Formative and Sumative Evaluations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Formative and Sumative Evaluations - Essay Example The methods of actual teaching and of evaluating teachers are also affected by these advancements. With the changing world, the need to adapt methods of measuring teachers' performance was seen as necessary. "As the technological age continues to render traditional classroom practices obsolete, many educators are still untrained and apprehensive when it comes to technology integration. Therefore, a paradigm shift is needed that requires more than just a quick-fix staff development solution, especially since the No Child Left Behind Act stipulates that educators must be "highly qualified" by the end of the 2005-06 school year. This leads to the expectation that teachers will create learning environments which challenge and broaden their students' comprehensive use of technology" (Janice M. Hinson, 2005). However, recent studies show that although computers and internet are highly accesible to the teacher, with the figure reaching 99%, only 39% are found to have integrated the use of technology in their lesson. Of these figure, only 33% feel that they are preapred to integrate technology tot heir teaching, while the other 66% felt that they are somewhat prepared or not at all.(NCES). "So, it should come as no surprise that while many principals want to improve technology integration in their schools, they just do not know how or where to begin. They realize that to promote meaningful technological changes, their teachers must be given opportunities to acquire the skills needed to use technology and then apply them in the context of the curriculum" (Multimedia Schools, 2003). "However, technology professional development is usually delivered by district-level personnel as "one-size-fits-all" workshops that focus on techniques for using software packages and management tools. These workshops often are not part of a cohesive improvement plan; thus, instructional changes are not adopted or sustained over time" (Janice M. Hinson, 2005). Teacher Evaluation is a very important practice that helps ensure this development among teachers. It is very important so that ineffective teacher evaluation systems are seen to be more costly than effective ones. (Sawa, 1995) This statement edifies the importance of a sound and truthful evalutation technique. A Brief History It has been known that the appraisal of teachers is as old as teaching itself (Sawa, 1995). However, formal teacher's evaluation was traced to have begun at the turn of the 20th century to about 1980 (Robert F. McNergney). It's history might be divided into three overlapping categories: (1) The Search for Great Teachers; (2) Inferring Teacher Quality from Student Learning; and (3) Examining Teaching Performance (Robert F. McNergney). "Arvil Barr's 1948 compendium of research on teaching competence noted that supervisors' ratings of teachers were the metric of choice. A few researchers, however, examined average gains in student achievement for the purpose of Inferring Teacher Quality from Student Learning. They assumed, for good reason, that supervisors' opinions of teachers revealed little or nothing about student learning. Indeed, according to Medley and his colleagues, these early findings were "most discouraging." The average correlation between teacher characteristics and student learning, as measured most often by achievement tests, was zero. Some characteristics related positively to student

Assessing the marketing and business capability of small to medium Assignment

Assessing the marketing and business capability of small to medium sized businesses (SMEs) - Assignment Example Diagnostic audit is one of the important audit tools that examine the marketing operation of a specific business unit. Objective of the study The study has provided the backdrop for the crystal clear review of the marketing components and activities of the companies under the small and medium scale enterprise. The study has been conducted considering three companies such as Jain Estates, Multisoft Systems and Infinity Informatics. Multisoft Systems is an India-based software development company listed under growing SMEs in India. Infinity Informatics is an information technology products development company situated in Bangalore. Jain Estates is one of the emerging real estate company listed under SMEs list in India. These three small and medium scale enterprises are increasing their market reputation slowly and gradually. The major objective of the study is to review or assess the marketing and business capabilities for these small and medium-scale enterprises. In order to uncover t he study, the following objectives can be set for the purpose of research work. Determining and closing the marketing and business capability gap. Implementation of marketing audit and toolkits in order to betterment the SMEs business and marketing capabilities. Importance of the Diagnostic audit to measure the marketing performances of the three companies. Elaborating the findings of thorough analysis and recommendation plan for the problem statements. In order to draw a decision, the study needs a conclusion whether the marketing audit is effective or not in terms of the business practices of the three small and medium-scale enterprises. Marketing and business capability gap The gap between the...It is necessary as it identifies and rectifies the problems in business practices. The marketing audit efficiently assesses the business performance of a company. The owners of SMEs need to learn and implement the audit for the betterment of their business practices. The government should organize some events or programs related to the awareness and importance of the marketing audit considering the SMEs as the SMEs significantly contribute to countries’ economical development. The SMEs owner can be benefited by such awareness programs. Moreover, it is necessary that small and medium-scale enterprises appoint an external market auditor due to the small size of industry. In order to evaluate marketing planning and performances and establishment of improved and integrated business strategy, the marketing auditor is need to be appointed in a SME. Conclusion Without effective assessment of previous business performance, SMEs cannot rectify and improve their business performance in the near future. The above study has clearly stated the potential of small and medium-scale enterprises. Moreover, it is feasible from the research work that effective marketing audit will help structure the marketing budget for sales and marketing activities of specific products and services.

The odyssey

The odyssey Which film does a more effective job in adapting Homers The Odyssey: Ridley Scotts Gladiator or Barry Levinsons The Natural. I believe that both films do an effective job of adapting Homers epic poem. However, in my opinion, The Natural does a better job of this. The Natural achieves a more effective level than Scotts film in adapting The Odyssey because Levinsons cinematic adventure has more similarities in the characters, plot structure, and resolution. The characters in Levinsons motion picture are very similar to the characters in The Odyssey. Roy Hobbes, the main character of the movie, compares very well with Odysseus, the main character in Homers epic poem. Odysseus is a great Trojan War hero and Roy Hobbes is a great baseball player, which is similar to being a war hero because Hobbes is a hero to his baseball team in their war for the pennant. Both characters leave their home to achieve glory: Odysseus in the Trojan War and Hobbes in baseball. Odysseus leaves Ithaca, which is a small island, and Hobbes leaves his small farm. Both places are small and not vey well known. Odysseus and Hobbes both leave a woman at home with a child to take care of. However, Odysseus never met his child and Hobbes was unaware that he left his hometown girlfriend when she was pregnant with his son. Another similarity is that both of these protagonists are flawed. Odysseus dishonored the god, arguably because he has too much pride, which is hubris . Moreover, Hobbes also had too much pride. Having too much pride causes each character to go off course, literally and figuratively. Odysseus is blown of course traveling from one crazy island to the next. Whereas, Roy Hobbes gets shot, which causes him to quit baseball for a long time and travel from one job to the next. The two heroes even have similar enemies, for example Hobbes has Gus Sands who nearly kills him, and Odysseus has the Cyclops who nearly kills him; also both enemies only have one eye. Another similarity is the weapon of choice for both individuals; Odysseus has his bow, which is used to defeat the suitors after his wife, and Hobbes has Wonderboy, which is his baseball bat used to defeat opposing baseball teams. In Gladiator there is not one specific weapon that Maximus uses. Lastly, eventually both heroes return home and are humbled. Odysseus returns home to Ithaca, but as a beggar. And Hobbes returns to the farm to take care of his united family. The plot structure of the movie is also very similar to Homers epic poem. Each story begins in a small place that is not very well known. The Natural begins on a farm and The Odyssey begins on a small island called Ithaca. Another similarity is that both of the main characters leave their home to become well known. However, even though they were both great, both protagonists have too much pride, which ends up causing both of them to go off course of their goal. However, Maximus in Gladiator did not have too much pride, but he was still sent off course. Odysseuss goal was to return home, but because he did not honor the gods, the gods would not allow him to achieve his goal very easily. Hobbess goal was to set baseball records, but because of his pride he was literally shot down on his way to the top. Then both characters must put forth much more time and effort than originally planned to achieve their goal. Eventually Hobbes changes his goal to being with his family when he realizes that he left his hometown girlfriend home pregnant with his son; just like Odysseus left his new born son with his wife when he left home. In the end, both heroes wind up home and happy. The resolutions of both protagonists are also very similar. Both eventually learn their lesson. Odysseus realizes that it is wrong to think that he is greater than or equal to the gods and not all the glory should go to him. Hobbes realizes that baseball is not just about break individual records, but the game is about the glory of the team. These are similar because the baseball team is equivalent to the team of Odysseus and the gods in the Trojan War. So the victory is not solely for the glory of the individual. In conclusion, The Natural does a more effective job of adapting to The Odyssey then Gladiator does. The Natural is an effective adaptation of The Odyssey because of its similarities in characters, plot structure, and resolution. There are many striking connections between Roy Hobbes and Odysseus. Also, the plot structure and resolution of The Natural is almost identical to that of Homers epic poem The Odyssey.

Harry Forster Chapin: Musician, Song Writer, Film Editor and Political

In the short thirty-nine years of the life of Harry Forster Chapin (1942-1981), he managed to distinguish himself as a creative genius in multiple fields, ultimately leaving a distinct mark on this world, though he received only moderate public recognition. Professionally, he was a musical performer and songwriter, a film editor, and a political activist and lobbyist, able to reach remarkable heights in all three fields. In the field of music, Chapin rose to stardom as a rock and roll performer and songwriter during the 1970's, introducing the world to a new style of music he created and popularized, the story-song. Within this new framework, Chapin was able to use his interest and proficiency in poetry to create song lyrics which told the story of a character or group of characters. He was able to weave wonderfully powerful tales of the lives of his characters in a few short stanzas, applying many traditional story-line techniques; a rising action which lead to a climax, followed by a falling action which usually revealed an unexpected twist, offering a recognizable message in the last few lyrics of the song. The subjects of these songs were generally based on Chapin's real life experiences and moods, and in this sense, he was able to express more honestly the feeling associated with the stories. Furthermore, Chapin went a step further by adding music to his stories, accentuating the changes in tone of the stories with musical accompaniments. His musical style contained many folk, rock and roll, jazz and blues elements, revealing his diverse musical background and familiarity with a variety of styles. The result was a remarkably popular style, which granted Chapin the ability to generate a strong connection to his audience during... ...o Gardner, another major milestone taking place around 1976, with the completion of perhaps his most comprehensive piece, an autobiographical song called "There Only Was One Choice". In it, Chapin mysteriously foretold of his tragic death at a young age: When I started this song I was still thirty-three. The age that Mozart died and Sweet Jesus was set free, Keats and Shelly, too soon finished, Charlie Parker would be And I fanaticized a tragedy be soon curtailing me. He also included in the song, the lyrics which have come to define his life more than any other: Inexperience - it once accursed me, but your youth is no handicap, it's what makes you thirsty. (From "Danceband on the Titanic" 1977) Bibliography: Coan, Peter M. Taxi: The Harry Chapin Story. New York:Carol Publishing Group. C. 1990. Http://www.littlejason.com/chapin/longbio.html

Internal and External factors of the British tourism Essay

Within travel and tourism industry, inbound and domestic tourism factors change a lot, there are Internal and external factors that affect tourism within the UK. The internal factors are; health, safety and security within the UK, accessibility, marketing campaigns, availability of products and services, quality of goods and services and value for money of the UK. The outbound factors are; the exchange rate, travel restrictions, emergence of new markets, competition from other destinations and the weather. Internal Health, Safety and Security: The UK has strict rules about health, safety and security so that tourists can be safe and enjoy their stay in the new destination. The rules are set in place because people act differently when on holidays in new countries or new areas of the UK as they are put in new and different situations. Accessibility: Accessibility is a factor that will affect the number of tourists that come to and from the UK. When a country makes it easy for tourists to access the country the tourism will increase. By creating and developing different modes of transport many more people will visit the UK and domestic tourism will increase. An example of making the UK more accessible is the high speed trains that are currently being built, this means that tourists can tour the country in a shorter period of time as well as making it easier to travel for domestic travellers and giving them the opportunity to stay longer in the cities that in turn creates more profit for the economy. Availability of products and services: The availability of the products and services a country offers are a factor that normally changes during peak periods such as the school holidays in the summer, Easter breaks and Christmas breaks. This makes things like hotel rooms, activities and restaurants harder to book because they are all full.  Tourists need to book early to ensure they get to do everything they want to during peak periods. Quality of goods and services: Making sure that goods and services are to the right standards of quality is essential when marketing a destination. The UK is known for having a good level of quality when it comes to hotels and restaurants, this is mainly because the organisation VisitBritain has made a decision that they will only market and promote companies that have passed the quality criteria, Having this set in place means that companies will strive to be better so that they can be promoted more and gain more business. Value for money in the UK: Getting a good value for money can mean different things, one of the main things is ‘does the money paid match the level of service given’ this means that if the tourists get a great service they will have got a better value of money and therefore they will be more likely to visit again. Another thing this means is if you get a good value for money on one hotel, activity or restaurant they will therefore be able to visit more or different locations. Marketing campaigns: Different marketing campaigns will affect what tourists comes to the country. The main organisation that promotes Britain is VisitBritiain, every year they make a new promotional video that shows many different things you can do in Britain, these are showcased worldwide on websites and as television adverts. Britain invest and spend a lot of money trying to interest inbound tourist coming over to Britain, they also do this for domestic tourists to encourage them to stay in their country rather than stay abroad. The more marketing campaign a country does, the more chances in promoting their country to potential inbound and domestic tourists because tourists will be interested in seeing the country itself from the marketing images and videos the country produces. External Exchange rate: The exchange rate will strongly affect who visits the UK as the currency exchange can be bad for some people making them more reluctant to visit. The pound sterling is considered weak for lots of inbound tourists. The UK has a strong pound sterling which is not always positive due to the fact that many counties cannot afford the exchange rate. Competition from other destinations: Having a more appeling country will mean that more tourists will visit the country, the competition is high between thee different countries that need tourism. There are many different factors that effect this all that are referenced in this work. Travel restrictions: Travel restrictions can affect who comes into the country greatly as there are different restrictions that can stop them entering, there are three restrictions that can stop inbound tourists entering the UK; Security-related restrictions- These include taking the wrong amount of liquids in your hand luggage, all liquids have to be under the allowance of 100ml although there are some exceptions such as baby food and milk although they have to be screened to make sure that they are safe. All hand luggage has to be screened to make sure that it is safe to go onto the plane. Customs restrictions- The restrictions on customs are the rules about how much alcohol, tobacco and gifts you are able to take into another country. Immigration restrictions- There is no cost to travel to the UK from all countries in the EU making it easier for them to enter, this has led to an increase in inbound tourism from these countries. Emergence of new markets: Different countries are now visiting the UK as new people are growing an interest in the culture and lifestyle. Countries in Asia and Africa are the largest growing group of tourists. The UK is very different to the countries that are the new growing market and they therefore are getting the experience of trying a new lifestyle. The weather: The weather will affect the inbound tourists as well as domestic tourists, because of the climate in the UK the weather is always changing and therefore it can never be assured that you will have the same weather all day, because of this factor many domestic tourists will choose to travel to countries abroad in hope for sun. This factor does not affect inbound tourists as much as they visit for the heritage and local attractions.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 18 THE FUNERAL

I SPRINTED DOWN THE STAIRS AND THREW THE DOOR open. It was Jacob, of course. Even blind, Alice wasn't slow. He was standing about six feet back from the door, his nose wrinkled in distaste, but his face otherwise smoothmasklike. He didn't fool me; I could see the faint trembling of his hands. Hostility rolled off of him in waves. It brought back that awful afternoon when he'd chosen Sam over me, and I felt my chin jerk up defensively in response. Jacob's Rabbit idled by the curb with Jared behind the wheel and Embry in the passenger seat. I understood what this meant: they were afraid to let him come here alone. It made me sad, and a little annoyed. The Cullens weren't like that. â€Å"Hey,† I finally said when he didn't speak. Jake pursed his lips, still hanging back from the door. His eyes flickered across the front of the house. I ground my teeth. â€Å"She's not here. Do you need something?† He hesitated. â€Å"You're alone?† â€Å"Yes.† I sighed. â€Å"Can I talk to you a minute?† â€Å"Of course you can, Jacob. Come on in.† Jacob glanced over his shoulder at his friends in the car. I saw Embry shake his head just a tiny bit. For some reason, this bugged me to no end. My teeth clenched together again. â€Å"Chicken† I mumbled under my breath. Jake's eyes flashed back to me, his thick, black brows pushing into a furious angle over his deep-set eyes. His jaw set, and he marchedthere was no other way to describe the way he movedup the sidewalk and shrugged past me into the house. I locked gazes with first Jared and then EmbryI didn't like the hard way they eyed me; did they really think I would let anything hurt Jacobbefore I shut the door on them. Jacob was in the hall behind me, staring at the mess of blankets in the living room. â€Å"Slumber party?† he asked, his tone sarcastic. â€Å"Yeah,† I answered with the same level of acid. I didn't like Jacob when he acted this way. â€Å"What's it to you?† He wrinkled his nose again like he smelled something unpleasant. â€Å"Where's your ‘friend'?† I could hear the quotation marks in his tone. â€Å"She had some errands to run. Look, Jacob, what do you want?† Something about the room seemed to make him edgierhis long arms were quivering. He didn't answer my question. Instead he moved on to the kitchen, his restless eyes darting everywhere. I followed him. He paced back and forth along the short counter. â€Å"Hey,† I said, putting myself in his way. He stopped pacing and stared down at me. â€Å"What's your problem?† â€Å"I don't like having to be here.† That stung. I winced, and his eyes tightened. â€Å"Then I'm sorry you had to come,† I muttered. â€Å"Why don't you tell me what you need so you can leave?† â€Å"I just have to ask you a couple of questions. It shouldn't take long. We have to get back for the funeral.† â€Å"Okay. Get it over with then.† I was probably overdoing it with the antagonism, but I didn't want him to see how much this hurt. I knew I wasn't being fair. After all, I'd picked the bloodsucker over him last night. I'd hurt him first. He took a deep breath, and his trembling fingers were suddenly still. His face smoothed into a serene mask. â€Å"One of the Cullens is staying here with you,† he stated. â€Å"Yes. Alice Cullen.† He nodded thoughtfully. â€Å"How long is she here for?† â€Å"As long as she wants to be.† The belligerence was still there in my tone. â€Å"It's an open invitation.† â€Å"Do you think you could please explain to her about the other oneVictoria?† I paled. â€Å"I told her about that.† He nodded. â€Å"You should know that we can only watch our own lands with a Cullen here. You'll only be safe in La Push. I can't protect you here anymore.† â€Å"Okay,† I said in a small voice. He looked away then, out the back windows. He didn't continue. â€Å"Is that all?† He kept his eyes on the glass as he answered. â€Å"Just one more thing.† I waited, but he didn't continue. â€Å"Yes?† I finally prompted. â€Å"Are the rest of them coming back now?† he asked in a cool, quiet voice. It reminded me of Sam's always calm manner. Jacob was becoming more like Sam I wondered why that bothered me so much. Now I didn't speak. He looked back at my face with probing eyes. â€Å"Well?† he asked. He struggled to conceal the tension behind his serene expression. â€Å"No.† I said finally. Grudgingly. â€Å"They aren't coming back.† His expression didn't change. â€Å"Okay. That's all.† I glared at him, annoyance rekindled. â€Å"Well, run along now. Go tell Sam that the scary monsters aren't coming to get you.† â€Å"Okay,† he repeated, still calm. That seemed to be it. Jacob walked swiftly from the kitchen. I waited to hear the front door open, but I heard nothing. I could hear the clock over the stove ticking, and I marveled again at how quiet he'd become. What a disaster. How could I have alienated him so completely in such a short amount of time? Would he forgive me when Alice was gone? What if he didn't? I slumped against the counter and buried my face in my hands. How had I made such a mess of everything? But what could I have done differently? Even in hindsight, I couldn't think of any better way, any perfect course of action. â€Å"Bella ?† Jacob asked in a troubled voice. I pulled my face out of my hands to see Jacob hesitating in the kitchen doorway; he hadn't left when I'd thought. It was only when I saw the clear drops sparkling in my hands that I realized I was crying. Jacob's calm expression was gone; his face was anxious and unsure. He walked quickly back to stand in front of me, ducking his head so that his eyes were closer to being on the same level with mine. â€Å"Did it again, didn't I?† â€Å"Did what?† I asked, my voice cracking. â€Å"Broke my promise. Sorry.† â€Å"‘S'okay,† I mumbled. â€Å"I started it this time.† His face twisted. â€Å"I knew how you felt about them. It shouldn't have taken me by surprise like that.† I could see the revulsion in his eyes. I wanted to explain to him what Alice was really like, to defend her against the judgments he'd made, but something warned me that now was not the time. So I just said, â€Å"Sorry,† again. â€Å"Let's not worry about it, okay? She's just visiting, right? She'll leave, and things will go back to normal.† â€Å"Can't I be friends with you both at the same time?† I asked, my voice not hiding an ounce of the hurt I felt. He shook his head slowly. â€Å"No, I don't think you can.† I sniffed and stared at his big feet. â€Å"But you'll wait, right? You'll still be my friend, even though I love Alice, too?† I didn't look up, afraid to see what he'd think of that last part. It took him a minute to answer, so I was probably right not to look. â€Å"Yeah, I'll always be your friend,† he said gruffly. â€Å"No matter what you love.† â€Å"Promise?† â€Å"Promise.† I felt his arms wind around me, and I leaned against his chest, still sniffling. â€Å"This sucks.† â€Å"Yeah.† Then he sniffed my hair and said, â€Å"Ew.† â€Å"What?† I demanded. I looked up to see that his nose was wrinkled again. â€Å"Why does everyone keep doing that to me? I don't smell!† He smiled a little. â€Å"Yes, you doyou smell like them. Blech. Too sweetsickly sweet. And icy. It burns my nose.† â€Å"Really?† That was strange. Alice smelled unbelievably wonderful. To a human, anyway. â€Å"But why would Alice think I smelled, too, then?† That wiped his smile away. â€Å"Huh. Maybe I don't smell so good to her, either. Huh.† â€Å"Well, you both smell fine to me.† I rested my head against him again. I was going to miss him terribly when he walked out my door. It was a nasty catch-22on the one hand, I wanted Alice to stay forever. I was going to diemetaphoricallywhen she left me. But how was I supposed to go without seeing Jake for any length of time? What a mess, I thought again. â€Å"I'll miss you,† Jacob whispered, echoing my thoughts. â€Å"Every minute. I hope she leaves soon.† â€Å"It really doesn't have to be that way, Jake.† He sighed. â€Å"Yes, it really does. Bella. You love her. So I'd better not get anywhere near her. I'm not sure that I'm even-tempered enough to handle that. Sam would be mad if I broke the treaty, and†his voice turned sarcastic†you probably wouldn't like it too much if I killed your friend.† I recoiled from him when he said that, but he only tightened his arms, refusing to let me escape. â€Å"There's no point in avoiding the truth. That's the way things are, Bells.† â€Å"I do not like the way things are.† Jacob freed one arm so that he could cup his big brown hand under my chin and make me look at him. â€Å"Yeah. It was easier when we were both human, wasn't it?† I sighed. We stared at each other for a long moment. His hand smoldered against my skin. In my face, I knew there was nothing but wistful sadnessI didn't want to have to say goodbye now, no matter for how short a time. At first his face reflected mine, but then, as neither of us looked away, his expression changed. He released me, lifting his other hand to brush his fingertips along my cheek, trailing them down to my jaw. I could feel his fingers tremblenot with anger this time. He pressed his palm against my cheek, so that my face was trapped between his burning hands. â€Å"Bella,† he whispered. I was frozen. No! I hadn't made this decision yet. I didn't know if I could do this, and now I was out of time to think. But I would have been a fool if I thought rejecting him now would have no consequences. I stared back at him. He was not my Jacob, but he could be. His face was familiar and beloved. In so many real ways, I did love him. He was my comfort, my safe harbor. Right now, I could choose to have him belong to me. Alice was back for the moment, but that changed nothing. True love was forever lost. The prince was never coming back to kiss me awake from my enchanted sleep. I was not a princess, after all. So what was the fairy-tale protocol for other kisses? The mundane kind that didn't break any spells? Maybe it would be easylike holding his hand or having his arms around me. Maybe it would feel nice. Maybe it wouldn't feel like a betrayal. Besides, who was I betraying, anyway? Just myself. Keeping his eyes on mine, Jacob began to bend his face toward me. And I was still absolutely undecided. The shrill ring of the phone made us both jump, but it did not break his focus. He took his hand from under my chin and reached over me to grab the receiver, but still held my face securely with the hand against my cheek. His dark eyes did not free mine. I was too muddled to react, even to take advantage of the distraction. â€Å"Swan residence,† Jacob said, his husky voice low and intense. Someone answered, and Jacob altered in an instant. He straightened up, and his hand dropped from my face. His eyes went flat, his face blank, and I would have bet the measly remainder of my college f and that it was Alice. I recovered myself and held out my hand for the phone. Jacob ignored me. â€Å"He's not here,† Jacob said, and the words were menacing. There was some very short reply, a request for more information it seemed, because he added unwillingly, â€Å"He's at the funeral.† Then Jacob hung up the phone. â€Å"Filthy bloodsucker,† he muttered under his breath. The face he turned back to me was the bitter mask again. â€Å"Who did you just hang up on?† I gasped, infuriated. â€Å"In my house, and on my phone?† â€Å"Easy! He hung up on me!† â€Å"He? Who was it?!† He sneered the title. â€Å"Dr. Carlisle Cullen.† â€Å"Why didn't you let me talk to him?!† â€Å"He didn't ask for you,† Jacob said coldly. His face was smooth, expressionless, but his hands shook. â€Å"He asked where Charlie was and I told him. I don't think I broke any rules of etiquette.† â€Å"You listen to me, Jacob Black† But he obviously wasn't listening. He looked quickly over his shoulder, as if someone had called his name from the other room. His eyes went wide and his body stiff, then he started trembling. I listened too, automatically, but heard nothing. â€Å"Bye, Bells,† he spit out, and wheeled toward the front door. I ran after him. â€Å"What is it?† And then I ran into him, as he rocked back on his heels, cussing under his breath. He spun around again, knocking me sideways. I bobbled and fell to the floor, my legs tangled with his. â€Å"Shoot, ow!† I protested as he hurriedly jerked his legs free one at a time. I struggled to pull myself up as he darted for the back door; he suddenly froze again. Alice stood motionless at the foot of the stairs. â€Å"Bella,† she choked. I scrambled to my feet and lurched to her side. Her eyes were dazed and far away, her face drawn and whiter than bone. Her slim body trembled to an inner turmoil. â€Å"Alice, what's wrong?† I cried. I put my hands on her face, trying to calm her. Her eyes focused on mine abruptly, wide with pain. â€Å"Edward,† was all she whispered. My body reacted faster than my mind was able to catch up with the implications of her reply. I didn't at first understand why the room was spinning or where the hollow roar in my ears was coming from. My mind labored, unable to make sense of Alice's bleak face and how it could possibly relate to Edward, while my body was already swaying, seeking the relief of unconsciousness before the reality could hit me. The stairway tilted at the oddest angle. Jacob's furious voice was suddenly in my ear, hissing out a stream of profanities. I felt a vague disapproval. His new friends were clearly a bad influence. I was on the couch without understanding how I got there, and Jacob was still swearing. It felt like there was an earthquakethe couch was shaking under me. â€Å"What did you do to her?† he demanded. Alice ignored him. â€Å"Bella? Bella, snap out of it. We have to hurry.† â€Å"Stay back,† Jacob warned. â€Å"Calm down, Jacob Black,† Alice ordered. â€Å"You don't want to do that so close to her.† â€Å"I don't think I'll have any problem keeping my focus,† he retorted, but his voice sounded a little cooler. â€Å"Alice?† My voice was weak. â€Å"What happened?† I asked, even though I didn't want to hear. â€Å"I don't know,† she suddenly wailed. â€Å"What is he thinking?!† I labored to pull myself up despite the dizziness. I realized it was Jacob's arm I was gripping for balance. He was the one shaking, not the couch. Alice was pulling a small silver phone from her bag when my eyes relocated her. Her fingers dialed the numbers so fast they were a blur. â€Å"Rose, I need to talk to Carlisle now.† Her voice whipped through the words. â€Å"Fine, as soon as he's back. No, I'll be on a plane. Look, have you heard anything from Edward?† Alice paused now, listening with an expression that grew more appalled every second. Her mouth opened into a little O of horror, and the phone shook in her hand. â€Å"Why?† she gasped. â€Å"Why would you do that, Rosalie?† Whatever the answer was, it made her jaw tighten in anger. Her eyes flashed and narrowed. â€Å"Well, you're wrong on both counts, though, Rosalie, so that would be a problem, don't you think?† she asked acidly. â€Å"Yes, that's right. She's absolutely fineI was wrong It's a long story But you're wrong about that part, too, that's why I'm calling Yes, that's exactly what I saw.† Alice's voice was very hard and her lips were pulled back from her teeth. â€Å"It's a bit late for that, Rose. Save your remorse for someone who believes it.† Alice snapped the phone shut with a sharp twist of her fingers. Her eyes were tortured as she turned to face me. â€Å"Alice,† I blurted out quickly. I couldn't let her speak yet. I needed a few more seconds before she spoke and her words destroyed what was left of my life. â€Å"Alice, Carlisle is back, though. He called just before† She stared at me blankly. â€Å"How long ago?† she asked in a hollow voice. â€Å"Half a minute before you showed up.† â€Å"What did he say?† She really focused now, waiting for my answer. â€Å"I didn't talk to him.† My eyes flickered to Jacob. Alice turned her penetrating gaze on him. He flinched, but held his place next to me. He sit awkwardly, almost as if he were trying to shield me with his body. â€Å"He asked for Charlie, and I told him Charlie wasn't here,† Jacob muttered resentfully. â€Å"Is that everything?† Alice demanded, her voice like ice. â€Å"Then he hung up on me,† Jacob spit back. A tremor rolled down his spine, shaking me with it. â€Å"You told him Charlie was at the funeral,† I reminded him. Alice jerked her head back toward me â€Å"What were his exact words?† â€Å"He said, ‘He's not here,' and when Carlisle asked where Charlie was, Jacob said, ‘At the funeral.'† Alice moaned and sank to her knees. â€Å"Tell me Alice,† I whispered. â€Å"That wasn't Carlisle on the phone,† she said hopelessly. â€Å"Are you calling me a liar?† Jacob snarled from beside me. Alice ignored him, focusing on my bewildered face. â€Å"It was Edward.† The words were just a choked whisper. â€Å"He thinks you're dead.† My mind started to work again. These words weren't the ones I'd been afraid of, and the relief cleared my head. â€Å"Rosalie told him I killed myself, didn't she?† I said, sighing as I relaxed. â€Å"Yes,† Alice admitted, her eyes flashing hard again. â€Å"In her defense, she did believe it. They rely on my sight far too much for something that works so imperfectly. But for her to track him down to tell him this! Didn't she realize or care ?† Her voice faded away in horror. â€Å"And when Edward called here, he thought Jacob meant my funeral,† I realized. It stung to know how close I'd been, just inches away from his voice. My nails dug into Jacob's arm, but he didn't flinch. Alice looked at me strangely. â€Å"You're not upset,† she whispered. â€Å"Well, it's really rotten timing, but it will all get straightened out. The next time he calls, someone will tell him what really† I trailed off. Her gaze strangled the words in my throat. Why was she so panicked? Why was her face twisting now with pity and horror? What was it she had said to Rosalie on the phone just now? Something about what she'd seen and Rosalie's remorse; Rosalie would never feel remorse for anything that happened to me. But if she'd hurt her family, hurt her brother â€Å"Bella,† Alice whispered. â€Å"Edward won't call again. He believed her.† â€Å"I. Don't. Understand.† My mouth framed each word in silence. I couldn't push the air out to actually say the words that would make her explain what that meant. â€Å"He's going to Italy.† It took the length of one heartbeat for me to comprehend. When Edward's voice came back to me now, it was not the perfect imitation of my delusions. It was just the weak, flat tone of my memories. But the words alone were enough to shred through my chest and leave it gaping open. Words from a time when I would have bet everything that I owned or could borrow on that fact that he loved me. Well, I wasn't going to live without you, he'd said as we watched Romeo and Juliet die, here in this very room. But I wasn't sure how to do it I knew Emmett and Jasper would never help so I was thinking maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi You don't irritate them. Not unless you want to die. Not unless you want to die. â€Å"NO!† The half-shrieked denial was so loud after the whispered words, it made us all jump. I felt the blood rushing to my face as I realized what she'd seen. â€Å"No! No, no, no! He can't! He can't do that!† â€Å"He made up his mind as soon as your friend confirmed that it was too late to save you.† â€Å"But he he left! He didn't want me anymore! What difference does it make now? He knew I would die sometime!† â€Å"I don't think he ever planned to outlive you by long,† Alice said quietly. â€Å"How dare he!† I screamed. I was on my feet now, and Jacob rose uncertainly to put himself between Alice and me again. â€Å"Oh, get out of the way, Jacob!† I elbowed my way around his trembling body with desperate impatience. â€Å"What do we do?† I begged Alice. There had to be something. â€Å"Can't we call him? Can Carlisle?† She was shaking her head. â€Å"That was the first thing I tried. He left his phone in a trash can in Riosomeone answered it† she whispered. â€Å"You said before we had to hurry. Hurry how? Let's do it, whatever it is!† â€Å"Bella, II don't think I can ask you to† She trailed off in indecision. â€Å"Ask me!† I commanded. She put her hands on my shoulders, holding me in place, her fingers flexing sporadically to emphasize her words. â€Å"We may already be too late. I saw him going to the Volturi and asking to die.† We both cringed, and my eyes were suddenly blind. I blinked feverishly at the tears. â€Å"It all depends on what they choose. I can't see that till they make a decision. â€Å"But if they say no, and they mightAro is fond of Carlisle, and wouldn't want to offend himEdward has a backup plan. They're very protective of their city. If Edward does something to upset the peace, he thinks they'll act to stop him. And he's right. They will.† I stared at her with my jaw clenched in frustration. I'd heard nothing yet that would explain why we were still standing here. â€Å"So if they agree to grant his favor, we're too late. If they say no, and he comes up with a plan to offend them quickly enough, we're too late. If he gives into his more theatrical tendencies we might have time.† â€Å"Let's go!† â€Å"Listen, Bella! Whether we are in time or not, we will be in the heart of the Volturi city. I will be considered his accomplice if he is successful. You will be a human who not only knows too much, but also smells too good. There's a very good chance that they will eliminate us allthough in your case it won't be punishment so much as dinnertime.† â€Å"This is what's keeping us here?† I asked in disbelief. â€Å"I'll go alone if you're afraid.† I mentally tabulated what money was left in my account, and wondered if Alice would lend me the rest. â€Å"I'm only afraid of getting you killed.† I snorted in disgust. â€Å"I almost get myself killed on a daily basis! Tell me what I need to do!† â€Å"You write a note to Charlie. I'll call the airlines.† â€Å"Charlie,† I gasped. Not that my presence was protecting him, but could I leave him here alone to face â€Å"I'm not going to let anything happen to Charlie.† Jacob's low voice was gruff and angry. â€Å"Screw the treaty.† I glanced up at him, and he scowled at my panicked expression. â€Å"Hurry, Bella,† Alice interrupted urgently. I ran to the kitchen, yanking the drawers open and throwing the contents all over the floor as I searched for a pen. A smooth, brown hand held one out to me. â€Å"Thanks,† I mumbled, pulling the cap off with my teeth. He silently handed me the pad of paper we wrote phone messages on. I tore off the top sheet and threw it over my shoulder. Dad, I wrote. I'm with Alice. Edward's in trouble. You can ground me when I get back. I know it's a bad time. So sorry. Love you so much. Bella. â€Å"Don't go,† Jacob whispered. The anger was all gone now that Alice was out of sight. I wasn't about to waste time arguing with him. â€Å"Please, please, please take care of Charlie,† I said as I dashed back out to the front room. Alice was waiting in the doorway with a bag over her shoulder. â€Å"Get your walletyou'll need ID. Please tell me you have a passport. I don't have time to forge one.† I nodded and then raced up the stairs, my knees weak with gratitude that my mother had wanted to marry Phil on a beach in Mexico. Of course, like all her plans, it had fallen through. But not before I'd made all the practical arrangements I could for her. I tore through my room. I stuffed my old wallet, a clean T-shirt, and sweatpants into my backpack, and then threw my toothbrush on top. I hurled myself back down the stairs. The sense of deja vu was nearly stifling by this point. At least, unlike the last timewhen I'd run away from Forks to escape thirsty vampires rather than to find themI wouldn't have to say goodbye to Charlie in person. Jacob and Alice were locked in some kind of confrontation in front of the open door, standing so far apart you wouldn't assume at first that they were having a conversation. Neither one seemed to notice my noisy reappearance. â€Å"You might control yourself on occasion, but these leeches you're taking her to† Jacob was furiously accusing her. â€Å"Yes. You're right, dog.† Alice was snarling, too. â€Å"The Volturi are the very essence of our kindthey're the reason your hair stands on end when you smell me. They are the substance of your nightmares, the dread behind your instincts. I'm not unaware of that.† â€Å"And you take her to them like a bottle of wine for a party!† he shouted. â€Å"You think she'd be better off if I left her here alone, with Victoria stalking her?† â€Å"We can handle the redhead.† â€Å"Then why is she still hunting?† Jacob growled, and a shudder rippled through his torso. â€Å"Stop that!† I shouted at them both, wild with impatience. â€Å"Argue when we get back, let's go!† Alice turned for the car, disappearing in her haste. I hurried after her, pausing automatically to turn and lock the door. Jacob caught my arm with a shivering hand. â€Å"Please, Bella. I'm begging.† His dark eyes were glistening with tears. A lump filled my throat. â€Å"Jake, I have to† â€Å"You don't, though. You really don't. You could stay here with me. You could stay alive. For Charlie. For me.† The engine of Carlisle's Mercedes purred; the rhythm of the thrumming spiked when Alice revved it impatiently. I shook my head, tears spattering from my eyes with the sharp motion. I pulled my arm free, and he didn't fight me. â€Å"Don't die, Bella,† he choked out. â€Å"Don't go. Don't.† What if I never saw him again? The thought pushed me past the silent tears; a sob broke out from my chest. I threw my arms around his waist and hugged for one too-short moment, burying my tear-wet face against his chest. He put his big hand on the back of my hair, as if to hold me there. â€Å"Bye, Jake.† I pulled his hand from my hair, and kissed his palm. I couldn't bear to look at his face. â€Å"Sorry,† I whispered. Then I spun and raced for the car. The door on the passenger side was open and waiting. I threw my backpack over the headrest and slid in, slamming the door behind me. â€Å"Take care of Charlie!† I turned to shout out the window, but Jacob was nowhere in sight. As Alice stomped on the gas andwith the tires screeching like human screamsspun us around to face the road, I caught sight of a shred of white near the edge of the trees. A piece of a shoe.