Consider the characters of Mary Logan in Roll Of Thunder Hear My Cry :: English Literature

Consider the characters of Mary Logan in Roll Of Thunder Hear My Cry and Gilbert Dawson in The Sexton's Hero showing how they reflect the theme of heroism. Mary Logan in "Roll Of Thunder Hear My Cry" and Gilbert Dawson in The Sexton's Hero both have many similarities, all of which reflect the theme of heroism. Both have to fight against the expectations of the society they live in. Mary Logan lives in the USA in the 1930's. She is a young black woman living in a white mans world, she is a teacher and her family own land, which the white landowners are not very happy about. The white people believe that blacks a less worthy then whites and should know their place. Gilbert Dawson is a man living in Lancashire in the 1850's, he is meant to be strong and ready to fight, however he doesn't want to fight and this angers the rest of the community. ====================================================================== Both Mildred D. Taylor and Elizabeth Gaskell wrote their books to change peoples views on different things. Mildred D. Taylor wanted to change peoples views on black people, and Elizabeth Gaskell wanted to change peoples views on haw people should act. Both writers see people as equal. ====================================================================== In the dictionary a hero is: "A person who is admired for being brave" Mrs Gaskell's definition is ====================================================================== "One who acts up to the highest idea of duty he has been able to perform, no matter at what sacrifice." ================================================================ In fairy tales, the hero is usually a man who rescues the princess from evil. Over time the term hero has changed from the old fashioned traditional hero to modern hero's (someone who is heroic for standing by principles and suffering hardship as a result.) ===================================================================== In The Sexton's Hero, Gilbert Dawson is more of a traditional hero because he saves Letty and the Sexton's life, but dies himself. He also has some of the qualities of a modern hero as he stands up for what he believes in. However Mary Logan in "Roll Of Thunder Hear My Cry" is a modern hero, as she stands by here principles, no matter what the cost to her is. =================================================================== In "The Sexton's Hero," Gilbert Dawson is expected to support and reflect the male working class stereotype. He is expected to be "manly", physically strong and aggressive, ready to fight when necessary and to stand up to a challenge. However Gilbert Dawson goes against these expectations. He refuses to fight much to the amazement of the onlookers "it seemed such a thing for a stout young chap to be a coward and afraid." But Gilbert Dawson was not a coward or afraid.

John Alexander Macdonald: A Good Role Model? :: essays research papers

John Alexander Macdonald: A Good Role Model? A role model can be looked up upon and imitated. Many would argue that Sir John A. Macdonald is not someone of this stature, but I have different opinions about him. By studying some books about him I concluded that this humble man is someone who deserves to be known as a good role model. Here are some reasons to why. It is John A. Macdonald's outstanding qualities that made him a upright leader. He won the hearts of people because he could relate to them and their problems. Showing humility, Mr. Macdonald considered himself as one of them*. And his devotion to helping these people is shown by his life course, to which even his opponents admitted "there does not exist in Canada a man who has given more of his time--more of his heart--more of his wealth or more of his intellect and power, such as they may be, for the good of the Dominion of Canada." Yes, we can say that the first Prime Minister was very devoted to Canada and her people, and helped direct Canada to become what it is now. John A. Macdonald became well known for the way he treated people. He was kind and courteous. And because of his humor and consideration of others, people enjoyed being around the Prime Minister. He left a good impression on the people of Canada because he cared for not only the English, but also the French and Natives. One example is when he visited the Council House of the Six Nation Indians near Brantford. Mr. Macdonald met more than thirty farmers and after only thirty minutes of chatting with them he knew them all by name# . In another instance, a guest of John A. Macdonald was so impressed with the hospitality he received that he described him as "courteous in his social relations--a very prince". In both cases he made those involved feel noticed and cared for. The most prominent attribute that makes John A. Macdonald a good role model is his honesty. In comparison to all of the politicians, he is by far one of the most honest Prime Ministers. Although he was not perfectly honest as shown in the Pacific Scandal, he rarely made promises that weren't fulfilled. The people recognized this and showed their appreciation by continuing to support him till

Loyalty and Trust in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Es

Huckleberry Finn – Loyalty and Trust    Huckleberry Finn does not address questions of law as directly as the other novels that we have read. Ostensibly, Huck is torn between disobeying the slavery laws and honoring his conscious.   However, Huck shows a disregard for other laws throughout the story, so I think that his conflict stems not from a belief that one must obey the law because it is the law, or on a social contract theory.   Huck is never overly concerned with the truth or the norms of society, he adheres to the mores of society because of the consequences as opposed to any fundamental acceptance of them or authority.   Unlike Billy Budd, however, Huck does not seem to be influenced by the fear of corporal punishment, as much as he is concerned with the social consequences that would result if his disobedience was discovered.   The choice that Huck eventually makes is deeper than just choosing to accept the social consequences, he is willing to `go to hell' for Jim, rather than betray the loya lty and trust that has grown between them.      I think that Mark Twain choose an excellent vehicle for the presentation of a sharp, social satire. By letting Huck tell the story, Twain was free to present the ignorance underscoring the mores that were passed onto to children.   Huck interprets the world literally, which starkly contrasts with the romanticism of Tom Sawyer and spiritualism of the widows.   Huck's literalism also allows him more leeway than a third-person narrator can have.   Mark Twain could have presented his criticisms in an essay, or a more sensational, fictional novel; however, he has chosen the most powerful form because the realism of th... ...ppears, because it is possible that Tom's disregard was not based on unintentional, ignorance but rather was intentional and selfish. I will have to re-read Tom Sawyer to consider that question, I remember that was my view the very first time I read the book because I did not read Tom Sawyer first.   I think I changed my mind upon learning that Tom was such a well-known and beloved character, I did not think the audience would accept it.   However, today, I am not sure why I thought the audience's expected acceptance/rejection is indicative of the authors intent. Twain was very dark in his later years, and his use of the dialects, inclusion of the (arrogant, taunting?) notice/explanation (challenge?) and his biting satiric tone indicate that he would not feel constrained by the audiences expectations, and might seek to shock them.     

Hockey: Nutrition and National Game Essay

Despite the ever-growing popularity of cricket, Hockey has managed to still be the National Game of India. The peak time of Indian hockey team was from 1928 to 1956, when it brought all the six consecutive Olympic gold medals home that were held during those years. Hockey was chosen as the National Game because of the team’s unparalleled distinction and matchless talent at the time. During the phase, India had played 24 Olympic matches and won all of them scoring 178 goals and conceding only 7 goals. The only other achievements of the team later that are worth mentioning are the gold medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the gold medal in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. The black magic Indian touch and their ball juggling feats have become almost extinct now. Perhaps we need better coaches, more finances and facilities and more practice on Astroturf, which has a faster surface than the grass, where Indians have to practice. It will be a good idea to train the talented children in hockey right from school level, providing them the necessary funds, training and facilities to preserve the Indian glory. Today all the people are interested in playing games such as cricket, football in our country. But people are not showing interest in the game hockey. since hockey our national game. most of the schools and colleges are having ground only for foot ball and cricket. not for hockey. some people wont do no the captain of the hockey game. Not go so far in India study channel there is no category for our national game hockey. So this must be changed . I am not mentioned that playing cricket and foot ball is not a wrong thing but at the same time please give the same importance to the game hockey. There are also subtyoes of hockey have been introduced- like field hockey, ice hockey, roller hockey, street hockey etc. Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent’s goal using a hockey stick. In many areas, one sport is generally referred to simply as hockey. The word hockey itself is of unknown origin, although it is likely a derivative of hoquet, a Middle French word for a shepherd’s stave. [3] The curved, or â€Å"hooked† ends of the sticks used for hockey would indeed have resembled these staves. Junk food Junk food is a derisive slang term for food that is of little nutritional value and often high in fat, sugar, salt, and calories. [1][2][3] It is widely believed that the term was coined by Michael Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, in 1972. [4] Junk foods typically contain high levels of calories from sugar or fat with little protein, vitamins or minerals. Foods commonly considered junk foods include salted snack foods, gum, candy, sweet desserts, fried fast food, and sugary carbonated beverages. [5] Many foods such as hamburgers, pizza, and tacoscan be considered either healthy or junk food depending on their ingredients and preparation methods. [citation needed] The more highly processed items usually falling under the junk food category. [6] What is and is not junk food can also depend on the person’s class and social status, with wealthier people tending to have a broader definition while lower-income consumers may see fewer foods as junk food, especially certain ethnic foods. Despite being labeled as â€Å"junk,† consuming such foods usually does not pose any immediate health concerns and is generally safe when integrated into a well balanced diet A study in 2008 suggested that junk food consumption alters brain activity in a manner similar to addictive drugs like cocaine and heroin. [9] After many weeks with unlimited access to junk food, the pleasure centers of rat brains became desensitized, requiring more food for pleasure. After the junk food was taken away and replaced with a healthy diet, the rats starved for two weeks instead of eating nutritious fare. [10] A 2007British Journal of Nutrition study found that female rats who eat junk food during pregnancy increased the likelihood of unhealthy eating habits in their offspring. [11] A report published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology suggests that babies of mothers with a high-sugar and high-fat diet while pregnant are more prone to junk food themselves. The study was conducted on rats and suggests that pups â€Å"whose mothers eat excessive amounts of high-fat, high-sugar junk foods when pregnant or breastfeeding are likely to have a greater preference for these foods later in life. â€Å"[12] Junk food can be appealing for a variety of reasons, including convenience, price and taste. For children, who do not always understand the health consequences of their eating habits, junk food may appear especially appetizing. However, regularly consuming fattening junk food can be addictive for children and lead to complications like obesity, chronic illness, low self-esteem and even depression, as well as affecting how they perform in school and extracurricular activities.

College Dropouts Essay

It’s safe to assume that everyone who applies for college is taking the first step to improving their lives. We are not forced to go to college like we are grade school. It’s totally optional yet those of us who chose not to attend college are looked down upon in our society. Our generation is under immense pressure to succeed. The first step to success is usually defined by graduating from College and getting a degree. Those of us who chose to go to college away from home are taking a huge risk and testing our ability to be away from our safety zone. Many teenagers don’t realize that it’s a whole new world and they may not be ready to embrace it all at once. Even I often find myself a bit overwhelmed by all the new things I must adapt to. In high school, teachers and counselors were there to guide you, as high school classes are typically smaller than the entering freshman class. It’s a lot harder to get the personalized attention that you’ve been used to and that could turn people off quickly. Sometimes high school doesn’t really prepare students for college because they never get a realistic view of life. Even in high school you’re sheltered and teachers constantly remind you of assignments. Professors won’t waste their time reminding a student of their assignments. You receive a syllabus and they expect you to be aware of all the readings and upcoming assignments. Many turn to the social scene when work is too hard. Eleanor Roosevelt once said,† With freedom comes responsibility. † Some students have lack of self control and have difficulty balancing work and fun. They get stressed out in class and decide to just go out and party instead of doing their homework. Without a college degree it’s hard find a well paying job. During our parents generation it was probably easier to find a job whether you had a high school degree or not. Now those with just high school degrees are lucky to find jobs at fast food restaurants. Times are changing and for the better but the number of college dropouts is still on the rise. A variety of causes lead to the effects of college dropouts. These causes range from internal conflicts within the student to external causes that they can not control. A college degree is very necessary and could determine whether or not a student will be able to support themselves and their future family. I contemplated withdrawing my first few weeks of college because of personal problems. I found it difficult to concentrate in class because of all the things that were going on. I started talking to a counselor and if it wasn’t for him I would have given up those first two weeks. He told me that giving up now was a waste of my life because I’d been in â€Å"training† my whole life for this higher education. I’m glad that I decided to stay and one day when my children attended college I will be understanding of all the things that could cause a student to want to drop out.

Billie Holiday’s Cruel Life

To understand the controversy that Billie presented one must first go to the root or source of such controversy and examine Billie's childhood. Billie was born Eleanora Harris to her father Clarence Holiday and mother Sadie Fagan who were just fifteen and thirteen years old, respectively, at the time (A 91). Born between 1912 and 1915 in Baltimore, the date unsure, Billie grew up without her father, who moved away early on in her life. Billie and her mother used to fight a lot, when her mother was around. Much of the time Billie was left in the care of relatives or friends, many of whom were unloving (E). Billie's relationship with her family was very weak, as Billie throughout her life and career never or rarely got family approval or recognition (W 13). The extent to which Billie did not get along with her family is evident as she was chastised for her grandmother's death at the age of six (E). The turmoil within Billie's family was manifested when Billie commented later on in life that â€Å"As far as I'm Concerned, all the Fagans are dead† (W 14). This made her family very mad and lead to their further abandonment of Billie. Aside from the superficial tension between Billie and her mother, they did their best to remain loyal to one another and provide for each other (W 201). As Billie grew older, life grew harder and reality slowly became more and more real for her. At age 10, Billie was raped, further strengthening Billie's image of reality. As Billie grew older she became carefree and grew to have a strong temper. One musician remembers Billie as â€Å"a child, 11 or 12 years old, shouting the worst words she knew in the street, anxious to be grown up† (W 35). And on the numerous occasions when Billie's mother was out of town, she would be out having fun without any worries. Billie grew accustomed to using men to get money. Billie would pick up guys, pretending to be a hooker, and then she and her friend would jump him and take his money (W 28). â€Å"She became a fast woman. She wanted fast money, fast life† (W 26). Her life did become faster and faster as Billie was brought further down into the truths of the world when Billie became a prostitute. â€Å"[Billie] ran errands for a brothel in Philadelphia and in 1927 moved to New York, where for the next three years she earned a living as a prostitute† (E). These aspects of Billie's life molded her attitude towards life in the future, and her future decisions and goals. These influences became her boundaries, her disposition, and in some cases, her limitations. Educationally, Billie was deprived. Never getting beyond the fifth grade, Billie was the victim of the educational restrictions that were imposed on many of those who dwelt in Black Ghettos (BB 67). As Billie grew older her education became a limitation. â€Å"This woman's talent and her looks, and yet in some ways she really had the mind of a 12-year-old† (BB 67). This lack of education would haunt Billie later in her career, a startling reminder of her childhood, and its definite shortcomings of providing safety, an education, and a moral base. Musically, Billie grew up listening to the blues, although it never really was her type of music. Billie loved listening to Jazz records as a child, early influences including Louis Armstrong. Eventually, Billie moved on to attempt a singing career. â€Å"Inspired by her love of singing, she talked the manager of a club into letting her sing a few tunes with the house band- she made $57 in tips† (E). In this way, Billie was motivated to become a singer, a decision that will prove not only to be beneficial to her, but also to be a risk factor that would threaten her health.

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 22

Bonnie was disturbed and confused. It was dark. â€Å"All right,† a voice that was brusque and calming at once was saying. â€Å"That's two possible concussions, one puncture wound in need of a tetanus shot – and – well, I'm afraid I've got to sedate your girl, Jim. And I'm going to need help, but you're not allowed to move at all. You just lie back and keep your eyes shut.† Bonnie opened her own eyes. She had a vague memory of falling forward onto her bed. But she wasn't at home; she was still at the Saitou house, lying on a couch. As always, when in confusion or fear, she looked for Meredith. Meredith was just returning from the kitchen with a makeshift ice pack. She put it on Bonnie's already wet forehead. â€Å"I just fainted,† Bonnie explained, as she herself figured it out. â€Å"That's all.† â€Å"I know you fainted. You cracked your head pretty hard on the floor,† Meredith replied, and for once her face was perfectly readable: worry and sympathy and relief were all visible. She actually had tears pooling in her eyes. â€Å"Oh, Bonnie, I couldn't get to you in time. Isobel was in the way, and those tatami mats don't cushion the floor much – and you've been out for almost half an hour! Youscared me.† â€Å"I'm sorry.† Bonnie fumbled a hand out a blanket she seemed to be wrapped in and gave Meredith's hand a squeeze. It meantvelociraptor sisterhood is still in action . It also meantthank you for caring . Jim was sprawled on another couch holding an ice pack to the back of his head. His face was greenish-white. He tried to stand up but Dr. Alpert – it was her voice that was both crusty and kind – pushed him back onto the couch. â€Å"You don't need any more exertion,† she said. â€Å"But I do need an assistant. Meredith, can you help me with Isobel? It sounds as if she's going to be quite a handful.† â€Å"She hit me in the back of the head with a lamp,† Jim warned them. â€Å"Don't ever turn your back on her.† â€Å"We'll be careful,† Dr. Alpert said. â€Å"You two stayhere ,† Meredith added firmly. Bonnie was watching Meredith's eyes. She wanted to get up to help them with Isobel. But Meredith had that special look of determination that meant it was better not to argue. As soon as they left, Bonnie tried to stand up. But immediately she began to see the pulsating gray nothingness that meant she was going to pass out again. She lay back down, teeth gritted. For a long time there were crashes and shouts from Isobel's room. Bonnie would hear Dr. Alpert's voice raised, and then Isobel's, and then a third voice – not Meredith, who never shouted if she could help it, but what sounded like Isobel's voice, only slowed down and distorted. Then, finally, there was silence, and Meredith and Dr. Alpert came back carrying a limp Isobel between them. Meredith had a bloody nose and Dr. Alpert's short pepper-and-salt hair was standing on end, but they had somehow gotten a T-shirt onto Isobel's abused body and Dr. Alpert had managed to hang on to her black bag as well. â€Å"Walking wounded, stay where you are. We'll be back to lend you a hand,† the doctor said in her terse way. Next Dr. Albert and Meredith made another trip to take Isobel's grandmother with them. â€Å"I don't like her color,† Dr. Albert said briefly. â€Å"Or the tick of her tocker. We might as well all go get checked up.† A minute later they returned to help Jim and Bonnie to Dr. Albert's SUV. The sky had clouded over, and the sun was a red ball not far from the horizon. â€Å"Do you want me to give you something for the pain?† the doctor asked, seeing Bonnie eyeing the black bag. Isobel was in the very back of the SUV, where the seats had been folded down. Meredith and Jim were in the two seats in front of her, with Grandma Saitou between them, and Bonnie – at Meredith's insistence – was in the front with the doctor. â€Å"Um, no, it's okay,† Bonnie said. Actually, she had been wondering whether the hospital actually could cure Isobel of infection any better than Mrs. Flowers' herbal compresses could. But although her head throbbed and ached and she was developing a lump the size of a hard-boiled egg on her forehead, she didn't want to cloud her thinking. There was something nagging at her, some dream or something she'd had while Meredith said she'd been unconscious. Whatwas it? â€Å"All right then. Seat belts on? Here we go.† The SUV pulled away from the Saitou house. â€Å"Jim, you said Isobel has a three-year-old sister asleep upstairs, so I called my granddaughter Jayneela to come over here. At least it will be somebody in the house.† Bonnie twisted around to look at Meredith. They both spoke at once. â€Å"Oh, no! She can't go in!Especially not into Isobel's room! Look, please, you have to – † Bonnie babbled. â€Å"I'm really not sure if that's a good idea, Dr. Alpert,† Meredith said, no less urgently but much more coherently. â€Å"Unless she does stay away from that room and maybe has someone with her – a boy would be good.† â€Å"A boy?† Dr. Alpert seemed bewildered, but the combination of Bonnie's distress and Meredith's sincerity seemed to convince her. â€Å"Well, Tyrone, my grandson, was watching TV when I left. I'll try to get him.† â€Å"Wow!† Bonnie said involuntarily. â€Å"That's the Tyrone who's offensive tackle on the football team next year, huh? I heard that they call him the Tyre-minator.† â€Å"Well, let's say I think he'll be able to protect Jayneela,† Dr. Alpert said after making the call. â€Å"But we're the ones with the, ah,overexcited girl in the vehicle with us. From the way she fought the sedative, I'd say she's quite a ;;terminator' herself.† Meredith's mobile phone beeped out the tune it used for numbers not in its memory, and then announced, â€Å"Mrs. T. Flowers is calling you. Will you take the – † In a moment Meredith had hit thetalk button. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers?† she said. The hum of the SUV kept anything Mrs. Flowers might be saying from Bonnie and the others, so Bonnie went back to concentrating on two things: what she knew about the â€Å"victims† of the Salem â€Å"witches,† and what that elusive thought while she was unconscious had been. All of which promptly flew away when Meredith put down her mobile phone. â€Å"What was it? What?What? † Bonnie couldn't get a clear view of Meredith's face in the dusk, but it looked pale, and when she spoke shesounded pale, too. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers was doing some gardening and she was about to go inside when she noticed that there was something in her begonia bushes. She said it looked as if someone had tried to stuff something down between the bush and a wall, but a bit of fabric stuck up.† Bonnie felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her.†What was it?† â€Å"It was a duffel bag, full of shoes and clothes. Boots. Shirts. Pants. All Stefan's.† Bonnie gave a shriek that caused Dr. Alpert to swerve and then recover, the SUV fishtailing. â€Å"Oh, my God; oh, my God – he didn't go!† â€Å"Oh, I think he went all right. Just not of his own free will,† Meredith said grimly. â€Å"Damon,† Bonnie gasped, and slumped back into her own seat, tears welling up in her eyes and overflowing. â€Å"I couldn't help wanting to believe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Head getting worse?† Dr. Alpert asked, tactfully ignoring the conversation that had not included her. â€Å"No – well, yes, it is,† Bonnie admitted. â€Å"Here, open the bag and give me a look inside. I've got samples of this and that†¦all right, here you go. Anybody see a water bottle back there?† Jim listlessly handed one over. â€Å"Thanks,† Bonnie said, taking the small pill and a deep gulp. She had to get her head right. If Damon had kidnapped Stefan, then she should be Calling for him, shouldn't she? God only knew where he would end up this time. Why hadn't any of them even thought of it as a possibility? Well, first, because the new Stefan was supposed to be so strong, and second, because of the note in Elena's diary. â€Å"That's it!† she said, startling even herself. It had all come flooding back, everything that she and Matt had shared†¦. â€Å"Meredith!† she said, oblivious to the side look which Dr. Alpert gave her, â€Å"while I was unconscious I talked withMatt . He was unconscious, too – â€Å" â€Å"Was he hurt?† â€Å"God, yes. Damon must have been doing something awful. But he said to ignore it, that something had been bothering him about the note Stefan left for Elena ever since he saw it. Something about Stefan talking to the English teacher about how to spelljudgment last year. And he just kept saying,Look for the backup file. Look for the backup†¦before Damon does .† She stared at Meredith's dim face, aware as they cruised slowly to stop at an intersection that Dr. Alpert and Jim were both staring at her. Tact had its limits. Meredith's voice broke the silence. â€Å"Doctor,† she said, â€Å"I'm going to have to ask you something. If you take a left here and another one at Laurel Street and then just drive for about five minutes to Old Wood, it won't be too far out of your way. But it'll let me get to the boardinghouse where the computer Bonnie's talking about is. You may think I'm crazy, but Ineed to get to that computer.† â€Å"I know you're not crazy; I'd have noticed it by now.† The doctor laughed mirthlessly. â€Å"And I have heard some things about young Bonnie here†¦nothing bad, I promise, but a little difficult to believe. After seeing what I saw today, I think I'm beginning to change my opinion about them.† The doctor abruptly took a left turn, muttering, â€Å"Somebody's taken the stop sign from this road, too.† Then she continued, to Meredith, â€Å"I can do what you ask. I'd drive you all the way to the old boardinghouse – â€Å" â€Å"No! That would be much too dangerous!† † – but I've got to get Isobel to a hospital as soon as possible. Not to mention Jim. I think he really does have a concussion. And Bonnie – † â€Å"Bonnie,† Bonnie said, enunciating distinctly, â€Å"is going to the boardinghouse, too.† â€Å"No, Bonnie! I'm going torun , Bonnie, do you understand that? I'm going torun as fast as I can – and I can't let you hold me up.† Meredith's voice was grim. â€Å"I won't hold you up, I swear it. You go ahead and run. I'll run, too. My head feels fine, now. If you have to leave me behind, youkeep on running. I'll be coming after you.† Meredith opened her mouth and then closed it again. There must have been something in Bonnie's face that told her any kind of argument would be useless, Bonnie thought. Because that was the truth of the matter. â€Å"Here we are,† Dr. Alpert said a few minutes later. â€Å"Corner of Laurel and Old Wood.† She pulled a small flashlight out of her black bag and shone it in each of Bonnie's eyes, one after another. â€Å"Well, it still doesn't look as if you have concussion. But you know, Bonnie, that my medical opinion is that you shouldn't be running anywhere. I just can't force you to accept to take treatment if you don't want it. But I can make you take this.† She handed Bonnie the small flashlight. â€Å"Good luck.† â€Å"Thank you for everything,† Bonnie said, for an instant laying her pale hand on Dr. Alpert's long-fingered, dark brown one. â€Å"You be careful, too – of fallen trees and of Isobel, and of something red in the road.† â€Å"Bonnie, I'm leaving.† Meredith was already outside the SUV. â€Å"And lock your doors! And don't get out until you're away from the woods!† Bonnie said, as she tumbled down from the vehicle beside Meredith. And then they ran. Of course, all that Bonnie had said about Meredith running in front of her, leaving her behind, was nonsense, and they both knew it. Meredith seized Bonnie's hand as soon as Bonnie's feet had touched the road and began running like a greyhound, dragging Bonnie along with her, at times seeming to whirl her over dips in the road. Bonnie didn't need to be told how important speed was. She wished desperately that they had a car. She wished a lot of things, primarily that Mrs. Flowers lived in the middle of town and not way out here on the wild side. At last, as Meredith had foreseen, she was winded, and her hand so slick with sweat that it slipped out of Meredith's hand. She bent almost double, hands on her knees, trying to get her breath. â€Å"Bonnie! Wipe your hand! We have to run!† â€Å"Just – give me – a minute – â€Å" â€Å"We don't have a minute! Can't youhear it?Come on! â€Å" â€Å"I justneed – to get – my breath.† â€Å"Bonnie, look behind you. And don't scream!† Bonnie looked behind her, screamed, and then discovered that she wasn't winded after all. She took off, grabbing Meredith's hand. She could hear it, now, even above her own wheezing breath and the pounding in her ears. It was an insect sound, not a buzzing but still a sound that her brain filed underbug . It sounded like the whipwhipwhip of a helicopter, only much higher in pitch, as if a helicopter could have insect-like tentacles instead of blades. With that one glance, she had made out an entire gray mass of those tentacles, with heads in front – and all the heads were open to show mouths full of white sharp teeth. She struggled to turn on the flashlight. Night was falling, and she had no idea how long it would be until moonrise. All she knew was that the trees seemed to make everything darker, and thatthey were after her and Meredith. The malach. The whipping sound of tentacles beating the air was much louder now. Much closer. Bonnie didn't want to turn around and see the source of it. The sound was pushing her body beyond all sane limits. She couldn't help hearing over and over Matt's words:like putting my hand in a garbage disposal and turning it on. Like putting my hand in a garbage disposal†¦ Her hand and Meredith's were covered with sweat again. And the gray mass was definitely overtaking them. It was only half as far away as it had been at first, and the whipping noise was getting higher-pitched. At the same time her legs felt like rubber. Literally. She couldn't feel her knees. And now they felt like rubber dissolving into gelatin. Vipvipvipvipveeee†¦ It was the sound of one of them, closer than the rest. Closer, closer, and then it was in front of them, its mouth open in an oval shape with teeth all around the perimeter. Just like Matt had said. Bonnie had no breath to scream with. But she needed to scream. The headless thing with no eyes or features – just that horrible mouth – had turned ahead of them and was coming right for her. And her automatic response – to beat at it with her hands – could cost her an arm. Oh God, it was coming for her face†¦. â€Å"There's the boardinghouse,† gasped Meredith, giving her a jerk that lifted her off her feet.†Run!† Bonnie ducked, just as the malach tried to collide with her. Instantly, she felt tentacleswhipwhipwhip into her curly hair. She was abruptly yanked backward to a painful stumble and Meredith's hand was torn out of hers. Her legs wanted to collapse. Her guts wanted her to scream. â€Å"Oh, God, Meredith, it's got me! Run!Don't let one get you!† In front of her, the boardinghouse was lit up like a hotel. Usually it was dark except for maybe Stefan's window and one other. But now it shone like a jewel, just beyond her reach. â€Å"Bonnie, shut your eyes!† Meredith hadn't left her. She was still here. Bonnie could feel vine-like tentacles gently brushing her ear, lightly tasting her sweaty forehead, working toward her face, her throat†¦She sobbed. And then there was a sharp, loud crack mixed with a sound like a ripe melon bursting, and something damp scattered all over her back. She opened her eyes. Meredith was dropping a thick branch she had been holding like a baseball bat. The tentacles were already sliding out of Bonnie's hair. Bonnie didn't want to look at the mess behind her. â€Å"Meredith, you – â€Å" â€Å"Come on – run!† And she was running again. All the way up the gravel boardinghouse driveway, all the way up the path to the door. And there, in the doorway, Mrs. Flowers was standing with an old-fashioned kerosene lamp. â€Å"Get in, get in,† she said, and as Meredith and Bonnie skittered to a stop, sobbing for air, she slammed the door shut behind them. They all heard the sound that came next. It was like the sound the branch had made – a sharp crack plus a bursting, only much louder, and repeated many times over, like popcorn popping. Bonnie was shaking as she took her hands away from her ears and slid down to sit on the entry-hall rug. â€Å"What in heaven's name have you girls been doing to yourselves?† Mrs. Flowers said, eyeing Bonnie's forehead, Meredith's swollen nose, and their general state of sweaty exhaustion. â€Å"It takes too – long to explain,† Meredith got out. â€Å"Bonnie! You can sit down – upstairs.† Somehow or other Bonnie made it upstairs. Meredith went at once to the computer and turned it on, collapsing on the desk chair in front of it. Bonnie used the last of her energy to pull off her top. The back was stained with nameless insect juices. She crumpled it into a ball and threw it into a corner. Then she fell down on Stefan's bed. â€Å"What exactly did Matt say?† Meredith was getting her breath back. â€Å"He saidLook in the backup – orLook for the backup file or something. Meredith, my head†¦it isn't good.† â€Å"Okay. Just relax. You did great out there.† â€Å"I made it because you saved me. Thanks†¦again†¦.† â€Å"Don't worry about it. But I don't understand,† Meredith added in her talking-to-herself murmur. â€Å"There's a backup file of this note in the same directory, but it's no different. I don't see what Matt meant.† â€Å"Maybe he was confused,† Bonnie said reluctantly. â€Å"Maybe he was just in a lot of pain and sort of off his head.† â€Å"Backup file, backup file†¦wait a minute! Doesn't Word automatically save a backup in some weird place, like under the administrator directory or somewhere?† Meredith was clicking rapidly through directories. Then she said, in a disappointed voice, â€Å"No, nothing there.† She sat back, letting her breath out sharply. Bonnie knew what she must be thinking. Their long and desperate run through danger couldn't all be for nothing. Itcouldn't . Then, slowly, Meredith said, â€Å"There are a lot of temp files in here for one little note.† â€Å"What's a temp file?† â€Å"It's just a temporary storage of your file while you're working on it. Usually it just looks like gibberish, though.† The clicking started again. â€Å"But I must as well be thorough – oh!† She interrupted herself. The clicking stopped. And then there was dead silence. â€Å"What is it?† Bonnie said anxiously. More silence. â€Å"Meredith! Talk to me!Did you find a backup file? â€Å" Meredith said nothing. She seemed not even to hear. She was reading with what looked like horrified fascination.