The Corporate Culture Of Enron - 1474 Words

How did the corporate culture of Enron contribute to its bankruptcy? The Enron Corporation was an energy trading and utilities company that eventually failed due to the discovery that Enron was hiding large debts and losses in financial documents. â€Å"Through its subsidiaries and numerous affiliates, the company provided products and services related to natural gas, electricity, and communications for its wholesale and retail customers† (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2015, p. 486). A company’s corporate culture has a lot to do how efficient the company is, and how the company avoids negative situations such as bankruptcy. Enron was involved in numerous financial scandals, and the corporate culture of Enron played a large part in these scandals. The corporate culture at Enron had an arrogant aura that plagued the company. â€Å"This overwhelming aura of pride was based on a deep-seated belief that Enron’s employees could handle increased risk without danger† (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2015, p. 487). Getting involved with major risks combined with thinking there would not be any consequences contributed to Enron’s bankruptcy. Enron was considered to be one of the most innovative companies a t its time because of its fast growth, and unique commodities. Little did most people know, Enron was abusing this power. Enron’s executives created a corporate culture that promoted cutthroat competition between employees. These extreme cutthroat environments can easily brainwash employeesShow MoreRelatedEnron And Corporate Culture Of Enron1322 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction In 1985 The Enron Corporation came into existence after a successful merger between two gas pipeline companies. The company nurtured a very competitive culture, which encouraged employees to win at any means necessary. Enron’s culture led employees to â€Å"cast loyalty and ethics aside in favor of high performance† (Ferrell, p. 494). The executives of Enron covered up their increasing debt by using special purpose entities. Meanwhile, Enron continued to report increasing profits to theirRead MoreEnron: Corporate Culture3743 Words   |  15 PagesENRON Corporate Culture Q1: Analyse the corporate culture at Enron and its management’s behaviour. Include in your analysis, the normative theory of ethics which you would consider most relevant in driving the decision making at Enron. Enron began by merger of two Houston pipeline companies in 1985, although as a new company Enron faced a lot of financial difficulties in the starting years, though the company was able to survive these financial problems (Enron Ethics, 2010). In 1988 the deregulationRead MoreCorporate Culture Of Enron And Bankruptcy1327 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The case study is about Enron and about their biggest failure that lead the company towards bankruptcy. Enron got bankrupt to the extent that was no point of returning back and reversing its wrong doings. The only thing that the company had to think about was how to return the losses of its creditors. Enron Corp. was left with $12 billion in assets which was to be distributed among more than 20,000 creditors. Around 80% of creditors of Enron backed the long-awaited reorganization planRead MoreThe Failed Corporate Culture of Enron4805 Words   |  20 PagesThe Failed Corporate Culture of Enron High risk accounting, inappropriate conflicts of interest, extensive undisclosed off-the-books activity, excessive compensation Ââ€" these are some of the headings of the report prepared by the U.S. Senates Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations titled The Role of the Board of Directors in Enrons Collapse. (Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, 2002) In February, 2002, Enrons former Chief Executive Officer Jeffery Skilling had testified before membersRead MoreThe Impact Of Enron s Corporate Culture1950 Words   |  8 PagesVarying Impacts Enron’s corporate culture had a great deal to do with the benefits it gave to its employees as well as its top managers beginning with overlooking unethical behavior as long as it provided monetary value. Their corporate culture is described as arrogant, and rightfully so, by the end of 2000 Enron had become the sixth largest energy company in the world (United States Government Publishing Office, 2003, p. 67). This mindset of superiority and pride lead employees to believe they couldRead MoreUniversity of Phoenix Organizational Culture1133 Words   |  5 PagesOrganizational culture can be defined as the system of attitudes, beliefs and values that are collectively expressed in support of organizational structure. Organizational culture is a pattern of shared basic assumptions that dictate the behavior of individuals within an organization. Culture determines which practices are appropriate and which are not, effectively developing standards, guidelines, and expectations for individuals within an organization. Although they work hand in hand, there isRead MoreFailure Of Responsible Management : Enron Corporation1645 Words   |  7 Pageswhich failure of responsible management. The Enron Corporation is an example, because Enron event is the typical case for organization failure of responsible management In the end of 2001, Enron scandal has been disclosure, Enron stock prices slumped, and its financial tricks was exposed. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) began survey of company s records. Enron’s auditor ‘Arthur Andersen ‘destroys relevant documents. (Ailon, G. 2011) Enron was bankruptcy in December 2001, and became theRead MoreEnron’s Stakeholder Impact Case Analysis Essay1725 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction: Widely known as the champion of the energy industry, Enron is suddenly faced with a corporate crisis in the form of a scandal. This scandal involves not only Enron’s accounting practices but also its corporate governance and culture (Lawrence Weber, 2008). This report will recommend some potential strategies for Enron to move forward from the scandal. To do this, we must incorporate stakeholder theory, which â€Å"argues that corporations serve a broad public purpose; to create valueRead MoreEnron, An American Energy Company1587 Words   |  7 PagesEnron Leadership One of the best examples recently seen relating to bad leadership is what took place within Enron. Throughout the late ‘90’s, Enron, an American energy company, was considered one of the country s most innovative companies; while the company continued to build power plants and operate gas lines, it became better known for its unique trading businesses (npr.org, 2014). It can be described as the ideal company for the dotcom-driven stock market boom of the 90s; Enron threw itselfRead MoreEnron : The Leading Factor That Had Enron Into Its Demise Essay1608 Words   |  7 Pagesfactor that had Enron into its demise revolves around the notion that, â€Å"companies are often so concerned with appearance and damage control that they are unwilling to engage in the degree of examination required to root out the entrenched causes of trust violations† (Hurley, Gillespie, Ferrin Dietz, 2013). The historical performance of Enron’s rising share prices, coupled to th e constant positive media attentions, only added fuel to the fire in terms of Enron’s competitive culture. As a consequence

Persuasive Essay On School Uniforms - 1422 Words

Growing up, I attended a Catholic elementary school, middle school, and high school. I found it easier to attend and focus on school when wearing the same clothes as everyone else. Today, tiny southern towns even to the nations largest cities, public school uniforms have become so common this year that in many areas, they are no longer the exception, but the rule (Lewin â€Å"Dress for Success: Public School Uniforms†). Imagine a parent’s comfort in knowing their child was being treated as an equal at school each and every day. No judgment or hassle on picking out an outfit to impress anyone. With the implementation of school uniforms, the most comfort for us, students, is possible. There is a vast amount of controversy on the way school†¦show more content†¦Dividing students by the way the look and their finical stability leads to bullying. Those who are more fashion forward may target other students who are not fashion forward, resulting in long-term problems caused by bullying. Caitlin Kelly, a young girl entering a new high school in Toronto wrote about how bullying â€Å"scarred† her. She says, â€Å"I was fourteen and also new to a public school, having attended only private and mainly single-sex schools in grades four to nine. Boys were alien species. I had no idea how to dress fashionably†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Kelly â€Å"PressReader†). This girl’s lack of fashion sense resulted in her being picked on and taunted by boys and girls every day. Nobody should have to go through this kind of pain, and she surely did not deserve the cruelty she received for so long. The bullying students experience due to a lack of fashion sense in schools is absurd, and this can be eliminated with school uniforms. Second, school uniforms will increase student’s academic success significantly. With school uniforms, it is guaranteed that they will not be a distraction to students. In schools where no uniforms are implemented, studen ts may focus a considerably large amount on what other students are wearing, instead of focusing on the learning. I now attend a public university, where students are free to wear and look however they please. I tend to notice what certain students are wearing whenShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On School Uniforms717 Words   |  3 Pages The idea of school uniforms has been a vital point within school districts for a long time now. As a parent with two kids within the school system, it is a popular trend amongst schools as both my children’s schools require for their student to wear uniform. However, more recently, students as well as parents are beginning to disagree with the enforcement with school uniforms as they believe uniforms are possibly taking away the right of self-expression for students. Although this is a valid complaintRead MorePersuasive Essay On School Uniforms723 Words   |  3 Pagesmandatory for students to wear uniforms, they have evidently been misle d. Uniforms kill individuality and creativity, are too expensive for some, and can lower both self-esteem and performance of students in school. Many critics are bringing to light the crisis of dropping individuality and creativity; we cannot afford let it plummet any further. School uniforms destroy diversity and kill courage, on top of preventing individual student expression. In addition, school uniforms provide an almost jail likeRead MoreSchool Uniforms Persuasive Essay1470 Words   |  6 PagesBenefits of Uniform Adoption in Public Schools Ever wonder what it would look like to have all students wearing the same white polo shirt, black pants, and a district sweater walking in the hallway? Nowadays, public school and many districts are discussing the possibilities of enforcing the uniform policy. In most places, many private schools already require students to have their mandatory uniforms; however, there are only a few public schools adopting this mandatory school-uniform policesRead MoreSchool Uniforms Persuasive Essay1069 Words   |  5 Pagesmany schools around the world enforce uniforms, requiring students to wear specific clothing. School uniforms, which was first established in 16th century England, are a topic of much debate in the public school system of the United States. Many people feel that uniforms reduce competition among students and bring a sense of unity in school. People who are against school uniforms think that they prevent students from expressing themselves and inhibits creativity. M any students dislike school uniformsRead MoreSchool Uniforms Persuasive Essay1001 Words   |  5 PagesMake a Difference? If schools could automatically have more safety, a stronger sense of unity within students, and higher self esteem for every individual student at a minimal cost without transgressing any laws, or stepping over students rights it is doubtful that many would turn up their nose to all of these things. There is no difference between this situation and the benefits that school dress codes would provide. While the majority of public schools do not require uniforms, the ones that do reportRead MorePersuasive Essay On School Uniforms979 Words   |  4 PagesThe age old argument of whether or not uniforms and dress codes should be enforced in schools seems to never conclude. The issue of appropriate clothing in schools is controversial and provoking. Many argue that abolishing a student’s choice in their attire violates their freedom of expression. Students use what they wear to express themselves; their clothing gives them a sense of a unique style and identity. Others argue that pe rmitting students to wear whatever clothing they like can create unnecessaryRead MoreSchool Uniforms Persuasive Essay1127 Words   |  5 PagesAssociation (2016), an estimated 160,000 students missed school every day due to a fear of violence and harassment from their peers. Students at many schools, including my own, have become more divided. This division has resulted in bullying especially towards students that stand out from the crowd with the way they look and dress. Along with continuing the anti-bullying programs already in place, public schools should implement a school uniform in order to reduce divisions among students, which shouldRead MorePersuasive Essay On School Uniforms1671 Words   |  7 Pages Hari Mainali South University School Uniform â€Æ' Abstract Freedom of dress is violated by restricting on school uniform. A school and university have their own dress code which does not require a particular dress. Some researcher and scholar suggest misbehavior in the student are the result of banning uniform. But misbehavior is what they acquired in their life. Banning uniform, student can exercise their right to express themselves freely. Student will be able to focus on education and saveRead MoreSchool uniform persuasive essay2016 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿ School Uniforms: Agree or not? Uniforms are globally used at schools around the world, especially schools in Asia. In Asia, the policy of wearing uniform enforces strongly during school hours and whenever at schools. The policy is enforced because schools want to teach discipline to their students and prevent unanticipated troubles at school. The policy of school uniforms is not completely implemented in the United States, especially public schools. According to the US Department of Education,Read MorePersuasive Essay On School Uniforms1889 Words   |  8 Pagesfor all schools to implement school uniforms in the classroom for all students. Schools everywhere across the America are changing their policies due to changes of their dress code. Whether it be due to vulgar language, inappropriate content, or the same outfit for all students, this is becoming more popular across America. In a recent study done by Statistic Brain it has shown that twenty three percent of countries across of America have implemented a pol icy that requires school uniforms. The school

Last Sacrifice Chapter Thirty-three Free Essays

CRIES AND SCREAMS FROM THE audience told me my disguise was gone. Many eyes also went to Dimitri. Adrian had dropped that illusion too, once I’d shed mine. We will write a custom essay sample on Last Sacrifice Chapter Thirty-three or any similar topic only for you Order Now And, as we’d been expecting, the guardians who had been gradually taking up position around us surged forward, armed with handguns. I still thought that was cheating. Fortunately, my mother and Mikhail moved quickly into place to block our attackers and deter any gunshots. â€Å"Don’t,’ I snapped at Dimitri, who I knew was probably about to join our two defenders. It was crucial he and I stay perfectly still, so we weren’t taken as threats. I even went as far as to hold up my arms, and–reluctantly, I suspected–Dimitri did too. â€Å"Wait. Please listen to us first.’ The guardian circle was tight, with no gaps. I was pretty sure my mom and Mikhail were the only thing keeping them from shooting us then and there. Guardians would always avoid fighting other guardians if possible. Two blockers were easy to take down, though, and these guardians wouldn’t wait forever. Jill and Abe suddenly moved forward, taking positions next to us. More shields. I saw one of the looming guardians grimace. Civilians complicated things. Adrian had not moved, but the fact that he was enclosed in the circle at all still made him an obstacle. â€Å"Haul us off later if you want,’ I said. â€Å"We won’t resist. But you have to let us talk first. We know who killed the queen.’ â€Å"So do we,’ said one of the guardians. â€Å"Now, the rest of you †¦ back away before you’re hurt. These are dangerous fugitives.’ â€Å"They need to talk,’ said Abe. â€Å"They have evidence.’ Again, he pushed forward with his case, acting confidently about things he had no clue about. He was staking it all on me. I was starting to like him. It was kind of unfortunate that our evidence wasn’t as 100 percent solid as I’d hoped, but as I’d said earlier †¦ technicalities. â€Å"Let them talk.’ It was a new voice, but a voice I knew by heart. Lissa pushed her way through two of the guardians. They held their tight position, the immediate concern being that we not escape. This allowed her to slip through–but only so one could grab her arm and stop her from reaching us. â€Å"They’ve come this far. They were right about †¦ Jill.’ Boy, that was not easy for her to say with a straight face, seeing as she hadn’t entirely come to terms with the issue. My imminent death was probably the only thing distracting her from the earth shattering experience of learning she had a potential sibling. She too was taking a lot on faith here, confident I was telling the truth. â€Å"You’ve got them. They can’t go anywhere. Just let them talk. I’ve got evidence to support their case too.’ â€Å"I’d hold off on sharing that, Liss,’ I said in a low voice. Lissa still believed Daniella was the killer and wasn’t going to like hearing the truth. Lissa flashed me a confused look but didn’t protest. â€Å"Let’s hear them,’ said one of the guardians–and not just any: Hans. â€Å"After an escape like they pulled, I’d really like to know what brought them back.’ Hans was helping us? â€Å"But,’ he continued, â€Å"I’m sure you two will understand we’ll have to restrain you before you make your great reveal.’ I looked at Dimitri who had already turned to me. We’d both known what we were getting ourselves into, and honestly, this was a better scenario than I’d envisioned. â€Å"Okay,’ said Dimitri. He glanced at our noble protectors. â€Å"It’s okay. Let them get through.’ My mom and the others didn’t move right away. â€Å"Do it,’ I said. â€Å"Don’t end up as our cellmates.’ I thought for sure those loveable fools wouldn’t listen to me. But Mikhail backed off first, and then the others did too, practically in sync. In a flash, guardians seized them all, leading them away. Dimitri and I stayed put, and four guardians moved in, two for Dimitri and two for me. Adrian had retreated with the others, but Lissa still stood a few feet away from us, all her trust in me. â€Å"Get on with it,’ said Hans. He gripped my right arm tightly. I met Lissa’s eyes, hating what I had to say. But, no. She wasn’t the one I was worried about hurting the most. Looking out into the audience, I found Christian, who was understandably watching this drama with avid attention. I had to turn away and stare at the crowd as a whole, refusing to see individual faces. Just a blur. â€Å"I didn’t kill Tatiana Ivashkov,’ I said. Several people grumbled doubtfully. â€Å"I didn’t like her. But I didn’t kill her.’ I glanced at Hans. â€Å"You’ve questioned the janitor who testified about where I was during the murder, right? And he ID’d the man who attacked Lissa as the one who paid him off to lie about where I was?’ I’d learned from Mikhail that Joe had eventually admitted to taking money from the mystery Moroi, once the guardians had cornered him with the picture. Hans frowned, hesitated, and then nodded for me to continue. â€Å"There’s no record of his existence–at least not with the guardians. But the Alchemists know who he is. They saw him at one of their facilities–acting as someone’s bodyguard.’ My eyes fell on Ethan Moore, who stood with the guardians near the door. â€Å"A bodyguard for someone who was let in to see Tatiana the night she died: Tasha Ozera.’ There was no need for any uproar from the audience this time because Tasha more than made up for it on her own. She’d been sitting next to Christian and sprang up from her chair. â€Å"What on earth are you saying, Rose?’ she exclaimed. â€Å"Are you out of your mind?’ When I’d stood there defiantly, ready to face the crowd and demand justice, I’d been full of triumph and power. Now †¦ now I was just sad as I stared at someone I’d always trusted, someone who was staring back at me with so much shock and hurt. â€Å"I wish I was †¦ but it’s true. We both know it is. You killed Tatiana.’ Tasha’s disbelief grew, tinged now with a little anger, though she still seemed to be giving me the benefit of the doubt. â€Å"I never, never believed you killed her–and I’ve fought for you on that. Why are you doing this? Are you playing on the Strigoi taint in our family? I thought you were above that kind of prejudice.’ I swallowed. I’d thought getting evidence would be the hard part. It was nothing compared to revealing it. â€Å"What I’m saying has nothing to do with Strigoi. I almost wish it did. You hated Tatiana for her age law and refusal to let Moroi fight.’ Another memory came to me, when Tasha had learned about the secret training sessions. Tasha had been aghast with what I now suspected might have been guilt at misjudging the queen. The crowd was riveted and stunned, but one person came to life: an Ozera I didn’t know but who apparently had family solidarity on his mind. He stood up, crossing his arms defiantly. â€Å"Half this Court hated Tatiana for that law. You among them.’ â€Å"I didn’t have my bodyguard bribe a witness or attack Lis–Princess Dragomir. And don’t pretend you didn’t know the guy,’ I warned her. â€Å"He was your bodyguard. You were seen together.’ Ian’s description of her when she visited St. Louis had been perfectly clear: long black hair, pale blue eyes, and scarring on one side of her face. â€Å"Rose, I can’t even believe this is happening, but if James–that was his name–did whatever you’re talking about, then he acted alone. He always had radical ideas. I knew that when I hired him as outside protection, but I never thought he was capable of murder.’ She glanced around, looking for someone in charge, and finally settled on the Council. â€Å"I’ve always believed Rose was innocent. If James is the one responsible for this, then I’m more than happy to tell you whatever I know to clear Rose’s name.’ So, so easy. The mystery Moroi–James–was almost everywhere Tasha had been. He’d also been spotted in suspicious situations where she hadn’t been–like Joe’s bribery and Lissa’s attack. I could save Tasha and just blame it all on him. He was already dead. Tasha and I could stay friends. She’d acted on principle, right? What was wrong with that? Christian stood up beside her, looking at me like I was a stranger. â€Å"Rose, how can you say any of this? You know her. You know she wouldn’t do it. Stop making a scene and let us figure out how that James guy killed the queen.’ So, so easy. Blame the dead man. â€Å"James couldn’t have staked Tatiana,’ I said. â€Å"He had an injured hand. It takes both hands for a Moroi to stake someone. I’ve seen it happen twice now. And I bet if you can get a straight answer out of Ethan Moore †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ I glanced over at the guardian who had gone pale. He could probably jump into a fight and kill without hesitation. But this kind of scrutiny? And eventual interrogation by his peers? I didn’t think he’d hold up. It was probably the reason Tasha had been able to manipulate him. â€Å"James wasn’t there the night Tatiana died, was he? And I don’t think Daniella Ivashkov was either, despite what Princess Dragomir was told earlier. But Tasha was. She was in the queen’s chambers–and you didn’t report it.’ Ethan looked like he wanted to bolt, but his odds of escape were about as good as mine and Dimitri’s. He slowly shook his head. â€Å"Tasha wouldn’t kill anyone.’ Not exactly the confirmation of her location I wanted–but close. The guardians would get more out of him later. â€Å"Rose!’ Christian was pissed off now. Seeing him look at me with such outrage hurt even more than Tasha’s expression. â€Å"Stop it!’ Lissa took a few hesitant steps forward. I could feel in her mind that she didn’t want to believe what I was saying either †¦ yet she still trusted me. She thought of a controversial solution. â€Å"I know it’s wrong †¦ but if we used compulsion on the suspects †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ â€Å"Don’t even suggest that!’ exclaimed Tasha, turning her sharp eyes on Lissa. â€Å"Stay out of this. Your future’s on the line here. A future that could make you great and achieve the things our people need.’ â€Å"A future you could manipulate,’ I realized. â€Å"Lissa believes in a lot of the reforms you do †¦ and you think you could convince her of ones she doesn’t. Especially if she’s with your nephew. That’s why you’ve fought so hard to change the quorum law. You wanted her to be queen.’ Christian started to step forward, but Tasha laid a restraining hand on his shoulder. It didn’t stop him from speaking. â€Å"That’s idiotic. If she wanted Lissa to be queen, why make that James guy attack her?’ That was a mystery for me too, one of the holes I hadn’t quite figured out. But Dimitri had. Conscious of his two guards, he shifted closer to me. â€Å"Because no one was supposed to die.’ Dimitri’s low, resonant voice sounded wonderful with the room’s acoustics. He needed no microphone as he directed his words to Tasha. â€Å"You didn’t expect a guardian to be with her.’ He was right, I realized. Eddie had been drafted that night under weird circumstances and only barely made it back in time to see Ambrose with Lissa. â€Å"James was probably going to fake an attack and run †¦ enough to generate sympathy and more support for Vasilisa. Which it certainly did–just a little more severely.’ The outrage on Tasha’s face transformed to something I couldn’t entirely gauge right away. She’d seemed offended at my accusations, but from Dimitri–it was more. She looked legitimately hurt. Crushed. I knew that look. I’d seen it on Adrian’s face a couple hours ago. â€Å"Dimka, not you too,’ she said. Through Lissa’s eyes, I watched the colors of Tasha’s aura shift, burn a little brighter as she gazed at Dimitri. I could see exactly what Sonya had explained to me, how the aura showed affection. â€Å"And that’s why I took the fall,’ I murmured softly. No one but Dimitri and our guardians heard me. â€Å"Hmm?’ Dimitri asked. I just shook my head. All this time, Tasha had still loved Dimitri. I knew she had last year, when she’d made him an offer to hook up and have kids–not something a lot of dhampir men had the chance to get. He’d refused, and I thought she had accepted simply being friends with him. She hadn’t. She’d still loved him. When Lissa had revealed my relationship with Dimitri to Hans, Tasha had already known. But for how long? I wasn’t sure. She’d obviously known about the relationship before killing Tatiana, and putting the murder on me left Tasha free and clear and opened back up her chances with Dimitri. There was no point in bringing up her personal motives for blaming me. Tatiana’s murder was the real issue at stake. I just looked at Hans. â€Å"You can take me into custody, I meant it. But don’t you think you’ve got enough to take her–and Ethan–in too?’ Hans’s face was unreadable. His feelings toward me had always gone back and forth, since the day we met. Sometimes I was a troublemaker without a future. Other times I had the potential to be a leader. He’d believed I was a murderer, yet he’d still allowed me to address the crowd. He didn’t really like my friends either. What would he do now? He lifted his eyes from my face and looked to where several guardians were stationed in the audience, ready for any action. He gave a curt nod. â€Å"Take Lady Ozera. And Moore. We’ll question them.’ Seeing as Tasha was seated amidst other people, there was a bit of fear and panic when four guardians moved toward her. They avoided injuring other audience members as much as possible, but there was still plenty of pushing and shoving. What came as a total surprise was how fiercely Tasha fought back. She was trained, I remembered. Not in the same way guardians were, but enough to make it hard to get a hold of her. She could kick and punch–and stake queens–and even managed to knock one guardian down. She might actually try to fight her way out of here, I realized–though I didn’t believe for an instant she could. It was too crowded and chaotic. Guardians were heading toward the fray. Terrified Moroi were trying to get away from the fight. Everybody seemed to be getting in everyone else’s way. Suddenly, a loudcrack echoed through the room. A gunshot. Most of the Moroi dropped to the floor, though guardians kept coming. Holding a handgun she must have seized from the guardian she’d knocked over, Tasha grabbed the first Moroi she could with her free hand. So help me, it was Mia Rinaldi. She’d been sitting near Christian. I didn’t think Tasha even noticed her hostage choice. â€Å"Don’t move!’ Tasha yelled at the encroaching guardians. The gun was at Mia’s head, and I felt my heart stop. How had things escalated to this point? I’d never foreseen this. My task was supposed to be neat and tidy. Reveal Tasha. Put her away. Done. The guardians froze, less because of her command and more because they were sizing up how to deal with the total threat. Meanwhile, Tasha began to slowly–very slowly–make her way toward the exit, dragging Mia along. Her progress was slow and unwieldy, thanks to all the chairs and people in the way. The delay gave the guardians time to solve this ugly dilemma. They come first. Mia’s life–a Moroi life–was on the line. The guardians didn’t want Mia killed, but a gun-toting warrior Moroi also couldn’t be allowed to go free. The thing was, Tasha wasn’t the only warrior Moroi in the room. She had probably picked the worst hostage possible, and I could tell by the glint in Mia’s eyes that she was not going to go quietly. Lissa realized this too. One or both of them were going to get killed, and Lissa couldn’t let that happen. If she could get Tasha to look at her, she could compel her into submission. No, no, no, I thought. I didn’t need another friend involved. Both Lissa and I saw Mia tensing to break her way out of Tasha’s hold. Lissa realized she had to act now. I could feel it through the bond. I could feel her thoughts, the decision, even the way her body’s muscles and nerves moved forward to get Tasha’s attention. I felt it all so clearly, as if we shared the same body. I knew where Lissa would move before she even did. â€Å"Tasha, please don’t–‘ Lissa sprang forward, her plaintive cry interrupted as Mia kicked back at Tasha and broke away, slipping down out of the gun’s reach. Tasha, startled on two fronts, still had her gun pointed out. With Mia out of her grasp and everything happening so fast, Tasha frantically fired off a couple shots at the first threat moving toward her–which wasn’t the rapidly approaching guardians. It was a slim figure in white who had shouted at Tasha. Or, well, it would have been. Like I said, I’d known exactly where Lissa would step and what she would do. And in those precious seconds before she acted, I broke out of my captors’ hold and threw myself before Lissa. Someone leapt after me, but they were too late. That was when Tasha’s gun had gone off. I felt a biting and burning in my chest, and then there was nothing but pain–a pain so complete and so intense it was almost beyond comprehension. I felt myself falling, felt Lissa catching me and yelling something–maybe to me, maybe to someone else. There was so much commotion in the room that I didn’t know what had happened with Tasha. There was just me and the pain that my mind was trying to block out. The world seemed to grow quieter and quieter. I saw Lissa looking down on me, shouting something I couldn’t hear. She was beautiful. Brilliant. Crowned in light †¦ but there was darkness closing in around her. And in that darkness, I saw the faces †¦ the ghosts and spirits that always followed me. Thicker they grew, closing in. Beckoning. A gun. I had been brought down by a gun. It was practically comical. Cheaters, I thought. I’d spent my life focusing on hand-to-hand combat, learning to dodge fangs and powerful hands that could snap my neck. A gun? It was so †¦ well, easy. Should I be insulted? I didn’t know. Did it matter? I didn’t know that either. All I knew in that moment was that I was going to die, regardless. My vision was growing dimmer, the blackness and ghosts closing in, and I swore, it was like I could hear Robert whispering in my ear: The world of the dead won’t give you up a second time. Just before the light completely vanished, I saw Dimitri’s face join Lissa’s. I wanted to smile. I decided then that if the two people I loved most were safe, I could leave this world. The dead could finally have me. And I’d fulfilled my purpose, right? To protect? I’d done it. I’d saved Lissa, just like I’d sworn I’d always do. I was dying in battle. No appointment books for me. Lissa’s face shone with tears, and I hoped that mine conveyed how much I loved her. With the last spark of life I had left, I tried to speak, tried to let Dimitri know I loved him too and that he had to protect her now. I don’t think he understood, but the words of the guardian mantra were my last conscious thought. They come first. How to cite Last Sacrifice Chapter Thirty-three, Essay examples