HRM and the External Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

HRM and the External Environment - Essay Example Flexibility has lead towards the development of new types of employment which significantly differ from the past types of employment such as very short term contract jobs, work at home, outsourcing various assignments etc. Today’s organizations demand flexibility at workplace, various skills, ability to work in different environment and cultures on different assignments, proficiency and high level performance at work place from their employees while the past organizational structure demanded commitment from the employees in exchange of job security (Claydon and Collin, 2005). For achieving high level of functional flexibility, in addition to the high compensation packages organization provide their employees with the opportunities of developing their skills by conducting training programs. This allows the employees to enhance their competencies in various skills and become more marketable (Claydon, 2004). This essay focuses on the increasing flexibility at work place and its i mpact on the employment relationship and the psychological contract, a social contract between the organization and the employee. It will try to reveal if the implementation of flexibility on the organizational level has led towards the alteration of employment relationship or the reduction of level of commitment towards the organization. It starts with the introduction of flexibility and the flexible firm model proposed by Atkinson (1984) with special emphasize on the labour force and 21st century competitive climate in the markets. The different theories and mechanism adapted by the organizations in order to achieve flexibility and the role of human resource management in utilizing the human resources of the organization to improve financial performance will be discussed in order to comprehend the impact of flexibility on the employment relationship, especially the employee commitment towards the employer and psychological contract which are essential concepts in the employment re lationship. Work Force Flexibility It was the 1980’s when crucial changes took place in the work place and employment relationship, the relationship between the employer and the employees. Osterman (2001) revealed that the past employment culture promised extreme job securities and the employees enjoyed relatively longer job periods. In contrast, the decision making process was wholly dependent on the supervisors; the employees had limited role in the organization and was restricted to successfully accomplish the task assigned to them. The trend changed during the last two decades of the twentieth century, the increased pressure of domestic competition and international competition, advances in the technologies, important financial change etc compelled the business organizations to look for the augmented flexibility in order to enhance the yield, rapid responsiveness to changing markets situations and innovation. The business organization have adapted the strategies to eradic ate the permanent jobs not only for the periphery group of work force but also for the core group,

Society and Culture Depth Study Asylum Seeker Essay Example for Free

Society and Culture Depth Study Asylum Seeker Essay Asylum seekers are a group of people, who from fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, social group or political opinion, has crossed an international frontier into a country in which they hope to be granted refugee status. The Australian public opinion towards asylum seekers has often been unwelcoming at best and hostile at worst and this is often the way the media has portrayed the influx of people seeking asylum in Australia. Prime Minister Julia Gillards asylum seeker policy aims to tackle people smuggling. The Government is stepping up efforts to process asylum seekers offshore, and has recently negotiated a refugee swap deal with Malaysia. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has vowed to stop the boats through offshore processing, bringing back temporary protection visas and turning back asylum seeker boats where possible. It is interesting that my perception on hearing and seeing the media reports on the boat asylum seekers that it is an over whelming problem that the media has portrayed it to look like a growing problem with the influx of boats coming into Australian waters. Where as this article by ABC NEWS â€Å"Fewer asylum seekers heading to Australia: UNHCR â€Å" according to the UN report the number of asylum seekers has dropped. After reading this article was the first I have heard the media mention numbers reducing in the arrival of people seeking asylum. The numbers of asylum seekers coming to Australia has dropped by 9 per cent and the outcome of this has been described as â€Å" modest and manageable â€Å" according to the ABC NEWS article. As for many others like myself I can surely say that this isn’t often mentioned in other media coverage’s. In no way in this feature article does it portray asylum seekers to be out doing wrong and to be an overwhelming situation. This article clearing indicates positive co-operation with the Malaysian people swap deal as it states that â€Å"The Malaysia arrangement is the best way to do this, and Tony Abbott should get out of the way and allow the Government of the day to implement it border protection policies.† The way the media can put together a story together on the news can change ones perspective on the producers editing skills. For instance, I have come across a Channel Nine news clip that reports on the centrelink benefits that the asylum seekers are granted with. Using the terms â€Å"the true welfare cost† and â€Å"current wave of asylum seekers† while sinister music playing in the background to create an unwelcoming scene towards the asylum seekers can cause a very influential decision making process made by the viewers at home. While these words are used in a judgemental way that is creating a bad image for asylum seekers as undeserving and unwanted people. While the majority of the viewers would have taken no notice of the type of music being played because a subconscious trick has been played on our thoughts making these facts very more believing. As the reporter goes on images and texts are passing the background video footage of an incoming boat filled with asylums as the large, bold figures of statistics are distracting the viewer which makes it difficult to concentrate on the footage as we are being told that 3 out of 4 asylum seekers are granted these centre link benefits and other numerical figures. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcSOtPv4RCY Nine News asylum seekers report PART 2 STATISICAL ANALYSIS OF DATA RELATING TO ASYLUM SEEKERS Asylum seekers have arrived by boat in Australia since 1976 when the first wave of asylum seekers arrived from Vietnam. Since then Australia has experienced boat arrivals from asylum seekers fleeing persecution from conflict such as countries including Cambodia, China, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Burma and Sri Lanka. A common myth that is pretty much focused on in the media is that most asylum seekers who come to Australia arrive by boat, giving rise to metaphors of a flood, tide or swamping of the county by those seeking asylum on boats. In fact, most asylum seekers arrive by air with a valid visa and later apply for asylum while living in the community (Parliament of Australia Library, 2011). Over the last decade, over 90% of boat arrivals have been found to be genuine refugees. It is illogical and unfair to punish refugees and asylum seekers in the hope of deterring people smugglers. And numerous reports have shown that many asylum seekers are unaware of Australia’s domestic asylum policies, so the use of punishing policies has zero limiting effect. A clear example of the failure of punitive policies to prevent asylum seekers is the policy of Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs). The number of asylum seekers arriving by boat to Australia continued to increase after the introduction of temporary protection visas in 1999 (48% more asylum seekers arrived by boat in 2001 than in 1999). Asylum seekers arriving by boat only started decreasing in 2003 when global asylum numbers started dropping. This evidence strongly suggests that temporary protection visas have no value as a restriction to number of asylum seekers arriving by boat. The same rationale holds true for mandatory detention, introduced in 1992. Refugees, asylum seekers and the Australians who support them have had to endure countless media articles full of inaccuracies and stereotypes. But sometimes media organisations go one step further and publish information which is blatantly false. For example asylum seekers receiving centrelink payments. Asylum seekers are not entitles to the same forms of financial support as citizens or permanent residents. The asylum seeker assistance (ASA) scheme provides assistance to eligible asylum seekers who are in the process of having their basic living expenses, paid at 89 per cent of the centrelink special benefit.

The 3 Branches of the American Government Essay -- History Politics Go

The 3 Branches of the American Government The constitution was established by men who had experienced the dictatorships of Europe and had escaped from its grasp. They sought to establish a form of government that would never allow a dictatorship or tyrant ruler to hold power over the people like in the places they had fled. With their creation of the foundation of what our government is today they created a system where 3 branches were all of equal power and each could be overruled by another which prevented any branch becoming superior of another. The separation of powers provides a system of shared power called Checks and Balances.(2) The three branches are legislative, judicial and executive and they each have specific powers to balance those of the other branches. The Legislative branch is made up of the House and Senate. The Executive branch is made of the President, Vice-President, and the Departments. The Judicial branch is made of the Federal courts and the Supreme Court. Each of these branches has certain powers, an d each of these powers is limited, or checked, by the other two branches. By forcing the three branches to be monitored by the others, no one branch can gain enough power to become superior over the others. The American Governments system of being divided into 3 branches that can restrain one another is the most efficient way to govern the U.S. in a fair manner and without any branch becoming more powerful than another.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Legislative Branch, also known as the Congress, is made up of two houses and their main job is to make the laws of the nation.(1) They are also responsible for checking the actions of the other two branches that make up the Federal government. The two houses that make up the legislative branch are, the House of Representatives and the Senate. Some of the main powers of this branch consist of: the passing of all federal laws; establishment of all lower federal courts; can override a Presidential veto; and can impeach the President. (1) The lower house is the House of Representatives which is made up of members called Representatives. To qualify for becoming a House member a person must be 25 years old or older, must have been a U.S. citizen for seven years, and must live in the district he or she plans to represents. (1) Each state has a number of Representatives depending on the population of that state ... ...was with the hopes of a government of democracy where the will of the people was the main power behind the government. With only two branches there would be a constant battle for power and the merging of any of the three current branches with one another would cause a very negative effect on the balance of power . This system of separating power between three branches has provided a balanced way for the government to carry out the needs of maintaining a successful nation and has proven to be successful in the prevention of tyrannical or dictatorial type leadership taking place. With each branch having a certain area of responsibility and the ability to be monitored and restrained by the other branches our government has managed to uphold the ideals of the original framers of our nation. Their quest for a nation with a strong central government that is for the people and that ensures that the freedoms of the American people are never lost has been achieved and the original idea of three branches has proven to be the perfect balance. BIBLIOGRAPHY http://www.usconstitution.net http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_govt.html http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_sepp.html

Drama Script About Office

â€Å"OFFICE WORKERS† Cast: * Den Mae Pangilinan as Cheng Shi( in Sales Department ) * Cristine Joise Causo as Ms. Quin (Manager of Sales Department) * Analyn Miranda as Lee Min/ Rhen Yue ( in HR Department ) (VP in Merchandising) * Jennica Dela Cruz as Jing Shi ( CEO ) * Jeffrey Nartates  as Mr. Roy (in Sales Department) * Joseph Dela Cruz as Patrick Li ( Manager in Merchandising Department ) * Angelica Javate as Lyn Shao ( VP ) * Gracielle Ann Garcia as Ms. Rhue ( Employee ) * Charmaine Dela Cruz as Ms. Yao ( Assistant Manager of Manager in Merchandising Dep’t. * Joanalene Tanangonan as Ms. Yi ( Secretary of Jing Shi ) Directed by: Group 5 Submitted to: Mrs. Jennifer G. Fronda SYNOPSIS: Cheng Shi is a MBA graduate who has everything handed to her because she is the future successor of Jingshi Department Store. However, her mother worries she will not make a good manager and decides to train her by having him work as an entry-level employee for a year. During the yea r she has to live on her own salary and never reveal her true identity, or she will have to renounce his succession right. Shi could not have survived the year has it not been for Mr. Roy’s office survival guide. Mr.Roy is a Jingshi marketing specialist who has just saved her first Php 50, 000 for the down payment on a house. She works very hard to achieve her goal. Together, Roy and Cheng accomplish the impossible, which is to shine on the bottom of the office pyramid. SCENE 1: Narration Narrator: My name is Christian Roy, an employee in Sales Department of Jing Shi Department Store. I’ve been in the workforce for four years, never treat others, don’t buy clothes that cost more than Php. 1, 000, don’t go to the movies, don’t go to KTV (Karaoke), don’t take the taxi, I’m so frugal because I want to buy my own house where mom and I can live in.Today is the day I’ve been anticipating most. Heaven sees all our hard work. As an off ice boy, I swallow my pride, endure and suffer through anything, work overtime everyday and don’t feel tired, never fight back when my boss yells at me, Im frugal with my money, and from my limited income, I’ve saved first 50, 000 pesos of my life. Although this 50, 000 pesos is just a little dent in the global economy, it’s a big step in my life. This 50, 000 pesos put me one step closer to my dream of buying a house. Some people may think that the life of an office boy is very boring, but I don’t think so one bit.I love WORKING! (AT THE OFFICE) ( 8:00 am ) Ms. Quin: Hey! Ms. Lee Min, may I ask what you are doing? Let me see what you are holding? -Ohh.. you aren’t trying to clock in for Christian Roy from Sales, are you? Ms. Min: of course not, manager. -I’m afraid that once Roy get’s here, he won’t be able to find her card, so I’m holding it for him. Ms. Quin: What are you holding when he’s not here! Clocking in for others is seriously against company policy. You’re in the HR Department and you didn’t know that rule? I don’t want to complain about you young ones, we all work hard to†¦ Ms.Min: Manager, there’s a hot guy. Ms. Quin: Where’s the guy? (Min will get the card of Roy on the hand of manager. Roy will clock in at exactly 8:00 am) Mr. Roy: Yes! (Dance) Ms. Quin: That’s enough. Mr. Roy, you got lucky. If not, I was thinking that your history of four years of perfect attendance would have been ruined. Mr. Roy: Manager, from now on, I’ll leave my house earlier. Ms. Quin: In the afternoon, I’m having a meeting with the CEO. Hurry and prepare the past three months of sales performance report and put it on my desk. Ok? Mr. Roy: Manager!But isn’t it your responsibility to gather the sales report for meeting? Ms. Quin: oh yeah! (smile) Of course that’s something that I, as manager, have to report. But you’re re sponsible in gathering the data. Get on it! Now! (The steps of Ms. Quin would cross Ms. Min) Ms. Quin: Move! (Ms. Min will act threateningly to Ms. Quin) SCENE 2: AT THE OFFICE OF MANAGER (AFTERNOON) Ms. Quin: I told you to prepare a sales report and you really did gather all this crap for me. Take a look. The numbers are so squished and condensed; CEO will get angry at the sight of it. (angry) (sigh) didn’t I tell you before?Pick a few goals, think of some slogan, so when everyone’s in the meeting, ‘ho hey’ or â€Å"wow† all the managers will applaud you and say that you’re the best. Here, do it again. Look for yourself, such a thick stack, are you turning in a thesis? Listen carefully. The version that you redo cannot be more than two A4 pages. Put it on my desk when you’re done. Got it? Mr. Roy: yes! I got it. Ms. Quin: I still have a few more meetings. (exit) SCENE 3: (AIRPORT) Ms. Cheng Shi: Ms. Yi, I'm here. Which car are you dri ving to pick me up? What? I don't care. If it doesn't fit, that's your problem. (Angry) Gossh. become irritated) Background Music (Department Store) Ms. Yi: Good morning Maam. Ms. Cheng Shi: Why did you bring me to the department store? Ms. Yi: The President told me to bring you here directly. Ms. Cheng Shi: Why's she so impatient? Can't she let me first take a rest? She isn't wanting to discuss my inheriting the company, is she? Ms. Yi: I’m not sure maam. SCENE 4: CEO OFFICE Ms. Cheng Shi: Mom. Did you take a look at the proposal which I mailed you before I returned? Great, isn't it? Ms. Jing Shi: I looked at it. Of course I looked at it. It's the proposal that wanted to tear down the old neighborhood around the department store.From now on, you'll start at the bottom of the company. Work hard. Cheng Shi: Stop kidding around. The point of sending me to the US to get an MBA is so that I can inherit the company and become the CEO. I'm ready! Ms. Jing Shi: You're ready†¦ f or what? Are you ready to ruin my life's work? Your studying in the US, tell me how much of my money you spent! Other people can get their degree in two years. You took five years. When you were a student, you didn't wake up in the day and didn't sleep at night. Exactly what you were doing, think I don't know? Ms. Cheng Shi: Mom, I admit that in the past, I liked to play a little too much.But right now, I'm set on expanding the business. I understand your intention to have me start from the bottom. I can make do with starting from Manager. Ms. Jing Shi: Manager? Ms. Cheng: Yes. Ms. Jing Shi: All right. From now on, you are the new employee in the Sales Department of Jing Shi Department Store. Go and start as an assistant. Ms. Cheng: No, Manager. Ms. Jing: Start as an assistant. In the future, you can only spend the money that you earn. And you must sign these five clauses. One, you must not reveal your identity at the company. Two, your year-end performance must be above â€Å"very good†. Three, you can't use my money.You can't use your credit card. Four, you can't live at home. Five, you can't reveal this contract. If within a year you haven't violated this contract, then I will consider your inheritance of this company. Ms. Cheng: What if I violate the contract? Ms. Jing: Then, that means you don't have the ability to survive in the workforce, so don't even talk about managing. Why are you laughing? Ms. Cheng: What did I do that made you look down on me? I don't want to inherit the company anymore, all right? SCENE 5: CEO OFFICE (Knocking the door) CEO (Ms. Jing): come in. Ms. Shao: President CEO: you’ve worked with me the longest.You understand my daughter too. I think that you would agree my decision. Will you help me to discipline my daughter and take the opportunities I offered to her? Ms. Shao: (agree) CEO: Jing Shi Department Store is like my daughter. I don’t want to ruin her life and to destroy her of the other. Ms. Shao: Donâ₠¬â„¢t worry. Leave it to me. CEO: Thank you. SCENE 6: HR DEPARTMENT ( AT THE VP OFFICE) Ms. Shao: Cheng, your mother sent you abroad to study, not to play. MS. Cheng: I did. I even got my diploma. (take a coffee) all she wanted was that diploma. Ms. Shao: let me tell you, your mother is serious this time. If you show her good results†¦ Ms.Cheng: Auntie Shao, you’ve worked with her more than 10 years, you don’t know her past time, do you? She takes great joy in rejecting me. No matter how good a job I do, she’ll never be satisfied. I sometimes question whether I’m her biological daughter. Ms. Shao: of course you are! Why am I telling you all this? (sigh) then use your actions to prove to your mother that she’s wrong. This is your contract (give the pen) unless you don’t have the guts. Oh. And from now on please call me â€Å"VP Shao† Ms. Cheng: Yes VP Shao. May I ask if you have any other orders? Ms. Shao: yes. This is your accoun t book. Also Mr.Ralph has already rented a house for you. From now on, you have to move out and live on your own. The keys and address are inside. Ms. Cheng: (open the envelop) 5, 000? Is it dollars or euro? Ms. Shao: Philippine peso Ms. Cheng: Impossible! Ms. Shao: Possible! Ms. Cheng: My expense for one night is more than 3, 000! Ms. Shao: you should know this is the first time the company’s paid a salary in advance. Your future salary will be deducted to reflect that. You have to understand. The company’s been in business for more than ten years. This is the first time that an employee’s been paid in advance. So you should manage your money wisely.So, what do you think? You can’t afford to play this game? Ms. Cheng: (smile) can I not? Ms. Shao: of course. Then I call you this in future? Ms. Cheng: call me what? Ms. Shao: sissy. Ms. Cheng: I’ll play with her. (sign to contract) SCENE 7: SALES DEPARTMENT Ms. Quin: Mr. Christian Roy! What is this? Look, this page is filled with tiny characters. If you’re so good with small font sizes, why don’t you edit a dictionary? Mr. Roy: (sigh) I’ve already tried my best to focus on the important points, but there is too much data. 2 pages of A4 is not enough. Ms. Quin: A4 was just an example. Take it as an example. Got it?What are you trying to say by making the font so small? Do you want me to hold magnifying glass when I report it to the CEO? How can you comprehension be so low? Mr. Roy: then let me go and increase the size. Ms. Quin: no. never mind. Since, you’ve already done it, got to the meeting with me. Mr. Roy: Meeting? Ms. Quin: What? Are you questioning me? I’m letting you see for yourself how we high class managers hold an inter department meeting. If you aren’t at a certain level, you can’t even attend. It’s your luck to be able to go with me. Cherish and seize this opportunity, got it? Remember, after we go in, only sp eak when I tell you to.Don’t start a fire for me! Mr. Roy: yes sir. Ms. Quin: move. Move! Get on it. SCENE 8: SALES DEPARTMENT Ms. Quin: What? Did you go to the wrong department again? Ms. Min: Manager Quin.. this is the new employee in the Sales Department, Cheng Shi. This is her resume. Then, she’s all yours. Bye. Ms. Quin: bye.. , Ms. Cheng. Ms. Cheng: yes? Ms. Quin: you studied management. Ms. Cheng: yes. Ms. Quin: hey.. Ms. Cheng: yes? Ms. Quin: if you sent directly from HR, it means you have some connections. Tell me, what’s your connection? Ms. Cheng: I applied for the position myself. No one referred me. Ms. Quin: then listen to me Ms. Cheng Shi. The ost important department in Jing Shi Department is our Sales Department. Under my great and fine guidance, we have the highest performance of all departments. Ok. Ms Shin, do you really think that just because your last name is â€Å"Shin†, you’re the relative of the president or something? Hel lo no! the sales goal for our department is â€Å"do what I tell you to† ok? Hey you (pointing out Roy) this newbie is your responsibility. Mr. Roy: ok. She’s in good hands (Shin will step closer to Ms. Lou) Let me first introduce to you our co-workers. Ms. Cheng: it’s time for my lunch. (back out) Mr. Roy: hey Cheng, its working hours, where are you going?Ms. Cheng: I already told you, to lunch! It’s almost noon. Mr. Roy: I was introducing your co-workers and you didn’t care. Is that the attitude a Newbie should have? Ms. Cheng: then may I ask you what attitude should a newbie have? Mr. Roy: respect your boss! Ms. Cheng: so it doesn’t matter whether the boss is right or wrong, everyone should shut up and blindly follow. That shouldn’t be called respect. Mr. Roy: Oh my! I don’t care. Anyway, manager wants me in charge. If you perform badly, I’m responsible. Ms. Cheng: I’m really hungry. If you have anything to say do it over lunch!. Mr. Roy: grr.. SCENE 8: CONVENTION OFFICECEO: Jing Shi Department Store has always been the top performer of the department store industry. But this season, our sales have slumped badly. The gap between our sales and other five big department stores is narrowing. About this, I believe that each department has already come up with a proposal to reverse this trend. Manager Patrick Li, you go first. Mr. Li: Director, the Merchandising Department has always been able to attract the top brands. Of course, in the future we will to expand our market share. However, the performance of Sales department.. (Smile) the companies that we work with have all had problems.CEO: where’s VP Cruz of Sales? Ms. Quin: Director, VP Cruz has taken the day-off, so I, Ms. Quin, am temporarily taking her spot today. CEO: then does Sales have any thoughts on the matter? Ms. Quin: we do. The Sales Department is â€Å"always be ready†. Christian Roy will report to you. Mr. Roy: Manager, you didn’t ask me to prepare anything. Ms. Quin: I don’t care whether or not you’re prepared. Go for it! Here yes. Mr. Roy: Director, after a long observation period conducted by our department, we found that the companies we work with also work with many other stores. This means the brands lack exclusiveness. Ms. Yao: Ms.Lou, the Merchandising Department has already brought in world-class brands. If you don’t think that’s enough, please describe in detail what has to be done, so that we can improve. Mr. Roy: ahh.. hmm. Sorry Director but I don’t know we need first to conduct a new proposal again. Ms. Yue: Ms. Lou, don’t tell me you only have ideas but no concrete plan of action? How about this? CEO: Sales Department will take care of this case. Now, Mr. Quin how many days do you need? SCENE 9: SALES DEPARTMENT Ms. Rhue: hey, why did you started a fire and in front of Director too? What we need to do now? Mr. Roy: I was just giving an example.Who knew things would turn this way? Ms. Yao: You’re so pitiful Cristine Lou. You’re really a girl we should care about. I have an idea that could help you. Mr. Roy: how? Ms. Yao: easy. Just make an appointment with other competent store.. Ms. Cheng: (laugh) are you kidding Ms. Yao? Do you know guys why sales in the company have fallen? Mr. Roy: who knows? Ms. Cheng: because employee like you guys. You’re either stupid (staring at Lou), take pleasure in other misfortune (looking at Ms. Yao), complain after the fact (looking at Rhue), or have the attitude that it’s best to keep to yourself. I’d be shocked if the company’s sales increased.Mr. Roy: (take a coffee) excuse me. Ms. Yao: besides criticizing and complaining, is there anything else you can do? Ms. Rhue: Correct! Ms. Cheng: I really want to do something, but I don’t have the opportunity. Ms. Rhue: there are opportunities. How could there be none? You can help Cristine Lou to settle this issue. Ms. Cheng: Please take responsibility for your own action. Not my doing. Mr. Roy: Ms. Cheng Shin, I don’t need a newbie who flips through magazines during office hours to help me. Ms. Cheng: thank God. I don’t have any interest in helping a boss who has only experience but no capability. Mr.Roy: what did you say? SCENE 10: NARRATION Ms. Cheng made a secret proposal that can solve the company’s problem. All staffs and employers applaud Ms. Cheng for her great ideas and she is now promoted as the manager replacing its old one which is Ms. Quin. Ms. Cheng experienced some problems but only Roy helps her to come up. That’s why they became friends. Lately, Ms. Jing Shi becomes more proud to her daughter. Christian Roy  is not the best or the hardest worker, neither is he the worst. They enjoy working because it gives him the money to enjoy life. They are the new generation of office workers. Ending: Dance Craze

Night World : Spellbinder Chapter 14

Every week passed more or less quietly. Grandma Harman came home, her cough better. She didn't seem to notice anything different about Thea. Night came earlier, and everyone at school talked about parties and costumes. The air got colder and there was an announcement that the old gym would be opened for Halloween. Thea heard that Randy Marik had been moved to a psychiatric hospital and was in intensive therapy. He was making some progress. Thea and Eric worked every day on their plan. The only real excitement came the night when Thea walked in, sat on Blaise's bed, and said, â€Å"Bullets won't stop him.† â€Å"What?† Blaise looked up from creaming her elbows. â€Å"I mean, spells won't stop him. Eric. They just bounce off. I'm telling you this because you're going to notice that he's not with Mar.† Blaise snapped the tube of cream shut. She stared at Thea for a full minute before she said tightly, â€Å"What are you saying?† Thea's humor drained away. She looked at the floor. â€Å"I'm saying we're soulmates,† she said quietly. â€Å"And that I can't help it. There is really, truly, nothing I can do about it.† â€Å"I can't believe, after all that-† â€Å"Right. After all that work. And after me trying and trying to stop, because I'm scared to death. But there's no way to fight it, Blaise. That's what I'm trying to tell you. I've got to find some way to try to live with it.† She looked at her cousin. â€Å"Okay?† â€Å"You know it's not okay. You know it's completely not okay.† â€Å"I guess what I mean is, okay, will you please not kill him or turn us in? Because I can't stand being in another fight with you. And I can't stop breaking the law.† Blaise tossed the cream jar in the direction of the dresser. â€Å"Thea, are you all right?† she said, seriously. â€Å"Because you're acting very†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Fatalistic?† â€Å"Fatalistic and generally scary.† â€Å"I'm okay. I just†¦ I don't know what's going to happen, but I am sort of†¦ calm. I'm going to do my best. Eric's going to do his best. And beyond that, nothing's guaranteed.† Blaise stared for another minute, her gray eyes searching Thea's face. Then she shook her head. â€Å"I won't turn you in. You know I would never turn you in. We're sisters. And as for trying to kill him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She shrugged, looking grim. â€Å"It probably wouldn't work. That guy is impossible.† â€Å"Thank you, Blaise.† Thea touched her cousin's arm lightly. Blaise covered Thea's hand with her own red-nailed fingers, just for a moment. Then she sat back and straightened her pillows with a little jerk. â€Å"Just don't tell me anything, all right? I wash my hands of you two and I don't want to know what's going on. Besides, I've got worries of my own. I have to decide between a Maserati and a Karmann Ghia.† Halloween. Thea looked out the window at the darkened world. There weren't any kids in the alley, but she knew they were flitting around the city. Goblins and ghosts and witches and vampires-all fakes. Real vampires were sitting inside at fireplaces, or maybe at exclusive parties, chuckling. And real witches were getting dressed for their Samhain Circles. Thea put on a white shift, sleeveless, made out of one piece of material. She pulled a soft white belt around her waist and made a loop pointing up with one side of the tie, then wrapped the other end around the base of the loop three times. A thet knot. Witches had used them for four thousand years. She took a breath and looked outside again. Enjoy the peace while you can, she told herself. It's going to be a busy night. Eric's jeep pulled into the alley. The horn honked once. Thea grabbed the backpack, which had been stuffed under her bed. It was full of materials. Oak, ash, quassia chips, blessed thistle, mandrake root. The hardened residue from the bronze bowl, which she had painstakingly scraped off with one of Blaise's art knives. A wooden seal, also carved with Blaise's tools. And an ounce vial with three precious drops of summoning potion stolen from the malachite bottle. She started for the stairs. â€Å"Hey, are you leaving already?† Blaise said, emerging from the bathroom. â€Å"You've got-what?-an hour and a half before Circle.† Blaise looked gorgeous, and more herself than at any other time of year. Her shift was black, also sleeveless, also made in one piece. Her hair hung loose to her hips, woven with little bells. Her arms were pale and beautiful against the darkness of hair and shift, and she was barefoot, wearing one ankle bracelet. â€Å"I'm going to run out and do something before Circle,† Thea said. â€Å"Don't ask me what.† Blaise of course didn't know what Thea and Eric were planning. Not even Dani knew. It was better that way. â€Å"Thea†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Blaise stood at the top of the stairs and looked down as Thea dashed out. â€Å"You be careful!† Thea waved at her cousin. The back of the jeep was full of wood. â€Å"I thought I'd better bring some more, just in case we need it,† Eric said, throwing her backpack in. Then he added in a different voice, â€Å"You look- amazing-like that.† She smiled at him. â€Å"Thanks. It's traditional. You look nice, too.† He was wearing the costume of a seventeenth-century French soldier at Ronchain-or as close as they could get from looking at woodcuts in old books. They drove into the desert, past the huge bare cliffs, off the main road and far out among the Joshua trees, until they found the place. It was tiny, just a dip in the ground almost enclosed in red sandstone pillars. The pillars didn't look like the monoliths at Stonehenge-they were knobby and squished sideways, like towers of Play-doh that some kid had smashed-but they served the same purpose. They'd found this place all by themselves, and Thea was very proud of it. â€Å"The fire's still going,† she said. â€Å"That's good.† It had been burning for the last three days inside the circle. Thea's hope had been that it would keep Suzanne interested-and away from the people setting up in the old gym. And it seemed to have worked. Not just the fire, of course. The three dummies lying on the ground tied to stakes were supposed to be interesting, too. â€Å"These guys all look okay,† Eric said. He picked up the smallest dummy and dusted it off. It looked something like a scarecrow when he thrust the stick into a hole in the ground, standing it up. A scarecrow dressed in a black shift tied with a thet knot. With a sign hanging around the neck: lucienne. The other small dummy had a sign that said clement. The big dummy's sign said suzannb. â€Å"Okay,† Thea said when they had unloaded the wood, leaving her backpack in the jeep. â€Å"Now, remember, you don't do anything until I get back, right? Not anything. And if I'm a few minutes late, you just wait.† He stopped nodding. â€Å"The Halloween party starts at nine. If you're not here at nine exactly, I might-â€Å" â€Å"No. Don't touch anything, don't do anything.† â€Å"Thea, we might lose her. What if she decides that nothing's happening here, so she might as well go to the party-â€Å" â€Å"I won't be late,† Thea said flatly. It seemed the only way to win the argument. â€Å"But do not burn those witches before I'm here to cast the cirde. Okay?† â€Å"Good luck,† he said. He looked handsome and mysterious in his exotic clothes. Not like himself. They kissed under the half-full moon. â€Å"Be safe,† Thea whispered, making herself let go of him. â€Å"Come back safe,† he whispered. â€Å"I love you.† She drove the jeep back to the city, to the maidens' Circle Twilight meeting. It was being held this year at a Night World dub on the southern edge of town. There was no sign on the door, but the doormat, between two grinning jack-o'-lanterns, had been painted with a black dahlia. Thea knocked and the door opened. â€Å"Dani You look great.† â€Å"So do you,† Dani said. She was dressed in white, in a pleated sheer gown that hung to her ankles and looked Egyptian. Black braids clasped with silver cascaded from a sort of crown at her head, falling over her shoulders and back and arms. She made a beautiful Queen Isis. â€Å"You didn't wear a costume,† she said, making it a question. â€Å"Blaise and I are sort of going as Maya and Hell-wise,† Thea said. The truth was that she was most comfortable in her ordinary Circle clothes, and that Blaise knew she looked best in hers. â€Å"Well, come on down. You're the last one,† Dani said, taking Thea's hand. They went down a flight of stairs to an underground room. It had a makeshift, thrown-together look, with crates to sit on, and white fairy lights strung between concrete pillars. Metal chairs had been pushed to the periphery. â€Å"Thea! Hey, there! Merry meet!† people called. Thea turned around and around, smiling and getting hugs. â€Å"Good Samhain,† she kept saying. â€Å"Unity.† For those few minutes, she forgot about what was going to happen tonight. It was so good to see them all again, all her friends from summer Circles. Kishi Hirata, dressed as Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess, hi gold and orange. Alaric Breedlove- the sophomore from Lake Mead High-as Tammuz the shepherd, son of the mother goddess Ishtar. Claire Blessingway as the Navajo goddess Changing Woman, in a dress decorated with red flower petals and turquoise. Nathaniel Long as Herne, Celtic god of the hunt, in forest green, with stag's antlers. Humans put on costumes to disguise themselves tonight. Witches put on costumes to try to reflect their inner selves-what they were inside, what they wanted to be. â€Å"Here, taste,† Claire said, handing Thea a paper cup. It was full of a thick red herb drink spiced with cinnamon and cloves. â€Å"It's hibiscus-my dad's recipe.† Someone else was passing around shortbread cakes in the shape of crescent moons. Thea took one. Everything here was so bright, so warm-and she would have been so happy if all she had to do tonight was enjoy it. Have a normal Samhain Circle. Celebrate†¦ But Eric was waiting out there in the dark and cold of the desert. And Thea was counting the minutes until she could leave. â€Å"Okay, people, it's time to get started.† Lawai'a Dcua, a pretty, sturdy girl with hair like black nylon, was standing in the center of the room. She was wearing a red shift and lei-Pele, the Hawaiian fire goddess, Thea guessed. â€Å"Let's get our circle, here. That's good, come on. Chang Xi, you're the youngest now.† A little girl with big almond-shaped eyes came shyly into the ring of people. Thea hadn't seen her before- she must have turned seven since the last summer Circle. She was dressed in jade green as Kuan Yin, the Chinese goddess of compassion. Still shy, she took a sprig of broom-real broom, the plant-and swept the area inside the ring. â€Å"Thea, you do the salt.† Thea was surprised and pleased. She took the bowl of sea salt that Lawai'a offered, and walked slowly around the perimeter of the circle, sprinkling it â€Å"Alaric, you take the water-â€Å" Lawai'a broke oft looking toward the stairway, seeming startled. Thea saw other people look. She turned around. Two adults, mothers, were coming down the stairs. As the light shone on the first woman's face, Thea felt a jolt. It was Aunt Ursula. In a gray suit, her expression as bleak as Thea had ever seen it. Nobody in the room made a noise. They all stood still as Joshua trees, watching until the women reached the bottom. Interrupting a Circle in the middle of casting was unheard of. â€Å"Good Samhain,† Lawai'a said faintly. â€Å"Good Samhain.† Aunt Ursula was polite, but she didn't smile. like a displeased teacher. â€Å"I'm very sorry to bother you, but this will only take a minute.† Thea's heart had begun to pound, slow and hard. It's just guilty conscience, she tried to tell herself. This doesn't have to be about you. But it did. And something inside her knew even before Aunt Ursula looked the Circle over and said, â€Å"Thea Sophia Harman.† As if she doesn't know what I look like, Thea thought dazedly. She damped down hard on a wild impulse simply to brush past Aunt Ursula and head for the street. Now she knew why rabbits were so stupid as to leave a good hiding place and run blindly when a dog came near. Just panic, that's all. She stepped away from a staring Kishi on her left and a dismayed Nat on her right. She could feel every pair of eyes in the place on her. â€Å"What is it?† she said, trying to look surprised. Aunt Ursula's eyes met hers directly, as if to say, You know. But she didn't say anything, which was almost as bad. â€Å"Dani Naete Mella Abforth.† Oh, Eileithyia. Not Dani, too†¦. Dani was stepping out of the circle. Her small head was held proudly, but Thea could see the fear in her eyes. She walked, linen swaying around her ankles, to stand beside Thea. Dani, I'm sorry†¦. â€Å"That's all,† Aunt Ursula said. â€Å"The rest of you go on with your Circle. Good Samhain, everybody.† To Thea and Dani, she said, â€Å"You need to come outside.† They followed her silently. There was nothing else to do. When they were out in the cool night air, Dani said, â€Å"Is-something wrong?† She looked from Aunt Ursula to the other woman, who was short but had considerable presence. And seemed familiar to Thea†¦ and then she had it. It's Nana Buruku. From the Inner Circle. This isn't a Harman family matter. The Inner Circle itself is calling us. â€Å"There are some things we need to talk about. Come on and let's get it all cleared up fast,† Nana Buruku said quietly, putting a cinnamon-colored hand on Thea's arm. Gran's ancient Lincoln Continental was sitting at the curb. Nana Buruku took the wheel herself. Dani and Thea held hands in the backseat. Dani's fingers were icy cold. The car wound up and down streets lined with human trick-or-treaters, to a big ranch-style house with high block walls screening the backyard. Selene's house, Thea realized, seeing the name Lucna on the mailbox. It must be where they're having the maidens' Circle Midnight meeting. Aunt Ursula got out. Thea and Dani sat in the car with Nana Buruku. In a few minutes, Aunt Ursula came back with Blaise. Selene, dressed in silver, and Vivienne in black, followed as far as the driveway. They looked sober and scared, not like wicked witches at all. Blaise did. Barefoot and apparently indifferent to the cold, little bells ringing, she looked flushed and angry and proud. She opened the door with a jerk and sat down hard beside Thea, who scooted over. â€Å"What's going on?† she said, almost out loud. â€Å"I'm missing the moon cakes, I'm missing everything. What kind of Samhain is this?† Thea had never admired her more. â€Å"We'll get back in time,† Dani said, and her voice was steady, even if her fingers were still cold. They're both brave, Thea thought. And me? But however much she wanted to, she couldn't get a word out through the tightness in her throat. She half expected Nana Buruku to get on the freeway and head out toward the desert, toward Thierry's land. But instead the Lincoln headed down familiar streets and pulled up in the alley behind Grandma Harman's store. Thea could feel Dani's questioning eyes on her. But she had no idea what was going on, and she was afraid to look Dani in the face. â€Å"Come on,† Aunt Ursula said, and shepherded them through the back door, into the shop, through the bead curtain that led to the workshop. All the chairs for Gran's students had been pushed into a rough circle. People were sitting in them, or standing and talking quietly, but when Thea stepped through the curtain behind Nana Buruku, they all stopped and looked. Thea's eyes moved from face to face, seeing each in a sort of disconnected, dreamlike flash. Grandma Harman, looking so grim and tired. Mother Cybele, who was the Mother of the Inner Circle, just as Gran was the Crone, looking anxious. Aradia, the Maiden, her lovely face serious and sad. Others she recognized from two years ago, people who were so famous she knew them by their first names. Rhys, Belfana, Creon, Old Bob. Aunt Ursula and Nana Buruku made up the last two of the nine. They looked like ordinary people, working men and women and still-sharp-as-a-tack retired seniors, the kind you'd see any day on the street. They weren't. This was the biggest concentration of magical talent anywhere in the world. These people were the witch geniuses, the prodigies and the sages, the far-seers. The teachers, the policy-makers. They were the Inner Circle. And they were all looking at Thea. â€Å"The girls are here,† Mother Cybele said softly to Aradia. â€Å"They're standing in the middle.† Gran said, â€Å"All right, let's get this thing started. Will everybody find themselves a seat.† It wasn't a question, it was an order. Gran was senior to all these celebrities. But she wouldn't look at Thea. And that was the most terrible, nightmarish thing of all. She acted as if Thea and Blaise were strangers. Everyone was sitting, nudging their chairs into a more evenly spaced circle. They were all wearing their ordinary clothes, Thea realized: business suits or uniforms or pants and tops. In Aradia's case, jeans. In Old Bob's case, dirty overalls. Which means they never even started their own ceremony tonight. This is important enough to skip Samhain over. This is a trial. Red-haired Belfana pushed Creon's wheelchair to an empty spot. She was the last to sit down. I'm centered, Thea thought numbly. It was her worst fear, the very thing that had driven her away from Eric in the desert, the first time she'd felt the soulmate connection with him. And now it was true. She could hear Dani breathing irregularly, and the faint tinkle of bells as Blaise shifted from foot to foot. â€Å"All right,† Grandma Harman said, sounding tired but formal. â€Å"By Earth, by Air, by Water, and by Fire, I call this Circle to unity.† She went on, reciting the age-old formula for a meeting of deliberation. For Thea, the words blended into the pounding of blood in her ears. It was strange, how terrifying it could be to be surrounded in all directions by people. Everywhere she looked, another grave, unreadable face. She felt as trapped as if they had been humans. â€Å"Thea Sophia Harman,† Gran said, and suddenly Thea was listening again. â€Å"You stand accused†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There seemed to be an endless, empty pause, although Thea knew it was probably no time at all. â€Å"†¦ of working forbidden spells in direct disobedience to the laws of Hellewise and of this Circle†¦.† All Thea heard for a while was â€Å"working forbidden spells.† It seemed to hang in the air, echoing. Part of her kept waiting to hear the other, more terrible charges of betraying the secrets of the Night World and falling in love with a human. But they didn't come. â€Å"†¦ summoning a spirit from the far places beyond the veil†¦ binding two humans with a forbidden love charm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And then Gran was reading Blaise's name. Blaise was charged with fashioning a necklace out of forbidden materials and binding humans with a forbidden charm. Dani was charged with aiding and abetting Thea in the summoning of a spirit from the far places-which was wrong, of course, Thea thought dizzily. Her whole body was tingling, from the soles of her feet, to her palms, to her scalp. With fear†¦ and with something like relief. They don't know. They don't know the worst part of it, or they would have said so-wouldn't they? And if I just keep quiet, why should they ever know? Then she focused on Gran, who had finished reading the charges and was now talking in an ordinary voice again. â€Å"And I have to say that I'm disappointed in all three of you. Especially you, Thea. I'd expect this from her, of course†-she nodded at Blaise, speaking to the rest of the Circle-â€Å"that descendant of mine there who's dressed up like Hecate's bad daughter. But I honestly thought Thea had more sense.† She looked disappointed. And that-hurt. Thea had always been the good girl, the golden girl, youngest and most promising of the Hearth-Woman line. Now, as she looked from face to face, she saw disappointment everywhere. I've failed them; I've disgraced my heritage. I'm so ashamed†¦. She wanted to curl up and disappear. Just then, there was a silvery ripple of bells. Blaise was tossing her dark head. She looked defiant and scornful and very proud and a little bored. â€Å"What I want to know is who turned us in,† she said in an almost inaudible but definitely menacing whisper. â€Å"Whoever it is, they're going to be sorry.† And suddenly, somehow, Thea was less frightened. The disappointment didn't mean so much. It was possible to shock the Inner Circle and still be standing up. Blaise proved it. It was then that irony struck Thea. She'd spent her life getting in trouble because of Blaise, and now here they were, in the worst trouble imaginable-because of her. And Dani was in trouble, too. Her velvety eyes were filled with tears. When she saw that, Thea found the tightness in her throat easing. She could talk again. â€Å"Look-excuse me-but there's something you need to know. Before this goes any further-â€Å" â€Å"You'll have a chance to speak later,† Mother Cybele said, her voice soft and firm, like her little dumpling-shaped body. â€Å"No, I have to say it now.† Thea turned to Gran, speaking, for just these few seconds, to her grandmother rather than to the Crone of the Inner Circle. â€Å"Grandma, Dani shouldn't be here. Really. Really. She didn't know anything about the summoning; I did it all. I promise.† Gran's expression gentled slightly, the creases on her face shifting. Then she was impassive again. â€Å"All right, all right, we'll see about that later. The first thing is to find out just what you've been doing. Since you seem to be the instigator here.† It was when she said â€Å"later† that realization hit Thea like a tsunami. And everything changed. Later†¦ time†¦ what time is it? She looked frantically around for the clock. There-behind Old Bob's gray head†¦ Ten minutes to ten. Eric. Somehow, in the stress she'd felt since Aunt Ursula came to get her, she had completely forgotten that he was waiting in the desert. But now she could see him, the vision in her mind's eye as clear as if she were standing there with him. Eric watching the clock, minutes going by, and Thea still not arriving. Eric looking at the bonfire and at the three black-clothed dummies tied to their stakes. And the party. The Halloween party at school. Blistered metal doors being opened and people flooding in. Shoes walking across the scuffed wooden floor, costumed kids standing underneath the dangling witch figures. Kids shrieking with laughter, handing over goblin money, crowding into the torture booths. While something lurked around the exposed pipes on the ceiling. Maybe invisible, maybe looking like a white figure and feeling like a blast of arctic wind. Maybe like a woman with long mahogany hair. Lurking†¦ then suddenly sweeping down†¦ She's going to kill them. They're completely defenseless†¦. Fear tore into Thea like jagged metal. It was all happening right now, and she wasn't doing anything to stop it. It had been happening for almost an hour, and she hadn't even given it a thought.