Create Activity Night Opportunities for Families

Create Activity Night Opportunities for Families While students in grades 7-12 may be testing their independence, parents and caregivers may feel as though they are becoming less necessary. Research shows, however, that even at middle school and high school grade levels, keeping parents in the loop is critical to each students academic success. In the 2002 research review  A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement,  Anne T. Henderson and Karen L. Mapp conclude that when parents are involved in their children’s learning both at home and at school, regardless of race/ethnicity, class, or parents’ level of education,  their children do better in school. Several of the recommendations from this report include specific types of involvement including learning-focused involvement activities including the following: Family nights focused on content areas (arts, math, or literacy)Parent-teacher conferences that involve students;Family workshops on planning for college; Family activity nights are organized on a central theme and are offered at school during hours that are favored by (working) parents. At the middle and high school levels, students can fully participate as well in these activity nights by acting as hosts/ hostesses. Depending on the theme for the activity nights, students can demonstrate or teach skills sets. Finally, students can serve as babysitters at the event for parents who need that support in order to attend. In offering these activity nights for middle and high school, consideration should be given to the age and maturity of the students in mind. Involving the middle school and high school students when planning events and activities will give them ownership of an event. Family Content Area Nights Literacy and math nights are features in elementary schools, but at the middle and high school schools, educators can look to feature specific content areas such as social studies, science, the arts or technical subject areas. The nights could feature student work products (EX: art shows, woodcraft demonstrations, culinary tastings, science fair, etc.) or student performance (EX: music, poetry reading, drama). These family nights could be organized and offered school wide as large events or in smaller venues by individual teachers in classrooms. Showcase Curriculum and Planning Nights While much attention has been been on the curriculum revisions taking place nationwide  to align with the Common Core State Standards, individual school district curriculum changes are what parents need to understand in planning academic decisions for their children. Hosting curriculum nights in middle and high school lets parents preview the sequence of study for each academic track offered in the school. A overview of a schools course offerings also  keeps parents in the loop  on  what students will learn (objectives) and how measurements for understanding will be done in both  formative assessments  and in summative assessments. Athletic Program Many parents are interested in a school districts athletic program. A family activity night is an ideal venue to share this information for designing a students academic course load and sports schedule. Coaches and educators at each school can discuss how parents should be aware of the time commitments required of participating in a sport, even at the intra-mural level. Preparation of coursework and attention on GPAs, weighted grades, and class rank given in advance to parents of students who wish to participate in college athletic scholarship programs is important, and this information from athletic directors and guidance counselors can begin as early as 7th grade. Conclusion Parent involvement can be encouraged through family activity nights that offer  information on a variety of relevant topics such as those listed above. Surveys to all stakeholders (educators, students, and parents) can help design these family activity nights in advance as well as provide feedback after participation.  Popular family activity nights can be repeated from year to year.   Regardless of the topic, all stakeholders, share responsibility in preparing preparing students for college and career readiness in the 21st Century. Family activity nights are the ideal venue to share critical information tied to this shared responsibility.

A Beautiful World

Seven years ago, I was on plane. The sky was full of darkness, but had speckles of light scattered all over the atmosphere. Looking down, I observed millions of buildings illuminating. I experienced a dropping feeling down in my stomach, and my ears were starting to ache. I pulled out a piece of gum and started chewing; we were about to land! Being in a plane for about twelve hours made me want to escape unless I slept the whole way. Entering the terminal, our family welcomed us. Our family was so excited to see us. When we arrived at their house, I went straight to bed. The next day I was awakened with the aroma of my aunt’s delicious cooking. She prepared eggs, beans with sour cream, fresh bread, fresh tortillas, and tamales! After breakfast my siblings and I climbed the long, cold cemented stairs to the roof, a place where we could examine the beautiful volcanoes in the distance, hundreds of houses all clustered together, markets, and a park. My aunt lived in the vivacious city. As we were exploring, we heard a sound coming from the house in front of us. We strolled to the front end of the house. Then, four boys about my age approached us, greeted us, and inquired millions of questions. That day my siblings and I played soccer and hide and seek with them. Those four boys became our friends. Guatemala, a beautiful world, provided my family and me with rich cultures.

Assessing Iran's Nuclear Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assessing Iran's Nuclear Program - Essay Example Much of the information contained in these sources commonly comes from reliable sources as publishers remain careful to avoid prosecution, for publication of misleading information to the public. The utilisation of OSINT can be utilised in gaining essential information regarding Iran’s nuclear programme. Since the country considers the capacity to produce nuclear power its right, the country is bound to release a lot of information to various sources, which can be utilised to gather intelligence reports. Numerous international news channels and media have published reports regarding the nuclear programme progress in Iran. With increased availability of media reports regarding the nuclear programme, OSINT can easily become effective source of reliable information (BBC 2006). The existing tensions between western governments and Iran cannot support the utilisation of intelligence operatives undertaking an operation within the country. Intelligence gathering can only be undertaken through the application of OSINT. Open sources have been essential in providing the entire world with information of the nuclear programme being implemented by Iran. The plan to construct a nuclear power plant by the country appears to be at advanced stages, though the construction has continued secretly (The Associated Press 2008). This secret construction continues to cause concerns over whether the intended plant will be utilised for only power production. The increased links between the country and terrorism groups, combined with the hard-line Islamic leadership, create concerns for international security. While OSINT has been effectively utilised in gaining essential information on the nuclear programme, such intelligence cannot present information regarding the objetcives of the project. The concerns about construction of nuclear weapons remain a suspicion

Buss low Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Buss low - Essay Example The case involved Apple and Samsung in argument of products manufactory. The jury found Samsung guilty by willfully infringing Apple patents. Apple requested to triple the compensation, but the lawyers defended the claim. Apple requested the court to prevent Samsung to ship products infringing Apple’s patents. The court decision favored Apple. Samsung penalty served as a deterrent effect to worn other companies trying to manufacture products similar to their competitor. The court ruling that Samsung should compensate Apple for damages was right, since Samsung had made profit from Apples products (Wingfield, p. 4). Apple did not make the products for their competitors to flagrantly copy but for delighting their customers. I strongly agree with the courts decision. Each company should use skills but not to copy other company’s product. The ruling served as a warning to Samsung and other companies trying to copy their competitor’s products. Nick Wingfield. Jury Awards $ 1 Billion to Apple in Samsung Patent Case. Viewed on August 24, 2012 from

A Comparison of the Poetry of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost Essay

The Poetry of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost The poetry of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost contains similar themes and ideas. Both poets attempt to romanticize nature and both speak of death and loneliness. Although they were more than fifty years apart, these two seem to be kindred spirits, poetically speaking. Both focus on the power of nature, death, and loneliness. The main way in which these two differ is in their differing use of tone. The power of nature is a recurring theme in the poetry of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost. Dickinson uses this theme in her poem " `Nature' is what we see -." The power of nature is strongly portrayed in this poem by Dickinson's articulation of what the speaker see's in nature. " `Nature' is what we see -... / Nature is what we hear -... / Nature is what we know -" (277 lines 1,5,9). Nature is everything to a person, it appeals to all senses. Dickinson also says in this poem, "So impotent Our Wisdom is / To her Simplicity" (277). The speaker is saying that nature has such great power that one can't even comprehend her simplest ways. In ... ...466. -------- "Birches." American Literature. New York: Scribner Laidlaw. 1989. p472,473. -------- "Fire and Ice" American Literature. New York: Scribner Laidlaw. 1989. p466. Freeman, Margaret. "Metaphor Making Meaning: Dickinson's Conceptual Universe." Journal of Pragmatics 24 (1995): 643-666. Nesteruk, Peter. "The Many Deaths of Emily Dickinson." Emily Dickinson journal 6.1 (1997): 25-44. White, Fred D. "`Sweet Skepticism of the Heart': Science in the Poetry of Emily Dickinson." College Literature 19.1 (Feb 1992): 121-128.

Thorn Queen Chapter Thirteen

Ysabel couldn't be coaxed out of her room, no matter how hard I tried. I even sent Shaya to do it, seeing as she tended to be a bit more personable than I was. No luck. Ysabel remained firmly entrenched and would only ramble over and over about how she was going to tell her lord about me and escape this accursed place. Evening wore on, and I couldn't drag myself back to Tucson. My feelings were in turmoil. I'd never expected to feel guilty about anything pertaining to Ysabel, but there it was. And as more time passed, I didn't just feel bad about inadvertently suffocating her. As soon as I'd realized what I had done, I knew I had to cease practicing this kind of magic immediately. Storm King had used it to kill his enemies in horrible ways. Kiyo had warned that delving further and further into my powers would put me on a path I might not be able to turn away from. And yet†¦that was the problem. I knew I had to stop†¦but I didn't want to. Sure, I didn't want to learn air magic to kill. But after touching that power†¦I couldn't stop thinking about it. I found my mind spinning, analyzing the air around me and how easy it would be to manipulate it. What had started as a seemingly small lesson from Ysabel was quickly moving into larger and larger implications as I grasped more of air's patterns and how it worked. It was like I didn't even need a teacher. My own nature and pull toward magic was running away and creating its own lessons. My conflicted ruminations were interrupted when a letter arrived via the Otherworld's equivalent of the Pony Express. It was from Leith. As I'd suspected, he'd devoured the engineering books. What I hadn't expected was that he'd already developed a plan for how to implement some of the irrigation systems and was going to accompany some workers out to Westoria in the morning to get started-unless I had any objections, of course. If I didn't, then he would be honored if I would come out to meet them. He also added in his letter that he had investigated the towns near the Yellow River crossroads. None of them had any reports of missing girls. It figured, I thought. I either had enough bad luck to be the only monarch with runaway girls-or I possibly had an enemy specifically targeting me. Considering the number of gentry who resented my rule, the latter wouldn't have surprised me. Regardless, I decided I had to go out to see Leith tomorrow. Even if it was just an elaborate attempt to woo me, he was still going to an awful lot of trouble with this. Plus, I hoped that if I spent the night here, Ysabel might finally emerge. So, I stayed over, giving me the opportunity to meditate with the land. While I noticed no ostensible difference in the morning, there was a strange, intangible feel to it†¦. It seemed healthier. Like always, I couldn't exactly articulate why. Perhaps most disturbing of all, I found that staying over wasn't quite the agonizing ordeal it used to be. I was preparing to head out to see Leith when a guard announced that a rider was approaching. I wondered if it was a messenger-or possibly Leith himself. Instead, it was someone quite unexpected. Dorian. The castle servants fell all over themselves to welcome the Oak King, and he swept inside as though perfectly entitled to it. Which, I guessed, he was. Nonetheless, I had no time for his antics today and greeted him with hands on my hips. â€Å"Not today, Dorian. I have things to do.† â€Å"As do I,† he said. He had that typically laconic tone to his voice, but there was an oddly serious-and impatient-look in his eyes. It was not an expression I'd seen very often. â€Å"I've come to see my subject. I knew you wouldn't welcome her with open arms, but honestly, my dear, your attempts at murder shock even me-no small feat.† My jaw nearly dropped to the floor, both because of his assumption and the fact that she'd somehow gotten a message out to him. â€Å"Wha-? Dorian, it's not true! It was an accident. I didn't realize what I was doing.† â€Å"May I see her?† he asked, not acknowledging my plea. I could hardly deny him that, and he hurried off to her room without another word. She admitted him-no surprise there-and I found myself pacing the entire time they were together. It had been bad enough that Ysabel had thought me capable of assault. But somehow†¦the idea of Dorian thinking badly of me? Well, it struck me harder. I shouldn't have cared what he thought-God knew I was mad at him more often than not. Yet, I realized that deep inside I wanted his good opinion. I felt sick to my stomach that I might have lost it. When he emerged, his face was still serious. â€Å"I believe I have convinced her that your intentions weren't murderous.† I sagged in relief-more, I think, because he appeared to believe me. â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"The question now is: do you want her to stay?† â€Å"Will she?† I asked, startled. â€Å"She obeys me,† he said simply. â€Å"She'll stay and continue to teach if I tell her to.† â€Å"I don't want anyone here against their will†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I've assured her of her safety. She won't live in-much-fear of you. So, that's no longer the issue. The issue instead is if you want to continue with her teachings.† â€Å"I can't-not after†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stopped, realizing I was unsure of the words leaving my lips. I didn't want to be like Storm King. I didn't want a natural affinity for learning ways to kill people. And yet†¦I couldn't stop thinking about the way I'd felt wielding that kind of power. Controlling water had given me a rush; air had doubled it. Dorian's gold-green eyes were watching me very carefully. â€Å"I see,† he said. â€Å"Then I'll tell her she'll be staying a little longer.† I started to protest but couldn't. He returned to her, stayed a few more minutes, and then joined me in my parlor where I had resumed pacing. â€Å"Well, then,† he said briskly, â€Å"that is that.† The grim set to his face was gone, and I found myself grateful to see the return of his usual mien. â€Å"I noticed you were about to leave. Off to free humans from your subjects?† â€Å"Off to free my subjects from me.† I explained my task, and his features lit up with interest. â€Å"How convenient that I'll be traveling in the same direction. Unless you'd like me to wait here until you return?† No, the last thing I wanted was to encourage Dorian to make himself at home in my castle. So, I grudgingly conceded that he could go with me, partly because I still felt guilty and grateful over his intervention in the Ysabel incident. One bright side to him being with me was that Rurik decided I didn't need an entire retinue for the trip. He alone accompanied us, and I wondered idly how Dorian managed to go wherever he wanted without an entourage. I didn't like to think he was a more authoritative ruler than me. â€Å"Don't give me a hard time about this air thing,† I warned. â€Å"I don't want any spiels about how I'm embracing my heritage and approaching my destiny.† Dorian smiled, eyes on the road ahead of us. â€Å"I don't need to tell you things you already know.† â€Å"Of course†¦I suppose if I did get a better grip on my magic, I might be able to get rid of those fucking fire demons.† â€Å"You see? I told you I don't need to say anything. You're finding ways to rationalize your use of magic all on your own.† â€Å"Hey, this is a serious threat. You can't tell me you'd be all casual if you had demons running loose in your kingdom.† I frowned. â€Å"Or would you? I got the impression a lot of rulers don't bother themselves with that kind of thing.† Dorian's eyes took on that serious glint again, despite the small smile on his face. â€Å"Aeson didn't bother. Don't generalize to all of us. You know better. If I had demons in my land, I'd lead a group out myself to obliterate them.† I wondered if Dorian could. My potential power might be greater than his, but at the moment, his control and skill made him a more dangerous force than me. A ruler in the Otherworld had to be powerful, or else the land wouldn't accept them. It was a wonder I'd been found worthy. â€Å"Do you want me to help you?† he asked when I remained silent. â€Å"I'll go with you the next time you strike.† â€Å"What would that cost me?† I asked with an eye roll. â€Å"Why do you assume everything I do has an ulterior motive? Isn't it enough I'd want to help you?† â€Å"I don't know,† I said, not liking how his words made me feel bad. Was I attributing more insidious motives to him than he deserved? â€Å"I don't trust anyone around here.† Westoria was looming in the distance. â€Å"I don't even trust Leith's engineering generosity. He's not doing this for the sake of trade.† Dorian's eyes lifted to the approaching village. â€Å"That,† he said, â€Å"we can both agree on. No matter how much you beat yourself up over those demons, you have more than enough strength to bind the land to you.† I hated his uncanny ability to guess my thoughts. â€Å"When Katrice dies, the Rowan Land will either pass in entirety to someone with the power to control it, or it will divide itself and be subsumed into other kingdoms.† â€Å"Shaya said the same thing-and that Leith thinks being hooked up with me would help keep it in the family.† I shook my head. â€Å"One land's bad enough. I don't have the power to control two.† â€Å"You'd be surprised,† he said ominously. Our arrival was greeted with the same wonder and awe I'd had before the demon incident. Apparently, yesterday's food shipments and Leith's presence today had reestablished my awesome reputation. Dorian seemed to have an effect as well. As we dismounted and walked through the village, the residents' eyes followed both of us, filled with admiration and wonder. Glancing at Dorian, I could understand their feelings. He strode through the dusty town just as he had my castle, confident and majestic, even after a hot and wearying ride. He looked like, well, a king, and even I couldn't help but admire his good looks. Beside him, I felt frumpy and insignificant. Then, I tried to pull back out of my glum thoughts and imagine what we must look like to these people, both of us tall and red-haired. We looked good together, I knew. I was in jeans, but I'd cleaned up this morning, and my hair was down. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see where the sun lit it up, giving the red a golden hue that complemented Dorian's truer red. My tank top was blue, a good color for me, and I had on my usual gemstone jewelry. Perhaps most importantly, we carried our titles as king and queen, and to these people, I realized we were probably the equivalent of a Hollywood couple on the red carpet. â€Å"Your majesty! I'm so glad you could-† Leith had come running up to us and came to a total standstill when he saw Dorian. After a few stunned moments, he made a polite bow to the Oak King. â€Å"Your majesty. Also a pleasure.† I could tell Dorian was delighted to have ruined Leith's plans for a romantic interlude. â€Å"Well, I hated to part from Eugenie this morning, so I thought I'd come along and see what's new.† I had to restrain myself from elbowing him. His wording implied that we'd woken up together. Our former relationship was no secret, and Dorian had pitched his words loudly, so that some of the gathered villagers would hear. No doubt this would be all over the Otherworld by tonight. Leith looked even more dismayed than before, and I tried to smooth things over. â€Å"Why don't you show us the project?† I asked him. â€Å"I don't think I can thank you enough for what you've done.† Leith brightened and eagerly led us forward. As we walked, Dorian murmured in my ear, â€Å"Believe me, he's more than sure you could thank him enough.† â€Å"How come you can allegedly do things for me without ulterior motives but no one else can?† I hissed back. Dorian only grinned as Leith headed toward the village's edge and showed us his handiwork. There was little to see of his irrigation system at this point. Mostly people were digging and laying out the foundation. Leith did his best to explain what it would develop into and even showed us blueprints-quaintly written on parchment. I followed them a little but could tell they were gibberish to Dorian, despite his polite and confident smile. Zealous or not, a prince of the Rowan Land was not about to do manual labor, and once the tour was done, he sat down with Dorian and me at the mayor's house. Davros seemed only too happy to keep offering his home as my hangout and eagerly served us wine before leaving his esteemed guests to discuss whatever it was royalty talked about. â€Å"This is only the beginning of what we can do,† Leith said, positioning himself so that Dorian wasn't in his line of sight. â€Å"I'd love to come visit and discuss more ways to work through this. I've got some ideas on how to construct buildings that will reflect light better. Have you ever considered redesigning your castle?† â€Å"Yikes,† I said. â€Å"No. That'd be a big feat.† â€Å"Not as big as you think. Not with the right help.† I shook my head with a smile. â€Å"Let's just focus on the people first.† Leith smiled back. â€Å"Sure. But I will come by some day to show you some palace ideas-just in case you change your mind. Or, better yet, you should come visit us. Mother would love to show you the hospitality of the Rowan Land.† â€Å"Or, better yet, you should throw the Thorn Queen a party,† said Dorian, deadpan. â€Å"I'm sure she would love it.† This time, I did elbow Dorian. Leith didn't notice. Dorian knew perfectly well I dreaded Otherworldly social events-particularly when the focus was on me. â€Å"Really,† I began. â€Å"That's not-â€Å" â€Å"Of course!† said Leith. â€Å"We haven't had a grand ball in quite a while. We could invite hundreds of people†¦.† I decided then that elbowing wasn't severe enough. It was with great restraint that I didn't actually kick Dorian. He placed his own elbow on the table, resting his chin in his hand, appearing quite entertained. â€Å"You'd have to outdo Maiwenn's party, to truly show Eugenie honor,† said Dorian. â€Å"That's going to be hard to do. Of course, Maiwenn has an unfair advantage with her maternal glow, eh? Eugenie was just telling me on the way here how all this baby talk is kindling longings of her own.† I choked on my wine. â€Å"I love children too,† Leith told me. â€Å"I can't wait to have some-once I find the right woman.† I was spared more of this when one of Leith's workers came in, anxious over some mishap. Leith looked devastated at the thought of abandoning me-and also embarrassed over me witnessing a flaw in his grand plans. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he said. â€Å"I hate to leave you. I'm sure this will only take a moment.† â€Å"Actually,† I said, rising. â€Å"We should probably get going as well.† â€Å"Must you?† he asked, face falling further. â€Å"I'm sure I'll see you soon.† â€Å"Yes,† agreed Dorian. â€Å"You should get moving on that ball. Or maybe I should just throw one for her†¦.† Leith totally fell for the baiting. â€Å"No, no. I would be more than honored to.† He swept me a bow, and I let him kiss my hand. â€Å"I'll have news for you soon, I promise.† I smiled and expressed my thanks and allowed him to kiss my hand again when he insisted. As soon as he was gone, I turned on Dorian. â€Å"Are you trying to push me into his arms or away?† â€Å"Ironically, doing one causes the other.† He stretched and stifled a yawn. â€Å"Were you telling the truth? Are you ready to leave?† â€Å"Yeah, I think so-â€Å" â€Å"Your majesty?† Davros stuck his head into the room, wearing his usual apologetic look. His eyes flicked nervously from Dorian to me. â€Å"I'm so sorry to bother you†¦I know you must be busy and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"She's been found, your majesty. The missing girl? Her parents tracked her down last night but were afraid to tell you†¦she seemed so distraught. I only just found out myself. I told them you'd want to know-â€Å" â€Å"Of course, I do.† I was already moving toward the door, Dorian fast on my heels. â€Å"Where are they?† Still bobbing his head in obeisance, Davros hastily led us to a small home on the opposite side from Leith's construction. He beat impatiently on the door. â€Å"Open up! The queen is here.† Almost a minute passed before the door opened. The woman who had accosted me on my first visit peered out, eyes wide. â€Å"Your majesty,† she said humbly, inclining her head. She didn't seem to recognize Dorian. â€Å"We-we didn't know you were here.† â€Å"I want to see her,† I said impatiently. â€Å"Let me talk to her.† The woman hesitated, fearful of me but also fearful of something else, apparently. Davros was undeterred. â€Å"This is the Thorn Queen! Let her in.† With a gulp, the woman stepped aside. I found myself in a small but clean cottage, dimly lit thanks to all the curtains being drawn, though all the windows were open to allow a breeze. The woman's husband met us as we walked through the kitchen, his face pale and afraid. â€Å"Your majesty†¦forgive us. We were afraid to tell you. We were afraid she'd run away again.† â€Å"I'm not going to hurt her. I just want to talk to her.† It was a bit depressing, between Ysabel and this family, knowing everyone was terrified of me. Ironically, before I'd known about my gentry heritage, I'd been proud of the fear I inflicted on Otherworldly inhabitants. â€Å"Please take me to her.† I felt Dorian's hand on my shoulder and his breath warm against my ear as he whispered, â€Å"You do not need to say please.† With a quick exchange of looks, the couple led us to the back of the cottage, into a tiny bedroom. It too was darkened, and I could make out a slim girl lying on a bed. There was a washcloth on her forehead that fell off when she sat upright at our approach. She cringed against the wall. â€Å"Who is it? I told you I didn't want to see anyone†¦.† â€Å"It's all right, Moria,† said her mother. â€Å"This is the queen. She's come to talk to you. She's not going to hurt you.† The girl wilted even more, blond hair covering half of her face. â€Å"No, no†¦She's come with the others, come with her human blood to bind us and kill us and-â€Å" â€Å"Moria,† I said gently, holding my hands out as one would under a white flag. â€Å"She's right. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk to you. It won't take long.† â€Å"They all say that,† Moria said, eyes wide with tears. â€Å"They all say they won't hurt you†¦all the humans†¦you're no different†¦they all say they aren't†¦.† She lapsed into muttering too low for me to hear, her hands clinging to the covers. â€Å"I think,† Dorian murmured to me, â€Å"that her experience has left her†¦ah, a little touched. I doubt you'll get anything useful from her. There's a healer at Maiwenn's court who's particularly good with sickness of the mind. You should send for her.† I had a feeling he was right but had to make one more attempt. â€Å"I just want to know where you've been. Who took you. I want to make sure it doesn't happen again. Tell me who it is, and I'll stop them.† â€Å"No,† she breathed. â€Å"You're the same†¦the same as him†¦the Red Snake Man.† â€Å"Red Snake†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I still had demons on the brain, and an image of their red and black mottled skin came to mind. Were they snake-like? â€Å"Moria, were you taken by demons? Or some kind of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hell, in the Otherworld, any monster you could imagine pretty much existed, as Smokey had shown us. â€Å"†¦um, snake monster?† She shook her head frantically. â€Å"Our own kind don't hurt us. It's only yours†¦you're all the same†¦the human blood†¦all marked the same†¦.† Her eyes left my face and lowered. For a disorienting moment, I thought she was staring at my chest until I realized her gaze was on my arm. I absentmindedly touched the spot. It was where my snake tattoo coiled around my arm. Moria squeezed her eyes shut. â€Å"All the same†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stiffened. â€Å"Did he†¦are you saying the person who took you had a tattoo like this on his arm?† â€Å"The Red Snake Man,† she whispered, still refusing to open her eyes. â€Å"Did he banish you? Did he force you to this world? Or did you come back on your own?† â€Å"Iron†¦iron everywhere†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stared off at nothing for several seconds. â€Å"I'm done,† I said, turning to her parents. â€Å"She can rest now.† I left the house as swiftly as I'd come in, Dorian matching my pace. â€Å"What's going on? That meant something to you.† I nodded, heading toward where Rurik stood with our horses. â€Å"I think I know who took her-and maybe the others. Not bandits or a monster. It was a human.† â€Å"How do you know that?† â€Å"Because of the tattoo.† The Red Snake Man. I'd seen a red snake tattoo just the other day-on Art. He'd had that on one arm and a raven on the other. â€Å"It's another shaman, one who lives very close to where the crossroads around here opens up in my world.† He was also the shaman who had told me to my face he knew nothing about gentry girls. I came to a halt by the horses and absentmindedly stroked the side of mine. She looked back and sniffed me. â€Å"But why? Why would he take a gentry girl? Or more than one? His job is to get them out of our world. I could see him banishing them out of the human world†¦.That might traumatize her, but that doesn't sound like what happened. She disappeared from this world. She made it sound like she didn't want to be in the human world.† Dorian snorted. â€Å"Eugenie, where in your jaded existence did you pick up this naà ¯vete? If a human took one of our girls, it'd be for the same reason we'd take one of theirs. For the same reason any man would abduct a girl.† I blanched at his implications. â€Å"But more than one?† â€Å"He wouldn't be the first man to prefer-ah, how shall we say it? Variety.† I couldn't see it of Art, not the Art who happily tended his garden and offered us beer and pop. He'd known Roland for years. They'd worked together. Was Art truly a kidnapper and rapist? Or was the girl just traumatized from being banished? It could be a pretty horrific experience. I grimaced, feeling a sharp twisting in my stomach. I'd come too close to rape already in my life to treat even a hypothetical situation lightly. Was Moria a victim? Were there others like her out there? Maybe it wasn't truly Art†¦and yet, her words had dark implications. The human blood. A mark like mine. The Red Snake Man. The crossroads to Yellow River. He had to be involved; I just didn't know how. I gave the horse one last pat and then mounted. â€Å"I have to get home,† I said, turning back to Dorian and Rurik. There was some mistake here, some mix-up. Art wasn't involved in this. He couldn't be, at least not in the way Dorian had suggested. â€Å"I have to talk to someone. Immediately.† I waited for the requisite Dorian joke, but none came as he mounted his own horse. â€Å"Then we go different ways. Be careful, Eugenie.† For some reason, frankness and concern from Dorian was more disconcerting than his usual banter. â€Å"If I'm right about this, then it's a human matter. Should be a cakewalk compared to what I deal with around here.† Dorian shook his head. â€Å"I'd have to disagree. Give me demons and restless spirits any day over human deceit. But if you need help, I'm here. Just ask.† Again, there should have been a joke here. I glanced away, troubled by the way he looked at me. â€Å"Thanks. Hopefully it'll be a simple matter.† How exactly? That I didn't know. I wasn't sure that roughing Art up would really accomplish anything-if he truly was at fault here. â€Å"See you later, Dorian.† He nodded by way of a farewell. Then: â€Å"And of course, my dear, you may kill as many humans as you like, but please try not to harm any more of my subjects. If you can help it.† There it was, at last. The joke. â€Å"Noted,† I said. I attempted a glare, but there was a smile on my lips as I did. I set a hard pace back to my castle and the gateway that would bring me back to my own world. Crossing over at the Yellow River one would have been faster, but I needed to go to my home in Tucson and prepare myself before facing Art. Rurik matched my pace easily and mercifully stayed silent. He'd watched me and Dorian together the way a child watches his or her divorced parents, in the hopes that Mommy and Daddy might make amends someday. My whirling thoughts made the trip go fast-as did the land's quick route today-and we were greeted with a commotion when we reached the castle's outer borders. A group of guards came tearing toward us, and my heart seized. What now? A siege? Demons? Kiyo? Yet as they got closer, I could see that the guards almost looked†¦enthusiastic. â€Å"Your majesty! My lord! We found her.† Rurik and I drew our horses to a halt and climbed down. I felt my legs scream and knew I'd be sore later. I wasn't so practiced a rider that I could ride like that without consequences. I ignored the pain and turned to the guards. â€Å"Who?† I demanded. â€Å"We have her. The girl. The runaway girl from Westoria,† said the guard, clearly pleased at his success. Rurik and I exchanged puzzled glances. â€Å"That's impossible. We already saw her.† The guard shrugged. â€Å"We found her out near the steppes, by the Rowan Land border. She matches the description and was clearly afraid of us. She tried to run away.† â€Å"Take me to her,† I said helplessly. Had my guards found another of these kidnapped girls? It would certainly provide more information. He led us inside toward one of the little-used rooms, explaining that they hadn't wanted to put her in the dungeon-although her fear and desire to escape had required a guard. His expression turned uncomfortable. â€Å"We, um, also had to bind her in iron. She kept attempting magic. They're still not able to fully stop her.† A guard like this could never handle iron shackles without causing himself intense pain. Sometimes, though, prisoners would be bound in bronze cuffs with a tiny bit of iron affixed to them. It required delicate handling by the captors but was usually enough to stunt the prisoner's magic. We reached the room, and the men on duty stepped aside for us to enter. There, across the room, a slim young woman had her back to us. Long blond hair cascaded down her back, and I had a weird, disorienting sense for a moment as my brain grappled with the possibility that Moria had somehow made it here before us. Then, as the girl slowly turned around, the torchlight began bringing out glints of red in the golden hair that little Moria hadn't had. I realized what was happening even before I fully saw my prisoner's face. â€Å"You have got to be kidding me,† I said. It was Jasmine.

About Declaration of Independence - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 640 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/04/26 Category History Essay Level High school Tags: Declaration of Independence Essay Did you like this example? Elsa Nyongesa Ms. Fernandes ENG 121 Period 7 16 November 2018 Declaration of Independence When in the course of human events, it has become necessary for me to emancipate myself from my parents. I have been subjected to sixteen years of my parents tyranny which has made my life less than content. I have come to find their incessant nagging intolerable and their rules to be very restrictive. I have reached a point in my life where freedom is more than a want. It is a need that can only be met by dissolving the constraining links that have connected me with my parents. I shall now explain the causes of my need to declare independence from my parents. I hold these truths to be evident: that all teens are created equal and have had to live with certain alienated rights, with the most important one being the right to exercise their free will at all times. This involves, but is not limited to the right to go wherever they please, whenever they please. Additionally, they have the right to choose which chores are important and need to be done at that moment rather than be forced to do tedious tasks. Another vital right is self-governance. They should be able to set their own expectations and do what they can to meet them instead of having to live under their parents dictatorship. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world. Thanks to my parents, my social life outside of school is severely lacking. I have been forbidden from going to my friends house. I have been restrained from going out to places such as the mall, or the movies with my friends. I have also been prohibited from communicating with certain people simply because my parents thought it fit. Over the years, my parents have hindered my pursuit of happiness by keeping me from being involved with my friends outside of school. They are constantly pushing me to challenge myself and strive to get high honor roll. An A-minus is not enough in the eyes of my parents. An A average only satiates them temporarily. On top of these overly high expectations, my parents expect me to fulfill a handful amount of chores every day. I find it incomprehensible that they expect me to be on top of my school work at all times, yet they are constantly nagging me for not having time to do chores because of my workload. Nor have I been wanting in attentions to my severely restricted life. I constantly plead with my parents to let me out. However, they have been deaf to the voice of reason. I have gone to great lengths, trying to appease my friends. I have done all my chores which did nothing to impress them because they considered it as an obligation rather than a simple courtesy. I have also tried to exceed their academic expectations by doing all my work and getting high honor roll. Unfortunately, they also dismissed my achievements as if I had no other option than to attain them. I, therefore, have concluded that I ought to be free from my parents dictatorship. I hope that by being e mancipated from my parents, I might acquire the kind of life, liberty, and happiness that I have been deprived of for the past sixteen years. I hope to be free to spend time with my friends whenever I feel like it. I would also want to be able to choose what chores are worth doing ut at the time and which ones are not. Additionally, I would like to be able to set my own expectations instead of trying to live in my parents image. For the support of this declaration, I pledge my life and my freedoms because neither would mean anything under my parents strict rule. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "About Declaration of Independence" essay for you Create order