Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Charlie and the Choclate Factory Essay Example for Free
Charlie and the Choclate Factory Essay Despite the fact these were produced 34 years apart, there are many striking similarities. Of course, there are also many differences, which a viewer would expect in films that were done so far apart. Although these films were done three decades apart, the formula of the fantasy genre has not changed much over the course of the decades. The most obvious similarity in the genre is the general audience who will view these movies. The general theory of the fantasy genre is to create an imaginary world, which viewers can get immersed in to give them a break from reality. In this regard, both films succeeded wonderfully. On the flip side, the major difference in the genre is the scope of the imaginary world that can be created. In Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the filmmakers were limited by having to create their imaginary world in a real world space. In 1971, filmmakers didnââ¬â¢t have the ability to create an unlimited virtual world like modern day fantasy filmmakers have, so the grandeur of the world that can be created now is very different. While the formula of the fantasy genre hasnââ¬â¢t changed a great deal, the social context of the time periods these films were made in has. For example, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory puts a greater emphasis on the disparity between social classes, which was a major aspect of the 1970ââ¬â¢s. The movie also focuses on proper behavior, being appreciative of what you have, acceptable societal behavior, and morals. In comparison, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was created during a time period when society places more emphasis on entertainment value in movies, instead of using them as a tool to express and teach acceptable societal behaviors. The remake also doesnââ¬â¢t focus as heavily on the difference between social classes, as the social classes have been blurred in todayââ¬â¢s society, and arenââ¬â¢t as well defined as they were in the 1970ââ¬â¢s. Oftentimes, remakes deviate from what was done in the original movie. This is done for many reasons, but may actually hurt the remake. That is not the case with the editing style of these films, as the editing style of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory had a significant impact on the editing style of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The editing style and importance of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, directed by Mel Stuart, made it become one of the mo Read Full Essay Join Now! Get instant access to over 50,000 Papers and Essays Join OtherPapers. com Similar Essays Charlie And The Chocolate Factory Rogers Chocolates Case Study (Internal/External Analysis) The House Of Spirits And Like Water For Chocolate, Respectively. Loss Of Innocence And The Corruption Of Man Are A Couple Of The Most Significant Themes Found In Both Books. These Themes Are Shown In The Characters Of The Book After What Really Makes Factories Flexible? Ethels Chocolate Lounge Chocolate Truffles I Like Chocolate Milk Rogers Chocolate Chocolate Case Testing To Find How Much Protein Is In 1% Chocolate Milk Versus 2% White Milk SWOT Analysis For Custom Coffee ; Chocolate Chocolate Case Factory Farming And Diabetes Like Water For Chocolate Analysis Donate paper | Join now! | Login | Support à © 2010 ââ¬â 2011 OtherPapers. com OtherPapers. com High-quality Essays, Term Papers and Research Papers Access over 50. 000 Essays and Papers Get Better Grades! Sign up for your FREE account. There are ABSOLUTELY no membership fees at OtherPapers. om. For our free membership, please upload one paper to the site. Your account will be activated immediately! Prepare Your Document Title: Category: Select One American HistoryBiographiesBusinessEnglishHistory OtherLiteratureMiscellaneousMusic and MoviesPhilosophyPsychologyReligionScienceSocial IssuesTechnology Copy paste paper: Use this method if youd prefer to copy and paste your paper into a for m. Join now! Login Support Other Term Papers and Free Essays Browse Papers Music and Movies / Charlie And The Chocolate Factory Vs. Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory Charlie And The Chocolate Factory Vs. Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory Research Paper Charlie And The Chocolate Factory Vs. Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory and over other 20 000+ free term papers, essays and research papers examples are available on the website! Autor: people 30 June 2012 Tags: Words: 1820 | Pages: 8 Views: 57 Read Full Essay Join Now! Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) is a remake of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971). Despite the fact these were produced 34 years apart, there are many striking similarities. Of course, there are also many differences, which a viewer would expect in films that were done so far apart. Although these films were done three decades apart, the formula of the fantasy genre has not changed much over the course of the decades. The most obvious similarity in the genre is the general audience who will view these movies. The general theory of the fantasy genre is to create an imaginary world, which viewers can get immersed in to give them a break from reality. In this regard, both films succeeded wonderfully. On the flip side, the major difference in the genre is the scope of the imaginary world that can be created. In Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the filmmakers were limited by having to create their imaginary world in a real world space. In 1971, filmmakers didnââ¬â¢t have the ability to create an unlimited virtual world like modern day fantasy filmmakers have, so the grandeur of the world that can be created now is very different. While the formula of the fantasy genre hasnââ¬â¢t changed a great deal, the social context of the time periods these films were made in has. For example, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory puts a greater emphasis on the disparity between social classes, which was a major aspect of the 1970ââ¬â¢s. The movie also focuses on proper behavior, being appreciative of what you have, acceptable societal behavior, and morals. In comparison, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was created during a time period when society places more emphasis on entertainment value in movies, instead of using them as a tool to express and teach acceptable societal behaviors. The remake also doesnââ¬â¢t focus as heavily on the difference between social classes, as the social classes have been blurred in todayââ¬â¢s society, and arenââ¬â¢t as well defined as they were in the 1970ââ¬â¢s. Oftentimes, remakes deviate from what was done in the original movie. This is done for many reasons, but may actually hurt the remake. That is not the case with the editing style of these films, as the editing style of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory had a significant impact on the editing style of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The editing style and importance of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, directed by Mel Stuart, made it become one of the mo Read Full Essay Join Now! Get instant access to over 50,000 Papers and Essays Join OtherPapers. com Similar Essays Charlie And The Chocolate Factory Rogers Chocolates Case Study (Internal/External Analysis)
Monday, August 5, 2019
John Lewis Is A Chain Of Retail Stores Marketing Essay
John Lewis Is A Chain Of Retail Stores Marketing Essay Introduction John Lewis is a chain of Retail stores, based in Great Britain. John Lewis opened its first opened its store in 1864 in Oxford Street, London. Never Unknowingly Unsold an altogether different concept in the market and offering to the customers holds a promise that the price of the products sold in John Lewis Stores will be the lowest in the neighborhood which even helped John Lewis to establish strongly in the British Market basically more amongst the middle class people. It has also been the motto and the slogan for the company for 76 years, since its establishment. A partner of John Lewis Partnership which even includes other stores like Waitrose, Greenbee. Every Employee who works at John Lewis is a partner in the company and is entitled to receive bonus out of the profits company earns yearly. With Currently 29 stores Countrywide(28 John Lewis Retail stores and 1 John Lewis at home store) 8 more stores are yet to come in next 5 years in the UK, one of them at the Olympic Site in Stratford, London. Several stores are also in the category of listed buildings because of the architectural designing, one of them being the flagship store at Oxford street, London John Lewis Opened its largest store outside London in Wales on 24th September2009 in Cardiff. With the efforts and the determination of the partners serving the customers with High Quality Goods and the best shopping experience, John Lewis has been able to reach the status of the Largest Retailer in the country. On 1st January2008 John Lewis Store at Oxford Street was awarded a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty the Queen for being a supplier of Haberdashery and household products. Stores in Reading and Berkshire were also awarded with Royal Warrant by Queen on 1st January2007 for being a supplier of household and fancy products. History John Lewis opened its first store as a small drapery shop at Oxford Street in 1864. John Lewis buys the control of Peter Jones in 1905 It was year 1918 when the first edition of Gazette was published, magazine by John Spedan Lewis. In 1920 John Spedan Lewis, Son of John Lewis incorporates John Lewis Partnership, which today has several companies including John Lewis, Waitrose( a chain of supermarkets offering food products) and Greenbee( offers Direct Services like Insurance etc) In 1933 John Lewis buys Jessops, well established store in Nottingham. First store outside London. In 1940 John Lewis also took over Selfridges Provincial stores. With the era of internet and connecting with world via internet, John Lewis launches its website in year 2001 allowing customers to shop online and getting products delivered at their door. Jessops rebrands itself as John Lewis in year 2002 Store in Caley shut its door for public in July 2006 John Lewis enters home Products too, opens up John Lewis at home shop in Poole, Dorset in year 2009,providng customers with wide range of products like Pillows, Duvets, Quilts. Attains the status of Largest Department Store Retailer in 2010. Goals and Objectives Goals and Objectives are important business terms, the two aspects which help a company to become what it wants to. Usually Goals and objectives are inter changed against each other, but practically they have really wide difference. Goal refers to what you aim to become, whereas objectives are the ways or steps to achieve those goals. To be the market leaders. John Lewis takes the competition to a new level to be UKs favorite retailer, from its Never knowingly undersold tagline to providing best customer service to conducting their business relations with integrity helps them to be UKs favorite retail house . Make sufficient profits from the operations to sustain commercial vitality. John Lewis does business with utmost care and low cost but never leaves quality, it has and will always maintain quality of its products, but the products are available at low and reasonable costs that the profits are high plus within the reach of middle class people, thus making it more famous and established amongst middle class of UK. Employee Satisfaction Every employee who works in John Lewis is a partner in the business. The profit is shared amongst the partners named as bonus, which motivates the employees to work harder being more focused and determined. An Individuals brilliance, determination and zeal to work which showers fruitful results are rewarded separately. John Lewis even supports the employees who are in real need of financial help etc. Customer Satisfaction John Lewis recruits only those people who know how to work with integrity, determination while abiding by the principles laid down, which helps John Lewis to provide customers with a different and homely shopping experience in their stores. The prices, quality and value of the goods is different from the other stores in the surroundings which helps in attracting more and more customers to their stores thus building a strong customer base and bond and even a brand image and goodwill for itself Strategic Planning Strategic planning is an integral process of an organization defining its strategies and direction and making decisions to allocate available resources to peruse laid strategies, which provides the organizations which a competitive edge over their competitors. Strategies formulated by John Lewis top level management are basically targeting at 3 core goals, they being:- Personal Satisfaction of the Employees Strong customer base, brand value and goodwill. Sufficient Profits yearly. Strategic planning included SWOT analysis, analysis done to analyze internal environment of the organization and to bring it at par with the external environment. SWOT stands for Strength Weakness Opportunities Threats It also includes PEST analysis which is done to examine the external factors affecting the business and how change in them will affect the business, which helps the organizations to be better prepared for those circumstances, PEST stands for Political Economic Social Technological SWOT ANALYSIS OF JOHN LEWIS Strengths John Lewis has a strong customer base, a brand image and goodwill which helped in becoming the UKs favorite retailer leaving behind its competitors like Debenhams, Marks and Spencers etc, which itself is strength of John Lewis. Each and every employee who works in John Lewis is a partner, be it a part time employee or a full time which entitles them to have share in profit. Bonus is given to the employees at the end of FY out of the profit it earns, which motivates them to work hard and achieve targets set for them which helps the organization inturn. It seems that John Lewis has placed itself well on the environmental and green issues too. For eg:-The fair trade policy it follows with the producers the products in Africa. This helps in making themselves a positive brand in the eyes of customers and environmental activists. Being a part of John Lewis Partnership it is under the scanner of extremely experienced management team of John Lewis Plc and of its own. Weakness Unlike the expansion policy TESCO follows, John Lewis serves only the UK market thus restricting itself to UK customers. If a problem arises in food retailing sector, it will be difficult for John Lewis to cope up. Lack of flexibility for the employees. Opportunities Increasing online sales can be an opportunity because the company will get good returns as the website related cost is nothing as compared to online sales cost. The new store coming up at Olympic site in Stratford will cater to the Olympic fans, as John Lewis is the official sponsor to Olympic games and the official license holder to sale Olympic merchandize John Lewis will open its store in Dublin, which will help them to reach customers in Ireland thus expanding the business. Threats Customers might respond to new brand, John Lewis, in the country in a different manner from UK, even because of John lewis being a British brand. Various other small brands whose price cap matches with that of John Lewis can be a threat. Flexibility lacking in the working can be a threat to John Lewis, as the GREENBLOODED nature of the management at times can make employees frustrated. PEST ANALYSIS Political Factors Globalization, can prove to be a challenge plus an opportunity for John Lewis. Challenge as it will have to compete with Retail stores from round the globe who would even be providing the customers with better services and products better than John Lewis. Globalization can prove to be an opportunity as it will allow establishing themselves anywhere round the globe. Government taxation policy can reduce or increase the profit margin on products and services. -For example:- If the Corporation tax increases to let say 30% from 20% then John Lewis will have to pay more of taxes which will inturn decrease the profit Economic Factors, If the credit availment terms in the country are flexible, then availing credit will get easier from financial institutions which will help John Lewis to expand and grow even more. Along with economic conditions, bank policies play an important role in affecting the purchasing power of the consumers, better and flexible the bank policy and economic scenario healthy, purchasing power increases which in turn will increase sales of John Lewis, which will increase the profit percentage. With more and more competition in every segment from competitors like Debenhams, Marks and Spencers John Lewis management keeps on coming up with different types of marketing techniques , giving more and more of incentive to the customers; affecting prices , resulting in the less profit. Social Analysis. Things have changed a lot from the previous times, people dont like standing in the queues, they prefer buying stuff online and getting the delivery at home. People even prefer billing themselves via self billing kiosks. Today to become more successful and profitable innovation and proper marketing has become the key. Consumers in the market have become aware about the Global climate problems; they are inclined towards companies who keep a check on carbon foot print are Green in there working in every aspect. Technological Analysis RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Device) technology can be used for significant benefits to the supply chain of Sainsburys. If adopted, this technology will lead to fewer inventories for the supermarket firms leading to a leaner, more profitable organization. Stores shall be technological advanced, usage of best quality Tills, ePOS systems ,ERP systems for managing the company in an effective and efficient manner. Conclusion Through this piece it can be seen through the various analyses, PEST and SWOT, that John Lewis is an iconic British Retail brand, well loved by its consumers. It had been bearing losses in most of the quarters in the financial year when recession stuck the world but now importantly profits, have improved tremendously. However, it is not insulated to many outside risks like rising material costs and recession as analysed by PEST analysis. Keeping in view the external and internal environment John Lewis has even planned to open it stores across the globe with first international store set to open in Dublin, Ireland. Strategies Goals Purpose Power Profit Member Customers Business Relations Community
Sunday, August 4, 2019
Animal Cruelty Must Stop Essay -- Equality for Animals
Meat is considered to be a go-to meal for many at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. What most do not think about is where their burgers or chicken wings are really coming from. Animals live dangerous lives in enclosures and cages, where they are forced to eat and sleep against their own will. Peter Singer discusses some of these issues in his article, ââ¬Å"Animal Liberationâ⬠and how this freedom will take time and commitment. Singer talks about the harsh treatments of these farm animals and the factory farming that goes on behind the scenes. He knows that animals cannot express their feelings through words, so their actions should be acknowledged instead. Because the animals are not necessarily kept healthy and taken care of, eating animals or their byproducts is not as beneficial as an individual would think and therefore, to remedy the situation, they ought to have an equal life to humans. Peter Singer is a Professor at Princeton University, graduate of the University of Melbourne and Oxford University, and an author and editor of dozens of books. Ethics are very important to him, because he is an animal liberationist and fights for the rights for these animals. Singer states, ââ¬Å"A liberation movement demands an expansion of our moral horizons, so that practices that were previously regarded as natural and inevitable are now seen as tolerableâ⬠(Singer 205). In his article, he discusses his thoughts on liberations going on today. Mentioning the different liberations only adds to his stand, because describing how other people feel towards issues allows for his views to be equal. Some of the liberations Singer notes are Gay Liberation, Black Liberation, and Womenââ¬â¢s Rights. People that support these movements know how ... ...ns being fed to the animals that are just going to be killed. Around 70% of antibiotics go to livestock to prevent diseases in CAFOs where animals live all crammed together. Some cons may be that eating meat has been an essential part of human evolution for about 2.3 million years. Eating meat allowed brain size to grow and develop as well as taste buds evolving to crave the taste of meat. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Harper Perennial, 2005. http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Food-Nation-Dark-All- American/dp/0060938455 There are different types of fast food and the ââ¬Å"meatâ⬠we are eating. Many unhealthy or clean ways of eating and touching food. Including the type of food people eat in fast food places.
Saturday, August 3, 2019
Pheromones :: Biology Essays Research Papers
Pheromones Have you ever wondered how different species know when to mate and who to mate with? How can they tell the difference between someone of the same sex, much less whether another organism is of the same species? This can be answered by chemical signals kn own as pheromones. Pheromones are unique and highly specific chemical signals produced by an organism that signals its presence to other members of the same species. Each organism have different pheromones they release during mating that helps them to id entify each other and start the process of mating. Pheromones come not only in forms of sex attractants, but also as alarm pheromones, aggregation pheromones, and dispersion pheromones(1). How do we know that such a chemical exists in organisms? In 1956, German scientists were able to identify the first ever pheromone in silkworm moths. After 20 years of research and over half a million female moths later, they were able to extract a pecu liar compound from certain glands located on the tip of the abdomen. When even a small amount of this substance was exposed to male moths, they would begin to beat their wings madly in a iflutter dancei. This indicated that they had detected the powerfu l sex attractant from the females that caused this type of behavior. After extracting extraneous matter and purifying the substance, scientists ended up with the first ever chemically pure pheromone. Since then, various other organisms have been studied and more is understood about the effects of pheromone, but not much is known about how pheromones work in more complex vertebrates such as humans. The next logical question to ask is how are these chemical signals recognized? Studies have shown that pheromone is first recognized by the chemical receptors in the vomeronasal organ (VNO) and olfactory bulbs located in the nose; signals are then sent t o the hypothalamus of the brain. In an experiment conducted on virgin male mice where their VNO was removed, the mice were found to generally not mate with receptive females, even if the maleis olfactory nerves were not damaged. This showed that the VNO s are needed in order start certain chains of reactions already programmed in the brain. Further studies show that when male mice have begun to associate sexual activity with other cues from females, including smells they become less dependent on the VNO s.
Friday, August 2, 2019
State championship Essay -- Personal Narrative Sports Hockey Papers
State championship Bzzzza, Bzzzza, Bzzzza; ââ¬Å"alright here we goâ⬠, I think to myself, as I sleepily roll out of bed at 8:00am, on March, 4 2001. I put on some pants, a shirt, shoes and grab a coat. As quick as I am up, I am out (of) the door. I get in my car and make my way towards the hockey rink, for a team breakfast. The eight minute car ride to the rink, I am thinking of only one thing, to take home a state championship this afternoon. I walk into the rink and I see my teammates sitting in a circle not talking, just slowly eating their carefully planned out carbohydrate loaded breakfast. I sit in the circle and look around as they all give me reassuring looks. I say nothing as I slowly eat my bagel and raisons; I am just thinking about the task in hand. When everyone is done eating the coach orders us to the locker room. Twenty, young, determined hockey players file into the Shaker Raiders locker room, sit down quietly and patiently wait for the coach to make his speech. ââ¬Å"Paduaâ⬠, he starts, ââ¬Å"we are Familiar with their line upâ⬠. We were very familiar with their line up because we had played them four times earlier this season. In all four matches we lost. ââ¬Å"What has happened earlier this season, does not matterâ⬠, he goes on. ââ¬Å"We are going to win this afternoon. I have put together a film of highlights from our previous games against them, which I think will help us todayâ⬠. We watched the film, which went over specific plays we were supposed to run, and key players on Paduaââ¬â¢s team. One player, the film focused on a lot was their goalie. The film showed a play where their goalie, Wolf, let in consecutive goals over his left shoulder. We watched the play over ... ...so hard to get. The period kept winding down slower and slower, until finally there was 5 seconds-4-3-2-1, ââ¬Å"YEAAAAHâ⬠, ââ¬Å"WHOAAAAHâ⬠as we all ransacked our goalie. There was a huge pile and hugging on the ice which lasted for what seemed an hour. It had all paid off. We did it, we accomplished our goal we were state champions. If it were not for all the hard work and determination there would have been no way that we could have pulled off this feat. It has changed me forever. Winning has done so in many ways. One I am a lot more confident, whether it is from the benefits of being a state champion or knowing that I accomplished a goal I set out to do. Also it has affected me because I know that if you are determined and work hard you can achieve anything you want to. I learned this through a game, a game that has changed my life.
Parenting Styles and Prosocial Behavior Essay
Parents often play a large role in the development of their sonââ¬â¢s or daughterââ¬â¢s morality, social behavior, education, habits, and many other areas. Therefore, parents contain tremendous power when it comes to shaping their offspring. Due to this tremendous amount of power, researchers had an inclination that certain parenting styles have effect on their childââ¬â¢s BMI. The evidence found in the study suggests that there is a possible relation between the type of parenting styles and the fluctuation of their childrenââ¬â¢s BMI. The researchers of this article, based upon past studies, hypothesized that the four major parenting styles they presented would should greater increases in BMI than other styles (Fuemmeler, 2012). The researchers funded by several government grants such as the National Cancer Institute Grant and National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Grant found an effective way to carry out this study. First, the researchers gave the individuals (ages11-21) being tested a survey about their parents to determine the style the parent used. The survey was broke down into tests. One test determined acceptance of the parent, while the other determined control. Based on the answers given by the child, the parentââ¬â¢s styles were determined and were broken up into four categories. These four categories were permissive, authoritarian, disengaged, and balanced. As a result, the categories would serve as the independent variables in the study. Once the childââ¬â¢s parenting type was established, the researchers monitored the kids BMI over an eleven year span to watch for any increases or decreases. The BMI, the dependent variable in the study, showed greater increases in the kids who had a balanced style parenting. This result surprised the researchers because they believed that the authoritarian and disengaged parent types would show greater increases. Although, the authoritarian and disengaged parent types didnââ¬â¢t show increases in BMI more than the balanced style, they did associate to lees leveling off of trajectories over time (Fuemmeler, 2012). This study showed relation between the parenting styles and BMIââ¬â¢s of their children, but this study does not present a causal relationship between the two. It cannot show a causal relationship for a number of reasons. One reason is due to the fact that the study refuses to acknowledge factors causing association between parenting styles and BMI. For example, a parent that practices a disengaged style and lives in an obese home environment may encourage poor eating and exercise habits in their kidââ¬â¢s lives. Also in order for the study to demonstrate causation, the researcher would have had to alter the parenting styles and make greater changes to the weight and diet of the individuals being studied (Fuemmeler, 2012). Some things that should have been changed in the study would be the way the measurements were recorded. Instead of having a self-reported height and weight, the researchers should have had their own workers record the measurements for more accuracy. Another flaw in the study was that the style of parenting before adolescence was never examined. Which leaves the question of whether parenting styles in adolescence or pre adolescence has more of an effect on BMI. Fuemmeler, B. F., Yang, C., Costanzo, P., Hoyle, R. H., Siegler, I. C., Williams, R. B., & ÃËstbye, T. (2012). Parenting styles and body mass index trajectories from adolescence to adulthood. Health Psychology, 31(4), 441-449
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Original Course work â⬠Urban Myths Essay
The scream rang through the trees. Pounding footsteps thudded their way through the wood. Twigs snapped and cracked like brittle bones. She slowed down to a trot, trying to make sense of where she was. Her ears pricked. Listening for following footsteps. Realising she had been holding her breath, she gasped and air flooded her body. Only half an hour before she had been sat perfectly happy with her boyfriend. Her vision glazed over as silent drops fell to the ground, remembering how Josh had got out of the car to investigate a noise they had heard. She sank down to the bottom of the tree, as she recalled how ten minutes later, when he hadnââ¬â¢t returned, she had got out, only to find his pale form hanging from the tree above. Blood stained the top of the car where it had spilt from his neck, draping down over his shoulder like a carpet of scarlet. Whoever done this mustnââ¬â¢t be too far away. They could be watching her, waiting for herâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"The bodies of two teenagers have been found in Thornby Woods early this morning by a local dog walker. The bodies have been described as horrifically mutilated and the result of a brutal murder. At the moment police are investigating leads including the name ââ¬Å"Aidanâ⬠spelt in blood on the roof of the car. Hopefully this will bring the monster to justice.â⬠ââ¬Å"I canââ¬â¢t believe something like that could happen here, itââ¬â¢s just so unbelievableâ⬠, said Diana. The others nodded in agreement. The four were sat around a table in their local cafà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½. There was Diana, Jack and the twins, Kerry and Kevin. The twins with their unique coppery red hair and blue startling eyes, stood out from Diana and Jack with his plain name, and fairly plain features. ââ¬Å"You know what this sounds likeâ⬠, said Jack then hesitated, ââ¬Å"the urban legend about the guy in the car with his girlfriendâ⬠. The others looked at him. ââ¬Å"But theyââ¬â¢re made up stories, they would never come trueâ⬠, argued Diana. The twins, who had a habit of speaking in unison, started speaking but then fell silent, as the television in the corner of the cafà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½ flashed on again and more about the murders was broadcast. Later that night, Kerry was sat in the library. The essay she was trying to write was starting to give her a headache. The ticking clock, mounted on the wall, showed her it was nearly midnight. As she stifled a yawn, she pulled the books shut and gathered up her stuff. Silently, she made her way down the deserted corridors and up the stairs to her room. When she arrived she turned the key slowly in the lock, so as not to wake her roommate, Stacie. She climbed into bed and her eyes shut as her head rested on the pillow. The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows. It was a Monday morning and everyone was trying to stay in bed as long as possible. Suddenly, the silence was broken as a scream rose from Kerryââ¬â¢s room. Kevin and Diana were first there. As they pushed the door open, they saw Stacieââ¬â¢s dead body surrounded by bloodstained sheets. Kerry was whimpering softly, slouched against the bed. Kevin noticed the mirror out of the corner of his eye. Smeared across the glass in blood-red lipstick were the words, ââ¬Å"Bet youââ¬â¢re glad you didnââ¬â¢t turn on the lightâ⬠. It was signed ââ¬ËAidanââ¬â¢. Kevin rushed over to Kerry, trying to comfort her, glancing over his shoulder at Diana. She stood like a statue, a shocked expression spreading across her face. Jack came rushing into the room. ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s happenedâ⬠¦?â⬠, he broke off. He had seen the body. The four friends sat bewildered, silently hugging each other. Kerry couldnââ¬â¢t concentrate. Everyone had thought it best if she went to her lessons and tried to forget about it, but she couldnââ¬â¢t. Her mind kept going back to that morning when she had opened her eyes. The first thing she had seen was the body. The bloody image flashed before her. Finally, after what had seemed like hours, the end of college bell rang. Kerry slowly made her way over to the cafà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½ where she was going to meet Jack and Kevin. When she arrived, no one else was there, so she pulled a magazine out of her bag. As she did so, a plain envelope came with it and dropped to the floor. Curiously, she tore it open and jerked the paper out. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re nextâ⬠, it spelt out, in carefully cut out letters from a newspaper headline. Kerry crammed the paper back in the envelope, as Jack and Kevin came through the door. ââ¬Å"You feeling any better?â⬠asked Jack, concerned. Kerry nodded her head and had to force a smile. ââ¬Å"You know, this murder also sounds like an urban legend, donââ¬â¢t you think?â⬠Jack continued, ignoring Kevinââ¬â¢s warning look. ââ¬Å"Who do you suppose is behind it?â⬠Drew, the class swot, came over. ââ¬Å"Have you not heard? The police are looking for a man with the name Aidan, round about 20 years oldâ⬠, he recited, sounding like a news reporter. ââ¬Å"Why?â⬠asked Kerry, turning her head towards Drew. ââ¬Å"The name has been found at both the murder scenes, so itââ¬â¢s likely it was left by the killerâ⬠ââ¬Å"But I donââ¬â¢t know anyone called Aidanâ⬠, said Kerry puzzled. ââ¬Å"Could be an outside job, it doesnââ¬â¢t have to be anyone on campus. Do you know anyone that would do something that sick?â⬠ââ¬Å"I suppose it makes it more likely to be some lunatic,â⬠half-whispered Kerry, but Drew had already turned away and had started telling the news to the table next to them. ââ¬Å"Hey guys.â⬠Their conversation was interrupted by Dianaââ¬â¢s arrival, which was always noticeable. Her slim figure and blonde hair made her popular with the boys. She joined them at the table. ââ¬Å"So has everyone has a nice day?â⬠she said with a smile. The others just looked at her. Kerry looked as though she was about to cry. ââ¬Å"Oh sorry, I forgot about this morning,â⬠she answered cheerfully. Kerryââ¬â¢s chair scraped back as she got up to go. She pulled her bag onto her shoulder and left without saying a word. ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s up with her today?â⬠questioned Diana. ââ¬Å"Well maybe sheââ¬â¢s upset ââ¬Ëcos one of her friends was murdered right underneath her nose and she found the body!â⬠exclaimed Jack. Kerry had gone to the library. She couldnââ¬â¢t stand being in her room after what had happened. As she sat, staring at the open book infront of her, but not taking one word in, a voice called out her name. Turning sharply around, thinking it could easily be the killer, she saw, to her relief, it was Jack. ââ¬Å"I just came to see if you were all right.â⬠He muttered his apology for scaring her. ââ¬Å"Yeah. Iââ¬â¢m okayâ⬠¦ well sort of,â⬠she smiled back. ââ¬Å"I just thought, well Diana wasnââ¬â¢t exactly being sympathetic before and when you walked out, you looked upset to me. I though someone had better come after you.â⬠He paused and looked at her, ââ¬Å"You sure youââ¬â¢re all right?â⬠Kerry looked away and sighed. ââ¬Å"Well not exactly, I got this letter, someone must have planted it in my bag.â⬠She handed over the letter to Jack. His eyes scanned the letter and his expression turned into that of alarm. ââ¬Å"You really should take this to the police,â⬠he said, his eyes piercing her own with serious anxiety. She turned her head so she wouldnââ¬â¢t have to stare into his hazel eyes, so caring, so tender, soâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s the point?â⬠her voice shuddered, ââ¬Å"It doesnââ¬â¢t mean its necessarily from him. Itââ¬â¢s probably some dumb kid playing a sick joke to upset meâ⬠ââ¬Å"Well, if youââ¬â¢re sure. But come on, donââ¬â¢t you think you should call it a day?â⬠Jack said, standing up and taking Kerryââ¬â¢s bag. ââ¬Å"Where am I going to sleep? I mean, I donââ¬â¢t want to sleep in my room tonight,â⬠she shivered. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m sure you can share Dianaââ¬â¢s room. Come on weââ¬â¢ll go up there now.â⬠Kerry followed Jack and together they walked up the three flights of stairs to Dianaââ¬â¢s room. Ten minutes later, Kerry sat on the spare bed, while Jack said his good byes. Finally they were left alone. ââ¬Å"Look Iââ¬â¢m really sorry about before you know. I really shouldnââ¬â¢t have said that,â⬠apologised Diana, humbly. ââ¬Å"Its okay,â⬠said Kerry smiling at her friend and laying back on the bed. A large sigh rose from her chest. She looked around the room, so much different from her own. The walls were a soft shade of purple with various famous prints dotted around. Cream curtains hung at the windows, drawn back gracefully, allowing the orange, golden sunlight to stream in. Her eyes moved around the room and stopped at the desk placed in the corner. There, lying on a pile of schoolbooks, was a newspaper, maybe a day or two old. Kerry could clearly see off-cuts and torn pages nestled on top. ââ¬Å"Have you been working on a project?â⬠she asked, the sarcasm stung her words. ââ¬Å"What do you mean, projectâ⬠¦?â⬠Dianaââ¬â¢s eyes followed her gaze. Her laugh rang through the room. ââ¬Å"Yeah, itââ¬â¢s a project all right.â⬠Kerry instantly sat up on the bed and turned to face Diana. ââ¬Å"Youâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ she spat accusingly. Diana let out a jeering laugh. ââ¬Å"I wondered how long it would take you to realise,â⬠she half laughed, half spoke. ââ¬Å"Realise what exactly? That you sent me that letter? How could you be so cruel?â⬠cried Kerry, scrambling off the bed and onto her feet to face Diana. ââ¬Å"Cruel? You donââ¬â¢t even know the meaning of the word, cruel!â⬠ââ¬Å"Whatâ⬠¦What precisely do you mean?â⬠questioned Kerry, her throat tightening. ââ¬Å"When I saw that girl and boy in the car, I though that it was you and Jackâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"You mean, youâ⬠¦you didnââ¬â¢t, did you?â⬠Kerry stared in disbelief. ââ¬Å"Yeah, I followed them, then killed them, if thatââ¬â¢s what youââ¬â¢re trying to say. The stupid thing was, I didnââ¬â¢t realise it wasnââ¬â¢t Jack until he was dead. And of course the girl had to go in case she saw anything,â⬠sneered Diana, boasting about her serial killing. She quickly strode to the door and locked it before Kerry even had a chance to move. Kerry noticed for the first time, that even though Diana was pretty, she was tall, fit and could probably easily manage to hold someone in a struggle. Kerry caught her breath and inhaled deeply. ââ¬Å"But why did you kill them because you thought they were Jack and I? Why did you want to kill us?â⬠Diana hesitated. ââ¬Å"You donââ¬â¢t understand anything? Do you? Wellâ⬠¦ I suppose we have a few minutes before I have to kill you.â⬠Her hand rose from behind her back. The sharp point of the knife sparkled in the autumn light, sending spears of the reflected spark, dancing on the walls. With the knife poised, ready for action, she continued. ââ¬Å"I thought I could have anyone I wanted. But I didnââ¬â¢t want anyone I wanted Jack.â⬠Her eyes flashed, dangerously. The knife still held, itââ¬â¢s flickering gleam reflected into Kerryââ¬â¢s eyes, dazzling her. Kerry swallowed, her heart beating faster, yearning to escape this torture. ââ¬Å"I wanted Jack badly,â⬠Diana continued, walking in circles around Kerry, as though she the predator and Kerry the prey. ââ¬Å"But, he didnââ¬â¢t want me, did he? Oh no, he wanted you!â⬠she hissed. ââ¬Å"Me?â⬠stammered Kerry, ââ¬Å"I didnââ¬â¢t know.â⬠ââ¬Å"Of course, you, wouldnââ¬â¢t, spat Diana, ââ¬Å"so I thought, well if I canââ¬â¢t have him, no one can. Especially you! So I came up with a nice, simple plan to kill you both. You could rot in hell together for all I cared.â⬠ââ¬Å"So when you killed Stacie, you thoughtâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"I was killing you,â⬠Diana finished. ââ¬Å"Yeah! Stupid mistake really, but I made up for it by making it look like it was to scare you. Funny really how urban legends can come true, isnââ¬â¢t it.â⬠By now Diana was stood face to face with Kerry. ââ¬Å"Anyway, enough talk! Now you get whatââ¬â¢s been coming to you.â⬠She laughed and thrust the knife down infront of her, ripping the air apart. Kerry stumbled backwards to the other side of the room. Her sweaty palms clambered at the door handle. ââ¬Å"Looking for this?â⬠taunted Diana holding the key out. Staring blindly around, Kerry picked up a chair and threw it at Diana. It narrowly missed her and smashed into the wall. Diana was moving forward, knowing that Kerry didnââ¬â¢t have anywhere to go. Only the bed stood between Kerry and her attacker. Diana drove the knife into the bed, ripping the duvet and shredding the sheets. In the commotion of feathers from the pillow, Kerry ran to the door and started banging and shouting for help. Surely someone would hear. In the meantime, Diana continued to pursue her. Kerry grabbed at anything; books, furniture, pens went flying. Some managed to hit Diana, obstructing her. Trying not to get injured by the knife, Kerry attempted to take it off Diana. Diana stood up, her eyes blazing like the fires of hell. ââ¬Å"One thing I donââ¬â¢t understand,â⬠said Kerry, trying to buy more time, ââ¬Å"is why the name ââ¬ËAidanââ¬â¢ was found at the murder scenes.â⬠ââ¬Å"Ever though of rearranging my name?â⬠panted Diana, ââ¬Å"Diana spells ââ¬ËAidanââ¬â¢. No one was clever enough to guess that. It even managed to put the police off. Now stop this idle chit-chat and let me kill you, nice and slowly,â⬠her voice cackled as she flew at Kerry, the knife close to her throat. Kerry tried to push her arm away. She couldnââ¬â¢t keep her off for much longer. She battled with Diana and they both lost their balance. Tumbling over Diana had the better position, holding the knife inches away from Kerryââ¬â¢s neck. ââ¬Å"Goodbye Kerryâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ The door to the room flew open. The surprise stopped Diana as she looked up. Jack and Kevin stood gaping in horror at the scene. Rapidly, they ran over and pulled Diana off Kerry. The knife dropped to the floor with a clang. Five policemen were standing in the entrance and with Kevinââ¬â¢s help, carried the screaming Diana away. Jack was left helping a very shaky Kerry to her feet. ââ¬Å"I heard screaming,â⬠he mumbled, ââ¬Å"I rushed to help with Kevin.â⬠Kerry didnââ¬â¢t say a word. Tears swept from her eyes, as she realised the terror was over, and she was still alive. A far away shriek disturbed the comforting silence surrounding Kerry and Jack. The wail of sirens echoed into the distance. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s all over now, I promise you,â⬠Jack, holding Kerry, ââ¬Å"I promiseââ¬
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