How to become a police in the United Arab Emirates Research Paper

How to become a police in the United Arab Emirates - Research Paper Example On May 6, 1976, the Armed Forces of the seven United Arabs Emirates became unified. The union merged the Sharjah National Guard, Abu Dhabi Defence Force, Mobile Force of Ras al Khaimah, and then the Dubai Defence Force together with the other emirates’ small protection forces. The union was a great achievement for the United Arabs Emirates – it helped the nation become a ‘contemporary institutional state’. Statistics from the United State’s Department of State indicate that at present, the United Arabs Emirates’ Armed Forces consist of approximately fifty-thousand active-duty military units, with roughly two thousand five hundred in the Navy and four thousand in the Air Force (Thomas par. 7-8).Role of the Police and Security Apparatus in the United Arab EmiratesThe duty of the national police officers of the United Arabs Emirates entails maintaining public order, preventing and investigating crimes, and taking care of the lives as well as guar ding national and individual possessions of citizens. They have the responsibility of ensuring that citizens obey the state’s laws and regulations. It is the responsibility of police officers to maintain law and order, to stop individuals from engaging in any criminal activity, and to arrest offenders. Police officer jobs are of various kinds and the main police divisions include civil defense, criminal investigation, emergency police, traffic, immigration, nationality and passports, courts-martial, trials, and prisons.

The Cause of Drug Abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Cause of Drug Abuse - Essay Example Additionally, it is possible to treat drug addiction and enable people to go back to their normal lives. Drug addiction can be considered as a chronic disease that causes obsessive behavior in spite of the negative consequences to the individual and those around them. It leads to changes in the structure and functioning of the brain (Allen 67). Many individuals indulge in drug abuse voluntarily at first, and lose self control overtime, thus negatively influencing their lifestyle. Some root causes of drug abuse include curiosity, exposure to drug addiction from media and friends, genetic predisposition to addiction, lack of self-esteem and depression. According to a famous saying, â€Å"curiosity killed the cat.† This is true in the case of drug abuse (Lowinson 48). People addicted to drugs are curious about its effect on them. They think that drugs can be so much fun. With it, they can be someone else because they can do things they cannot do when they are not under the influence of drugs. The media serves as one of the most influential factors to the way people behave nowadays. According to Castillo (48), the media portrays drug abuse as similar to being cool. For instance, pop artists who have the most number of fans are those who look or were reported to be drug users (e.g., Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, etc. Conversely, there are a few people who can serve as role models in the contemporary society. Peer pressure is also among the leading causes of drug abuse in the contemporary society (Lowinson 48). This is especially true for young people who use drugs to feel cool, fit in a certain group and impress their friends. For example, if one’s friends smoke marijuana or engage in alcoholism, there is a big chance that the person will take part in similar behavior just to be accepted. Peer pressure is the urge to do what one’s friends are doing is very common among teenagers who are desperate to impress their friends and be accepted in a

Furthering Emotional Intelligence through Video Games

Furthering Emotional Intelligence through Video Games The field of serious digital learning games that aim to develop players empathy along with their cognitive competencies has made tremendous strides in the past decade. Today, virtual simulations and video games for social change have much to offer the field of education. Even though the benefits of these offerings are still making themselves apparent, a growing number of teachers are trying to stay on the front-end. Many teachers are experimenting with new ways to connect with students through the very same technologies that occupy hours of young peoples leisure time. Teachers are increasingly interested in whether and how digital games and simulations might contribute to civic engagement and action. If video gaming and virtual simulations are so appealing to young people, how can we better harness these forms of entertainment to foster emotional intelligence and empathy so that students can exhibit a more caring and active response to relevant social issues? How can computerized sim ulation games help foster global empathy and interest in global civic learning/action? How might simulations help learners to empathize and identify with the lives of global Others? These are just a few questions that contribute to classroom learning in significant ways. Before considering the value of video games and virtual simulations in relation to empathy, it is important to recognize why empathy should be taught in schools. In our era of globalization, there is a growing need to educate for global citizenship, especially as people across the globe become more and more connected. A true global citizen values empathy and the ability to understand other people across borders and cultural divides. As a significant factor of being human, empathy is often defined as an emotional state that involves feeling in oneself the feelings of others. Empathy is emerging as an especially significant disposition for global citizenship because it enables us to perceive the world through others perspectives, experience the emotions of others, and communicate and act in ways that consider others views and needs (Bachen et al., 2012, p. 438). As adults, we come to see ourselves not only as citizens of our local community, country, or ethno-cultural group, but also a s global citizens willing and able to empathize with other peoples and their situations elsewhere in the world. While students can certainly learn about the plight of disadvantaged peoples around the world, adding empathy to the learning experience helps them retain and relate to this knowledge in a more profound way: emotion plays a variety of important roles in thinking and learning. First, when we are processing information, we store it more deeply and integrate with our prior knowledge better when that new information has an emotional charge for us, when we feel something is at stake or matters (Gee, 2008, p. 35). In addition, just as empathy can be used to increase understanding of various global issues, the more students are asked to analyze and relate to global issues through the eyes of an Other, the deeper their empathic response becomes. As a result, empathy is a key component of social justice education. If a primary goal of social justice education is to cultivate a responsibility to take action, then we cannot truly teach social justice without empathy. Social justice education is based on a need to identify and change structural inequalities and disparities worldwide. An effective way to teach this is to provide students with opportunities to not only gain contextual knowledge but also have experiences that create empathic insights into the lives of people who are oppressed. Segal (2011) believes that when there is a shared definition of the empathic insights into discrimination, injustice, or inequality, individuals are better able and more willing to take action that promotes social justice (p. 268). Therefore, the capacity to experience empathy through a true contextual lens deepens our understanding of the society we live in and compels us to feel a social responsibility that can result in social justice. Segal (2011) states that exposing children to others who are different f rom themselves gives them an opportunity to practice affect sharing or mirroring and self/other-awareness while at the same time enhancing their awareness and understanding of different social conditions (p. 274). This awareness, in conjunction with empathy, can lead to a greater desire to take action for social change. Video games and virtual simulations are a simple and effective vehicle to connect students to the lives of people from various social groups. These tools are effective in promoting empathy within a social justice context because they feature compelling narratives that draw players into a given situation. The power of narrative thus serves as a fundamental aspect of educational gaming: Narrative-centered learning environments afford significant opportunities for students to participate in motivating story-based educational experiences. Virtual characters can engage users in a variety of task-oriented educational and entertainment roles. Fantasy contexts in educational games have been shown to provide motivational benefits to learning. Because of the power of story to draw audiences into compelling plots and rich settings through the promotion of suspension of disbelief and increased story involvement, narrative can contribute to learning in important ways. (McQuiggan et al, 2008, p. 1511) Besides hooking students into a story, narrative-based games invite players to adopt the point of view of a person who may be very different from the players own self, which then results in a number of judgments about the Other being altered, as the player exercises empathy: By encouraging us to exercise our moral imagination, we develop our capacity to more fully put ourselves in another persons situations and thus those different to ourselves in circumstance, identity or practice can no longer be dehumanized or Other-ised as disgusting or subhuman' (McRobie, 2014, n.p.). Narrative-based games and simulations forge connections between humans from different parts of the planet, and the player can learn to better identify with and understand the plight of someone whom he or she may never otherwise meet in real life. Furthermore, this role-playing facet of gaming, with all of its imaginative capacity, can result in better identification with the Other as empathy continues to develop in the player: Empathy may be further developed when a player not only takes the perspective of another, but also begins to identify with the character represented (Bachen et al., 2012, p. 440). Increased identification with the media character has further benefit, as Bachen et al. (2012) explain that this leads to greater attention to and retention of messages associated with those characters (p. 440). As a result, educators can exploit games and virtual simulations because they not only connect students to various peoples across the globe, but ultimately can result in deeper learning because students become immersed in their learning and take more away with them by the end of the experience. A key difference between traditional written narratives (stories, novels, etc.) and virtual simulations is the ability to simulate (and virtually live) a real-life experience that a student would otherwise only read about. Video games and virtual simulations open up the possibility to interact with a time and place that can be worlds away: a virtual world provides an experience set within a technological environment that gives the user a strong sense of being there (Warburton, 2009, p. 415). Because of their narrative feature, videos games and virtual simulations present players with a character that they adopt, while living out a set of experiences from the perspective of the character (Gee, 2008). They allow for exposure to authentic content and culture and allow for reproduction of contexts that cannot be reproduced easily in real life: Most games for change simulate real physical casualties so that the player develops an awareness of a situation where war and genocide may be cent ral to everyday life (Huang and Tettagah, 2010, p. 138). This, in turn, allows students to experience complex and potentially dangerous situations without risk, virtually adopting the perils of the characters life, while simultaneously feel[ing] sympathy and/or empathy for the characters in the game (Huang and Tettagah, 2010, p. 138). Raphael et al. (2010) propose that [r]ole playing games permit players to explore institutional, geographical, and temporal settings that would otherwise be inaccessible, allowing players to learn from the consequences of choices made in the world of the game that would be impractical or dangerous to experience directly (p. 200). Within this role-playing context, players exercise agency, as they are given the freedom to experiment according to their own goals. Players are permitted to do and act according to their own judgments. This experimentation can help the player better understand the potential consequences of certain actions or choices. In virtu ally living out the consequences, the player is more likely to empathize with the character in the situation, which hopefully will lead to increased understanding of inequities around the world and the need for action to address issues of social justice. To put my discussion of game-playing, empathy and social justice into an educational context, I would like to present three examples of virtual simulations and video games that can be used in classrooms to encourage empathy and action. The first is called Real Lives (http://www.educationalsimulations.com/), a simulation game designed for middle and high school students in which the player is born into a life from any country in the world. For instance, students can experience life as a peasant farmer in Bangladesh, a factory worker in Brazil, a policeman in Nigeria, or a computer operator in Poland. As players adopt the perspective of the given identity, they apply knowledge to solve real problems while comparing different value systems as they play the game. Students must make a variety of decisions that involve work opportunities, financial standing, health, marriage and family life, and participation in civil society. The game prompts players to engage in ethical reflection, alway s in the context of challenges or opportunities prevalent to the given country (based on real-world statistics for the countrys poverty rate, infant mortality rate, and so on) (Raphael et al, 2010, p. 216). The efficacy of this game in creating empathic insights is evidenced by Bachen et al.s (2012) study, which did show that Real Lives had a considerable effect on players development of global empathy: Comparing students who played the game with those who participated in an alternate computer-assisted learning activity, we found that playing the simulation game was associated with significantly higher levels of global empathy (Bachen et al., 2012, p. 450). Games like Real Lives are well suited to developing personal responsibility or character. Raphael states games for social change lend themselves to exploring individual ethics rather than the ethics of institutions or society although they still introduce students to the dynamics of large-scale structures that shape lives giving them little power to alter those structures but demanding ethical evaluation of them (p. 219). As in Real Lives, games of responsibility can also force players to grapple with the question of how to live a good life in a society that may be imperfect and unjust (Raphael et al, 2010, p. 221). A second virtual simulation video game that evokes player empathy is Darfur is Dying (http://darfurisdying.com/). This online game is based on the genocide in Sudan and is described by the games developers as a narrative-based simulation where the user, from the perspective of the displaced Darfurian, negotiates forces that threaten the survival of his or her refugee camp. It offers a faint glimpse of what its like for the more than 2.5 million who have been internally displaced by the crisis in Sudan (http://www.darfurisdying.com/aboutgame.html). I have used this game in my classroom teaching with grade seven students and have observed that many enjoy the experience because of the game-based challenges that students must be overcome as their characters risk their lives to protect their village while still seeking to maintain survival. Huang and Tettegah (2010) state that the goals of the developers and instructional designers of Darfur is Dying include raising awareness so that the player/user shares fear, empathy, and other emotions associated with victims of war. Darfur is Dying was developed with goals to educate, provide support and inspire (p. 142). Characters depict actual situations that occur in real life, summoning the players emotive capacity as s/he virtually becomes a displaced Darfurian who must take serious risks while completing seemingly mundane daily tasks, such as gathering food and water. I use this game in my classroom with the hope that students develop empathy for the character, based on the experiences portrayed in the game, and that this leads to cultural awareness and a deeper human connection to the peoples of Sudan. In other words, empathy becomes the main learning outcome as opposed to acquiring specific content. Finally, Against All Odds (http://www.playagainstallodds.ca/) is a third internet-based video game simulation for social change that can be used to teach empathy within a social justice framework. The game was developed by the United Nations Refugee Agency and is designed to teach 12- to 15-year-old players about the plight of refugees. Players take on the role of a refugee, and play through stages, from depiction of persecution and flight from their native country to eventual integration into a foreign country as an asylum seeker. I find this game particularly pertinent today, especially in view of our current political climate and the displacement of Syrian refugees. Many students are hearing about these issues in the news and in discussions at home, but do not fully understand what it means to be a refugee, the struggles refugees face, and how individual citizens in Canada might be able to aid in this situation. Raphael et al. (2010) argue that virtual simulation games that promot e empathy, such as Against All Odds, can encourage students to seek out more knowledge beyond the game and make efforts to act rather than merely observe: playing or developing games may increase students motivation to learn and drive them to consult sources outside the game, inspire critical reflection on history and politics and how they are represented, provide multiple viewpoints on contested events and ideas, allow players to draw on distributed knowledge and develop skills in leadership and collective action that can be used to tackle real-world political problems, or afford opportunities to explore ethical choices and develop empathetic understanding by projecting oneself through an avatar into places and times otherwise inaccessible. (p. 200) My ultimate goal in using video game simulations such as Against All Odds is to promote civic action. It is not enough for students to know about a problem, empathize with those affected, and then go on living their normal lives without further reflection. I hope that the empathy that is established by the game playing incites students to take action, even in a small way, so that they understand that global citizenship is an active task and that we are each individually responsible for the Other. Given that a fundamental part of social justice is developing a community of citizens who take action, it is important that students who play video game simulations such as Real Lives, Dying in Darfur, and Against All Odds are provided with an outlet to both show understanding of empathy and take action. The question that remains for me is what can students do with this experience? Based on their experiences playing one or more virtual simulation games, students can now create their own video game simulations presenting a day in the life of a refugee of their choosing. Using online software called Twine, students can create a narrative that allows players to choose various paths, much like a choose-your-own-adventure book. As students create their game, they demonstrate an understanding of the daily struggles faced by a particular refugee, thus exhibiting empathy for lives of people who may be very different from themselves. In order to make this task an activist one, my middle-schoo l students will be asked to create their game for a younger student in our neighbouring elementary school. This allows students to do something with what they have learned, and as they share the game with a younger child, they take on the role of educator and active citizen. Social justice video games can provide real opportunity for reflection and learning in todays classrooms. For teachers who wish to engage students in learning about real world issues, or who are seeking alternative resources to enhance student learning, pairing young peoples interest in games with a serious social justice topic has the potential to result in powerful educational experiences. The narrative component of virtual simulation games is a real hook that can entice students to learn about the lives of people around the world, and the interactive features require students to both become the character while exercising agency to solve authentic civic problems. The problem-solving aspect of these virtual games puts students in the shoes of the Other, allowing them to better understand hardships and hopefully strongly empathize with a life that may otherwise seem distant and irrelevant. While video game simulations are not a magic solution to increasing student engagement or devel oping empathy, they certainly can be a great tool that allows students to realize that they play an important role in making change around the world.

MBA Admissions Essay -- MBA Admissions Essay

MBA Admissions Essay After graduation from KOREA University, I decided to enter Hyndai MotorCompany(HMC), which is the largest Korean car manufacturer and global player, to pursue a career as an international businessman. In January 1991, I joined Domestic Finance Team of HMC. My specific assignment was to plan monthly and annual financial schedules for HMC's domestic funding needs. About two years later, in January of 1993, I was transferred to Retail Finance Team from Domestic Finance Team and responsible for financing by the sales and factoring of Car Receivables. First Challenge the expertise for strategy formulation implementation within a changing business environment. In May 1994, I was selected as a member of Task Force Team that prepare to set up HMC's own finance company. During my six-month assignment, I worked under pressured time constraints. After lots of conflicts with Ministry of Finance and Economy, we got government approval in late 1994. This opportunity provided me with valuable experience in every aspect of business and team experience. Working with the extremely qualified and professional upper management was valuable in shaping my career goals. Especially, during my business trip to Hyundai Motor Finance Company in CA, USA, the international exposure increased my confidence and desire to pursue a career in international business. After the expiration of the Task Force, I was given the option between joining the newly established Finance Company and remaining in HMC. At that time, International Finance Team(IFT) offe red to work together with them. I accepted the proposal because I wanted to further expand my international exposure. Second Challenge the enhancement of the global perspective and strategic vision required to successfully compete in a globalized business setting. In January 1995, I was trasferres to IFT and took over two jobs of financing Foreign Direct Investment and Investor Relations. In march 1995, HMC was planning the biggest foreign direct investment in India ever since the failure in canada, and I, together with my two subordinates, was responsible for project. Despite the fact that only three months had passes after taking a new position. I could carry out the complicated processes on the project. partly owning to the past force team experience. Third Challenge : Throughout my wor... ... The program is clearly not a perfect substitute for experience, but I believe it would program would also allow me to further research my business ideas through the experiences of my peers, independent study, and related summer employment. This would let me have a deep understanding, as I hope, of financial and other market structures, competitiveness, and other factors that a consultant needs take into account when recommending whether to pursue a career as an international business consultant. My long-term professional aspiration is to enter the field of international management consulting. A MBA from your school in interdisciplinary studies will enhance my understanding of all aspects of business. This will contribute significantly to becoming effective in the consulting profession. I am extremely enthusiastic about the future of International Business. I believe that there are major breakthroughs yet to be made in the field. After completing a MBA in your school, I hope to gain practical experience and exposure with a major international business firms. Eventually, I wish to establish my own consulting company providing various financial and managerial services.

Renaissance Architecture as the Pinnacle of Genius Or Brunelleschi’s Dome

Architecture is the evolution of beauty in the fourth dimension. Art has continuously been about the creation of something beautiful, intrepid, and ingenious. Although there are many great art movements such as Baroque, Pop Art, Gothic, Avant-Guard, none are more striking in architecture as that of the Renaissance era. With the Renaissance convalescence to beauty, the color combination and the presence of the classical nude incorporated into a lot of the decor, it is with the Renaissance art era that art history was witness to the best possible architecture. The following essay will seek to prove this point using the geniuses of the Renaissance period and using their works as examples of this thesis. The Renaissance took its cue from the elegant forms of architecture and beauty from the Greeks and Romans. The idea of symmetry and shapes and elegance are staple features in Renaissance architecture. Thus, a viewer can see a lot of Rome represented in the Renaissance architecture such as columns, pediments, arches and domes. It was through Vitruvius’s writings on architecture that inspired many Renaissance artists to embrace the Roman ideal of beauty, harmony, and symmetry (Architecture in Renaissance Italy paragraph one). This is Vitruvius’s idea of symmetry as is presented in Renaissance architecture and conceptualized by Vitruvius in the human body, The measurement pertaining to the body being designated by headlengths is emphasized by Vitruvius in this manner, â€Å"For the human body is so designed by nature that the face, from the chin to the top of the forehead and the lowest roots of the hair, is a tenth part of the whole height; the open hand from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger is just the same†¦The other members, too, have their own symmetrical proportions, and it was by employing them that the famous painters and sculptors of antiquity attained to great and endless renown† (72). Some of the famous architects of the Renaissance era included Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, Battista Alberti and Palladio. Each had their own style and power to not only engineer great feats of architectural beauty but to also bring forth their vision of classical Roman design with symmetr y as the focal point. Though Vitruvius speaks of symmetry his nature of the term also gives leeway, â€Å"Therefore, since nature has designed the human body so that its members are duly proportioned to the frame as a whole, it appears that the ancients had good reason for their rule, that in perfect buildings the different members must be in exact symmetrical relations to the whole general scheme† (73). This is especially seen in Brunelleschi’s brilliant masterpiece the dome of the Florence Cathedral or duomo as the Italians call it. The genius of the duomo was that it is a dome built within a dome. Bruniselleschi realized the weight issue of this dome, and thought that another structure to hold most of the weight would allow for the architecture to last longer without future engineering. Along with the genius of building this dome within a dome, Brunelleschi also used less material at the top of the dome where the oculus is located in order for the issue of weight to have less of a detrimental effect on the design, â€Å"As the total weight of the structure was thereby lightened, he could dispense with the massive and costly wooden trusswork required by the older method of construction† (Janson 1997, 419). Among Brunelleschi’s other major accomplishments and contributions to architecture is he renewal of the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns in their proper places. Another recognized accomplishment of Brunelleschi is his system of proportions; although his architecture seems simple to the layman, his intricacies lie within his use of appropriate measurement inducing harmony in his overall structure such as the Ospedale degli Innocenti. This modular cube building is pristine in its measurements between columns, and the height and space are especially p roportioned (Architecture in Renaissance Italy paragraph two). There is a definite sense of these elements intermingling in architecture so much so that the physical is being eclipsed by the virtual and when this happens the most important element of architecture which will lead the evolution is light. The Renaissance was an era of individuals. The art movement occurred in the 1400s at which time the world was succumbing to great travesties. The one hundred years war was happening, the bubonic plague had killed at least 50% of the population among such countries as France, Germany and England, but Italy was spared. Due to Italy’s political system, which is a series of city republic states with not king, no true peasant class, and so there is room for social mobility, and capitalism has made the culture a commercial society. Merchants, such as the Medici’s, ran this commercial society and all of these circumstances put together gives way for the Renaissance, â€Å"In 1419, while he was working out the final plans for the Cathedral dome, Brunelleschi received his first opportunity to create buildings entirely of his own design. It came from the head of the Medici family, one of the leading merchants and bankers of Florence, who commissioned him to add a sacristy to the Romanesque church of S. Lorenzo† (Janson 1997, 419). . In order for artists to have observed the world around them, leisure time must have been pursued and because Italy did not so entirely succumb to the great plague, the entire culture was left to flourish. They flourished in everything, mostly art. This era of individuals allowed for self-made millionaires who would commission artists to create whatever they wanted. One of the main contributors to the Renaissance was the Church. The ability of a Renaissance artist to create and invent hinged on the indulgence of the commissioner. Thus, many great religious art works were also the focal point of the artist. , and so, by observing the world around them Renaissance artists created a plethora of religious structures. By seeing the world around them and inventing necessary objects with which to engage in that world or to improve life, Renaissance artists proved that invention was key in discovering the world. Thus, the Renaissance did not only give the world great art, but the artistic genius and fortitude to create great monuments and inventions. By simple observation, artists such as Brunelleschi could give the world new forms of sculpture, architecture, and design implementations involving grand scale construction. Observation is the key to artistic genius, and it is through observation that art and invention collide. The genius of Brunelleschi was able to flourish because of religion. His work on the duomo was not limited to just the architecture, but the engineering as well, â€Å"Instead of having building materials carried up on ramps to the required level, he designed hoisting machines† (Janson 1997, 419). Thus, not only was architecture thriving but also other avenues of art such as engineering. It was financial freedom which lead to the greatness of the duomo, and Brunelleschi’s stamp in art history.

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 26

I spent the night at the lake again, but this time I didnt sleep. Instead I sat along the bank, listening to the world hum around me as though I was an audience member at a musical show. Frogs croaked melodically, blowing out their chests with proud puffs. Fish swam to the lakes surface to gulp down the water bugs that hovered there, then dived back down to the depths with soft flips of their tails. Birds flew overhead in V formation, and small animals rustled through the reeds, chasing one another as they ferreted out their next meal. Then came the grand finale as the sun, an enormous, watery orb, rose to its place of prominence in the sky, signaling that it was the all-powerful king and Earth was its subject. As I sat there, watching the one thing that could kill me in an instant if it werent for the ring Katherine gave me, a sense of calm rippled through my body. The world was beautiful and magical and I was lucky to still have a place in it. Grabbing a perfectly round, flat stone, I stood and looked out over the water. I closed my eyes.If it skips four times, everything will be okay.Then I let the stone soar. It skipped once twice three times â€Å"Four skips! Impressive!† a voice cheered, followed by enthusiastic clapping. I turned around just as Callie leaped into my arms. â€Å"Youre in a good mood,† she said with a smile. â€Å"I am. And its all thanks to you.† She tucked her arm through mine. â€Å"In that case, I know just how you can thank me!† I felt her pulse beating through my coat, and her blood smelled nearly irresistible. But the stone had skipped four times, so I bent down to kiss her. Callie and I spent all day together, and then I slept at the lake again. When I arrived home the following day at dusk, I found a pile of clothes, including the black trousers and gray coat Id modeled for Lexi, on the floor outside my room. On top of the pile was a note, written in block handwriting. Follow your heart. You're lucky you still have one. I scooped the bundle up into my arms, touched, relieved, and a little bit sad all at once. I changed into a blue chambray shirt and white trousers and slicked my hair back in the mirror. I looked like any young man preparing for a rendezvous with a pretty girl. I just wished it were that simple. I crept down the stairs, waiting for someone to jump out of the shadows to stop me–to tell me my plan would never work. But I made it all the way down and then through the kitchen and out the backdoor without that happening. Once outside, I walked the two miles to Laurel Street with my hands in my pockets, whistling the strains of â€Å"God Save the South.† I paused to pick a white magnolia from a bush in front of a peach-colored mansion at the bottom of Callies street. â€Å"Stefan!† an urgent whisper came from behind the tree at the bottom of the Gallagher driveway. Callie stepped into view. Her hair was loose and flowing down her back, and she was wearing a white nightdress trimmed in eyelet lace, just like the first time Id seen her, except that this time she was standing close enough to me that I could see that although she was wearing a heavy gray woolen shawl, she wasnt wearing a petticoat. I turned away, suddenly shy. â€Å"Stefan,† Callie murmured, brushing my arm with her fingers. â€Å"Are you ready?† â€Å"Yes,† I said. I took the flower and tucked it behind her ear. She smiled. â€Å"Youre such a gentleman.† â€Å"And youre beautiful,† I responded, reaching out to push a strand of hair behind her ear. Her tresses were as soft as rose petals and smelled of honey. I wanted to stay there forever, watching her breath form puffs of air in front of me. â€Å"Callie † I began, when the bells of a distant church chimed suddenly into the frosty air. Twelve bells. Midnight. The witching hour. â€Å"Its time,† Callie said. â€Å"Jaspers shift lasts until twelve thirty, but I can tell him youre there to relieve him early. That will buy us some time. Once the second guard shows up, youll be long gone. But we have to hurry.† She sounded very sure of herself, but her trembling lip gave away her emotions. I wanted to throw my arms around her, tuck her into bed, and whisper â€Å"sweet dreams† in her ear. But I, a vampire, was relying on this child to protect me. Callie knit her fingers together as if in silent prayer. Then she nodded and gave me a wan smile. â€Å"Dont be scared,† she said, pressing her palm into mine. But I could feel her heart thumping at a gallop from the pulse points in her palm. She led me through the iron gates and around the gravel driveway, and opened a nondescript door on the side of the house. â€Å"Be quiet,† Callie commanded, as my eyes adjusted to the dark. Unlike the rest of the house, with its polished marble and gleaming oak, this entrance was strictly utilitarian, designed for servants to have easy access to the storage space in the attic without disturbing the residents of the house. A steep staircase, made of unfinished walnut beams, loomed in front of us. Callie cocked her head, listening for something. I followed suit, although my thoughts were buzzing too loudly for me to hear specific words. Suddenly, I heard a scraping sound from the floor above us. Callie glanced at me; shed heard it as well. â€Å"Jasper,† Callie explained. â€Å"We should go up.† She walked up the rickety steps, as I followed quickly behind her. Once we got to the cracked, whitewashed door, she knocked–two quick raps followed by a pause, then a longer one. A lock clicked, and then we heard the scratch of metal against metal as Jasper undid the bolt. Finally, he opened the door, wedging his body next to the edge so we couldnt see inside. â€Å"Well, well, well. Callie and the man who staked the vampire, then ran for his life. To what do we owe the pleasure?† Jasper leered. I shifted uncomfortably, trying to get a glimpse inside the room. â€Å"Hello, Jasper,† Callie said, brushing past him and motioning for me to follow. In the darkness, I could just make out a sizable cage in the corner. A large, unmoving lump lay inside. â€Å"Father needs you in the study. Stefan will take over until the next shift arrives.† â€Å"Meet Jasper in the study?† a loud voice boomed. â€Å"But Im right here.† I froze.Gallagher. Callies father was perched at a rickety table behind the door, a hand of cards laid out in front of him. In the center of the table, a single candle flickered. â€Å"Oh, Father.† Callie giggled. The sound felt forced, out of place. â€Å"I must have been confused. I know youd wanted to play cards tonight, and I suppose I thought youd be more comfortable in the study or † she began, her voice wavering. She licked her lips and sat down at the table across from Gallagher. â€Å"Youre kind to think of me, girl,† Gallagher said gruffly. â€Å"Mr. Gallagher,† I said, bowing slightly. â€Å"I was told to report for duty, but perhaps Im mistaken?† The confusion wasnt hard to feign. Callie had sworn her father would be out of the house. â€Å"Is that right, Jasper?† Gallagher asked. â€Å"Guess it is. He aint bad, that one. A little nervous, but when he sticks em, he sticks em good.† Gallagher nodded, taking in the information. â€Å"And this is that boy you trust, Miss Callie?† Gallagher asked his daughter. Callie nodded, her cheeks reddening under her freckles. Then finally, thankfully, Gallagher stood up, his chair scraping against the floor. â€Å"Well, then, Ill leave you boys to it,† he said, taking his whiskey and following his daughter downstairs. â€Å"So youre Gallaghers guy now, aint you?† Jasper asked, shoving a vervain-soaked stake in my hands. My skin burned, and pain shot through my arms. I fought the urge to growl and clamped down on my tongue. Tensing, I felt the stake with only two fingers, trying to minimize the contact the poisoned wood had with my body. â€Å"Well, I aint going to stick around,† Jasper continued. â€Å"The vampires hungry tonight. Hope he eats you. And while he does that, Im going to spend some time with Miss Callie and her daddy. Show em youre not the only man who can be all friendly and genteel-like,† Jasper said. His movements were loose, and I could smell whiskey on his breath. â€Å"Brother?†I whispered. Damon reared up, fangs bared, causing me to jump back in surprise. He laughed, a hoarse chuckle, then collapsed against the side of the cage, exhausted from the exertion. â€Å"What, brother? Scared of a vampire?† I ignored him as I began wresting the door off the structure. Damon watched in curiosity and then slowly crawled over toward me. He was just reaching out when I felt a searing pain radiate from my spine through my entire body. â€Å"Gotcha!† a voice yelled.