Friday, January 17, 2020
The Twilight Saga 5: Midnight Sun 27. Deadlock
Warm, sweeping, glorious, relief, the most powerful emotion that had hit me in days, more forceful than my anger, my agonyâ⬠¦my pain, rushed over me. This emotion was so full of an alleviation and ease that all of the anguish and distress was leaving my body as I saw the emotions in Bella's eyes again. At the sight, I realized that I never truly appreciated her beauty. My eyes looked up as I silently prayed to whatever entity that kept her alive, letting them know how devoutly thankful I truly am. Looking back at her, the deep depths, the windows to her soul, continued to move in quick irregular motions as she reached up to pull the oxygen tube from her nose. ââ¬Å"No, you don't.â⬠I reached over to stop her hand. My chin was resting only inches from her face when her eyes finally met mine. She was disorientated. ââ¬Å"Edward?â⬠Her voice was hoarse, drained, like she was fatally wounded. A tiny pucker formed between her brows. She tried to focus on my face. ââ¬Å"Oh, Edward, I'm so sorry!â⬠She was sorry? What did she need to be sorry for? ââ¬Å"Shhhh.â⬠I attempted to stop her insanity. ââ¬Å"Everything's all right now.â⬠I tried to speak bracing words of comfort. She needn't be so anxious with her frail body being in such a broken state. ââ¬Å"What happened?â⬠Her words were slurred slightly, almost like she was drunk. Memories of the events that happened that fateful morning, which brought her to this place, rushed across my mind. My stomach bubbled with a sickening acid. ââ¬Å"I was almost too late. I could have been too late,â⬠I whispered, torment lacing each syllable. ââ¬Å"I was so stupid, Edward. I thought he had my mom.â⬠Of course, she would try to put the blame on herself. ââ¬Å"He tricked us all,â⬠I said, trying to ease her mind. She really should be resting. ââ¬Å"I need to call Charlie and my mom,â⬠worry was present in her eyesâ⬠¦always worried about someone else, anyone else, but herself. ââ¬Å"Alice called them. Rene is here ââ¬â well, here in the hospital. She's getting something to eat right now.â⬠ââ¬Å"She's here?â⬠She tried to sit up, her body swaying slightly. I couldn't let her hurt herself anymore so I lightly pushed her back down onto the pillows. ââ¬Å"She'll be back soon,â⬠I promised. ââ¬Å"And you need to stay still.â⬠ââ¬Å"But what did you tell her?â⬠Her voice was panicked. ââ¬Å"Why did you tell her I'm here?â⬠Even in her drugged stupor, she was still trying to protect our secret. Without effort, my love radiated out of me along with the agony that rippled through me at the thought of what actually happened just those two days ago. ââ¬Å"You fell down two flights of stairs and through a window.â⬠You were tortured by a vicious vampire and I was nearly too late. ââ¬Å"You have to admit, it could happen.â⬠I tried to lighten the mood with this small joke. She sighed at my bad humor and I could see her wince slightly at the pain it caused. Her eyes finally left mine to roam over her broken and mangled body. ââ¬Å"How bad am I?â⬠She asked, curious. This time I sighed. The damage was extensive. ââ¬Å"You have a broken leg, four broken ribs, some cracks in your skull, bruises covering every inch of your skin, and you've lost a lot of blood. They gave you a few transfusions. I didn't like it ââ¬â it made you smell all wrong for a while.â⬠I took in a deep breath at the luxurious scent that now filled the small room, letting it sting my throat with the pleasurable burning sensation. ââ¬Å"That must have been a nice change for you,â⬠she half smiled. She had it all wrong though. To imagine her without the palatable scent was almost unbearable, like I had drank all the goodness from her body and it was being replaced by some cheap imitation. ââ¬Å"No, I like how you smell.â⬠ââ¬Å"How did you do it?â⬠Her voice was strained. I knew what she was asking. Many memories stirred from that horrible morning. Blood was coming out of her in torrents, flooding the floor. The bloodâ⬠¦how did I stop? I remembered the pleasure and the pain that consumed my body at just the mere thought of her warm blood in my mouth, my burning throat with the accompanied obsessive longing finally being quenched. The thought tore at every nerve in my body. The disgust I felt didn't stop me though; I still brought her wrist to my mouth and drank from her. Even when she yanked around in my grasp, thrusting against my hold, screaming, I didn't let go. I didn't even know how I did it. ââ¬Å"I'm not sure,â⬠there was the tiniest quiver in my voice. Gently, I lifted her hand which was wrapped in white gauze, examining it carefully. Along with the ache that seared deep inside me, there was this new indication of what I was. A monster. A creature that should have no part in this angel's life. Lightly caressing her hand I shivered at this sick souvenir that would always be on her wrist which made my dead heart shatter. The wires that connected her to all the monitors were just another vivid reminder on top of everything else at how fragile and breakable she was. Each passing second felt like borrowed time. I sighed. ââ¬Å"It was impossibleâ⬠¦ to stop,â⬠my voice was low, a whisper. But I did stop; I was able to keep her alive. ââ¬Å"Impossible. But I did.â⬠My eyes met hers, a smile creeping up my face; a great rush of affection washing over me. ââ¬Å"I must love you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Don't I taste as good as I smell?â⬠She returned my smile. The satisfactionâ⬠¦the gratifyingly warm blood in my mouth ?C it was beyond delicious. It coursed through my body, sweeter than life. ââ¬Å"Even better ââ¬â better than I'd imagined.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm sorry,â⬠she apologized. She wasâ⬠¦sorry? Again, what was with the apologies? If it wasn't for my stupidity in the first place she wouldn't have even been in the situation to have her blood sucked by me, of all creatures. I looked up to the ceiling in exasperation before returning my gaze to her. ââ¬Å"Of all the things to apologize for.â⬠ââ¬Å"What should I apologize for?â⬠For a moment I was lost in desperate speculation, thoughts consuming my mind momentarily. Only one thing came to mind. ââ¬Å"For very nearly taking yourself away from me forever.â⬠If her life had ended that dayâ⬠¦I shudderedâ⬠¦I too, would have died. ââ¬Å"I'm sorry,â⬠she apologized again. ââ¬Å"I know why you did it. It was still irrational, of course. You should have waited for me, you should have told me.â⬠At this, I realized maybe she didn't trust me as much as I thought. She shouldn't trust me. Because of me, she was here in this hospital bed, for several days, fighting to regain consciousness. ââ¬Å"You wouldn't have let me go,â⬠she explained, like I should have known this. ââ¬Å"No,â⬠I replied in a stern tone. ââ¬Å"I wouldn't.â⬠She shuddered and then slightly winced. My eyes roamed over her to find the culprit of her obvious pain, my nerves being pulled tighter at her discomfort. ââ¬Å"Bella, what's wrong?â⬠I pleaded She ignored me, wanting more answers. ââ¬Å"What happened to James?â⬠James, I growled internally; the enemy being brought to the forefront of my mind. ââ¬Å"After I pulled him off you, Emmett and Jasper took care of him,â⬠I said with clenched teeth. Bella needed me, I knew that, but regardless, jealousy still rippled through me at the thought that it wasn't me who got to pull him apart ââ¬â it wasn't me who burned him. Her eyebrow furrowed. ââ¬Å"I didn't see Emmett and Jasper there.â⬠ââ¬Å"They had to leave the roomâ⬠¦ there was a lot of blood.â⬠Everyone's actions that night caught me off guard; all of them behaving like there was not a single drop of blood spilled in the building. Luckily, we all have no need for oxygen. ââ¬Å"But you stayed,â⬠she stated with a deep fervor, her face smoothing. ââ¬Å"Yes, I stayed.â⬠Obviously, I stayed. She needed meâ⬠¦she would have died. Preventing that was most important. ââ¬Å"And Alice, and Carlisle â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ she said in conjecture. Of course they stayed, too. They consider her part of our family. ââ¬Å"They love you, too, you know.â⬠ââ¬Å"Did Alice see the tape?â⬠She asked anxiously. ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠I gritted my teeth. I remembered watching the tape through Alice's mind, the things he did to Bella ?C the way he taunted me on the video. ââ¬Å"She was always in the dark, that's why she didn't remember,â⬠Bella explained, distracting me. I nodded. ââ¬Å"I know. She understands now,â⬠I said darkly. That was all James did; hurt people and their families, only leaving reminders of his presence. Bella's hand came up to reach for my face, but the IV stopped her from moving far. ââ¬Å"Ugh.â⬠She winced. My head came up from her pillow, concerned. ââ¬Å"What is it?â⬠I asked anxiously, the image of James still in my view ?C anger still coursing through me. ââ¬Å"Needles,â⬠she explained, looking up like she was going to be sick. She took several deep breaths. Instantly, the anger left my body as humor replaced it. The absurdity of it all ?C she was beaten by a vampire, yet thisâ⬠¦needle, of all things, makes her sick. ââ¬Å"Afraid of a needle,â⬠I muttered under my breath, shaking my head. ââ¬Å"Oh, a sadistic vampire, intent on torturing her to death, sure, no problem, she runs off to meet him. An IV, on the other handâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ She rolled her eyes. ââ¬Å"Why are you here?â⬠She asked. Instantly, I felt a chill in my stomach. I just stared at her, surveying her face, confusion sweeping over me. Then, it hit me. Maybe she didn't want me here, which is understandable, but it still made my heart ache, my body shriveled in pain. My eyebrows pulled together as a frown replaced my previous amusement. ââ¬Å"Do you want me to leave?â⬠An obvious grimace appearing on my face. ââ¬Å"No!â⬠She protested as loudly as she could. ââ¬Å"No, I meant, why does my mother think you're here? I need to have my story straight before she gets back.â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh,â⬠I breathed, once again, relief burst through me; understanding replacing confusion. She still wants me here! Happiness swelled inside me like a balloon. ââ¬Å"I came to Phoenix to talk some sense into you, to convince you to come back to Forks.â⬠I fixed my face, like I was trying to convince her myself, proving this lie was convincing. ââ¬Å"You agreed to see me, and you drove out to the hotel where I was staying with Carlisle and Alice ââ¬â of course I was here with parental supervision,â⬠I infused innocently, ââ¬Å"but you tripped on the stairs on the way to my room andâ⬠¦ well, you know the rest. You don't need to remember any details, though; you have a good excuse to be a little muddled about the finer points.â⬠Looking into her eyes I could see her mental processes whirling around before she spoke. ââ¬Å"There are a few flaws with that story. Like no broken windows,â⬠she said matter-of-factly. ââ¬Å"Not really,â⬠I chuckled lightly under my breath. ââ¬Å"Alice had a little bit too much fun fabricating evidence. It's all been taken care of very convincingly ââ¬â you could probably sue the hotel if you wanted to. You have nothing to worry about,â⬠I assured her, caressing her cheek with the lightest of touches, letting her warmth envelope me. ââ¬Å"Your only job now is to heal,â⬠I ordered. I continued to trace my fingers around her magnificent face. Her heart began to jump around wildly, the monitor echoing the erratic palpitations. ââ¬Å"That's going to be embarrassing,â⬠she muttered. This could be more amusing than I realized. Now her heart was beating loudly enough for both of us to hear with all of this equipment magnifying it. I chuckled. ââ¬Å"Hmm, I wonderâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ I leaned in, deliberately trying to hear her reaction; the beeping noise hammered quickly along with her heart before my cold lips even reached her warm ones. Her heart continued to beat a little faster as I slowly moved in for the kiss. Gently, I reminded myself; placing my lips upon hers, sending a spine tingling sensation through me as she lightly moaned in pleasure. Her heart was racing before it gave a huge bound and then it stopped altogether. Panic hit. I pulled back instantly as the light beeping noise started again. Relief, a feeling that seemed to be recurring over and over today, swept over me. ââ¬Å"It seems that I'm going to have to be even more careful with you than usual,â⬠I grimaced. ââ¬Å"I was not finished kissing you,â⬠she grumbled. ââ¬Å"Don't make me come over there.â⬠Affection gushed up inside me and against my careful stature; a smile crept up my face at her obvious love for me. It was amazing that she still yearned to be with me like I craved to be with her. After everything I had done to her she still wished for a proximity that I was still reluctant to give her; I was filled with a trepidation that I would hurt her, break her, kill her somehow. Despite my thoughts, I still bent down to press my lips lightly to hers. The heat crept up my face and down my veins as it brought warmth to my cold heart. In the hallway, I could hear a discussion being whispered. ââ¬Å"How long will it take before she wakes up?â⬠Rene asked the nurse. Soon, please tell me soon! ââ¬Å"It's up to her, Mrs. Dwyer.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, thanks anyways,â⬠she sounded defeated. Edward is still in there I bet ?C they have had enough time alone. Who knows what those crazy kids were up to before this accident happened. I pulled out of our kiss. ââ¬Å"I think I hear your mother,â⬠I smiled. ââ¬Å"Don't leave me,â⬠she cried irrationally. Terror was obvious in her deep brown eyes. ââ¬Å"I won't,â⬠I promised solemnly, and then I smiled serenely. ââ¬Å"I'll take a nap.â⬠I jumped from the stiff plastic chair by her side to the turquoise artificial-leather recliner at the foot of her bed, leaning it all the way back, and closing my eyes. I became a statue. ââ¬Å"Don't forget to breathe,â⬠she whispered mockingly. Going along with her humor I took a deep breath, my eyes remained closed. Rene's light echoing footsteps moved towards the door before she lightly pressed against it, causing the door to crack open. She's awake! Rene thought excitedly. Her eyes peeked through the space, hoping to sneak a peek at a possible conversation, eavesdropping before she opened the door all the way to rush towards Bella's open eyes. ââ¬Å"Mom!â⬠Bella croaked out, her voice relieved. Oh, my baby girl, Rene's mind was easing slightly. Through her eyes I could see my still form feigning sleep. Ah, he's asleepâ⬠¦but still here. Her annoyed thoughts became verbal. ââ¬Å"He never leaves, does he?â⬠she muttered. ââ¬Å"Mom, I'm so glad to see you!â⬠Bella ignored her mom's spoken thought. Rene's expression cleared, her eyes returning to her daughter. Forget Edwardâ⬠¦my baby. My beautiful baby girl. She's awake. Tears flowed down Rene's cheeks as she bent down to hug Bella awkwardly. ââ¬Å"Bella, I was so upset!â⬠Rene spluttered through her tears and other inarticulate sounds. I should have never, ever let her go to Forks. What was I thinking? I'm such a fool. ââ¬Å"I'm sorry, Mom. But everything's fine now, it's okay,â⬠Bella tried to reassure her. She's sorry? I'm sorry! Everything's not okay. Look at herâ⬠¦all the bruises. At Rene's thoughts, my stomach tightened sickeningly with pain. I felt a pang of unease. The bruisesâ⬠¦the broken bonesâ⬠¦they were my fault, no one else's. Sick images swam in my head and continued to come at me relentlessly. Every part of me ached with my idiocy ?C my ignorance ?C at what my clandestine existence ultimately brought to Bella. Thoughts of leaving her echoed through my head, but my love continued to pulse in my heart, my inability to leave her growing stronger. The ongoing battle continued to ensue inside me. ââ¬Å"I'm just glad to finally see your eyes open.â⬠Rene sat down at the end of Bella's bed. Her eyes are so sparkly. To think that there was a possibility that they could never open againâ⬠¦she grew sick at the thought, letting it trail off to images of coffins and people dressed in black. Struggling, I tried to push her images from my mind fiercely. My lurking doubts started resurfacing in my mind. I should leave Bella to her life, stop destroying her future. ââ¬Å"How long have they been closed?â⬠Bella gasped, her mouth forming a little O of horror. ââ¬Å"It's Friday, hon, you've been out for a while.â⬠ââ¬Å"Friday?â⬠Her voice was full of stunned disbelief. The two worst days of my life. I had to agree with Rene's thoughts, except they were the worst two days of my entire existence. ââ¬Å"They had to keep you sedated for a while, honey ââ¬â you've got a lot of injuries.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know,â⬠Bella winced. ââ¬Å"You're lucky Dr. Cullen was there. He's such a nice manâ⬠¦ very young, though. And he looks more like a model than a doctorâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ If I wasn't marriedâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"You met Carlisle?â⬠Bella interrupted her fantasy. ââ¬Å"And Edward's sister Alice. She's a lovely girl.â⬠The whole family is breath taking. What kind of food are they feeing them? Only if she knew of the consequences of having our beauty and the blood we drink to continue our deplorable existence. ââ¬Å"She is,â⬠Bella agreed sincerely, unstinting devotion, love emitting from Bella's eyes in rays of emotion. Suddenly I was in Rene's vision. Wow, she really does feel strongly for this family. But, what about this boy? He seems to be around much more than the rest. ââ¬Å"You didn't tell me you had such good friends in Forks,â⬠Rene said suspiciously, turning back to Bella but continuing to steal glances of me over her shoulder. I wonder what their deal isâ⬠¦ Rene was busy stealing another glance over her shoulder when Bella moaned in pain. The lamentation of grief reached Rene's ears, her eyes quickly found Bella's. So did mine, flashing open as soon as her mom's attention was no longer on me, panic coursing through me. ââ¬Å"What hurts?â⬠she demanded anxiously, voicing my same concerns. Her thoughts were full of a deep motherly concern, one full of love. ââ¬Å"It's fine,â⬠she tried to relieve our tension. ââ¬Å"I just have to remember not to move.â⬠Her words eased some of my panic. Closing my eyes again, I focused on her through Rene's thoughts. Never again. She's not going back to Forks. Thank god for Phil's contract. She'll be so excited. ââ¬Å"Where's Phil?â⬠Bella blurted out, almost as if she were reading her mother's mind too. ââ¬Å"Floridaââ¬â oh, Bella! You'll never guess! Just when we were about to leave, the best news!â⬠ââ¬Å"Phil got signed?â⬠Bella interjected. ââ¬Å"Yes! How did you guess! The Suns, can you believe it?â⬠She can finally move back home! Deep down I could feel the hollowing of my insides along with the burning of my heart at the thought of Bella moving away, but it was the best thing she could do. She should leave, graduate high school, collegeâ⬠¦get married and have kids. Not stay with a vampire who could offer her no future. ââ¬Å"That's great, Mom,â⬠she replied in a questioning enthusiasm. I knew what was going to come next. The borrowed time was lessening. Instantly, I became increasingly nervous. ââ¬Å"And you'll like Jacksonville so much,â⬠she jabbered while Bella stared at her vacantly. ââ¬Å"I was a little bit worried when Phil started talking about Akron, what with the snow and everything, because you know how I hate the cold, but now Jacksonville! It's always sunny, and the humidity really isn't that bad. We found the cutest house, yellow, with white trim, and a porch just like in an old movie, and this huge oak tree, and it's just a few minutes from the ocean, and you'll have your own bathroom ââ¬âââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Wait, Mom!â⬠Bella interrupted. ââ¬Å"What are you talking about? I'm not going to Florida. I live in Forks.â⬠My heart, my cold, dead, unbeating heartâ⬠¦I swear, it just started beating again. She wanted to stay in a place she hated, and I knew it was because of me. What? Maybe she doesn't understand. Rene smiled. ââ¬Å"But you don't have to anymore, silly,â⬠she laughed. ââ¬Å"Phil will be able to be around so much more nowâ⬠¦ we've talked about it a lot, and what I'm going to do is trade off on the away games, half the time with you, half the time with him.â⬠ââ¬Å"Mom.â⬠Bella hesitated for a second. Automatically I tried to hear her mind, the space between us silent as ever before she spoke. ââ¬Å"I want to live in Forks. I'm already settled in at school, and I have a couple of girlfriendsâ⬠ââ¬â suddenly I was in Rene's vision. It's because of him, I know it. ââ¬â ââ¬Å"and Charlie needs me. He's just all alone up there, and he can't cook at all.â⬠I wasn't sure why, but it was clear that she didn't want to go to Florida with Rene, and I was all for that plan. Even though it wasn't a good plan. Forksâ⬠¦Rene's thoughts were babbling inarticulately. ââ¬Å"You want to stay in Forks?â⬠She spluttered. Again, I was in her vision, my face tense with the conversation. This boyâ⬠¦Does she love him, too? Stillâ⬠¦Forks. Insane. ââ¬Å"Why?â⬠ââ¬Å"I told you ââ¬â school, Charlie ââ¬â â⬠she shrugged ââ¬Å"ouch!â⬠Bella ?C how do I comfort her? Her hand fluttered uselessly over Bella's body. Her eyes narrowed in on an un-bandaged spot and patted lightly. Seriously, though ?C school? Charlie? I don't believe it. ââ¬Å"Bella, honey, you hate Forks,â⬠she stated firmly. ââ¬Å"It's not so bad.â⬠Well, that wasn't the response I was hoping for. Oh, come on. Rene scoffed. Again, I saw my face flash in front of her eyes before she turned back to Bella. ââ¬Å"Is it this boy?â⬠she whispered. Bella opened her mouth and then closed it. What was she thinking? ââ¬Å"He's part of it,â⬠Bella finally spoke nonchalantly. ââ¬Å"So, have you had a chance to talk with Edward?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes.â⬠He's quite mysteriousâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"And I want to talk to you about that.â⬠How stupid to even consider someone approving of me for their daughter. ââ¬Å"What about?â⬠Her lips pressed together tightly. ââ¬Å"I think that boy is in love with you,â⬠Rene alleged, keeping her voice low. ââ¬Å"I think so, too.â⬠Despite the situation we were under, I grinned at the memory of our time in the meadow, the first time I confessed my love for her. ââ¬Å"And how do you feel about him?â⬠She was pushing for details, which means Bella will have to lie. I cringed internally at that thought. She was a horrible liar. A small gush of air swept in and out of Bella's lungs before she spoke. ââ¬Å"I'm pretty crazy about him.â⬠This made me happy. I nearly took her life, yet, she was still ââ¬Ëcrazy about' me. ââ¬Å"Well, he seems very nice, and, my goodness, he's incredibly good-looking, but you're so young, Bellaâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ I was hoping that I wouldn't have to have ââ¬Ëthe talk' with her until she was older. She sighed. What was I expecting? She is seventeen after all. ââ¬Å"I know that, Mom. Don't worry about it. It's just a crush.â⬠Crush? Just a crush? Her words burned more than my thirst. Deep down I knew she was perpetrating a farce, but still, just like at her house before we left for Phoenix, the words caught me off guard. Crushâ⬠¦I can handle that. Then it's not too serious after all. ââ¬Å"That's right,â⬠she agreed. Then she sighed and glanced guiltily over her shoulder at the big, round clock on the wall above my head. I need to get homeâ⬠¦Phil. He'll be worried if I don't answer the phone. Seeing the time for myself I was disheartened that my time with her was slowly passing by. Sooner than I'd like, I would have to leave her forever. Was I brave enough? Did I have enough will powerâ⬠¦enough strength? ââ¬Å"Do you need to go?â⬠Bella interrupted my reverie. ââ¬Å"Phil's supposed to call in a little whileâ⬠¦ I didn't know you were going to wake upâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"No problem, Mom.â⬠Bella said indifferently. ââ¬Å"I won't be alone.â⬠That's right. I'll be here. She was just so soft and vulnerable. It seemed foolhardy to let her out of my sight, where anything could happen to her. And yet, the worst things that could happen to her would result from being with me. Deep down, I wished that she wasn't better off being away from me. I bet you won'tâ⬠¦not with Edward keeping an eye on you. ââ¬Å"I'll be back soon. I've been sleeping here, you know.â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, Mom, you don't have to do that! You can sleep at home ââ¬â I'll never notice.â⬠The words were slurred slightly, the drugged stupor still not completely worn off. ââ¬Å"I was too nervous,â⬠she admitted sheepishly. ââ¬Å"There's been some crime in the neighborhood, and I don't like being there alone.â⬠Her eyes darted to the newspaper next to the bed. ââ¬Å"Crime?â⬠Bella asked, thunderstruck. It was awful. The building was in ruins. Rene was picturing the remains of the ballet studio. ââ¬Å"Someone broke into that dance studio around the corner from the house and burned it to the ground ââ¬â there's nothing left at all! And they left a stolen car right out front. Do you remember when you used to dance there, honey?â⬠ââ¬Å"I remember,â⬠her voice quivered slightly under ââ¬â what I would expect to be ?C bad memories. She looks scared. Maybe I should stay hereâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"I can stay, baby, if you need me.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, Mom, I'll be fine. Edward will be with me.â⬠Edward, again. That could also be a good reason to stay. ââ¬Å"I'll be back tonight.â⬠I hope he heard that. She glanced at me again as she thought it. ââ¬Å"I love you, Mom.â⬠ââ¬Å"I love you, too, Bella. Try to be more careful when you walk, honey, I don't want to lose you.â⬠I never realized her clumsiness would come to this though. Seriously ?C a coma in the hospital. I remembered Carlisle looking over Bella's X-ray at the hospital after the van nearly crushed her to death. She had many healed fractures. Trying to suppress laughter, I could stop the grin that spread across my face. I wonder if that hot boy will be in the room. I heard the nurse's thoughts that checked on Bella yesterday. She came bustling in then to check all of the tubes and wires. Rene watched the nurse for a minute. I better get going. I don't want to miss Phil's phone call. He'll be elated to hear that she is awake finally. She kissed Bella's forehead, patted her gauze-wrapped hand, and left. The nurse was checking the paper readout on the heart monitor. Humâ⬠¦I wonder if this is because of him. The nurse pictured my face. He makes my heart do funny things, too. Maybe she is just worried or nervous. I would be if I woke up from a coma, too. ââ¬Å"Are you feeling anxious, honey? Your heart rate got a little high there.â⬠After Rene left I opened my eyes, watching the nurse interact with Bella, pushing her thoughts from my mind. ââ¬Å"I'm fine,â⬠Bella assured the nurse. I'm sure you are. I'd be fine too if he was at my bed side. ââ¬Å"I'll tell your RN that you're awake. She'll be in to see you in a minute.â⬠The nurse turned on her heals and strode quickly out of the room. It took me less than a second to move to her side, so quickly that she didn't see me move from point A to point B. Instead of her being surprised, her tiny eyebrows rose in humor. ââ¬Å"You stole a car?â⬠Duh, I wanted to say. Instead I just smiled. ââ¬Å"It was a good car, very fast,â⬠I refused to apologize; she didn't seem to mind. It had to be fast, my only purpose was to get to her as quickly as I couldâ⬠¦to save her life before James had the opportunity to take her away from me forever. I was too late, but just in time to barely reverse the effects of the venom that had rushed down her veins. ââ¬Å"How was your nap?â⬠She smirked. ââ¬Å"Interesting.â⬠My mind was wondering, remembering her plea to stay in Forks and her word crush. My eyes narrowed slightly and she noticed the change in my facial features. ââ¬Å"What?â⬠Honestly, I was happy with her response to stay in Forks, but disappointed all the same because now I had to find the courage to tell her to go, that she would be better off without me in her life. Was I brave enough? Was I that self sacrificing? By the look on her face she had already read too much into my face so I looked down. ââ¬Å"I'm surprised. I thought Florida â⬠¦ and your motherâ⬠¦well; I thought that's what you would want.â⬠The many nights I watched her sleep, as her worries and thoughts were spoken freely, let me know how much she truly cared for her mother. Also, when she talked about Rene it was if a parent were talking about a child. Was she just tired of the responsibility of her mother? That was uncharacteristic of her, so probably not the culprit to her reasoning to stay in Forks. The word crush rang through my mind again and so I couldn't be the reason, either. When I finally looked up she was staring at me uncomprehendingly. ââ¬Å"But you'd be stuck inside all day in Florida. You'd only be able to come out at night, just like a real vampire.â⬠A real vampire? What am I, chopped liver? The humor quickly passed. It was time to convince her to go back homeâ⬠¦to Florida. ââ¬Å"I would stay in Forks, Bella. Or somewhere like it,â⬠I explained.â⬠Someplace where I couldn't hurt you anymore.â⬠She stared at me with a blank expression, like she was having trouble processing my words. Was it the drugs? Maybe this conversation should wait until she was more aware and alert. I was just making excuses. Her lips turned down into an unfathomable expression as the monitor magnified her heart beats which were quickly increasing. The beeping nose and the pounding in her chest were reaching a dangerous point, going so fast I was nervous. Her breathing picked up along with her heart. Soon, she was gasping, hyperventilating. Her eyes began to water as her face contorted into a horrible grimace of pain. The soft lines of her face were suddenly sharp and defined. I didn't know what to do, what to say. That beeping doesn't sound good. I better go check it out. A different nurse came marching into the room. Maybe she had a remedy that I didn't. She looked over the monitors to see that her regular heart beat, and the insane palpitations that were pulsing wildly through her, were not the same. Wow, she looks like she is in a lot of pain. Jeesh, what a tortured face. . ââ¬Å"Time for more pain meds, sweetheart?â⬠she asked sweetly, tapping the IV feed. ââ¬Å"No, no,â⬠Bella choked out, the pain still clearly in her tone. ââ¬Å"I don't need anything.â⬠Of course, she didn't want to seem weak. ââ¬Å"No need to be brave, honey. It's better if you don't get too stressed out; you need to rest.â⬠The nurse waited, but she just shook her head. ââ¬Å"Okay,â⬠she sighed. ââ¬Å"Hit the call button when you're ready.â⬠This better not be his fault or I'm going to kick him out of the room so she can get some rest. The nurse's stare bore into me, like she was trying to burn a hole through my skull before she glanced at the machinery like she was warning me she could hear it. She left the room. I'll be listening. Ignoring the overly observant nurse I placed my hands on Bella's face to bring her attention back to our conversation. Her eyes were full of moisture, the look in them wild with unease and anxiety. Her heart was still bounding wildly ahead. ââ¬Å"Shhh, Bella, calm down.â⬠I tried to soothe her. ââ¬Å"Don't leave me,â⬠she begged me, her voice cracking with the pain. Her pupils dilated in terror as her lips trembled uncontrollably. When she begged like this, how could I deny her anything? All my plans, all my thoughtsâ⬠¦every second of deciding to leave her crumbled into little pieces. ââ¬Å"I won't,â⬠I promised. ââ¬Å"Now relax before I call the nurse back to sedate you.â⬠Still, her heart continued to thunder along, not relaxing one bit to my words. Great, I was going to give her a heart attack. All my efforts to keep her alive and just the mere thought of my absence would send her over the edge. A second was all it took to change everything: the atmosphere in the room, my mission here, the reason I leaned toward the glorious soul in front of meâ⬠¦ What had been for one purpose before was now for another. To stay. To keep her alive. To prevent her heart from exploding with the pain that I was feeling too. ââ¬Å"Bella.â⬠I lightly brushed her face apprehensively. ââ¬Å"I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here as long as you need me,â⬠I promised. ââ¬Å"Do you swear you won't leave me?â⬠She whispered a small splutter of terror. She was gasping for air as her heart continued to beat out of control, her pulse continuing to reach a danger point. Her reactions robbed me temporarily of breath. It was oddly disembodying trying to understand her fear, because it was me who couldn't live without her. It shouldn't be the other way around. Before the nurse decides to kick me out of the room I had to calm her down. I took her face between my hands. Her warmth crept up my body slowly as I brought my face only inches from hers before whispering to her, ââ¬Å"I swear.â⬠Her breath was filling the air between us. It was very appealing, but in this moment I was too worried about her heart and her breathing. Each second the rhythmic motion of her breath and her heart slowed. I refused to let go of her until she had calmed down. When the monitors had quieted I sighed in relief. ââ¬Å"Better?â⬠I asked, surveying her face. ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠she answered, her voice sounded guarded. Under my breath I began muttering so low she wouldn't hear me. ââ¬Å"Beautiful, insane, overly sensitive girl. What an overreaction.â⬠I shook my head. ââ¬Å"Why did you say that?â⬠She whispered. At first, I didn't know if she actually heard what I had muttered. ââ¬Å"Are you tired of having to save me all the time? Do you want me to go away?â⬠Again, insane. With increasing desperation I tried to explain to her that I did want her, that it would literally kill me if she went away. ââ¬Å"No, I don't want to be without you, Bella, of course not. Be rational,â⬠I added sensibly. ââ¬Å"And I have no problem with saving you, either ââ¬â if it weren't for the fact that I was the one putting you in dangerâ⬠¦ that I'm the reason that you're here.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, you are the reason,â⬠she interjected with a frown. ââ¬Å"The reason I'm here ââ¬âalive.â⬠I had less resolution than ever. ââ¬Å"Barely.â⬠I choked out. ââ¬Å"Covered in gauze and plaster and hardly able to move.â⬠I stared down at her like it would force her to mend. ââ¬Å"I wasn't referring to my most recent near-death experience,â⬠her voice was slightly irritated. Staring at her, I tried to read her eyes. Yes, I saved her in the past, but that had nothing to do with the present. She was still in this hospital bed because of me. The silence tautened and strained. She finally spoke. ââ¬Å"I was thinking of the others ââ¬â you can take your pick. If it weren't for you, I would be rotting away in the Forks cemetery.â⬠Her voice was like an angry drunken titter from all the drugs in her system. The memories made me wince several times. The van, Port Angelesâ⬠¦my thoughts trailed off, not wanting to think of where she would be if I wasn't there to intercede on her behalf. Then I realized I had already made my decision. I wasn't going to let her leave. If she did I would follow her, even if she was unaware of it. No matter what, I would watch over her, keep her from harm, for as long as I could justify it. Luckily, I don't see how she would ever not need me to keep her safe. I suddenly found myself wishing that her clumsiness would never go away. I looked at her gauze covered wrist, my original thoughts surfacing. ââ¬Å"That's not the worst part, though,â⬠I continued, ignoring her previous words of comfort.â⬠Not seeing you there on the floorâ⬠¦ crumpled and broken.â⬠The words caught in my throat. ââ¬Å"Not thinking I was too late. Not even hearing you scream in pain ââ¬â all those unbearable memories that I'll carry with me for the rest of eternity. No, the very worst was feelingâ⬠¦ knowing that I couldn't stop. Believing that I was going to kill you myself,â⬠my voice tailed away feebly as the memory of her blood in my mouth, swirling sweetly down my throat, surfaced. ââ¬Å"But you didn't,â⬠she pointed out. ââ¬Å"I could have. So easily.â⬠Her breath came a little quicker again. Panic was obvious in her eyes. Did she finally understand that she should fear me? ââ¬Å"Promise me,â⬠she whispered. ââ¬Å"What?â⬠ââ¬Å"You know what.â⬠She gave me an insolent stare. I was wrong; she didn't fear me, just the opposite. How can I promise to never leave when I know one day I will have to? Not now, though. I can't leave her now when she needs me. Still, I gazed uncertainly towards her, my eyes automatically tightening. A lurking doubt resurfaced in my mind. She's here because of me. This is my fault. If I stay ?C this might happen again. I couldn't have that. I could feel the warmth of her pulse in the air and on my skin. Trying to master myself I realized that my time with her was ticking away. Hearing her voice ââ¬â an extraordinary tonic, I might add ââ¬â after the two days of complete and utter silence, settled my thoughts. ââ¬Å"I don't seem to be strong enough to stay away from you, so I suppose that you'll get your wayâ⬠¦ whether it kills you or not,â⬠my tone growing more forlorn with each word. ââ¬Å"Good.â⬠She stated firmly. ââ¬Å"You told me how you stoppedâ⬠¦ now I want to know why,â⬠she demanded. ââ¬Å"Why?â⬠I repeated warily, I hadn't recovered from the shock of the question. ââ¬Å"Why you did it. Why didn't you just let the venom spread? By now I would be just like you.â⬠Her words fell oddly upon my ears and were an unpleasant surprise. Words I didn't expect to hear come out of her mouth. Where did she learn this? In that precise moment it hit me like a bolt of lightning. Alice. A scathing noise escaped my lips as I thought about this. She was a bit sneakier than I realized. But telling Bella about vampire transformations was crossing the line. I couldn't suppress a shiver of loathing. I could feel my nostrils flaring as my lips grew tighter together. I didn't respond, not knowing if Alice really told her, or if it was another one of those legends she read about and was merely guessing how the conversion worked. Bella broke the silence. ââ¬Å"I'll be the first to admit that I have no experience with relationships, but it just seems logicalâ⬠¦ a man and woman have to be somewhat equalâ⬠¦ as in, one of them can't always be swooping in and saving the other one. They have to save each other equally.â⬠It seems her knowledge is not as extensive as I first thought. Of course, in movies and books vampires had to bite their victims to turn them. It was easy for her to deduct these things. Instead of getting angry, I folded my arms on the side of her bed and rested my chin on my arms. Still, I will have to have aâ⬠¦talkâ⬠¦with Alice. I thought about what Bella said though, about saving each other equally. She doesn't realize how much she has saved me, how she pulled me out of the deepest depression that even Jasper has ever seen. My whole family has fallen in love with Bella merely for what her presence has done for me. ââ¬Å"You have saved me,â⬠I said quietly, letting her in on my revelation. ââ¬Å"I can't always be Lois Lane,â⬠she insisted, ignoring me. ââ¬Å"I want to be Superman, too.â⬠Her statements still had me utterly bewildered. She wanted to be a vampire. Of all things in the world that she could ask for, she asks for the one thing I refuse to give. I was unsure of the best way to approach the subject. Bella, I might kill you in the process and you will burn for three days and beg for death before you finally turn into a vampire who never sleeps and is always aching to quench ones thirst. No, that is too much information. ââ¬Å"You don't know what you're asking.â⬠I stared at the edge of her pillowcase, afraid she might see my thoughts displayed across my face. ââ¬Å"I think I do.â⬠ââ¬Å"Bella, you don't know. I've had almost ninety years to think about this, and I'm still not sure,â⬠I tried not to succumb to the rage I felt bubbling under my skin. Why was she pushing this subject? ââ¬Å"Do you wish that Carlisle hadn't saved you?â⬠ââ¬Å"No, I don't wish that.â⬠I used to, but now I realize my fate included Bella, and I would have never met her without Carlisle's rash decision to turn me. ââ¬Å"But my life was over. I wasn't giving anything up.â⬠ââ¬Å"You are my life. You're the only thing it would hurt me to lose,â⬠she admitted, not the least bit embarrassed. No matter how much she pleaded with me, I would never take her soul. It wasn't up for debate. ââ¬Å"I can't do it, Bella. I won't do that to you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why not?â⬠She croaked. ââ¬Å"Don't tell me it's too hard! After today, or I guess it was a few days agoâ⬠¦ anyway, after that, it should be nothing.â⬠I glared at her. A positively dangerous look crept across my face. ââ¬Å"And the pain?â⬠I asked, curious. She flinched, obviously remembering the fire that burned through her veins. ââ¬Å"That's my problem,â⬠she said coolly. ââ¬Å"I can handle it.â⬠Insane. ââ¬Å"It's possible to take bravery to the point where it becomes insanity.â⬠ââ¬Å"It's not an issue. Three days. Big deal.â⬠Shock so huge it rooted me to the spot and roughly burst through me. Three days. This was something that could have only been told by another vampire. It wasn't Jasper, he respects other's wishes. Alice, on the other handâ⬠¦the very nosy, annoying, short vampire that receives visions, has been pressing the ââ¬Ëturn Bella into a vampire' campaign for a while now. I wonder what vision she is seeing now. It must be flickering, I haven't decided how I am going to get even with her for telling Bella about this. Venom was thundering through my veins. Enough was enough. I didn't want to flat out tell her no. I wanted her to want to be human. Maybe she needed reminders of why she should stay human. ââ¬Å"Charlie?â⬠I asked curtly. ââ¬Å"Rene?â⬠A blank silence greeted my words. She was opening and closing her mouth like words wouldn't form. I waited for her response, but obviously, she didn't have one. Did she finally reach her senses? ââ¬Å"Look, that's not an issue either,â⬠she finally muttered an obvious lie. Apparently she hasn't reached her senses. ââ¬Å"Rene has always made the choices that work for her ââ¬â she'd want me to do the same. And Charlie's resilient; he's used to being on his own. I can't take care of them forever. I have my own life to live.â⬠Was she missing the key words here? If she were to stay human she would have a life to live. If she were a vampire, on the other hand, her life would just become this limitless existence that I refused to make her be a part of. ââ¬Å"Exactly,â⬠I snapped. ââ¬Å"And I won't end it for you.â⬠My careful composure was slipping. ââ¬Å"If you're waiting for me to be on my deathbed, I've got news for you! I was just there!â⬠Lame justification. ââ¬Å"You're going to recover,â⬠I reminded her. She took a deep breath at my words, returning my stare. There was no compromise in her face, and I wasn't budging either. ââ¬Å"No,â⬠Bella said slowly. ââ¬Å"I'm not.â⬠Anger vanished, fear replaced it. Was something else wrong with herâ⬠¦like cancer? Was she not telling me something? No, her life couldn't be like one of those sad stories you read about. My forehead automatically creased with worry. ââ¬Å"Of course you are. You may have a scar or twoâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"You're wrong,â⬠she insisted. ââ¬Å"I'm going to die.â⬠No! She was not going to die, she was going to live. I would fight for her, keep her alive. A sense of hopelessness engulfed me. My mind was lost in a desperate speculation. Panic flared within me. ââ¬Å"Really, Bella.â⬠Anxiety broke through my voice. ââ¬Å"You'll be out of here in a few days. Two weeks at most.â⬠She glared at me like I was an idiot. ââ¬Å"I may not die nowâ⬠¦ but I'm going to die sometime. Every minute of the day, I get closer. And I'm going to get old.â⬠Relief, glorious relief. I frowned at her as her words finally released the tension that built so suddenly. My fingers found my temples as I began to rub them, trying to soothe my troubled mind, closing my eyes. ââ¬Å"That's how it's supposed to happen. How it should happen. How it would have happened if I didn't exist ââ¬â and I shouldn't exist.â⬠She snorted. I opened my eyes in surprise. ââ¬Å"That's stupid. That's like going to someone who's just won the lottery, taking their money, and saying, ââ¬ËLook, let's just go back to how things should be. It's better that way.' And I'm not buying it.â⬠She might have made a point if she used something besides the lottery as an example. ââ¬Å"I'm hardly a lottery prize,â⬠I growled, anger returning. ââ¬Å"That's right. You're much better,â⬠she pointed out. I rolled my eyes and my lips grew tight. It doesn't matter what else she says, she's wasting her breath. To take her soul would be the last thing on earth I would do. She will stay human. Even if Alice tries to take a bite I will tackle and kill if I must. ââ¬Å"Bella, we're not having this discussion anymore. I refuse to damn you to an eternity of night and that's the end of it.â⬠Now stop, I added internally. ââ¬Å"If you think that's the end, then you don't know me very well,â⬠she warned me. ââ¬Å"You're not the only vampire I know.â⬠I will stop her by any means. ââ¬Å"Alice wouldn't dare,â⬠I growled aloud. ââ¬Å"Alice already saw it, didn't she?â⬠She guessed. ââ¬Å"That's why the things she says upset you. She knows I'm going to be like youâ⬠¦ someday.â⬠Dammit! I slipped up. Bella is just too perceptive. I'm going to have to be doubly careful what I say around her, choosing my words more carefully. It's just so hard in a heated argument. ââ¬Å"She's wrong,â⬠I barked angrily. ââ¬Å"She also saw you dead, but that didn't happen, either.â⬠ââ¬Å"You'll never catch me betting against Alice,â⬠she retorted. We glared at each other for several long minutes. The regular intervals of the machines continued into our silence. Bella's heart was weirdly steady considering the heated discussion we just had. She was lying down but her chin till jutted out, her forehead was creased with thought and her lips pursed. My angry expression cleared at her beauty. It was heard to stay upset with such a glorious creature. ââ¬Å"So where does that leave us?â⬠She wondered. I chuckled darkly. ââ¬Å"I believe it's called an impasse.â⬠She sighed. ââ¬Å"Ouch,â⬠she muttered. ââ¬Å"How are you feeling?â⬠I asked. My eyes found the button for the nurse. I wanted to bring my original threat back into play if she didn't behave ?C sedation. ââ¬Å"I'm fine,â⬠she lied, her pain was breaking through the pretense. ââ¬Å"I don't believe you,â⬠I said gently. ââ¬Å"I'm not going back to sleep,â⬠she argued, refusing to let anyone think she was weak. ââ¬Å"You need rest. All this arguing isn't good for you.â⬠ââ¬Å"So give in,â⬠she suggested. ââ¬Å"Nice try.â⬠She wasn't behaving. Time for impulsive action. I reached for the button. ââ¬Å"No!â⬠Her eyes saw my hand reach out. I ignored her. ââ¬Å"Yes?â⬠the speaker on the wall squawked. ââ¬Å"I think we're ready for more pain medication,â⬠I said calmly, ignoring her furious expression. ââ¬Å"I'll send in the nurse.â⬠ââ¬Å"I won't take it,â⬠she said vehemently. Pills? Doubtful. I looked toward the sack of fluids hanging beside her bed. ââ¬Å"I don't think they're going to ask you to swallow anything,â⬠I smiled ruefully. The thundering of her heart jumped up into a faster face. Looking into her deep eyes I read the irrational fear. She needs rest, and medication will make the pain go away so she can do just that. It isn't like there are going to be sticking her with needles. I sighed in frustration. ââ¬Å"Bella, you're in pain. You need to relax so you can heal. Why are you being so difficult? They're not going to put any more needles in you now.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm not afraid of the needles,â⬠she cried out. ââ¬Å"I'm afraid to close my eyes.â⬠It was hard to be frustrated at her when she said those words. Jubilation doused my previous anger. I smiled. She was just worried that I wouldn't be here. Hadn't I made it clear that I wasn't going anywhere? Her thoughts were completely irrational. I took her face in between my hands so she had to look at me. ââ¬Å"I told you I'm not going anywhere. Don't be afraid. As long as it makes you happy, I'll be here.â⬠She smiled back. ââ¬Å"You're talking about forever, you know.â⬠Then, I remembered her words to Rene. ââ¬Å"Oh, you'll get over it ââ¬â it's just a crush.â⬠She shook her head in disbelief. ââ¬Å"I was shocked when Rene swallowed that one. I know you know better.â⬠One day she will outgrow me, though. My worst fear, yet I prayed she was right, that she would want me forever. ââ¬Å"That's the beautiful thing about being human,â⬠I whispered. ââ¬Å"Things change.â⬠Her eyes narrowed. ââ¬Å"Don't hold your breath,â⬠she retorted. I laughed. I could hold my breath forever if I had too, though I would never do it for something as stupid as wanting Bella to leave me. The nurse came into the room brandishing a syringe. Get out of my way. ââ¬Å"Excuse me,â⬠she said harshly to me. I got up and crossed to the end of the small room, leaning against the wall. I folded My arms and waited. Bella kept her eyes on me, still apprehensive. I met her gaze calmly. ââ¬Å"Here you go, honey.â⬠The nurse smiled as she injected the medicine into Bella's IV. ââ¬Å"You'll feel better now.â⬠ââ¬Å"Thanks,â⬠Bella mumbled, unenthusiastic. It didn't take long. Bella's head already began to lull from side to side. ââ¬Å"That ought to do it,â⬠the nurse muttered as Bella's eyelids drooped. The nurse promptly left the room, eyeing me suspiciously. Even though she was obviously losing consciousness I rushed over to Bella to place my hands on her face, to hold her head still. ââ¬Å"Stay.â⬠Bella slurred. ââ¬Å"I will,â⬠I promised. ââ¬Å"Like I said, as long as it makes you happyâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ I hesitated, not long enough for Bella to notice. ââ¬Å"As long as it's what's best for you,â⬠I added to my statement. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËS not the same thing,â⬠she mumbled more inarticulate words. Watching her trying to beat off the medication was kind ofâ⬠¦hilarious. I laughed. ââ¬Å"Don't worry about that now, Bella. You can argue with me when you wake up.â⬠A cheesy grin spread across her face as her eyes became small slits. ââ¬Ëâ⬠Kay.â⬠I continued to try and suppress laughter. I was very glad Emmett wasn't here, the jokes would never end. Looking down at my now drunken beauty, I brought my lips to her ear. ââ¬Å"I love you,â⬠I whispered. ââ¬Å"Me, too.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know,â⬠I laughed quietly at my joke, remembering her saying that when I finally sucked the venom out of her wrist and told her I loved her. Again, I tried to suppress laughter as her head lulled sideways, her lips puckering at a funny angle, facing the opposite direction of my face. I shook my head and brought my lips to hers. ââ¬Å"Thanks,â⬠she sighed. ââ¬Å"Anytime,â⬠I chuckled. She went limp in the bed, but was still struggling to reach reality. ââ¬Å"Ed..war?â⬠she tried to say my name, but it came out all wrong. ââ¬Å"Yes?â⬠I smiled down at her ââ¬Å"I'm betting on Alice,â⬠she mumbled, her words clearer this time. My humor vanished, a frown replaced my smile. This argument was far from over, but no matter what, our deadlock would remain. I kissed her forehead and sat down next to her to hold her hand until she wakes again.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
The Power Of Others - Free Essay Example
Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 696 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2019/04/15 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Lord of The Flies Essay Did you like this example? The power of others is what drives people to do the things they do. However, that power is a difficult concept and much confusion can be centered around it. In William Goldingââ¬â¢s novel, Lord of The Flies, the group of boys must quickly decide on a chief; someone to lead them. After not much debate, Ralph is named chief but the rest of the book shows that he alone is imperfect for the job. In fact, while most key characters show traits of being a great leader, they also have some drawback. First, there is Ralph who, while he is smart and rather confident, lacks a true spine to control people. The there is Piggy, who is incredibly smart but gets overlooked and made fun of. Lastly, there is have Jack, who has what it takes to control people but can go way overboard and is highlyconclusive. All three characters show some righteous traits, and some rather disagreeable traits as well, indicating that no one person is going to be a perfect leader. Donââ¬â¢t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Power Of Others" essay for you Create order The book is trying to show that one person alone is not enough to lead the people in the best way possible and that power needs to be spread out among several people. One character who has both favorable and inauspicious qualities when it comes to leading is Ralph. For about ? of the book, Ralph remains chief meaning that there is something that makes him last that long and something that ends his rule. In Ralphââ¬â¢s case, what made him a leader is also what ends his rule. As the boys realize that they ought to have a leader, they start to immediately call for Ralph. They even recognize that the obvious choice would be Jack and that any sign of intelligence had come from Piggy. However, ââ¬Å"there was a stillness about Ralphâ⬠¦ that marked him outâ⬠and that makes the boys drawn to him (Lee 22). He looks and presents himself as a natural leader. The boys are naturally interested in Ralph and he is perfectly willing to be chief. This is exactly the reason why the boys lose interest in him later in the novel. As Jack begins to make plans, people wake up and realize that they are only rooting for Ralph based on surface promises he had made. He wants to keep the fire going but fails to do so almost the whole book. He has had plans for making shelters but is unable to get others to help him. Not to mention, he never even went through with getting a list of names. Though Ralph confidently presents himself like a chief, his inability to get things done is what makes him an imperfect leader. Another one of the characters who is promising in some ways but who would not be a perfect leader is Piggy. Piggyââ¬â¢s intelligence is recognized throughout the book and even in thefirst chapter. While this automatically makes him a strong candidate to be an effective leader, his pudgy frame and the fact that he wears glasses is enough to get made fun of for. This shows how the boys are unable to look past even appearance to select a reasonable chief. Also, Piggyââ¬â¢s insecurity about ââ¬Å"what [the boys] call [him]â⬠makes him vulnerable to bullying regarding his nickname (11). Piggy simply cannot be chief because of people not takinghim seriously. Even though thatââ¬â¢s not necessarily his fault and he is vt, it would be impossible for someone like Piggy, who is an easy target for bullies, to be chief. The last character who makes an attempt at being a good chief is Jack. While he unequivocally has the spine and the authority to be a leader, his decisiveness and thirst for power does not work in his favor. The boys quickly realize that Jack is the only boy on the island who can truly rally them together and provide them with food, all necessary things for them to survive on the island. The end to his rule only happens because they are rescued. He wouldââ¬â¢ve quite literally burnt the island to the ground if that hadnââ¬â¢t been the case.
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
University of St. Thomas Admissions ACT, Admit Rate
The majority of those who apply to the University of St. Thomas are accepted. Learn more about this college and its admissions requirements. The University of St. Thomas is a private, Catholic university located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. St. Thomas is the largest private university in the state, and it offers undergraduates more than 85 fields of study. The school ranks highly among Midwest colleges, and it can boast of a 15 to 1 student/faculty ratio and an average class size of 21. The undergraduate curriculum has a liberal arts core. The university is a member of a consortium with four other private liberal arts colleges in the Twin Cities: Augsburg, Hamline, Macalester, and St. Catherine. In athletics, the St. Thomas Tommies compete in the NCAA Division III Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). Admissions Data (2016) University of St. Thomas Acceptance Rate: 83Ã percentTest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 500 / 660SAT Math: 550 / 630What these SAT numbers meanTop Minnesota Colleges SAT Score ComparisonACT Composite: 24 / 29ACT English: 23 / 29ACT Math: 24 / 28What these ACT numbers meanTop Minnesota Colleges ACT Score Comparison Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 9,920 (6,048 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 54 percent Male / 46 percent Female96 percent Full-time Costs (2016-17) Tuition and Fees: $39,594Books: $1,000 (why so much?)Room and Board: $10,100Other Expenses: $2,746Total Cost: $53,440 University of St. Thomas Financial Aid (2015-16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 98 percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 96Ã percentLoans: 57Ã percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $19,864Loans: $10,921 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors: Accounting, Biology, Business Management, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Journalism, Marketing, Psychology Transfer, Retention and Graduation Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 88Ã percentTransfer Out Rate: 17 percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 62Ã percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 76 percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports: Track and Field, Basketball, Football, Soccer, Ice Hockey, Swimming, Tennis, GolfWomens Sports: Ice Hockey, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball, Track and Field More Minnesota Colleges - Information and Admissions Data Augsburg | Bethel | Carleton | Concordia College Moorhead | Concordia University Saint Paul | Crown | Gustavus Adolphus | Hamline | Macalester | Minnesota State Mankato | North Central | Northwestern College | Saint Benedict | St. Catherine | Saint Johns | Saint Marys | St. Olaf | St. Scholastica | St. Thomas | UM Crookston | UM Duluth | UM Morris | UM Twin Cities | Winona State If You Like the University of St. Thomas, You May Also Like These Schools Creighton University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSt. Cloud State University: ProfileDrake University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphNorth Dakota State University: ProfileUniversity of North Dakota: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Wisconsin - Madison: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphMarquette University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of South Dakota: ProfileUniversity of Northern Michigan: ProfileSouth Dakota State University: Profile University of St. Thomas Mission Statement mission statement from http://www.stthomas.edu/aboutust/mission/default.html Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely and work skillfully to advance the common good. Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Essay on Faraday - 2921 Words
Faraday It is not my intention to lay before you a life of Faraday in the ordinary accepting of the term. The duty I have to perform is to give you some notion of what he has done in the world; dwelling incidentally on the spirit in which his work was executed, and introducing such personal traits as may be necessary to the completion of your picture of the philosopher, though by no means adequate to give you a complete idea of the man. Michael Faraday was born at Newington Butts, on September 22, 1791, and he died at Hampton Court, on August 25, 1867. When thirteen years old, that is to say in 1804, Faraday was apprenticed to a bookseller and bookbinder where he spent eight years of his life, after which he worked as aâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦At this time he was acquiring, not producing; working hard for his master and storing and strengthening his own mind. He assisted Mr. Brande in his lectures, and so quietly, skillfully, and modestly was his work done, that Mr. Brandes vocation at the time was pronounced lecturing on velvet. In 1820 Faraday published a chemical paper on two new compounds of chlorine and carbon, and on a new compound of iodine, carbon, and hydrogen. This paper was read before the Royal Society on December 21, 1820, and it was the first of his that was honored with a place in the Philosophical Transactions. On June 12, 1821, he married, and obtained leave to bring his young wife into his rooms at the Royal Institution. There for forty-six years they lived together, occupying the suite of apartments which had been previously in the successive occupancy of Young, Davy, and Brande. At the time of her marriage Mrs. Faraday was twenty-one years of age, he being nearly thirty. Oersted, in 1820, discovered the action of a voltaic current on a magnetic needle; and immediately afterwards the splendid intellect of Ampere succeeded in showing that every magnetic phenomenon then known might be reduced to the mutual action of electric currents. This attrac ted Faradays attention to the subject. He read much about it; and in the months of July, August, and September he wrote a history of the progress of electromagnetism, which he published in ThomsonsShow MoreRelated Michael Faraday Essay860 Words à |à 4 PagesMichael Faraday could be labeled the underdog of modern science. The son of a poor blacksmith, Faraday was no stranger to hard work, which was perhaps the exact opposite of many of his contemporaries, who came from wealthy backgrounds and studied science as a sort of extracurricular activity. Although Faraday was unsuccessful when it came to money, he was very successful in the field of science, namely electric science. One of his most important discoveries is that of electro-magnetic inductionRead MoreMichael Faraday And The Chemistry World1650 Words à |à 7 PagesFor my term paper I have chosen to study the works of Michael Faraday, a very significant name in the Chemistry world especially in understanding electrochemistry and electromagnetism. He had a number of accomplishments over his career including writing a manual of practical chemistry, discovered a large number of new organic compounds, as well as liquefying what was thought to be a permanent solid. His largest discovery, and what I will be discussing in this paper is his advancements in the worldRead MoreApplications Of Faraday s Law Of Electromagnetic Induction1933 Words à |à 8 Pagesdiscovery of electromagnetic induction has numerous industrial, technological, medical and other applications that we enco unter every day. Induction is used in power generation and power transmission two main uses. Out of the many applications of faradays laws four applications was looked at on how they works and also how they are constructed showing structural diagrams. These are the transformer, the generator, induction cooker and the magnetic flow meter. TableRead MoreEssay on Michael Faraday: His Life and the Liquefaction of Gases2196 Words à |à 9 PagesMichael Faraday: His Life and the Liquefaction of Gases Michael Faraday was born on September 22nd, 1791, at Newington in Surrey, England to a Sandemanian family (Crowther, 7). The Sandemanians were an almost unknown off-shoot of the Presbyterian Church. Faraday was baptized in the Church but only became an official member in 1821. His religion was an important part of his life, though it featured little in his work (Crowther, 25-26 and Day, 28). From an early age Faraday showed a passion forRead MoreFaraday689 Words à |à 3 Pagespictures. The picture created of the life and work from the obituary, in The Times, 28 August 1867, p.7,(Assignment Book, 2008), is a very obscure one. An individual reading this extract would find it difficult to know exactly what Michael Faraday had invented, or discovered. There is no exact knowledge, no mention of creation, nothing to indicate unique developments from his life. The main information in this prose of Faradays life is that of his ability of being a showman an entertainerRead MoreFaradays Law1667 Words à |à 7 PagesLaw In 1820 Hans Christian Oersted observed that electric currents create magnetic fields. Consequently many scientists made unsuccessful attempts to create current in the presence of magnetic fields. After over 10à years of investigation Michael Faraday and Joseph Henry, working independently on different sides of the Atlantic, made the discovery that if a conducting coil has a changing magnetic flux passing through it an electromotive force is created that causes a current to flow through the coilRead MoreFaradays Law of Induction1124 Words à |à 5 Pagesï » ¿Faradays Law of Induction PHY 114 Lab Report 11/05/2013 Abstract: The purpose of this experiment was to look at Michael Faraday and Joseph Henry showed in the 1830ââ¬â¢s that a changing magnetic field could cause and induced emf electromotive force = voltage in a circuit. Practically, this means that when a copper pick-up coil is placed inside a solenoid whose magnetic field varies with time, current will flow in this coil even if there is no voltage source physically connected to it. ThisRead MoreThe Origin Of Electricity And Magnetism1023 Words à |à 5 Pagesto have attached a metal key to the bottom of a dampened kite string and flown the kite in a stormy night. A succession of sparks jumping from the key to the back of his hand indicated that lightning was very much electrical in nature.6 Michael Faraday s discoveries formed the building blocks of electric motor technology. In 1791, Luigi Galvani published his discovery of bioelectricity, demonstrating that electricity was the medium by which nerve cells passed signals to the muscles.5AlessandroRead MoreThe Story Of Electricity Is Told By Al Khalili Essay1695 Words à |à 7 Pagesnamed the age of invention, electricity has become more extremely useful such that society has moved from steam power to electrical power and allows us to produce a seemingly unlimited amount of electricity. In London in the 19th century, Michael Faraday went to the Royal Institution to watch the show of Humphry Davey. He was then later appointed by Davey into the Royal Institution about a year later to pursue experiments of electricity and magnetism. Faradayââ¬â¢s experiments concluded that electricityRead MoreEssay Electromagnetic Induction1369 Words à |à 6 PagesMichael Faraday was a chemist and physicist from England. He invent ed electromagnetic induction in 1831. Electromagnetic induction as defined by Stuart Bushong is: An electric current is induced in a circuit if some part of that circuit is in a changing magnetic field. This observation is summarized in what is called Faradayââ¬â¢s Law, or the first law of electromagnetics. After a series of different experiments, Faraday determined that an electrical current cannot exist just by the presence of
Monday, December 16, 2019
Globalization of Enterprise Free Essays
2012 Nigel. S. Paltoo ââ¬â A11904 10/9/2012 Globalization of Enterprise 715 GE Source:Flikr. We will write a custom essay sample on Globalization of Enterprise or any similar topic only for you Order Now com ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET(to be completed by the student)| AIB student ID number:| A11904| | | Student name:| NIGEL. S. PALTOO| | | Course name:| MBA -GENERIC| | | Subject name:| Globalization of Enterprise 715-GE| | | Subject facilitator:| Dr. Brian Oââ¬â¢Toole| | | Teaching Centre:| NATIONS UNIVERSITY-GUYANA| | | No. of pages:| 17| | | Word count:| 2708 from Intro to Conclusion (2500 +10% tolerance) | | | DECLARATION| I, the above named student, confirm that by submitting, or causing the attached assignment to be submitted, to AIB, I have not plagiarised any other personââ¬â¢s work in this assignment and except where appropriately acknowledged, this assignment is my own work, has been expressed in my own words, and has not previously been submitted for assessment. | ASSESSMENT SHEET(to be completed by the examiner)| Student name:| NIGEL. S. PALTOO| | | Course name:| MBA -GENERIC| | | Subject name:| Globalization of Enterprise 715-GE| | | Assessor/marker:| | | | COMMENTS| Principles learnt (for example, number and understanding of principles referred to, their influence on the structure of this paper, number and correct citations ofà references, use of appropriate jargon)à à | | /4| | | Application of principles. That is, theà analysis and evaluation of the example problem based on the principles, including the final recommendations and their justification| | | /8| | | How well the example problem was described, including the extent and depth of information (including the data) about it that was accessed| | | /4| | | Structure and presentation| | | /2| | | Style, grammar à and language| | | /2| | | Total | | Less penalties| | GRAND TOTAL| /20| General comments| | | | FOR MODERATORââ¬â¢S USE ONLY| I agree with the assessorââ¬â¢s assessment I disagree with the assessorââ¬â¢s assessment and the new mark is as follows for the following reasons: | /20| | Moderator:| | NATIONS UNIVERSITYââ¬âGUYANAà ®AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS-MBA à ®GLOBALIZATION OF ENTERPRISE-715 GEASSIGNMENT Comparing and contrasting two countries for international expansion into by local apparel company Denmor Garment Manufacturers. | Assignment: You are the manager of a business (in your country or region) that is thinking of going global. Compare and contrast two different overseas markets for the international expansion of your business, covering a consideration of: 1 â⬠¢ Political economy issues â⬠¢ Cultural issues 3 â⬠¢ Entry strategy 4 â⬠¢ Strategic alliances Start your assignment with a very brief description of the entrepreneurial business that you are writing about. This business can be your own business or one that you are familiar with, or it can be a hypothetical one based on an amalgam of several businesses of which you are aware. Conclude the assignment with whether the business should go to one or the other of the two countries, or non e, or both. The total number of words should be 2500 words. For penalties regarding exceeding the word limit, please refer to AIB Style Guide. For guidance on how to write an assignment, please refer to AIB Assignment Guide. Please note, the word count does not include your cover page, an abstract, table of contents, list of references or appendices. Thus you can place any supporting material that exceeds this word limit into appendices. However, a reader should not have to look at an appendix to know about the main thrust of the points you are making in your assignment. So make sure all your main points are in the body of your report and refer there to the appendices that will support the points you are making in the body of your report, because the reader may not look at the appendices otherwise. Abstract: In the last quarter of the 20th century to present day the world economy has become more integrated and interdependent than ever before, with businesses both large and small expanding beyond their traditional local markets as barriers to world trade came down and technology advanced resulting in significantly lower communication and transportation costs. This phenomenal change in the international environment in which business is conducted has resulted in increased levels of foreign direct investment by companies from developed countries in lesser developed economies such as the Third World as economic benefits were sought through the globalization of production as well as markets. (Hill 2011, p. 5) With the benefits being widely seen to outweigh the disadvantages smaller companies are looking for the arrangements internationally that would best serve their interests of growth and expansion with companies from lesser developed countries now also looking to capitalize as well by creating synergies at the basic level by expanding their market horizons overseas, penetrating first and expanding as demand and relationships develop. This shift in the world economy towards greater integration and interdependence is one way of describing Globalization (Hill 2011, p. ). Globalization can be seen as the increase of functional integration between internationally dispersed economic activities, which is quite recent, as opposed to the older phenomenon of ââ¬Å"Internationalizationâ⬠which refers to the geographic spread of economic activities across borders and oceans which started in the 17th century when the colonial powers started dividing up continents in the New World in search of raw materials and markets (Devaraja 2011). In Guyana, the more established companies have been seeking avenues to expand their markets overseas through exports and by establishing lower level strategic alliances. Hardly any local company has sought to globalize its production to increase its profitability. For any company looking to embark on international venture the interdependent political, economic and legal systems of the target country along with its underlying cultural fabric must be examined and analyzed in detail before any investment is made (Hill 2011, p. 45). In Guyana, a small English speaking, third world country in South America, the more established manufacturing companies have been seeking avenues to expand their markets first through exports and also by establishing lower level strategic alliances overseas. Denmor Garment Manufacturers (DGM) is one such SME within the apparel industry in Guyana that has benefited from the effects of Globalization by having contracts to manufacture specific designs from companies owning major brand names in the USA (which are looking to lower their production costs) as well as by exporting directly to major retailers overseas. Table of Contents| Page. | 1. 0 Introduction| 9| 2. 0 Denmor Garment Manufacturers| 9| 3. 0 Current Situation with DGM| 10| 3. 0 The challenge of international expansion| 11| 4. 0 Political and Economy Issues| 12| 5. 0 Cultural Issues| 15| 6. 0 Entry Strategies| 16| 7. 0 Conclusion| 17| Bibliography| 18| 1. 0 Introduction: The aim of this research is to analyze the potential of two countries short listed as possible candidates for the further international expansion of DGM. These two options are reviewed in the perspective of the main issues that have to be taken into account when considering business expansion into foreign markets viz Political economy issues, Cultural issues, Entry strategy and Strategic alliances with the state of affairs in both countries being compared and contrasted with a decision being arrived at as to whether to expand into one, both or none of the two countries. It would be impossible to look at all aspects of the Socio-Economic, Cultural and Political landscape of the countries being considered therefore only the reas most likely to have an impact on DGMsââ¬â¢ venture are considered in the context of the nature of its business and the products on offer. Denmor Garment Manufacturers (DGM): Location: 7, 8, 9 Coldigen Industrial Estate, East Coast Demerara, Guyana. DGM is a private company in Guyana which commenced operations in 1997 and currently employs 1000 persons of which 97 % are women. Denmor has the capacity to respon d to orders of up to 50,000 dozens of garments per month, and can produce up to 15 different styles at the same time. Approximately 75 percent of Denmorââ¬â¢s activities involve full production (where the manufacturer manages all aspects except design), demonstrating an ability to carry out value-added manufacturing activities and supply-chain management. 100 percent of its products are exported, with its customers including some of the worldââ¬â¢s leading brands and department stores, including Russell Athletic, Victoriaââ¬â¢s Secret, Paris Accessories, Van Heusen, JC Penny and Wal-Mart. (Goinvest n. d) 2. 0 Current Situation with DGM: As it is DGM is presently a small part of a buyer driven value chain environment where the large retailers, marketers and brand name manufacturers have established a diverse decentralized network of production in third world and developing countries and are leveraging at the design and retail stages (Devaraja 2011). Having had a fair degree of success from its operations and acquired considerable know-how from its alliances DGM is looking to expand its market base and production capacity but is constrained locally by the limited supply of labour for any new factory and weak local demand for beach wear and sport uniforms. The key processes of DGMââ¬â¢s operation are very labour intensive involving the cutting of fabric and making of components by sewing machine and assembling into final product, this requires a semi-skilled to skilled level of labour. The challenge facing DGM is to remain a competitive player and to be able to increase profitability either by getting a bigger bite of the value chain from the companies overseas (expanding more into full production),developing its own brands or by securing new large brand name manufacturer customers and orders. It is therefore important that DGM look to increase its factory capacity while at the same time keeping costs down thereby increasing attractiveness to buyers. Faced with a limited labour supply and a high cost of energy and sometimes erratic power supply for sewing machines and air-conditioned factories it has become critical that DGM seriously consider the alternative of moving overseas. After much consideration DGMââ¬â¢s management has concluded that the area with greatest growth potential would be to expand using its own designs and brands. DGM has acquired significant expertise in the production of high end female underwear and in athletic uniforms from producing Victoriaââ¬â¢s Secret products and Russell Athletic brand uniforms for the US NBA and is confident that it can tap into the supply chain for fabrics and using its own design team produce a new line of female underwear, beachwear and generic soccer uniforms that would have a higher quality and a far cheaper price, however in Guyana it is constrained by weak local demand and labour supply. . 0 The challenge of international expansion: Like any other firm contemplating international trade is faced with three strategic decisions about which countries to enter, when to enter and at what scale the entry would be. Consideration would have to be given to potential opportunities as well as areas of risk which must be closely analysed (Hill 2011). The countries selected for consideration would first be compared and contrasted with their distinct political, economic and cultural realities being looked at then options relating to possible entry strategy (ies) will considered along with strategic alliances that may be advantageous or required The two countries being considered for expansion into are Brazil and Trinidad. Before these two countries would have been brought up for further consideration they would have been on a longer list of potential candidates he rest of which would have been eliminated with Brazil and Trinidad meeting the basic criteria of having a significantly larger population than Guyana, they are both developing countries (better off economically than Guyana), with a free market system in place, manageable national debt and single digit inflation rates and both countries are geographically close by. A decision has been made that once the two options are found to be acceptable then entry into that market will be made within six months. Map of South America and Southern Caribbean Islands showing Brazil, Guyana and Trinidad Tobago. Source: www. worldatlas. com Political economy issues: Brazil and Trinidad are both democracies, having had free and fair elections for the past two decades. Both countries currently have female presidents. Brazil is a Federal republic consisting of twenty-six states the smallest of which is far larger than Trinidad which is a twin island republic with a sister island Tobago. Both countries can be considered politically stable with the most recent incidence of serious turmoil being twenty two years ago when Trinidad had a failed coup with members of the Jamaat al Muslimeem trying to seize power. Individualism is respected in both countries but more so in Trinidad. Indicator| Brazil| Trinidad| Size | 3,287,357 square miles| 1,980 square miles | Population| 197 million (2011 est. )| 1. 3 million (2011 est. )| | | | Government| Federative Republic| Democratic Republic| Legal System| Brazil is a former colony of Portugal. The Brazilian legal system is based on Civil Law. | Former British colony. The legal and judicial system is based on English common law and practice. | ECONOMIC| Brazil| Trinidad| GDP| GDP USD $2. 45 trillion Brazil is the sixth largest economy in the world. | USD $ 24. 63 billion| GDP per Capita| USD $4,803| USD $16,699| GNI per Capita| USD $11,500| USD $24,940| Exchange rate| BRL 1. 00= GYD $100. 00| TT $1. 00 = GYD $30. 00| Inflation | 5. 24 %| 5. 4%| Reserves| US$ 349. 708 billion| US$ 9. 692 billion| Debt as a % of GDP| 65. 1%| 37. 3%| Unemployment| 6%| 5. 5%| Source: Communicaid and Central Intelligence Agency World Fact book and www. tradingeconomics. com The data presented indicates that both Brazil and Trinidad are about as politically stable as Guyana with both countries being economically better off. However in Brazil there is a greater divide between rich and poor and a higher level of crime relative to Guyana and Trinidad. Both Brazil and Trinidad are currently experiencing low levels of inflation and unemployment Brazil unlike Trinidad has a tax on financial transactions; Brazil is far more bureaucratic when it comes to starting a business taking up to six months to get all the paperwork done whereas in Trinidad it is considerably easier and should only take one to two months. In Brazil getting certain legal permissions for establishing a business expedited may require the payment of bribes. There are no limits to repatriation of registered capital and no taxes on profits repatriated from both countries. DGM would have to consider the higher level of bureaucracy in Brazil when it comes to getting things started (which creates opportunities for bribes to be extorted) as compared to Trinidad. A business class visa is required for investing and doing business in Brazil with a minimum level of investment being USD $50,000 being required. A Guyanese can transact and conduct business in Trinidad without a visa; however a work permit would be required. In Brazil it may be necessary to hire a middleman (despachante) to navigate the maze of bureaucracy. (CIA World fact book 2012, Communicaid 2012). On the key issue of protection of property rights both Brazil and Trinidad have legal provisions for the protection of real assets and intellectual property rights, both countries having signed international agreements, however, the judiciary in Brazil is inefficient and subject to political as well as economic influence with piracy of copyright material being fairly widespread. Brazil presents a higher degree of risk due to lower levels of property rights protection. Trinidad unlike Brazil is a member of CARICOM just like Guyana which allows free trade among members. There is a free trade zone in Manaus in Brazil. Taxation in Brazil is extremely complex and not as uniform as in Trinidad. Cost of labour in both Trinidad and Brazil is higher than in Guyana but is more available. Cost of energy is cheaper in both countries relative to Guyana. (CIA World fact book 2012, Communicaid 2012). Politically and economically there are fewer challenges for DGM to expand to Trinidad as compared to Brazil, however with inflation levels and unemployment levels being almost equal and exchange rates being stable there is still a degree of attractiveness to expand to Brazil if ways around the red tape can be achieved. CULTURAL ISSUES: Cultural differences can present a variety of problems when looking to conduct business in foreign markets; from language barriers, employee behaviour and work ethic to strategic planning, it is therefore essential that entrepreneurs familiarise themselves with more than just the laws governing a society and obtain an understanding of the underlying values,norms and mores so as to be able to discern what is different and what is the same, what is acceptable and what maybe considered taboo or disrespectful. (Hill 2011) Trinidad is an English speaking Caribbean country with a diverse multi ethnic society that has fused relatively well into a distinct ââ¬Å"Triniâ⬠culture with a mix of East Indian, African, European and American influences, religion is mainly Christian, Hinduism and Islam. Carnival is celebrated annually with Soca and Calypso music, elaborate costumes and floats, parades and beach parties over a one week period. Trinidad like Brazil is very nationalistic and proud of their country and its national symbols and flag colours. Trinidad is also a soccer crazy nation but not to the extreme as Brazil. There is a strong American influence in the way business is conducted in Trinidad which is very much alike with the way meetings and other business dealings are conducted in Guyana; however it is somewhat different in Brazil. Brazil is Portuguese speaking with a far larger population who are predominantly Roman Catholic, however just like Trinidad there is an annual Carnival and a strong soccer and beach culture since Brazil has some of the most attractive beaches on South Americaââ¬â¢s Eastern Atlantic coastline and year round sunny weather. There are more cultural issues to be considered by DGM in looking to expand to Brazil than Trinidad (CIA World fact book 2012, US Commercial Service-US Department of Commerce 2012). Brazilians do not like to discuss business during lunch whereas that would be ok in Trinidad, coffee drinking is a ritual in Brazil whereas having a semi formal meeting over beers or whiskey is normal in Trinidad. There are a few hand signals acceptable in Guyana and Trinidad like the ââ¬Å"OKâ⬠that would be considered insulting in Brazil (Communicaid Group Ltd 2012). It would therefore be a bit more challenging from a cultural perspective for DGM to do business in Brazil as compared to Trinidad. Both countries have a well developed tourism industry with visitors from the US and Europe looking for differentiated products with unique designs, fabrics and colour. Although both countries presently have female presidents, males dominate business as such initial business meetings should be male led, but with DGM trading in the female apparel industry including a female during negotiations would be wise. Entry Strategy: Having made a decision to expand to another country the management would need to consider all the risks and decide on the timing, mode and scale of entry to be adopted (Hill, 2011). In entering a foreign market there are six modes of entry that a firm can consider each with advantages and disadvantages ranging from Exporting, Turnkey contracts,Licensing,Joint Ventures to Wholly Owned Subsidiary. (Hill 2011,p. 32) Brazil presents a more challenging environment both politically, economically and culturally but DGM should not rule out expansion into the Brazilian marketplace since the sheer size of its population and proximity to Guyana offers immense potential, however, at this time DGM should look at exporting finished products by finding a wholesale distributor with a wide network of resellers to export beachwear to and also seek to market team uniforms directly to soccer teams especially in the lower divisions and have a local representative do meetings and collect s izes and measurements etc. ith delivery being done through this intermediary but with payments being remitted by bank transfers directly to DGM. By going the export route to Brazil import tariffs would be an additional cost as opposed to having a factory in the Manaus free trade zone, as such DGM should gauge the acceptance of its offerings and then look to develop strategic alliances at the manufacturing level later on if market conditions indicate the potential for higher profitability. DGM should be prudent in its business arrangements and look to secure transactions using letters of credit until levels of trust are established. In Trinidad DGM should look to develop a joint venture with a suitable partner who has excess warehousing space suitable for establishing a garment factory thereby reducing the level of capital investment required, register its brands in Trinidad, establish a small scale factory and produce both beachwear and soccer and other sport uniforms in Trinidad and market both to the local Trinidad market and export to the distributors in Brazil and further afield. Strategic alliances would also be needed to market products across Trinidad as such a partner with appropriate channels already in place would be useful at the entry phase. A strategic alliance with a business in an unrelated industry that has excess building space would be preferred to one that is in the same industry with spare labour and machine capacity due to the risk of having that partner appropriating designs and customers. Timing of these two ventures is important, however with the slow pace at which negotiations and business dealings flow in Brazil it may be prudent to start interim talks with potential distributors at the same time as getting the joint venture arrangement and factory setup in Trinidad. Products would be differentiated in both markets according to designs and colors, more revealing beachwear is acceptable in Brazil and labeling would have to be in Portuguese as such a multi-domestic approach would be necessary with products being made specifically for each of the two markets with a slight overlap. This strategy should not be too costly given that the slight differences between products do not require different skills and machines and the designs for the Brazilian market would require less material but have the same selling price. Conclusion: The beach and athletic wear segment of the apparel market is already established in both countries, as such there is no first mover advantage to be gained, however DGM is confident that it can secure a niche by supplying an overall better quality product (stitchwork,design,fabric) at a far lower price. Brazil which has the largest potential market has relatively more political economy and cultural barriers which increase the levels of risk and possibility for failure so DGM should be cautious when expanding into this market. Trinidad on the other hand has much more political economy and cultural similarities with Guyana and this would allow for easier entry, allowing DGM to be more aggressive, which could end up solving the production capacity problems for DGM to meet the anticipated new demand when the export channels into Brazil open up which would in turn satisfy the present need for a wider market base. If both of these expansions come to fruition DGM can expect growth in demand and profitability over the long term with economic benefits accruing to each of the three countries. Bibliography: CIA World fact book, Trinidad 2012, viewed 1 October 2012, https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/td. html CIA World fact book, Brazil 2012, viewed 1 October 2012, Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012, Doing Business in Brazil- Brazilian Social and Business Culture UK, London, viewed 30 September 2012 http://www. communicaid. com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Brazil. pdf. Devaraja, Dr. T. S 2011, Indian Textile and Garment Industry-An Overview, University of Mysore, viewed 30 September 2012 http://sibresearch. rg/uploads/2/7/9/9/2799227/working_paper_-_dr_devaraja. pdf Goinvest 2012, Denmor Garment Manufacturers: Competing in the Global Garment Industry, viewed 29 September 2012 http://www. goinvest. gov. gy/manufacturing. html Hill, CWL 2010, Global Business Today, 7th edn, McGraw Hill, Boston US Commercial Service-US Department of Commerce 2012, Doing Business In Trinidad and Tobago: A Country Commercial Guide for U. S. Companies, viewed 1 October 2012, http://trinidad. usembassy. gov/uploads/images/bLR3mH7MwdrEvCke0jB6Tw/CCG2006. pdf End of Assignment. How to cite Globalization of Enterprise, Essay examples
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Occurred In The United States Of America â⬠Myassignmenthelp.Com
Question: Discuss About The Occurred In The United States Of America? Answer: Introduction At the finish of the year 2007, a recession occurred in the United States of America (Cetorelli, Goldberg, 2012). The author (Hurd, Rohwedder, 2010) recognized that a healthy economy would experience a future season of slow growth, high growth or even no growth at all. In accordance to (Eisner, Pieper, 1984) economy is required to manifest both contraction and expansion to make the economy as healthy as possible. After the contracting period has dominated for a long period, for instance not less than six months in a row or two successive quarters of a year the economy is worth being considered as a recession. According to (NBER, 2010) National Bureau of Economic Research (2010) found recession and referred to it as "a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in the real gross domestic product (GDP), real income, employment, industrial production and wholesale-retail sales." The recession in the United States in the past has resulted in global financial crisis smashing consumers and business assurance in several countries like Japan, China, the European Union not excluding the Asian countries in accordance to (Baldwin, 2009). Due to these adverse effects, it has been branded a name which refers to it as the "Great Recession" that has been the reason behind the financial breakdown in the United States. Also, this breakdown spread-out very fast impacting almost every place in the world as (Bell, Blanchflower, 2011) states. This Great Recession had emerged to be the most dangerous economic slump since the world experienced the famous depression the world underwent after the World War II (Eichengreen, Orourke, 2009) As per economists, the incident of the great recession was brought about by the sudden bursting of house bubble in the United States of America. They claim that this house bubble bursting was instigated by speedy growth of indecorous control on subprime mortgages (Cetorelli, Goldberg, 2012). The great slump's occurrence has developed and shown the accuracy of Greenspan's forecast. Greenspan was the former chairman of Federal Reserve forecasting the United States has 1/3 chances or the possibility of attaining a recession at the completion of the year 2007(Koo, 2011). In an exercise to obtain proper insight of the great recession into details, grounds or roots and the repercussions of the downturn will be evaluated and analyzed under following topics or sub-headings. Roots of the Great Recession A lot of challenges had faced the United States at that moment of recession not excluding high record levels of the debts of the government, a plummeting dollar, forthcoming threats of a recession, banks which are at the edge of bankruptcy, a money market which is frozen and a stock market which is falling (Koo, 2011). In accordance to (Jenkins, Brandolini, Micklewright, Nolan,2012) factors like global imbalances, rates of interests, the perception of risks, and even regulation financial system highly impacted the global financial crisis. Housing crash United States Housing market is a key factor of consumers expenditure and the degree of economic growth (). Several determinants affect the house price making it increase much rapidly the incomes of the consumers, and therefore it became. Therefore, it became the global financial crisis that resulted in the extra valued assets (Koo, 2011). (Jenkins, Brandolini, Micklewright, Nolan,2012) Discussed that United States House Prices were raised very fast up to 2006 and after that undergone a decline of house prices. At a time, a house price decrements to rectify an imbalance, it contained a meaningful effect on the consumers who were using their expenditure where individuals are not able to remortgage to get an excess capital for use (Bell, Blanchflower, 2011). Sub-Prime Mortgage Burst No single regulation of subprime mortgages existed of which the mortgages industries could sell their mortgages having not considered if the consumers could be in a position to pay back according to (Taylor, Proao, de Carvalho, Barbosa, 2012). (Bell, Blanchflower, 2011) Approximated the worth of the United States subprime mortgages to be $1.3 trillion by March 2007, though there existed more than 7.5 million first-alien mortgages unsettled. The reason behind this was that the subprime mortgage was speared to almost 20% of overall mortgage originations throughout the pinnacle of the United States housing bubble . The great fraction of the subprime mortgages was brought about by enormous foreclosures, and therefore it highly impacted the impartial mortgage brokers and institutions which were not protected under the Community Reinvestment Act (Jenkins, Brandolini, Micklewright, Nolan,2012). Therefore, it was circuitously affected leading to a sluggish growth and went ahead to falling on consumer expenditure in addition to their investment (Bell, Blanchflower, 2011). Low rate of interest The United States monetary authorities had attuned the rates of interest at an unparalleled level which resulted in a debt-financed consumption prosperity, in turn, causing a boost in housing bubble this is in accordance to the economists (Jenkins, Brandolini, Micklewright, Nolan,2012). In the same manner, some of the economists contended that the rates of interest in the United States remained too low for a very long duration. It endured at 1 % in the year 2003 and 2004 which stimulated the great recession. Monetary policies of the United States of America has not succeeded in undertaking the extra valued asset bubble and concurrently took part in the fast growth of the sub-marine mortgages, (Taylor, Proao, de Carvalho, Barbosa, 2012) criticized. Credit crunch High sub-marine mortgage evasions in the United States had led to the credit crunch which meant an unexpected shortage of funds leading to decrements in the loans present as commented by (Eisner, Pieper, 1984). In accordance to (Taylor, Proao, de Carvalho, Barbosa, 2012)), several investments banks and even commercial banks were often faced with great losses because of most perilous mortgage loans. For this reason, most banks (commercial banks and investment banks) were very hesitant to give loans to anyone and even to any other bank having a shortage of fund in the money market (Eisner, Pieper, 1984). Deficiency of liquidity in the finance industry had led to the act of borrowing to be more hard and costly that had led to a reduced consumer expenditure and investment as per (Taylor, Proao, de Carvalho, Barbosa, 2012). Budget deficit and national debt The debt for the United States government stood at 65% of the Grand Domestic Product for the year 2007 and even became worse after that the when the liabilities for pension were encompassed in accordance to (Alesina, Tabellini, 1990). Considering that huge deficit, the United States Government remained with less opportunity for the expansionary fiscal policy bearing in mind that the population analysis conducted against the financial stability and the level of economic cycle degenerated the deficit (Henning, Kessler, 2012). (Taylor, Proao, de Carvalho, Barbosa, 2012) Commented that the United States deficit had resulted to complexities in gaining capital flow since the investors from Asia who knew of the deficit of the United States had speeded down the flow of capital to the united states and took part in dollar devaluation. Therefore, it showed that a basic imbalance between the domestic production and consumption which had turned to be a restraint for economic growth in future. Devaluation of the dollar. Basic economic theory states that a decrement in the exchange rates will ultimately assist to increase the level of exports and trigger the growth in the export sector according to (Eisner, Pieper, 1984). The decrementing dollar had resulted in cost-push fluctuation and reduction in the living standards implying an increase in the cost of consumer goods resulting to a minimal expenditure power of people (Alesina, Tabellini, 1990). (Jenkins, Brandolini, Micklewright, Nolan,2012) commented that a reduction in the value of the dollar was brought about the less competitiveness of the United States in comparison with its trading member states. Repercussions of the great recession The economies across the world experienced catastrophes upon the fall of the United States recession in the year 2007. Countries like Eastern and Central Europe, and the Commonwealth of Independent countries (generally middle -income countries) were intensively impacted meanwhile nations like Ethiopia and Uganda had a chance to grow immensely in spite of the downturn (Henning, Kessler, 2012). (Bell, Blanchflower, 2011) Stated that even though several low-income nations have escaped from the recession, the countries have gone through sluggish-growth in the economy because of the negative implications of poverty. (Alesina, Tabellini, 1990) argued commenting that the smaller and more open the economy, the stronger the hit from the great recession while the larger the upcoming economy of a country the more the chances of survival through the support gained from the government spending and domestic demand. (Jenkins, Brandolini, Micklewright, Nolan,2012) Recognized that India and China could recover faster than other countries from the great recession. Stated that the great recession had resulted in different impacts on various nations and states. After that, an analytical investigation concerning the consequences of the great recession in the United States and India are outlined below. The united states The United States labor market received effect caused by the great recession according to (Katz, 2010, April). (Hurd, Rohwedder, 2010) Records that even though the government had attuned the rate of inflation leading to the growth of the economy by 2009 Quarter 3 at 2.2%, 2009 Quarter 4 at 5.6% and 2010 Quarter 1 at 2.7%, the rate of joblessness had exceedingly remained high. The rate of unemployment had increased in June 2009 where it was 9.5% to 10.1% in October 2009. In June 2010, it reduced to 9.5%( Hurd, Rohwedder, 2010). The missing link between demand and supply of employees was displayed in the statistics like the rate of hiring, and the rate of layoff as the rate of unemployment can be shown by a Beveridge curve (Bell, Blanchflower, 2011). (Hurd, Rohwedder, 2010) commented that with the present mean number of a job opening in April and May, the jobless were expected to be 10.4million in place of 15 million as earlier anticipated. Arguments from several financial analysts stated that the unemployment benefit policies are to be accountable for the strangely high rates of unemployment (Katz, 2010, April). () Approximated that the comprehensive unemployment benefits may have augmented between 0.5% and 1.8% of the rate of unemployment. Author (Taylor, Proao, de Carvalho, Barbosa, 2012) commented that there exists a fervent possibility of high rates of unemployment to stay permanent because most individuals who have stayed out of work for a considerable period have turned to be less competitive and less productive in the job market. The high rates of unemployment are inclined to increment the stage of structural unemployment in a case of presence of weak policy. Therefore, inflation will eventually increase the upper rates of unemployment than ever. Conclusion Every single country in the age of globalization is impacted by rising and fall in the work economy where a country can never remain independent (Jenkins, Brandolini, Micklewright, Nolan,2012). The great recession has led to an enormous impact on the entire world for instance shortage of capital, the decline in demands, decrementing rate of growth of the economy in addition to high levels of unemployment (Taylor, Proao, de Carvalho, Barbosa, 2012). On the contrary, it can aid in the transformation of businesses viewpoint or the country for the future. Even though the great recession has slowed down or depreciated the process of growth, it has been a motivation to the generation of ideas and approaches triggering the growth of the economy and keeping the stability of the market to improve its competitiveness in the world. References Hurd, M. D., Rohwedder, S. (2010).Effects of the financial crisis and great recession on American households(No. w16407). National Bureau of Economic Research. Cetorelli, N., Goldberg, L. S. (2012). Liquidity management of US global banks: Internal capital markets in the great recession.Journal of International Economics,88(2), 299-311. Baldwin, R. E. (Ed.). (2009).The great trade collapse: Causes, consequences and prospects. Cepr. Eichengreen, B., Orourke, K. H. (2009). A tale of two depressions.VoxEU. org,1. Bell, D. N., Blanchflower, D. G. (2011). Young people and the Great Recession.Oxford Review of Economic Policy,27(2), 241-267. Koo, R. C. (2011).The Holy Grail of Macroeconomics: Lessons from Japan? s Great Recession. John Wiley Sons. Jenkins, S. P., Brandolini, A., Micklewright, J., Nolan, B. (Eds.). (2012).The great recession and the distribution of household income. OUP Oxford. Katz, L. (2010, April). Long-term unemployment in the Great Recession. InTestimony for the Joint Economic Committee, US Congress, April(Vol. 29). Alesina, A., Tabellini, G. (1990). A positive theory of fiscal deficits and government debt.The Review of Economic Studies,57(3), 403-414. Eisner, R., Pieper, P. J. (1984). A new view of the federal debt and budget deficits.The American Economic Review,74(1), 11-29. Taylor, L., Proao, C. R., de Carvalho, L., Barbosa, N. (2012). Fiscal deficits, economic growth and government debt in the USA.Cambridge Journal of Economics,36(1), 189-204. Henning, C. R., Kessler, M. (2012). Fiscal federalism: US history for architects of Europe's fiscal union.
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