Causes for the french revolution Essay Example for Free

Causes for the french revolution Essay There were many causes for the French Revolution, which started in 1789. However there were three main causes that affected the decision to have a revolution the most which were the weak economy, a bad harvest, and King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette. These were the main reasons that lead to the French Revolution because these events were the ones that affected France the most during 1789. The weak economy was one of the causes of the French Revolution because at that time France was in debt. France was in debt due to helping the colonist become independent from Britain in the American Revolution. For example, in The French Revolution Begins reading it states â€Å"And he borrowed heavily in order to help the American revolutionaries in their war against Great Britain, France’s chief rival. † This is one of the reasons that started the French Revolution because due to being in debt King Louis XVI’s solution was to raise the taxes on the nobles. This was surprised the 2nd estate which consist of the nobles because they paid the least taxes of the 3 estates. Due to this action the 2nd estate called a meeting called the Estates General. In these types of meetings each estate would usually only get one vote but due to the fact that it would be unfair to the 3rd estate. So for this reason every person who was at the Estates General would be granted a vote. The Estates General was to basically approve the new tax. This meeting then caused the National Assembly, which was what the third estate was now called. The third estate pledged a tennis court oath that stated that they wouldn’t leave until a new constitution was made. They drafted a new constitution, which now made France a constitutional monarchy. In conclusion, this is how being in depth was one of the reasons that started the French Revolution. Another cause for the French revolution was the bad harvest in the 1780’s. This was one of the causes for the French revolution because people could grow their food or grain, which is the ingredient to make bread. â€Å"The price of bread doubled in 1789, and many people faced starvation† (French Revolution Begins). In my opinion, I believe that this is one of the reasons to start the revolution because the people back then were poor. They were poor due to the reason that most of their money went to taxes so, if their money went to taxes and they barley had enough to pay for how much the bread used to be hoe are they expected to pay for bread when the price is doubled. I also believe that this is inequitable due to the fact that it isn’t their fault that there was bad weather I believe that the king was just trying to get money. Doubling the bread price made people not have enough money and many people died because of starvation. In conclusion, this is how a bad harvest was another one of the major causes to the French Revolution. The last main cause to the French Revolution had to do with King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette. This I believe was the main reason for the French Revolution because the king and his wife were spending money on unnecessary things. For example â€Å"†¦she spent so much money on gowns, jewels, gambling, and gifts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (The French Revolution Begins). Based on this evidence we could see how the money was being misused and how the queen didn’t even care about the situation happening with the people. Another example showing how Antoinette was a bad queen was â€Å"One year she lost the equivalent of $1. 5 million gambling in card games† (The French Revolution Begins). This example shows us how the queen spent money and when it came to help people put they were in depth. An example of how King Louis XVI was being a bad king was â€Å"However he lacked the ability to make decisions† (The French Revolution). In my opinion I believe that this is how King Louis XVI was a cause to the French Revolution because this quote shows how he did not know what was right for the people and did not know how to deal with all of the things that were going on in France like people wanting a revolution. This was a good thing for France because they saw that the King could not make any good decisions so they saw that it was a good idea to overthrow the monarchy and become a limited monarchy. In conclusion there were many things that lead to the French Revolution but only 3 things were the main causes. The 3 main causes were the fact that the French were in depth due to the American Revolution. The fact that there was a bad harvest in the 1780’s. Lastly the fact that King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette were spending money in a useless way and that they were making bad decisions.

Flappers in the 1920s

Flappers in the 1920s Arguably, the flappers of the 1920s were kind of a beginning of another change in the life of women. There was a surplus of women in Britain; this was caused by the loss of many men to the war. In this era women was done with their old way of lifestyle. They went for more beauty modern things and ditched what they believed to be a conservative way of life. They changed the way of clothing, styles of their dresses as well as their hairstyle. Change in life is believed to be very important, at the begging of change most people see it as being negative. This is because they are used to the old things they use to see. It takes time in a conservatism world for change to be effective and have impact on the people (Sagert 6). What is in the mind of many people is how the flappers in the 1920s was an important factor in the revolution of women way of living and lifestyle, furthermore does the flappers way of life have an impact on the lifestyle of the contemporary women. The term flapper didnt exist until after the First World War. The roaring twenties discovered that there were many changes. The women at that moment voted hence they had a new feeling of independence and lots of feminism ideas developed. The fight to prohibition of this triggered the flappers to fight for their freedom (Perrett 65). It came up for the first time in Great Britain. In this region it was used to bring out the characteristics of a generation of young girls. Many authors gave different descriptions to the flappers to some they viewed it as an expensive and lovely lifestyle. It was associated with girls about nineteen. Fashion of high quality was seen to only be for the rich women. The flappers dresses were simple and less sophisticated hence it was easier to produce them. Since then different definition and description of flappers have been used. Flappers opened doors to good things that were to come to the world of women. Women started exploration of the field of art tha t was untouched. Cultural practices and social norms changed. The fields to be explored by the flappers include completely new opinions, the dress code, the attitudes of individuals and the actions of women in society. The all scenario of flappers opened the eyes of women to make a wonderful new world where they would express themselves in public without any fear. The behaviors of flappers were viewed to be outlandish at that moment. The roles of women in society changed to a different direction in which women had the freedom to choose what they wanted and did things at will. The flappers possessed different characters, they were young girls of approximately nineteen of age .They went to jazz clubs; this was because the flappers had good taste on jazz music and dance(Perrett 80). During the night clubs the flappers danced in a provocative manner they were trying to break the chains of conservatism and been put in a cage by men. The flappers had powers to choose freely they dated in freestyle many; there were no conditions to dating. They dated different men without discriminating them. The women of this type were given a clear description on their general behaviors, many saw them as been risk takers and adventurous. The flappers way of looking was so different as compared to women in the past Sex was just like any other casual activities. Wome n in this group were heavy drinkers of alcohol, as this they did during the prohibition time. During drinking time they accompanied with smoking of cigarettes and also using cocaine. In 1920s this women also stated riding bicycles, furthermore they drove in cars. All this behavior was not accessible to the women in the past. Flappers also entered into petting; therefore they attended more petting parties. In some cases they carried out the petting at the back seat of their cars. The game became very popular than in the past. It started becoming more and interesting to pet. Flappers changed their duties, they were no longer the women who stayed indoors the way there predecessors did. They began to move away from home and face the world. They pursued lots of challenges to the past roles of women in the society. They believed that women had been oppressed and it was high time women fought for their rights in the society. The flappers pushed for the women rights as well as their voting rights. With time flappers were a big threat to the Victorian traditional duties. The gender roles included devotion to an empty life with no fun, working hard yet in the long run they achieve very little and finally follow religious believes. According to a flapper that was not the way to go. They were against rigid ideas whi ch oppressed women and d old activities. They pushed for freedom to choose what an individual wants and also to embrace consumerism. They were alway in war with the old and primitive way of life. The fight beard fruits, women were a lot to vote in the US in 1920. In the world that we live in, appearance is an important factor in describing an individual. In rhetoric way appearance is perceived to have a meaning. In most cases appearance is not the reality. Flappers in the 1920s changed their looks; they made themselves unique by introducing their new style. Before 1920s women were characterized with long hair, furthermore they had long gowns. Flappers decided to introduce a boyish look, they did this by cutting their hair short which only bobbed(Steele 340).They seemed to like their legs so much, therefore they showed their legs by putting on very short skirts they did this especially during dancing. Makeup was want they knew best. They used a lot of makeup. The makeup on the eyes and lips gave a clear distinction between flappers and the rest of the women. The flappers also had accessories in there wardrobe this included newsboy caps, necklaces and horn-rimmed glasses. The high heels shoes also were introduced into the fashion; this went han d in hand with the short skirts. They matched well and they were too provocative especially during dancing (Sagert 8). The all issue of appearance that people associated to flappers did find its way into the public until 1926.Despite all the barriers and challenges that flappers faced on their appearance, they still looked very beautiful. Respectable women started dressing and appearing like flappers in public. The stockings became a fashion of the day, this was hot fashion in the 1920s, and the embroidery was around the ankles and also up to the knees. The flappers changed from black stockings to stocks that had patterns on it. On their foot were cossy boots and the gladiator sandals. Lingerie also changed in the 1920s, they rejected corsets and went for the step-in panties. Flappers wore bodices so that during dance there chest remained hold. To make their hips soft flappers and good looking, they wore very soft corsets; this helped them in their appearance. The clothing made them look straight up (Steele 343). Symington side lacer was introduced and became the other of the day. Other women could not stand the way the flappers chest appeared. They went for the same. All this changes in the world of women happened when there was economic growth and prosperity. The roaring twenties was a good time for changes. At this era there was a very huge growth in the market of consumer goods. The economy of US adapted so fast after the war. The economy bloomed and peace also prevailed, some sectors which were stagnant were not of importance to the flappers (Baldwin 13). The soldiers returned from the war with lots of wages and new goodies. The writers also in the United States populated the flappers lifestyle, people started to view flappers in a different perspective, some of the characteriscts given included how attractive it was, reckless and d also independence. The flappers had their own way of referring g to things that they come across. For example; alcohol, marriage and sex.The all slang scenario is believed to having been started by the flappers. For example flappers referred marriage as a handcuff. Most of their slang was reference to what they liked most and what they hate. In the US today some of these words are still in use.Infact most of the terminologies found its way to American Engilish.In addition the slang scenario have been used by gangsters to eliminate strangers from understanding what they are talking about. The flappers in most cases insisted in driving cars, cars at that moment were moving fast and it was too risk. This was what flappers wanted. The flippers life was not to last for long at that era. Some of the characters and appearance of flappers became respectable in the community. The old and young were into the culture and behavior of flappers. Women continued to cut off their hair. In late 1920s the world faced difficult moments in the economy. The markets went to great depression, flappers were not exceptional. Life had to be adjusted to fit the economic crisis. Despite all this difficulties the changes that had been developed by flippers remained (Page 508). As the lifestyle of a flipper was very expensive and luxurious, the situation left no option for them in the times of depression, the best option was to leave the expensive lifestyle. They believed that there was a new generation of women. This generation was characterized by new and modern things. In conclusion the flapper despite its downfall it did not completely disappear. In the contemporary world we can clearly say that the characters, culture and the lifestyle of o flapper still exist. Today women are still in the race of fighting for their rights. This includes social, political and economic rights. They want their freedom, women activists are everywhere in the world.Nowdays women enjoy the same rights that men enjoy. When it comes to the rule of law there is no discrimination in terms of gender. The contemporary women in most of the countries have rights to vote for anyone of their choice, furthermore they can also be voted for. Women are good drivers, they are free to own cars of there choice,drive at any speed so long as it is within the speed limit recommended by the law. In the workplace women go for same posts just like men. In the field of politics too women are the big players, in some countries there are women presidents. The flappers used cosmetics to make her self beauty, currently women use different types of cosmetics to bring up there beauty. The clothes have even become shorter and sophisticated. Dating is all casual, women want to enjoy their freedom in a relationship, and furthermore sex is that casual too. All this changes that we see now was fought for in 1920s by the flapper. She worked to change the stereotype and rhetoric typical view of women. What she worked for were women to feel the sweetness of freedom they had never experienced in the past. All what she fought for opened doors for all the changes that todays woman is enjoying. Change is always inevitable and continuous; therefore our society will never stop changing. There is a continuous battle between the old cultures and modern cultures. The society should always be ready to accept change. Just like the way technology changes, human beings should welcome change, analyse then choose between good and bad. What is new and superior today, by the next day it will be old and inferior.

Book Review of Hear My Testimony Essay -- essays research papers

Book Review of â€Å"Hear My Testimony†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is probably one of the most moving books I have ever read in my life. It is basically a narrative story of the life of an El Salvadorian women named: Maria Teresa Tula. Maria is a wonderful storyteller and the fact the she is describing her own real life experiences greatly add to the impact of the book.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most of the chapters in the book are just her telling about her life. She was born a very poor and sickly child, growing up with her mother and grandmother, after her mother had left her abusive husband. This was only the beginning of a very rough and trying life that she would face. She went on to describe her childhood, how other Salvadorian women were treated and the Salvadorian way of viewing women. Raised as a strict Catholic, she was taught by her grandmother at a young age to â€Å"act like a proper young women.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From there on she continues to talk about her adolescence where she quickly learned about the threat of physical abuse and molestation towards young girls. She did not continue with school pat the age of 9 and in her small job of working in the local market she was confronted with true and absolute poverty on a daily basis. She got pregnant at age 15. At 16 she had her first fist fight with her abusive physically brother. And at 17 met the father of her other future children. While with this man, Rafael Canales, she learned first hand the hardships of poor domestic life. She also learned to assert herself even towards her own husband.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1978, the year I was born, Maria Teresa joined a human rights group called CO-MADRES. (The Mothers and Relatives of Political Prisoners, Disappeared and Assassind of El Salvador) Due to her husband being jailed and severely tortured after a sugar mill strike she found herself unsuspectingly thrown into a political arena. It is her work with this organization that begins to completely consume her life and is the core of the entire book.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once aligned with this organization Maria’s eyes are opened to the bigger picture of political oppression in her country. She, along with many other women of El Salvador, watch as hundreds of their men are unjustly jailed, tortured and disappeared. She was also a witness to the inhuman... ...e. After saying all this, it is hard for me to find a weakness. The only minor weakness that I could see would be that of intense emotion. The way that this book is written is such that it is truly soaked with emotion. This being a first hand account also added the level of intimacy one feels when reading this, and for some this may translate into uncomfortable feelings. It is also clear that Maria does express her own personal opinions, on her government, on her views of women’s roles in society, and especially on the American government. Maria does use the words â€Å"they† and â€Å"them† to describe Americans sometimes and some may feel that her generalizations are unfair, especially seeing as how she did receive support from sympathetic Americans while in the US. Some may also feel that she is overly critical and excessively faulting the US for the events in El Salvador, however all I could say to people who feel this way is; it would be very difficult to not f ind American policies and actions accountable for many unthinkable tragedies all over Latin America. Personally however, I do not feel that these small weaknesses in any way, take away from the strength of the book or her story.

Employee Absence Essay -- Business, Absenteeism

Many organizations face employee absence issues daily. The level of absence varies among each working industry. Strategies to reduce absenteeism rate differs between each organization. My retail company currently has an attendance policy in place, but absenteeism continues to be a problem. To find the solution to reduce absenteeism, I would have to understand the common causes of absenteeism, and then find different solutions to fix the problem. Proper communication and documentation of employee absences will improve absenteeism, employee productivity, and customer service. "Absence management hit by substandard record-keeping." Occupational Health 61.8 (2009): 4. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 10 Mar. 2011. This article emphasizes that poor record-keeping by line managers was an issue. The article identifies a few difficulties that line managers faced in the healthcare industry. They were not willing to or not able to control employee absence in compliance with the policies and guidelines of the organization. Absences were reported late, not reported, or reported inconsistently. Most employers asked the employees to inform of their absence within the first day, but over a quarter of the employers did not have a procedure for employees to follow. The line managers were responsible for any absence notifications. Eighty five percent of employers documented absences on return-to-work interviews, yet only half of the employers required their employees to fill out a return-to-work form. The above article correlates to my thesis because it shows that line managers lack the proper procedure in documenting employee absences. Managers have the responsibility to correct the problem yet they are inconsistently following comp... ...nication and documentation of employee absences will improve absenteeism, employee productivity, and customer service. Improving communication between employees and managers is an important practice that improves employee attendance. Managers can decrease absenteeism by make enforcing clear attendance policies and have proper documentation of employee absences. Managers must keep accurate and consistent record keeping of absences. Employees must report absences immediately so managers can properly document in the records. Readings from the sources also indicate that absenteeism not only affects productivity and customer service, but absenteeism also affects employee morale. Employee morale will diminish if managers ignore the abuse of absenteeism among employees. Both absenteeism and employee morale can have a negative effect on productivity and customers service.

Comparison between Woman Work and Overheard in County Sligo Essay

Comparison between Woman Work and Overheard in County Sligo Woman Work and overheard in County Sligo are both poems which give us an image of the role of woman in the past, and how she contributed to society Through reading both these poems, it is apparent that both of the poets’ backgrounds have influenced the poems. In the past, women were not considered important in society, and their efforts were not valued, not even by woman herself. Women were expected to stay at home, and become housewives. Woman lived in a society in which there was pressure to get married, wither by family pressure or societal pressure. It was not necessary for woman to conform to the beliefs and wishes of society, but many women felt compelled to follow the typical image expected of woman. Maya Angelou and Gillian Clarke are two female poets who felt it was important to write about the situation that some woman had to live in. Maya Angelou is a black female who felt compelled to write about how woman were treated in the years before her. She felt her ancestors were suppressed, not only because of their African race but because they were woman. Her poem, Woman Work, is about a woman’s struggle everyday to keep up with life, and do the housework. The woman in Woman work is unhappy with her life. She has many jobs to do, and does not show any positive emotion towards them. She is constantly working, and this is her main priority in life. We know that she has children. She says ‘I’ve got the tots to dress’’. There is no mention of the children’s fat her in the poem, which may indicate that he gives her no help in the housework. The woman is very tired and flustered. She says ‘Let me rest tonight’, which implies that it i... ...pped by their lives. I think that even though the woman in ‘Overheard in County Sligo’ is richer, and may be more well-off than the woman in ‘Woman Work’, they are both unfortunate and have the same amount of pressure on them. I like both poems, but I prefer ‘Woman Work’ as I like the use of language and imagery in the last four verses. I like the lines ‘Fall softly dewdrops and cover me with white’ I think using nature at the end of the poem makes the poem better, as it emphasises all the lack of materialistic things she owns, and nature is all she has. I think the use of vocabulary is very good, and Maya Angelou has made the majority of the last four verses very peaceful. On the other hand, I like that ‘Overheard in County Sligo starts off with an overview of a woman, who, on the surface, has the perfect life, while she is secretly living in misery. Comparison between Woman Work and Overheard in County Sligo Essay Comparison between Woman Work and Overheard in County Sligo Woman Work and overheard in County Sligo are both poems which give us an image of the role of woman in the past, and how she contributed to society Through reading both these poems, it is apparent that both of the poets’ backgrounds have influenced the poems. In the past, women were not considered important in society, and their efforts were not valued, not even by woman herself. Women were expected to stay at home, and become housewives. Woman lived in a society in which there was pressure to get married, wither by family pressure or societal pressure. It was not necessary for woman to conform to the beliefs and wishes of society, but many women felt compelled to follow the typical image expected of woman. Maya Angelou and Gillian Clarke are two female poets who felt it was important to write about the situation that some woman had to live in. Maya Angelou is a black female who felt compelled to write about how woman were treated in the years before her. She felt her ancestors were suppressed, not only because of their African race but because they were woman. Her poem, Woman Work, is about a woman’s struggle everyday to keep up with life, and do the housework. The woman in Woman work is unhappy with her life. She has many jobs to do, and does not show any positive emotion towards them. She is constantly working, and this is her main priority in life. We know that she has children. She says ‘I’ve got the tots to dress’’. There is no mention of the children’s fat her in the poem, which may indicate that he gives her no help in the housework. The woman is very tired and flustered. She says ‘Let me rest tonight’, which implies that it i... ...pped by their lives. I think that even though the woman in ‘Overheard in County Sligo’ is richer, and may be more well-off than the woman in ‘Woman Work’, they are both unfortunate and have the same amount of pressure on them. I like both poems, but I prefer ‘Woman Work’ as I like the use of language and imagery in the last four verses. I like the lines ‘Fall softly dewdrops and cover me with white’ I think using nature at the end of the poem makes the poem better, as it emphasises all the lack of materialistic things she owns, and nature is all she has. I think the use of vocabulary is very good, and Maya Angelou has made the majority of the last four verses very peaceful. On the other hand, I like that ‘Overheard in County Sligo starts off with an overview of a woman, who, on the surface, has the perfect life, while she is secretly living in misery.

Converting Paper Records to a Computer Based Health Record Essay

Traditional utilization of paper based medical records leads to the dispersion of clinical information as a result of the heterogeneous character of hospital systems. Due to this, the development of a clinical information system that can integrate hospital information as well as enable cooperation amongst legacy systems became a difficult task. System integration as well as the development of an efficient clinical information management system was thereby dependent upon the creation of conceptual and architectural tools that will enable such an integration. In line with this, many healthcare institutions are currently seeking to establish the integration of their workstations through the utilization of technological tools. Such tools are effective in the arrangement of clinical matters as well as in the arrangement of administrative and financial information. Clinical information systems are utilized by healthcare institutions in their integration of information. At this point, the utilization of electronic medical systems in healthcare delivery is evident in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, Hong Kong, Canada, as well as Australia. The current shift from a human memory based paradigm to a technological paradigm can be traced to the recent emphasis given on health care quality improvement and cost reduction. In lieu of this, policymakers started to adopt health information technology such as the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). According to Tim Scott in Implementing an Electronic Medical Record System, most information regarding the use of EMR systems are derived from the Regenstrief Institute, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Department of Veterans Affairs, LDS Hospital, and Kaiser Permanente. The information derived from the following medical institutions shows the following. First, success is dependent upon the organizational tools rather than on the type of technology used. Second, minimal changes were noted in terms of increase of quality and efficiency as a result of the system’s adaptation. Such findings thereby led to the slow adoption and implementation of EMR systems since majority of medical institutions as well as healthcare systems required the high verifiability of the system’s utility. True enough, researches within these institutions also showed that EMR systems increase the quality of patient care as it decreases medical errors, however, the economic aspect regarding its use has not been well documented leaving most medical institutions adamant regarding its implementation. In lieu of this, the paper is divided into three parts. The first part will present the rationale behind the formation of the technology based medical paradigm. It will be formulated within the parameters of Thomas Kuhn’s conception of scientific revolutions. The second part present a discussion of the various EMR components and the problems encountered in its implementation at Kaiser. The last part, on the other hand, will concentrate on presenting possible solutions to the problems evident in the utilization of the EMR systems within the Kaiser program while giving specific emphasis on the role of the agent in successful implementation. Thomas Kuhn, in his work entitled The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, discusses the very nature and necessity of what he calls scientific revolutions. In this particular work, Kuhn sees an apparent parallelism between political revolutions on the one hand, and scientific revolutions on the other. Kuhn writes: â€Å"scientific revolutions†¦ (are) those non-cumulative developmental episodes in which an older paradigm is replaced in whole or in part by an incompatible new one† (2000, p. 50). On a preliminary note, paradigms are frameworks in and through which we approach phenomena, in general. They are models, so to speak. Naturally enough, different models employ different methodologies, different methodologies in turn, generate different types of knowledge, which, consequently, have different criteria of proof or validity. Scientific development, as Kuhn contends, may appropriately be characterized by paradigm shifts and this he calls scientific revolutions. It is important to note that scientific developments do not occur in a vacuum. For the aforementioned reason, there is a felt need to situate scientific developments in the historical context within which they are conceived, proposed and ultimately, institutionalized and integrated as part of society’s shared knowledge. This is to say that scientific revolutions are also proper objects of historical analysis and discourse in as much as political revolutions are. Kuhn contends that there is a parallelism between political and scientific revolutions. As pointed out earlier, it is important to note that he characterizes scientific revolutions as â€Å"those non-cumulative developmental episodes in which an older paradigm is replaced in whole or in part by an incompatible new one. † Kuhn’s characterization emphasizes two important points. First, â€Å"that there is a replacement of an old paradigm by a new one†. Second, â€Å"that the new paradigm is not merely something new; it is also incompatible with the old paradigm†. This is to say that the incompatibility or the irreconcilability of the new paradigm with the old paradigm serves as warrant for the necessity of such a revolution. Although there are significant differences in both scientific and political developments, Kuhn argues that one may be justified in using the notion of revolution as a metaphor for understanding them. He writes: Political revolutions are inaugurated by a growing sense, often restricted to a segment of the political community, that existing institutions have ceased adequately to meet the problems posed by the environment that they have in part created. In much the same way, scientific revolutions are inaugurated by a growing sense, again often restricted to a narrow subdivision of the scientific community that an existing paradigm has ceased to function adequately in the exploration of an aspect of nature to which that paradigm itself had previously led the way. (2000, p. 150) Kuhn’s parallelism is thus, founded on the idea that in both cases, a sense of malfunction (in our institutions as for the case of the political, and in our paradigms as for the case of the scientific) necessitates for the occurrence of a revolution. In relation to this, the shift from a human memory based paradigm to the technological paradigm may be likened to a revolutionary development within the field of medical data acquisition and retention. The difference between the human memory based paradigm as opposed to the technological paradigm stems from the ascription of greater subjectivity in relation to human memory based data as opposed to technologically maintained data. As was stated in the first part of the paper, the heterogeneous characteristic of medical institutions stems from the existence of various separate holistic systems within it. As a result of this, deriving and correlating clinical information becomes tedious. The main reason for this stems from human memory based paradigm’s utilization of paper based records which has a high probability of non-viability and unreliability. Examples of this are evident in evidence-based medicine’s non-adherence to the traditional methods of training and practice. Second, paper based records fall short of their original expectations. The objective of the healthcare record is â€Å"to identify problems and to understand the impact of the illness on the individual† thereby enabling the â€Å"amelioration of the problem to the patient’s satisfaction, within the bounds of medical capabilities and society’s resource limitations†(Simpson and Robinson, 2002, p. 115). The main limitation of the paper bound records, therefore, stem from their inability of being multiply accessible to members of society. On the other hand, Scott related the reasons for the development of a technology based paradigm with the high verifiability of the positive results of technologically determined medical care processes. According to Scott, â€Å"new technologies make it possible to evaluate and intervene to improve care in ways not heretofore possible† (2002, p. 2). In line with this, members of both the public and private sector lobby for the accessibility of technological improvements. For the members of the private sector, this is due to the inclusion of the medical industry within the business sphere. For the members of the public sector, on the hand, demands for greater accountability for health care stems from the prevailing belief that technological advancements must be made accessible to the general public. According to the IOM, information technology’s role in the substantial improvement of the redesign of the healthcare system is important since it ensures the formation of â€Å"a strong infrastructure in supporting efforts to reengineer care processes†¦ oordinate patient care across clinicians and settings and overtime, support multidisciplinary team functioning, and facilitate performance and outcome measurement for improvement and accountability† (qtd in Scott, 2002, p. 4). The results of the success of the EMR are traceable to the developments within the field of e-Health. According to Silber, EMR serves as the fundamental building bl ock for the development of various applications such as the use of ICT by the Primary Health Care Team. Others involve the use of ERM for validation of research or as an instrument in Continuing Medical Education. Information necessary for the functions ascribed above, in relation to the personal health record, are possible since the health record’s functionality enables the inclusion of the following: practitioner order entry, electronic patient record, document management, clinical decision support, administrative data, integrated communication support, as well as access to knowledge and resources. According to Raymonds and Dolds, the functions of each component are as follows. The electronic patient record presents the patient’s history. Document management, on the other hand contains the actions undertaken in relation to the patient’s diagnosis. Clinical decision support as compared to the later contains â€Å"the alerts based on current data from the electronic medical record, evidence based practical guidelines or more complex artificial intelligence systems for diagnostic support†. Access to administrative related information such as admission and discharge are contained within the section encompassing administrative data. Integrated communication support however provides the tools for the facilitation of effective and efficient communication amongst members of the patient’s health team. The last part enables access to other sources of information regarding the patient’s condition (Scott, 2007, p. 4). The Kaiser Permanente EMR implementation presented one of the main problems in relation to the utilization of the components of the technologically based paradigm. It was recognized that the problems arose due to several factors which range from the software’s lack of efficiency up to the non adherence of specific qualities of the program with the social conditions in the region as well as the team’s lack of background in relation to the efficiency the program necessitates with regards to the division of the work flow as well as its dependence upon all the players within the medical institutions that the program was implemented. Scott however stated that what should be given credence with regards to the above failed project is not so much as the failure of the program but the possibilities it opened in relation to the creation and implementation of new EMR programs in the future. Scott states, â€Å"success and failure are socially negotiable judgments, not static categories† (2007, p. 43). Hence if such is the case it is thereby possible to conceive of the problems noted by Hartswood et al (2003) in relation to the user-led characteristic of EMR. The social negotiability of judgments thereby ensures the possibility of reversals in judgments as soon as occasions arise wherein a perceived failure may be reconnected with an overall success. In line with this, the continuous developments within the various EMR systems produced and implemented within the country ensures the viability and possibility of a near success and perfection within the system which in a sense also ensures the possibility of another scientific revolution in the near future whose scope may extend beyond that of the technological sphere.

The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty-Three

FOR A MOMENT, I THOUGHT it had to be a coincidence. After all, what was so special about a peridot star? For all I knew, Alicia might have been born in August and was just sporting her birthstone among that mess of necklaces she always wore. And yet, if there was one thing I believed more than ever, it was Sonya's adage that there were no coincidences in the world of the supernatural. I sank to the floor and tried to reason my way through things. If the charm Alicia had worn was like this one, then it meant she too was a strong magic user trying to mask her abilities. Did she know about Veronica? Was Alicia trying to protect herself? If so, then it seemed like she wouldn't have been so casual about Veronica staying at the inn. So, that meant either Alicia didn't know about Veronica's true nature – again, a suspicious coincidence – or that Alicia was covering for Veronica. Could Alicia be in league with Veronica? That seemed the likeliest answer to me. Although Veronica apparently sought out young, powerful magic users, it was totally possible that she'd seen the advantage of having one as an assistant. And, as we'd observed, Veronica had plenty of other victims to choose from. Alicia could therefore help and cover up Veronica's nefarious plans – like when a curious couple came asking questions. I groaned. Alicia had been playing us from the beginning. From the instant we'd stepped through her door with stories about our anniversary and â€Å"friend† Veronica, she'd known we were lying. She'd known we weren't actually friends with Veronica, and she might have been strong enough to fight Adrian's compulsion a little. She'd gone along with everything – even being so helpful as to call me when Veronica had shown up again. I had no idea now what was true, if Veronica had ever left in the first place or returned from being gone. I did, however, have a sinking suspicion that my car wasn't the only one she'd incapacitated. I could understand if she'd used the cross to find me, but how had she initially located the Mustang? I racked my brain for any identifying information. Adrian's spirit magic should have muddled our appearances, covering up any connection to us. Then I knew. Alicia had walked us out and admired the Mustang. A clever person – someone who was already on high alert because of our visit – could've made note of the license plate and used it to track down where Adrian lived. But why slash the tires? To delay us, I realized. That was the night Lynne had been attacked. And we had arrived too late to warn her. The more I began to sift through the events of the last few weeks, the more I began to think we had been very, very careless. We'd thought we were being so cautious about concealing ourselves from Veronica. No one, not even Ms. Terwilliger, had considered that she might have an accomplice we also had to watch out for. And the dreams . . . those had started the day Adrian and I had been on the velvet bed. The day my garnet had slipped and had possibly been enough for Alicia to sense a magic user in the inn. Which brought me back to the present. Ms. Terwilliger. I had to tell her what I'd found. I called for a third time. Still no answer. Although I often had images of Ms. Terwilliger conducting late-night rituals, it was entirely reasonable that she'd be in bed right now. Was this the kind of thing that could wait until morning? No, I decided on the spot. No, it wasn't. We were dealing with dangerous, violent magic users – and my car had just been attacked. Something might be happening as I stood there, trying to decide. I would have to wake her up . . . provided I could get to her. It took only a moment to make my next decision. I called Adrian. He answered on the first ring but sounded wary, which I couldn't blame him for after what I'd done earlier. â€Å"Hello?† I prayed he was the noble guy I thought he was. â€Å"Adrian, I know things are bad between us, and maybe I have no right to ask, but I need a favor. It's about Veronica.† There was no hesitation. â€Å"What do you need?† â€Å"Can you come over to Amberwood? I need you to help me break curfew and escape my dorm.† There were a few moments of silence. â€Å"Sage, I've been waiting two months to hear you say those words. You want me to bring a ladder?† The plan was already unfolding in my head. The security guards that patrolled at night would have eyes on the student parking lot, but the back property would be relatively unguarded. â€Å"I'll get myself out of the building. If you come up the main road that leads to Amberwood and then go past the driveway you'll see a little service road that runs up a hill and goes behind my dorm. Park there near the utility shed, and I'll meet you as soon as I get out.† When he spoke again, his earlier levity was gone. â€Å"I'd really like to believe this is some awesome midnight adventure, but it's not, is it? Something's gone really wrong.† â€Å"Very wrong,† I agreed. â€Å"I'll explain in the car.† I quickly changed into clean jeans and a T-shirt, adding a light suede jacket against the evening chill. To be safe, I also decided to pack my bag with a few supplies and bring it along. If all went well, I'd simply be warning Ms. Terwilliger tonight. But with the way things had been going lately, I couldn't presume anything would be simple. Bringing the suitcase this time would be unwieldy, so I had to make a few quick decisions about chemicals and magical components. I tossed some in the bag and stuffed others in my jeans and coat pockets. Once I was ready, I headed down to Julia and Kristin's room. They were dressed for bed but not asleep yet. When Julia saw me with my coat and bag, her eyes went wide. â€Å"Sweet,† she said. â€Å"I know you've gotten out before,† I said. â€Å"How'd you do it?† Julia's many dates often occurred outside of sanctioned school hours, and both she and Kristin had bragged about Julia's exploits in the past. I'd hoped perhaps Julia knew about a secret tunnel out of the school and that I wouldn't have to attempt some crazy feat of acrobatics. Unfortunately, that was exactly what I had to do. She and Kristin walked me to their window and pointed at a large tree growing outside it. â€Å"This room has a view and easy access,† said Kristin proudly. I eyed the gnarled tree warily. â€Å"That's easy?† â€Å"Half the dorm's used it,† she said. â€Å"So can you.† â€Å"We should be charging people,† mused Julia. She flashed me a smile. â€Å"Don't worry. We'll give you a freebie tonight. Just start on that big limb there, swing over there, and then use those branches for handholds.† I found it amazing that someone who'd claimed badminton in PE was too â€Å"dangerous† would have no qualms about scaling a tree from her third-floor room. Of course, Marcus's apartment had been on the fourth floor, and that fire escape had been a million times more unsafe than this tree. Thoughts of Alicia and Ms. Terwilliger snapped me back to the importance of my mission, and I gave Julia and Kristin a decisive nod. â€Å"Let's do this,† I said. Julia cheered and opened the window for me. Kristin watched just as eagerly. â€Å"Please tell me you're running off to meet some breathtakingly handsome guy,† she said. I paused, just as I was about to climb out. â€Å"Yes, actually. But not in the way you're thinking.† Once I made it to the limb Julia had indicated, I discovered she was right. It was pretty simple – so simple, in fact, that I was surprised no school official had noticed this easy access escape route and chopped it down. Well, so much the better for those of us with late-night errands. I made it to the ground and waved goodbye to my watching friends. The dorm's back property had some lights on it, exactly for the reason of deterring wayward students like me. It was also along the patrol route of one of the security guards but wasn't a spot he stayed regularly stationed at. He wasn't in sight, so I crossed my fingers that he was busy with another part of his beat. There were enough shadows on the lawn that I was able to stay within them the whole way – until I reached the back fence. It was lit up pretty well, and really, the only assets I had were that I was a fast climber and that the guard hadn't surfaced yet. Falling back on that hope that the universe owed me some favors – especially after tricking me about Alicia – I gulped and scrambled over. No one shouted at me when I landed on the other side, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I'd made it out. Getting back in would be harder, but that was a problem for later, hopefully one Ms. Terwilliger could help out with. I found Adrian waiting for me in the Mustang, exactly where I'd indicated. He gave me a sidelong glance as he drove us away. â€Å"No black catsuit?† â€Å"It's in the laundry.† He smiled. â€Å"Of course it is. Now, where are we going, and what's going on?† â€Å"We're going to Ms. Terwilliger's,† I said. â€Å"And what's going on is that we've been walking around in front of the enemy this entire time without even realizing it.† I watched Adrian as I related my revelations and saw his face go from disbelieving to dismayed the more I spoke. â€Å"Her aura was too perfect,† he said once I finished. â€Å"Perfectly neutral, perfectly average. No one's is like that. I brushed it off, though. Figured maybe it was just a weird human one.† â€Å"Can someone influence how their aura looks?† I asked. â€Å"Not to that extent,† he said. â€Å"I don't know enough about these charms you guys use, but I'm guessing it was one of those that skewed the way her colors looked.† I slumped into the seat, still angry at not having figured this out sooner. â€Å"On the bright side, she doesn't know we're on to her and Veronica. That could give us an advantage.† When we reached Ms. Terwilliger's house, we found all the lights on, which was a surprise. I'd assumed she was in bed, though this certainly wouldn't be the first time she'd missed a phone call. Only, when we reached the house and knocked on the door, there was no answer. Adrian and I exchanged looks. â€Å"Maybe she had to leave abruptly,† he said. The tone of his voice conveyed what his words didn't. What if Ms. Terwilliger had already found out what we had and had taken off to fight Alicia and Veronica? I had no idea how powerful Alicia was, but the odds didn't seem promising. When no answer came from my second knock, I nearly kicked the door in frustration. â€Å"Now what?† Adrian turned the doorknob, and the door opened right up. â€Å"How about we wait for her?† he suggested. I grimaced. â€Å"I don't know if I'm comfortable breaking into her place.† â€Å"She left the door unlocked. She's practically inviting us in.† He pushed the door open farther and looked at me expectantly. I didn't want to go back to Amberwood without speaking to her tonight, nor did I want to sit on her doorstep. Hoping she wouldn't mind us making ourselves at home, I gave a nod of resignation and followed Adrian inside. Her house was the same as ever, cluttered and redolent with the scent of incense. Suddenly, I came to a standstill. â€Å"Wait. Something's different.† It took me a moment to figure it out, and when I did, I couldn't believe I hadn't realized it immediately. â€Å"The cats are gone.† â€Å"Holy shit,† said Adrian. â€Å"You're right.† At least one of them always came to greet visitors, and others were usually visible on furniture, under tables, or simply occupying the middle of the floor. But now, there were no cats in sight. I stared around in disbelief. â€Å"What in the world could – â€Å" An earsplitting shriek made me jump. I looked down toward my hip and found the dragon sticking his head out of my satchel and trying to claw his way up my side. Belatedly, I realized I'd forgotten to cover the aquarium. He'd apparently slipped inside the bag back in my room. The sound he was making now was similar to his hunger cry – except even more annoying. Then, impossibly, he nipped my leg. I bent over and tried to pull him off me. â€Å"I don't have any pie! What are you trying to – ahh!† Something zoomed over my head and smashed into the wall behind me with a loud splat. A couple wet drops of something landed on my cheek and began to burn. It was a wonder I didn't hear a sizzling sound. â€Å"Sydney!† Adrian cried. I turned toward where he was looking and saw Alicia standing in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen. Her palm was raised toward us, a shimmery and gooey substance cupped in it. Presumably it was the same substance that currently seared my skin. I almost wiped it away but feared I'd simply be spreading it to my fingers. I winced and tried to ignore it. â€Å"Sydney† said Alicia pleasantly. â€Å"Or should I say Taylor? I figured I'd be seeing you two again. Just not so soon. I guess your car trouble didn't delay you tonight.† â€Å"We know everything,† I told her, keeping on an eye on that goo. â€Å"We know you're working for Veronica.† The smug look on her face momentarily shifted, overcome by surprise. â€Å"Working for her? I got rid of her ages ago.† â€Å"Got rid of. . . .† For a few seconds, I was at a loss. Then the rest of the puzzle pieces fell together. â€Å"You're the one who's been absorbing those girls. And that witch in San Diego. And . . . Veronica Terwilliger.† I'd been able to track Veronica back to the inn with the scrying spell. When Ms. Terwilliger had attempted a different locating spell, she'd come up blank. She'd assumed it was because Veronica had some sort of shielding. But the truth, I was suddenly certain, was that Veronica was already comatose. There was no active mind for Ms. Terwilliger to reach because Alicia had consumed Veronica. Ms. Terwilliger . . . â€Å"You're here for her,† I said. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger. Not me.† â€Å"The untrained do make easy targets,† conceded Alicia. â€Å"But they don't have the same power as full-fledged witches, who can be just as easy to absorb if you break them down first. I don't need the youth like Veronica did, just the power. Once she showed me how the spell works, I was able to catch her in a weak moment. That other college girl tided me over until I wore down Alana Kale.† Where had I heard that name? Alana . . . she was Ms. Terwilliger's comatose coven sister. â€Å"And finally I can take out the big hit: Jaclyn Terwilliger. I actually wasn't sure if I'd be able to break her, but it turns out she's done an awesome job of wearing herself out these last few weeks, all in the service of protecting her sweet little apprentice.† â€Å"I'm not her . . .† I couldn't finish. I'd been about to say I wasn't her apprentice, and yet . . . wasn't I? I wasn't just dabbling in magic anymore. I had joined the ranks. And now, I had to protect my mentor, just as she'd protected me. If it wasn't too late. â€Å"Where is she?† I demanded. â€Å"She's around,† said Alicia, clearly delighting in having the upper hand here. â€Å"I wish you hadn't found out about all this. You would've made a good hit, once you'd learned a little bit more. You're just a small spark to Jaclyn's flame right now. She's the big score tonight.† â€Å"Tell us where she is,† ordered Adrian, a powerful note in his voice that I recognized. Alicia's gaze flicked from me to him. â€Å"Oh, please,† she scoffed. â€Å"Stop wasting my time with your vampire compulsion. I realized what was going on after that first visit, when I kept having trouble remembering your faces.† From her jumble of necklaces, she showed us a jade circle. â€Å"I acquired this afterward. Makes me impervious to your ‘charms.'† Something that resisted vampire magic? That would be a useful item to have in my bag of tricks. I'd have to look into it . . . provided I survived tonight. I saw Alicia tense to throw again, and I managed to jump out of the way, pulling Adrian with me toward the living room. More of that goo splattered behind us with a hiss. I produced a dried thistle blossom and crumpled it toward Alicia, shouting a Greek incantation that would blind her. She made a small wave with her left hand and sneered at me. â€Å"Really?† she asked. â€Å"That remedial blindness spell? Maybe you aren't a prodigy after all.† Adrian suddenly flipped open a small panel in the wall beside us. I hadn't even noticed it, largely because I'd been too distracted about having my face melted off. I saw a flurry of motion from his hand, and suddenly, we were plunged into darkness. â€Å"Now this is remedial blindness,† he muttered. Alicia swore. I froze, immobilized by the blackness around me. As much as I appreciated any attempts to slow Alicia down, I was kind of at a loss myself. I felt Adrian's hand grab hold of mine, and without a word, he tugged me farther into the living room. I followed quickly, relying on his superior vampire eyesight to guide us. I could already hear Alicia chanting and was sure some light-giving spell was coming soon. Either that or something that would magically fix a fuse box. â€Å"Careful,† Adrian murmured. â€Å"Stairs.† Sure enough, I felt my foot hit a wooden step. He and I hurried down as quietly and as quickly as we could, descending into a basement. My eyes still hadn't adjusted to the darkness, and I wondered if I'd just entered some secret dungeon. Yet as he wound us through stacks of boxes, I realized the basement was just used for ordinary storage. There was a lot of junk down here. After seeing Ms. Terwilliger's already messy house, I wondered what more she could possibly own. Adrian finally stopped when we were in a far corner behind some oblong boxes stacked nearly as high as me. He pulled me to him, keeping me in his arms so that he could speak softly in my ear. My head lay against his chest, and I could hear his rapid heartbeat, a mirror for my own. â€Å"That was a good idea,† I said in as low a voice as I could manage. â€Å"But now we're trapped down here. It would've been better if we could go outside.† â€Å"I know,† he whispered back. â€Å"But she was too close to the door, and I didn't have time to mess with a window.† Above us, I could hear the floor creaking as Alicia walked through the house. â€Å"It's just a matter of time,† I said. â€Å"I was hoping it'd give you a chance to think of something to get us out of here. Can't you use that fireball? You were pretty good at it.† â€Å"Not inside. Especially not in a basement. I'd burn this place down around us. And we don't know where Ms. Terwilliger is yet.† I racked my brain. The house was small enough that there weren't that many places Alicia could have stashed Ms. Terwilliger. And I had to assume she was stashed somewhere, if she hadn't come to our aid already. Alicia's language made it sound like she hadn't sucked away Ms. Terwilliger's power yet, so hopefully she was just incapacitated. â€Å"You must be able to do something,† said Adrian, tightening his hold on me. â€Å"You're brilliant, and you've been reading all those spell books.† It was true. I'd consumed tons of material these last couple of months – material I wasn't even supposed to have learned – but somehow, in this one terrified moment, my mind couldn't focus on any of it. â€Å"I've forgotten everything.† â€Å"No, you haven't.† His voice in the darkness was calm and reassuring. He smoothed back my hair and pressed one of those half kisses to my forehead. â€Å"Just relax and focus. Sooner or later, she'll be coming down those stairs after us. We need to take her out or at least slow her down so that we can escape.† His reasonable words centered me and allowed the gears of logic that ran my life to take over again. A little light was coming through from the basement's small, high windows, allowing my eyes to finally adjust and make out some of the dark shapes in the basement. I could still hear Alicia moving around upstairs, so I crept away from Adrian and walked over to the staircase. With a few graceful hand arcs, I chanted a spell over the steps and then hurried back to my corner with Adrian, slipping back under the shelter of his arm. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"I think I've got a minor delay ready.† â€Å"What is it?† he asked. Just then, we heard the door at the top of the stairs open. Light spilled down, though we still remained in the shadows. â€Å"You're out of options,† I heard Alicia say. â€Å"No place left to – ahh!† There was a loud thump-thump-thump-thump as she went sliding down the stairs and hit the bottom with a crack. â€Å"Invisible ice on the stairs,† I told Adrian. â€Å"I know I'm not supposed to say this,† he said. â€Å"But I think I love you more than ever.† I took his hand and tried not to think about how happy his words made me, even in this life-or-death situation. â€Å"Come on.† We left our hiding spot and found Alicia sprawled ungracefully on the floor, trying to get to her feet. A silver orb of light hovered in the air near her, bobbing along faithfully with her movements. Seeing us, she snarled and waved her hands to cast at us. I'd anticipated this and had an amulet ready. I swung it on its silken cord and said a few quick words as we passed her. A brief, shimmering shield flared between us and her, just barely absorbing the small glowing darts she hurled our way. The shield was similar to the one Ms. Terwilliger had used at the park but had to be summoned on the spot and didn't last long. I didn't know what Alicia planned on doing next, but obviously, something bad was coming. I cast a preemptive spell I'd never used before, one of the ones that Ms. Terwilliger had told me not to bother with. It took a lot of energy and was powerful if used correctly, yet was deceptively simple and elegant in its effects. I merely blasted Alicia across the room with a wave of power just as she was about to stand. She flew backward, into a stack of Christmas items. A box of ornaments fell down, shattering near her on the hard floor. Casting the spell left me dizzy, but I managed to keep moving. I summoned a fireball when we reached the stairs but held it in my hand, keeping it low as though I were going to roll a Skee-Ball – though my intent was simply to carry it. I prayed it would melt the ice, and after my first few steps, I knew I was right. â€Å"Careful,† I warned Adrian. â€Å"They're wet.† We made it to the top, but Alicia had already scrambled after us. From the bottom of the stairs, she used the same spell on me that I'd used on her, throwing a wave of invisible energy at Adrian and me that knocked us to the floor. I'd been holding on to the fireball, despite Ms. Terwilliger's warnings about how doing so would drain my own power. When Alicia knocked me down, the fireball flew from my hand and landed on Ms. Terwilliger's couch. Considering it looked as though it was covered in some cheap fabric from the 1970s, I wasn't entirely surprised that it lit up so fast. On the bright side, the fire solved our darkness problem. On the downside, it meant the house was likely going to burn down around us after all. The callistana, who hadn't been fast enough to keep up with us when we'd gone downstairs, came scurrying over to my side. I had only half a heartbeat to make a decision. â€Å"Go look in the rest of the house for Ms. Terwilliger,† I told Adrian. â€Å"I'll stop Alicia.† The growing fire created weird shadows on his face, highlighting his anguish at this. â€Å"Sydney.† â€Å"This is one of those times you have to trust me without question,† I said. â€Å"Hurry! Find her and get her out.† I saw a thousand emotions flash through his eyes before he obeyed and ran off toward the other wing of the house. The fire was spreading rapidly throughout the living room, in a way that had to be magical. The increasing smoke gave me an idea, and I cast a spell that enhanced it, creating a hazy wall at the entrance to the basement stairs. It allowed the dragon and me to make a short retreat before Alicia appeared, parting the smoke as cleanly as though she were opening curtains. â€Å"That,† she declared. â€Å"Hurt.† I cast a spell that should've encased her in spiderwebs, but they fell away before they even reached her. It was infuriating. I'd memorized so much, but these â€Å"remedial† spells weren't working. I understood now why Ms. Terwilliger's main strategy had been for me to lie low and hide my ability. How would I have ever been able to take on Veronica? True, Alicia had taken her out, but only after probably weakening her as she had Ms. Terwilliger. I even understood now why Ms. Terwilliger had told me to get a gun – which, I realized now, I'd left in the car. The ice spell had worked because Alicia hadn't seen it coming. The only other spell that had worked on her was the blast of power, an advanced one that had still left me weak. It was going to take another one of those, I realized. I had no idea if I had the ability to do a second one, but trying was the only chance I had of – I screamed as what felt like a thousand volts of electricity shot through me. Alicia's hand movement had been so subtle, and she hadn't even spoken. I fell down again, writhing in pain as Alicia strode toward me, her face triumphant. The dragon bravely put himself between the two of us, and she simply kicked him aside. I heard him yelp as he skittered across the floor. â€Å"Maybe I should absorb you,† said Alicia. The shocks abated, and I could only sit there and gasp for breath. â€Å"You could be my fifth. I can come back for Jaclyn in a few years. You've turned out to be a lot more powerful than I thought – and annoyingly resourceful. You even made a good effort tonight.† â€Å"Who says I'm done?† I managed to say. I cast the first of the advanced spells that came to mind. Maybe it was inspired by the broken Christmas ornaments, but suddenly, I had broken shards on the brain. The spell required no words or physical components and only the slightest of hand movements. The rest was taken from me – a draining of energy and power that hurt almost as much as the electrifying spell Alicia had just used. But oh, the results were breathtaking. On Ms. Terwilliger's coffee table (which was now on fire) sat a set of five perpetual motion balls. I used a transmutation spell on them, forcing them out of their spherical shape and breaking them apart into thin, sharp razor blades. They broke free of their strings and came at my command. That was the easy part. The hard part was, as Ms. Terwilliger had told me, actually attacking someone. And not just making them slip and fall. That wasn't so bad. But an actual physical attack, one you knew would cause direct and terrible damage, was an entirely different issue. It didn't matter how terrible Alicia was, that she'd tried to kill me and wanted to victimize Ms. Terwilliger and countless others. Alicia was still a living person, and it was not in my nature to show violence or try to take another's life. It was, however, in my nature to save my own life and those of my loved ones. I braced myself and ordered the razors forward. They slammed into her face. She screamed and frantically tried to pull them out but in doing so lost her balance and went back down the stairs. I heard her shriek as she fell into the basement. Although I couldn't see her, her magical lantern orb merrily followed her all the way down. My triumph was short-lived. I was more than dizzy. I was on the verge of passing out. The heat and light from the fire were overwhelming, yet my vision was going dark from the exhaustion of casting a spell I was in no way ready for. I suddenly just wanted to curl up there on the floor and close my eyes where it was comfortable and warm. . . . â€Å"Sydney!† Adrian's voice jolted me out of my haze, and I managed to peer up at him through heavy eyelids. He slipped an arm around me to help me up. When my legs didn't work, he simply scooped me up altogether and carried me. The dragon, who'd suffered no permanent damage from the kick, clung to my shirt and scurried into the bag that was still draped over my shoulder. â€Å"Where . . . Ms. Terwilliger. . . .† â€Å"Not here,† Adrian said, heading swiftly toward the front door. The fire was spreading over the walls and ceiling now. Although it hadn't quite made it to the front of the house yet, our way was still thick with smoke and ash. We both were coughing, and tears ran out of my eyes. Adrian reached the door and turn the knob, yelping at how hot it was. Then he managed to kick the door open with his foot, and we were free, out into the clean night air. Neighbors had gathered outside, and I could hear sirens in the distance. Some of the spectators watched us curiously, but most were transfixed by the inferno that was Ms. Terwilliger's bungalow. Adrian carried me over to his car and gently set me down so that I could lean against it, though he still kept an arm around me. We both stared in awe at the fire. â€Å"I really did look, Sydney,† he said. â€Å"I couldn't find Jackie in the house. Maybe she escaped.† I prayed he was right. Otherwise, we had just abandoned my history teacher to a fiery death. â€Å"What happened to Alicia?† â€Å"Last I saw, she was in the basement.† A sickening feeling twisted in my stomach. â€Å"I don't know if she'll get out. Adrian, what have I just done?† â€Å"You defended yourself. And me. And hopefully Jackie.† His arm tightened around me. â€Å"Alicia was evil. Look what she did to those other witches – what she wanted to do to you guys.† â€Å"I never saw it coming,† I said bleakly. â€Å"I thought I was so smart. And each time I talked to her, I dismissed her as some dumb, scattered girl. Meanwhile, she was laughing and countering my moves every step of the way. It's humbling. I don't meet many people like that.† â€Å"The Moriarty to your Holmes?† he suggested. â€Å"Adrian,† I said. It was all I needed to say. He suddenly did a double take, noticing my attire for the first time tonight now that the jacket had come open. â€Å"You're wearing your AYE shirt?† â€Å"Yeah, I never wage magical battles without – â€Å" A small mewling noise suddenly caught my attention. I searched around until I spotted two green eyes peering at me from under a bush across the street. I managed to straighten up and found that my legs, though weak, could support my weight again. I took a few halting steps toward the bush, and Adrian immediately ran to my side. â€Å"What are you doing? You need help,† he said. I pointed. â€Å"We have to follow that cat.† â€Å"Sydney – â€Å" â€Å"Help me,† I pleaded. He couldn't resist. Supporting me with his arm again, he helped me walk across the street toward the cat. It ran ahead between two bushes, then glanced back at us. â€Å"It wants us to follow,† I told him. So we did, cutting through houses and streets until when we were about four blocks from the bungalow, the cat dashed off into a park. Whatever energy I'd had when I started after the cat was long gone. I was panting and dizzy again and fighting hard to resist asking Adrian to carry me. Something in the center of the park caught my attention and gave me one last burst of adrenaline to run forward. There, lying on the grass, was Ms. Terwilliger. She was awake, thankfully, but looked nearly as exhausted as I felt. Tears and smudges suggested she'd been through quite an ordeal. She had managed to escape Alicia, but not without a fight. That was why we hadn't been able to find her in the house. Seeing me, she blinked in surprise. â€Å"You're okay,† she said. â€Å"And you found me.† â€Å"The cats led us,† I said, pointing. All thirteen of them were sitting around in the park, surrounding their owner – making sure she was okay. She glanced around at them and managed a weary smile. â€Å"See? I told you cats are useful.† â€Å"Callistanas aren't so bad either,† I said, looking down at my satchel. â€Å"That ‘pain in the ass' screeching saved me from a face full of acid.† Adrian put his hand to his heart in mock horror. â€Å"Sage, did you just swear?† Glancing over, Ms. Terwilliger noticed him for the first time. â€Å"And you're here too? I'm so sorry you had to get dragged into this mess. I know you didn't ask for any of this trouble.† â€Å"It doesn't matter,† said Adrian, smiling. He rested a hand on my shoulder. â€Å"Some things are worth the trouble.†