"It's not without effort,† Edward answered calmly. â€Å"Butstillla tua cantante! What a waste!† Edward chuckled once without humor. â€Å"I look at it more as a price.† Aro was skeptical. â€Å"A very high price.† â€Å"Opportunity cost.† Aro laughed. â€Å"If I hadn't smelled her through your memories, I wouldn't have believed the call of anyone's blood could be so strong. I've never felt anything like it myself. Most of us would trade much for such a gift, and yet you† â€Å"Waste it,† Edward finished, his voice sarcastic now. Aro laughed again. â€Å"Ah, how I miss my friend Carlisle! You remind me of himonly he was not so angry.† â€Å"Carlisle outshines me in many other ways as well.† â€Å"I certainly never thought to see Carlisle bested for self-control of all things, but you put him to shame.† â€Å"Hardly.† Edward sounded impatient. As if he were tired of the preliminaries. It made me more afraid; I couldn't help but try to imagine what he expected would follow. â€Å"I am gratified by his success,† Aro mused. â€Å"Your memories of him are quite a gift for me, though they astonish me exceedingly. I am surprised by how it pleases me, his success in this unorthodox path he's chosen. I expected that he would waste, weaken with time. I'd scoffed at his plan to find others who would share his peculiar vision. Yet, somehow, I'm happy to be wrong.† Edward didn't reply. â€Å"But your restraint!† Aro sighed. â€Å"I did not know such strength was possible. To inure yourself against such a siren call, not just once but again and againif I had not felt it myself, I would not have believed.† Edward gazed back at Aro's admiration with no expression. I knew his face well enoughtime had not changed thatto guess at something seething beneath the surface. I fought to keep my breathing even. â€Å"Just remembering how she appeals to you† Aro chuckled. â€Å"It makes me thirsty.† Edward tensed. â€Å"Don't be disturbed,† Aro reassured him. â€Å"I mean her no harm. But I am so curious, about one thing in particular.† He eyed me with bright interest. â€Å"May I?† he asked eagerly, lifting one hand. â€Å"Ask her,† Edward suggested in a flat voice. â€Å"Of course, how rude of me!† Aro exclaimed. â€Å"Bella,† he addressed me directly now. â€Å"I'm fascinated that you are the one exception to Edward's impressive talentso very interesting that such a thing should occur! And I was wondering, since our talents are similar in many ways, if you would be so kind as to allow me to tryto see if you are an exception for me, as well?† My eyes flashed up to Edward's face in terror. Despite Aro's overt politeness, I didn't believe I really had a choice. I was horrified at the thought of allowing him to touch me, and yet also perversely intrigued by the chance to feel his strange skin. Edward nodded in encouragementwhether because he was sure Aro would not hurt me, or because there was no choice, I couldn't tell. I turned back to Aro and raised my hand slowly in front of me. It was trembling. He glided closer, and I believe he meant his expression to be reassuring. But his papery features were too strange, too alien and frightening, to reassure. The look on his face was more confident than his words had been. Aro reached out, as if to shake my hand, and pressed his insubstantial-looking skin against mine. It was hard, but felt brittleshale rather than graniteand even colder than I expected. His filmy eyes smiled down at mine, and it was impossible to look away. They were mesmerizing in an odd, unpleasant way. Aro's face altered as I watched. The confidence wavered and became first doubt, then incredulity before he calmed it into a friendly mask. â€Å"So very interesting,† he said as he released my hand and drifted back. My eyes flickered to Edward, and, though his face was composed, I thought he seemed a little smug. Aro continued to drift wnh a thoughtful expression. He was quiet for a moment, his eyes flickering between the three of us. Then, abruptly, he shook his head. â€Å"A first,† he said to himself â€Å"I wonder if she is immune to our other talents Jane, dear?† â€Å"No!† Edward snarled the word. Alice grabbed his arm with a restraining hand. He shook her off. Little Jane smiled up happily at Aro. â€Å"Yes, Master?† Edward was truly snarling now, the sound ripping and tearing from him, glaring at Aro with baleful eyes. The room had gone still, everyone watching him with amazed disbelief, as if he were committing some embarrassing social faux pas. I saw Felix grin hopefully and move a step forward. Aro glanced at him once, and he froze in place, his grin turning to a sulky expression. Then he spoke to Jane. â€Å"I was wondering, my dear one, if Bella is immune to you.† I could barely hear Aro over Edward's furious growls. He let go of me, moving to hide me from their view. Caius ghosted in our direction, with his entourage, to watch. Jane turned toward us with a beatific smile. â€Å"Don't!† Alice cried as Edward launched himself at the little girl. Before I could react, before anyone could jump between them, before Aro's bodyguards could tense, Edward was on the ground. No one had touched him, but he was on the stone floor writhing in obvious agony, while I stared in horror. Jane was smiling only at him now, and it all clicked together. What Alice had said about formidable gifts , why everyone treated Jane with such deference, and why Edward had thrown himself in her path before she could do that to me. â€Å"Stop!† I shrieked, my voice echoing in the silence, jumping forward to put myself between them. But Alice threw her arms around me in an unbreakable grasp and ignored my struggles. No sound escaped Edward's lips as he cringed against the stones. It felt like my head would explode from the pain of watching this. â€Å"Jane,† Aro recalled her in a tranquil voice. She looked up quickly, still smiling with pleasure, her eyes questioning. As soon as Jane looked away, Edward was still. Aro inclined his head toward me. Jane turned her smile in my direction. I didn't even meet her gaze. I watched Edward from the prison of Alice's arms, still struggling pointlessly. â€Å"He's fine,† Alice whispered in a tight voice. As she spoke, he sat up, and then sprang lightly to his feet. His eyes met mine, and they were horror-struck. At first I thought the horror was for what he had just suffered. But then he looked quickly at Jane, and back to meand his face relaxed into relief. I looked at Jane, too, and she no longer smiled. She glared at me, her jaw clenched with the intensity of her focus. I shrank back, waiting for the pain. Nothing happened. Edward was by my side again. He touched Alice's arm, and she surrendered me to him. Aro started to laugh. â€Å"Ha, ha. ha,† he chuckled. â€Å"This is wonderful!† Jane hissed in frustration, leaning forward like she was preparing to spring. â€Å"Don't be put out, dear one,† Aro said in a comforting tone, placing a powder-light hand on her shoulder. â€Å"She confounds us all.† Jane's upper lip curled back ever her teeth as she continued to glare at me. â€Å"Ha, ha, ha,† Aro chortled again. â€Å"You're very brave, Edward, to endure in silence. I asked Jane to do that to me oncejust out of curiosity.† He shook his head in admiration. Edward glared, disgusted. â€Å"So what do we do with you now?† Aro sighed. Edward and Alice stiffened. This was the part they'd been waiting for. I began to tremble. â€Å"I don't suppose there's any chance that you've changed your mind?† Aro asked Edward hopefully. â€Å"Your talent would be an excellent addition to our little company.† Edward hesitated. From the corner of my eye, I saw both Felix and Jane grimace. Edward seemed to weigh each word before he spoke it. â€Å"I'd rather not.† â€Å"Alice?† Aro asked, still hopeful. â€Å"Would you perhaps be interested in joining with us?† â€Å"No, thank you,† Alice said. â€Å"And you, Bella?† Aro raised his eyebrows. Edward hissed, low in my ears. I stared at Aro blankly. Was he joking? Or was he really asking me if I wanted to stay for dinner? It was the white-haired Caius who broke the silence. â€Å"What?† he demanded of Aro; his voice, though no more than a whisper, was flat. â€Å"Caius, surely you see the potential,† Aro chided him affectionately. â€Å"I haven't seen a prospective talent so promising since we found Jane and Alec. Can you imagine the possibilities when she is one of us?† Caius looked away with a caustic expression. Jane's eyes sparked with indignation at the comparison. Edward fumed beside me. I could hear a rumble in his chest, building toward a growl. I couldn't let his temper get him hurt. â€Å"No, thank you,† I spoke up in barely more than a whisper, my voice breaking in fright. Aro sighed. â€Å"That's unfortunate. Such a waste.† Edward hissed. â€Å"Join or die, is that it? I suspected as much when we were brought to this room. So much for your laws.† The tone of his voice surprised me. He sounded irate, but there was something deliberate about his deliveryas if he'd chosen his words with great care. â€Å"Of course not.† Aro blinked, astonished. â€Å"We were already convened here, Edward, awaiting Heidi's return. Not for you.† â€Å"Aro,† Caius hissed. â€Å"The law claims them.† Edward glared at Caius. â€Å"How so?† he demanded. He must have known what Caius was thinking, but he seemed determined to make him speak it aloud. Caius pointed a skeletal finger at me. â€Å"She knows too much. You have exposed our secrets.† His voice was papery thin, just like his skin. â€Å"There are a few humans in on your charade here, as well,† Edward reminded him, and I thought of the pretty receptionist below. Caius's face twisted into a new expression. Was it supposed to be a smiled. â€Å"Yes,† he agreed. â€Å"But when they are no longer useful to us, they will serve to sustain us. That is not your plan for this one. If she betrays our secrets, are you prepared to destroy her? I think not,† he scoffed. â€Å"I wouldn't,† I began, still whispering. Caius silenced me with an icy look. â€Å"Nor do you intend to make her one of us,† Caius continued. â€Å"Therefore, she is a vulnerability. Though it is true, for this, only her life is forfeit. You may leave if you wish.† Edward bared his teeth. â€Å"That's what I thought,† Caius said, with something akin to pleasure. Felix leaned forward, eager. â€Å"Unless† Aro interrupted. He looked unhappy with the way the conversation had gone. â€Å"Unless you do intend to give her immortality?† Edward pursed his lips, hesitating for a moment before he answered. â€Å"And if I do?† Aro smiled, happy again. â€Å"Why, then you would be free to go home and give my regards to my friend Carlisle.† His expression turned more hesitant. â€Å"But I'm afraid you would have to mean it.† Aro raised his hand in front of him. Caius, who had begun to scowl furiously, relaxed. Edward's lips tightened into a fierce line. He stared into my eyes, and I stared back. â€Å"Mean it,† I whispered. â€Å"Please.† Was it really such a loathsome idea? Would he rather die than change me? I felt like I'd been kicked in the stomach. Edward stared down at me with a tortured expression. And then Alice stepped away from us, forward toward Aro. We turned to watch her. Her hand was raised like his. She didn't say anything, and Aro waved off his anxious guard as they moved to block her approach. Aro met her halfway, and took her hand with an eager, acquisitive glint in his eyes. He bent his head over their touching hands, his eyes closing as he concentrated. Alice was motionless, her face blank. I heard Edward's teeth snap together. No one moved. Aro seemed frozen over Alice's hand. The seconds passed and I grew more and more stressed, wondering how much time would pass before it was too much time. Before it meant something was wrongmore wrong than it already was. Another agonizing moment passed, and then Aro's voice broke the silence. â€Å"Ha, ha, ha,† he laughed, his head still bent forward. He looked up slowly, his eyes bright with excitement. â€Å"That was fascinating!† Alice smiled dryly. â€Å"I'm glad you enjoyed it.† â€Å"To see the things you've seenespecially the ones that haven't happened yet!† He shook his head in wonder. â€Å"But that will,† she reminded him, voice calm. â€Å"Yes, yes, it's quite determined. Certainly there's no problem.† Caius looked bitterly disappointeda feeling he seemed to share with Felix and Jane. â€Å"Aro,† Caius complained. â€Å"Dear Caius,† Aro smiled. â€Å"Do not fret. Think of the possibilities! They do not join us today, but we can always hope for the future. Imagine the joy young Alice alone would bring to our little household Besides, I'm so terribly curious to see how Bella turns out!† Aro seemed convinced. Did he not realize how subjective Alice's visions were.' That she could make up her mind to transform me today, and then change it tomorrow? A million tiny decisions, her decisions and so many others', tooEdward'scould alter her path, and with that, the future. And would it really matter that Alice was willing, would it make any difference if I did become a vampire, when the idea was so repulsive to Edward? If death was, to him, a better alternative than having me around forever, an immortal annoyance? Terrified as I was, I felt myself sinking down into depression, drowning in it â€Å"Then we are free to go now?† Edward asked in an even voice. â€Å"Yes, yes,† Aro said pleasantly. â€Å"But please visit again. It's been absolutely enthralling!† â€Å"And we will visit you as well,† Caius promised, his eyes suddenly half-closed like the heavy-lidded gaze of a lizard. â€Å"To be sure that you follow through on your side. Were I you, I would not delay too long. We do not offer second chances.† Edward's jaw clenched tight, but he nodded once. Caius smirked and drifted back to where Marcus still sat, unmoving and uninterested. Felix groaned. â€Å"Ah, Felix.† Aro smiled, amused. â€Å"Heidi will be here at any moment. Patience.† â€Å"Hmm.† Edward's voice had a new edge to it. â€Å"In that case, perhaps we'd better leave sooner rather than later.† â€Å"Yes,† Aro agreed. â€Å"That's a good idea. Accidents do happen. Please wait below until after dark, though, if you don't mind.† â€Å"Of course,† Edward agreed, while I cringed at the thought of waiting out the day before we could escape. â€Å"And here,† Aro added, motioning to Felix with one finger. Felix came forward at once, and Aro unfastened the gray cloak the huge vampire wore, pulling from his shoulders. He tossed it to Edward. â€Å"Take this. You're a little conspicuous.† Edward put the long cloak on, leaving the hood down. Aro sighed. â€Å"It suits you.† Edward chuckled, but broke off suddenly, glancing over his shoulder. â€Å"Thank you, Aro. We'll wait below.† â€Å"Goodbye, young friends,† Aro said, his eyes bright as he stared in the same direction. â€Å"Let's go,† Edward said, urgent now. Demetri gestured that we should follow, and then set off the way we'd come in, the only exit by the look of things. Edward pulled me swiftly along beside him. Alice was close by my other side, her face hard. â€Å"Not fast enough,† she muttered. I stared up at her, frightened, but she only seemed chagrined. It was then that I first heard the babble of voicesloud, rough voicescoming from the antechamber. â€Å"Well this is unusual,† a man's coarse voice boomed. â€Å"So medieval,† an unpleasantly shrill, female voice gushed back. A large crowd was coming through the little door, filling the smaller stone chamber. Demetri motioned for us to make room. We pressed back against the cold wall to let them pass. The couple in front, Americans from the sound of them, glanced around themselves with appraising eyes. â€Å"Welcome, guests! Welcome to Volterra!† I could hear Aro sing from the big turret room. The rest of them, maybe forty or more, filed in after the couple. Some studied the setting like tourists. A few even snapped pictures. Others looked confused, as if the story that had led them to this room was not making sense anymore. I noticed one small, dark woman in particular. Around her neck was a rosary, and she gripped the cross tightly in one hand. She walked more slowly than the others, touching someone now and then and asking a question in an unfamiliar language. No one seemed to understand her, and her voice grew more panicked. Edward pulled my face against his chest, but it was too late. I already understood. As soon as the smallest break appeared, Edward pushed me quickly toward the door. I could feel the horrified expression on my face, and the tears beginning to pool in my eyes. The ornate golden hallway was quiet, empty except for one gorgeous, statuesque woman. She stared at us curiously, me in particular. â€Å"Welcome home, Heidi,† Demetri greeted her from behind us. Heidi smiled absently. She reminded me of Rosalie, though they looked nothing alikeit was just that her beauty, too, was exceptional, unforgettable. I couldn't seem to look away. She was dressed to emphasize that beauty. Her amazingly long legs, darkened with tights, were exposed by the shortest of miniskirts. Her top was long-sleeved and high-necked, but extremely close-fitting, and constructed of red vinyl. Her long mahogany hair was lustrous, and her eyes were the strangest shade of violeta color that might result from blue-tinted contacts over red irises. â€Å"Demetri,† she responded in a silky voice, her eyes flickering between my face and Edward's gray cloak. â€Å"Nice fishing,† Demetri complimented her, and I suddenly understood the attention-grabbing outfit she wore she was not only the fisherman, but also the bait. â€Å"Thanks.† She flashed a stunning smile. â€Å"Aren't you coming?† â€Å"In a minute. Save a few for me.† Heidi nodded and ducked through the door with one last curious look at me. Edward set a pace that had me running to keep up. But we still couldn't get through the ornate door at the end of the hallway before the screaming started.