Urdu Language Urdu Essay Example

Urdu Language Urdu Paper The term Urdu and its origin The term Urdu derives from a Turkish word ordu meaning camp or army. The Urdu language developed between the Muslim soldiers of the Mughals armies who belonged to various ethnicities like Turks, Arabs, Persians, Pathans, Balochis, Rajputs, Jats and Afghans. These soldiers lived in close contact with each other and communicated in different dialects, which slowly and gradually evolved into present day Urdu. It is for this reason that Urdu is also referred to as Lashkari Zaban or language of the army. During its development Urdu language also assumed various names like the term Urdu-e-Maullah meaning the exalted army which was given by Emperor Shah Jahan and the term Rekhta meaning scattered (with Persian words) which was coined by the scholars for Urdu poetry. History and Evolution of Urdu Language Urdu arose in the contact situation which developed from the invasions of the Indian subcontinent by Turkic dynasties from the 11th century onwards, first as Sultan Mahmud of the Ghaznavid empire conqueredPunjab in the early 11th century, then when the Ghurids invaded northern India in the 12th century, and most ecisively with the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate. The official language of the Ghurids, Delhi Sultanate, the Mughal Empire, and their successor states, as well as the cultured language of poetry and literature, was Persian, while the language of religion was Arabic. Most of the Sultans and nobility in the Sultanate period were Turks from Central Asia who spoke Turkic as their mother tongue. The Mughals were also Chagatai, but later adopted Persian . Muzaffar Alam asserts that Persian became the lingua franca of the empire under Akbar for various political and ocial factors due to its non-sectarian and fluid nature. However, the armies, merchants, preachers, Sufis, and later the court, also incorporated the local people and the medieval Hindu literary language, Braj Bhasha. This new contact language soon incorporated other dialects, such as Haryanvi, Panjabi, and in the 17th century Khariboli, the dialect of the new capital at Delhi. By 1800, Khariboli had become dominant. The language went by several names over the years: Hindawi or Hindi, [language] of India; Dehlavi of Delhi;Hindustani, of Hindustan; and Zaban-e-Urdu, the language of he [army] camp, from which came the current name of Urdu around the year 1800. When Wali Mohammed Wali arrived in Delhi, he established Hindustani with a light smattering of Persian words, a register called Rekhta, for poetry; previously the language of poetry had been Persian. When the Delhi S ultanate expanded south to the Deccan Plateau, they carried their literary language with them, and it was influenced there by more southerly languages, producing the Dakhini dialect of Urdu. During this time Hindustani was the language of both Hindus and Muslims. We will write a custom essay sample on Urdu Language Urdu specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Urdu Language Urdu specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Urdu Language Urdu specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The communal nature of the language lasted until it replaced Persian as the official language in 1837 and was made coofficial along with English in the British Raj. This triggered a Hindu backlash in northwestern India, which argued that the language should be written in the native Devanagari script. This Hindi replaced traditional Urdu as the official register of Bihar in 1881, establishing a sectarian divide of Urdu for Muslims and Hindi for Hindus, a divide that was formalized with the division of India and Pakistan after independence from the British, though there are Hindu poets who ontinue to write in Urdu to this day. Although there have been attempts to purge Urdu and Hindi, respectively, of their Sanskrit and Persian words, and new vocabulary draws primarily from Persian and Arabic for Urdu and Sanskrit for Hindi, this has primarily affected academic and literary vocabulary, and both national standards remain heavily influenced by both Persian and Sanskrit. English has exert ed a heavy influence on both as a co official language. Official status Urdu is the national and one of the two official languages of Pakistan, the other eing English, and is spoken and understood throughout the country, while the state-by-state languages (languages spoken throughout various regions) are the provincial languages. It is used in education, literature, office and court business. It holds in itself a repository of the cultural and social heritage of the country. Although English is used in most elite circles, andPunjabi has a plurality of native speakers, Urdu is the lingua franca and national language in Pakistan. Urdu is also one of the officially recognised languages in India and has official language tatus in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,[32] Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and the national capital, New Delhi. In Jammu and Kashmir, section 145 of the Kashmir Constitution provides: The official language of the State shall be Urdu but the Eng lish language shall unless the Legislature by law otherwise provides, continue to be used for all the official purposes of the State for which it was being used immediately before the commencement of the Constitution. As of 2010, the English language continues to be used as an official language for more than 90% of fficial work in Kashmir. There are ongoing efforts to make Kashmiri and Dogri, spoken as mother tongues by nearly 80% of the population of Indian-administered Kashmir, as official languages alongside English. The importance of Urdu in the Muslim world is visible in the Holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, where most informational signage is written in Arabic, English and Urdu, and sometimes in other languages. Importance: Urdu is one of the most popular languages which are having a history of hundreds of years back. Urdu language got lots of preferences in various historical aspects. Urdu is considered as the language used by many ancient kings and it was the only language for communication in certain regions of ancient kingdoms. Ancient regions of Persian kingdom were the main areas of Urdu language. Years after Urdu language have been spread to India as one of the language in certain regions of India. In India Urdu language has been mostly used by the Muslim community. After that Pakistan has been divided from India and declared as an independent country for the Muslim community. As a result Urdu became the national language of Pakistan. Pakistan s considered as the birth place of Urdu poetry as Urdu is the main language of the common people in Pakistan. Urdu poetries are written in different forms by various experienced Urdu poets. Among the various forms of Urdu poetries Ghazal plays an important role which is a popular art form around all over the world. Ghazal has certain rules in its writing and one of the main rules is that Ghazal should end with the same words used for its starting and this rule is called ‘Radeef’. Gair Muraddaf Ghazals are a variety of Ghazals which doesn’t have a radeef. Ham Radeef Ghazals are those Ghazals with same radeef. Urdu Ghazal is an important form of Ghazal which is very much popular all over the world. Importance of urdu in pakistan Urdu holds the status of the national language of Pakistan. It is also the official language of the country and the post is also shared by English. It is understood all over the country and is the best medium of communication anywhere in the country. Urdu has been in the region since the 11th century. The rulers of that time urged the population to learn how to read and write Urdu. It is an Indo-Aryan language and is derived from three different languages which are Arabic, Turkish and Persian. The letters used in Urdu language are similar to the ones used in Arabic and Persian (Farsi) language. Though the letters are the same but the dialect and accent differs a lot. The word Urdu means army. In old times the armies in this region comprised of people from different nationalities. All had different languages and could not understand each other. A language was required which could be understood by all. Urdu emerged as the medium that linked all and was understood by all. According to different researches carried out, Urdu is not only spoken in Pakistan but also in many other parts of the world. It is one of the 23 official languages of India. It is widely spoken in Bangladesh and also in many gulf countries. There are also hundreds and thousands of Urdu speakers in the European countries and Americas. In Pakistan not more than 8% people have their first language as Urdu but the rest of the population speaks and understands Urdu as the second language. The estimated number of native Urdu speakers in Pakistan is 10. 5 million and all over the world the figure is 50 million approximately. In Pakistan alone the people who understand and speak Urdu as the first or econd language is 104 million approximately. Urdu is included as a compulsory subject in the schools and colleges of Pakistan. Urdu poetry and literature is taught and given prime importance alongside English in the institutions. The Urdu literature has a rich history and it has seen very eminent and world renowned poets like Allama Muhammad Iqbal and Mirza Ghalib. It is not only poetry but also a lot of Islamic litera ture and Sharia literature has also been written Urdu. It was even before many other languages that Sharia and Islamic literature was written and also translated in this language. Urdu has emerged as a binding force which has kept the people of Pakistan close to each other. National language A national language is a language (or language variant, i. e. dialect) which has some connection—de facto or de jure—with a people and perhaps by extension the territory they occupy. The term is used variously. A national language may for instance represent the national identity of a nation or country. National language may alternatively be a designation given to one or more languages spoken as first languages in the territory of a country. C. M. B. Brann, with particular reference to Africa, suggests that there are four quite distinctive meanings for national language in a polity:[1] ?Territorial language (chthonolect, sometimes known as chtonolect[2]) of a particular people ?Regional language (choralect) ?Language-in-common or community language (demolect) used throughout a country ?Central language (politolect) used by government and perhaps having a symbolic value. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Urdu http://www. theurdulanguage. com/Downfall. htm http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/National_language

Cavour Biography essays

Cavour Biography essays Cavour was born in Turin, Peidmont, on the 1st of August 1810. In 1826 Cavour was an lieutenant of the Sardinian Army. After Cavour resigned his commission in 1831, he started getting interested in Politics. Cavour used his knowledge for the family's estates and greatly raised their productivity. He also promoted the modernsation in industry by using new railways and steam ships. In January 1848 there was a mass of unrest in support of liberalism and constitutionalism in Sicily, then included in a Kingdom with Naples (also known as the kingdom of the Two Scillies). In reaction to these events Cavour urged constitutional reform in Piedmont. King Charles Albert awarded a "Charter of Liberties" to his kingdom, on February 8th. Across Western Europe, the year 1848 was the year of revolution. In the German states many rulers had awarded the constitutions. News reached on march 19th Turin that Milan was in revolution against the Austrian Empire and Cavour urged that Charles Albert order the Sardinian army to support the Milanese revolution. On 25th March the Sardinian kingdom declared war on the Austrian Empire. Cavour became a member of the Sardinian chamber in 1849. The Sardinian, and "Italian" forces, were overthrown by a resurgent Austrian Empire at a major battle of Novara in March 1849. In the July 1849 elections related with this succession Cavour was again returned to the chamber of deputies. Cavour made a speech in the chamber, on the 7th of March 1850, where he suggested that "Piedmont, gathering to itself all the living forces of Italy, would soon be in a position to lead our mother-country to the high destinies to which she is called." In November 1852, Cavour was invited to lead a new ministry. ...

Economic Analysis and Policy_Coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economic Analysis and Policy_Coursework - Essay Example In terms of agent’s utility, discretion based solutions are normally the best. On the other hand, policy options that are based on rules usually have little room for policy errors. However, such an approach requires a lot of confidence that the variables will perform as intended without any challenges. This is certainly difficult to realize for inflation targeting especially in the identification of financial stability (Langdana, 2009). Indeed, most rule-based approaches have faced many challenges especially when applied as an inflation target framework. In this respect, a discretionary framework is always appropriate in addressing the issue. It allows policy makers to learn much from the interaction between various relevant stakeholders. Nevertheless, it should be realized that the adaptability and flexibility of discretion comes with its own share of costs. There is limited predictability of the decision in addition to a tendency toward forbearance as policy makers are tempt ed to postpone backfiring decisions. In most rule-based approaches, policy reactions are normally left to some pre-defined automatic triggers and mechanisms. However, the use of rules might be difficult especially for a new policy which should be used across the world (Peston, 2010). (Question b) Indeed, the Taylor rule has greatly revolutionized the manner in which policy makers and central banks approach the issue of monetary policy. It frames policy actions in line with the various incoming information regarding economic conditions. In this case its contrasts the traditional period-by-period optimization problem. The rule has greatly brought into focus the need for adjusting policy rates more than one-for-one in responding to increased inflation. The rule is therefore used in adjusting prudent interest rates which can help in stabilizing the economy both in the short term and maintain growth in the long term. This is much opposed to inflation targeting which basically focuses on estimation of the inflation rates and attempting to fix the situation through interest rates (Barro, 2005). The attractiveness of the rule arises out of its ability to foster price stability and ensure full employment through a reduction of uncertainty. It further increases the credibility of future actions of the central bank. The rule might further avoid most inefficiency associated with time inconsistency through the use of discretionary policy. The Taylor rule indeed provided a compromise between the various competing schools of thought in a proper language often lacking in rhetorical passion. A recent application of the Taylor rule was made by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) after inflation was seen to have risen by 2%. The rule provided a quantitative prescription on how the interest rates should be increased to address this change. Indeed, the Taylor rule has been important in addressing some of the challenges which conventional inflation targeting cannot reach. Howe ver, the rule also has its own challenges and is often used together with other approaches in real economic situations (Prachowny, (2011). Microeconomics (Question a) It is certainly true that firms prefer making more profits to less. Profit is certainly a very important concept in the operations of a

Modern Dance and Ballet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Modern Dance and Ballet - Essay Example Therefore, the observation and analysis of this song demonstrates the development of contemporary dance and ballet. Contemporary dance and ballet exemplifies a form of sovereignty and liberty in the movements. Anciently, dance movements were entirely confined in a regular routine. In this case, antique choreographers viewed dance as a repetition of a regular sequence of movements (Dunning, 2). Subsequent generations of dancers criticized the principles that regulated ancient dance. According to the modern dancers, the ancient movements incapacitated originality in art. Therefore, they implemented a new technique that would enhance human fecundity, and that would be freer. Their implementation invented the movements in contemporary ballet. Isadora Duncan and Mary Wigman were amongst the spearheads of the new enactments (Foulkes, 1). This feature is evident in the performances of the song My Immortal. Upon performance of this song, dancers manifest a freer maneuver on stage. Additionally, creativity manifests in the occupation of the stage. In this case, the artiste is not limited to a rigid routin e. The performer takes abrupt, but congruent maneuvers in different spots of the stage. This feature amounts to an ideal stage occupation procedure. Consequently, the artiste captivates the audience to the movements on stage (Horosko, 12). Evidently, this exemplifies a modification from the ancient patterns of regular routines and movements on stage. Gestures are an indispensable aspect in dance. Contemporary ballet pronounced emphasis on the use of gestures in the movements (Brown, 22). This would also be an immense platform for the exploration of creativity in dancing art.

Free

Free Will vs. Determinism Essay PHI/105 August 2010 Week 1 – Checkpoint 1 Arguments and Logic Free Will VS Determinism Free Will and Determinism are two separate beliefs, contradicting one another. Determinism is the idea that all matter in this known universe is created for a specific purpose; a specific action. Therefore, the behavior of all atoms are governed by their physical law; their purpose. Free Will is simply defined as humans having free will. Humans have the ability to choose their next action, thereby choosing their path to their future. In the excerpt given these two beliefs are in contradiction with one another and therefore cannot exist. One must believe in a single belief, not both. The arguments given for Determinism is that whatever an atom does, it must do in a given circumstance. By laws of nature and physics, it must behave in a specific manner. Following this argument, an atom must behave in manner â€Å"A† when in circumstance â€Å"Z†; therefore, if present in circumstance â€Å"Z,† the atom must behave in manner â€Å"A† in accordance with its physical laws. A behavior as a result of free will; however, is an event that did not have to happen, thereby contradicting the argument for Determinism. Free Will is an event that is the direct result of my actions because of my choices. Therefore, if an event were to occur as a result of Free Will, this event did not have to happen. For example, let us imagine that I am walking along a path and I choose, of my own free will, to pick up a rock and throw it. I could easily have chosen not to throw the rock; therefore, when I threw the rock, the atoms in my arm did not have to move even if this situation. Given this example, we will assume that Free Will is the correct belief, thus illustrating that it is not true that an atom must have done what it did, given the situation. If Determinism is true, then my arm would have moved and the rock been thrown, regardless of my choices and actions. The arguments for these beliefs seem logical in the fact that Determinism is relating to science and physics to illustrate the structure and behavior of atoms; the core component to all known matter. This argument provides a solid base for the Determinism belief, explaining that everything is preordained by its physical properties, and the Free Will is an illusion. Free Will, on the other hand, is given no scientific argument and is more common sense based in its belief. Free Wills argument is not to illustrate that it is true, but to show that Determinism is not true. While the arguments for both beliefs seem valid, I found there to be more weaknesss is the Determinisms logic. To say that all matter has a given physical law is correct and that is must behave in its intended manner. Atoms that compose the chemical makeup of fire will in fact burn you if too close; this is what fire does. The weakness in the Determinisms argument is saying that because you were burned, the atoms in that fire were designed to burn you. Nature has a set of principles in place. Gravity causes object to fall towards its pull, and the movement of two objects against one another creates heat the form of friction. These events are localized in their behavior, but not preordained. A rock that is thrown will glide through the air and descend towards earth again. My arm can throw a rock, or remain at my side. The atoms of the rock, make it a rock, but do not make it fly. The atoms in my arm are what bind muscles, bone, and skin, and make it my arm, but they do not make my arm throw the rock. Determinism is true to an extent, as is Free Will. Each of them play a part in our world. If I wish to throw a rock at a window, and not break the glass, my will alone is not enough to make it so. Determinism will then take over and act accordingly to the density of the glass, and the velocity of the rock. Both beliefs exist together, working together.

The Caribbean Essay -- Caribbean History Essays

The Caribbean Perhaps nowhere on earth is a more culturally varying region than in the Caribbean. The recent history has formed these islands into a confused, random area, hiding much of its people’s identity and heritage. Due to European Imperialism, extermination of aboriginal peoples, slavery, the plantation system, and the ethnic diversity of the inhabitants the Caribbean does not allow itself to be classified as one. In fact little can be grouped together. Sydney Mintz, Antonio Benitez-Rojo, and Michelle Cliff try to make sense of the combination and loss of culture as well as the reemergence of new ones. They do this from different perspectives, Rojo though the eyes of a Cuban and a literary critic, Mintz as a political scientist and Cliff as a Jamaican born and raised citizen. Sydney Mintz and Antonio Benitez-Rojo argue a very similar viewpoint. When the Europeans arrived in the late fourteen hundreds they took control of the native population an either enslaved or exterminated them. Over the years the European countries have juggled ownership of the islands, shifting in...

The Host Chapter 40: Horrified

I slowed when I heard the sound of voices. I was not close enough to the hospital for it to be Doc. Others were on their way back. I pressed myself against the rock wall and crept forward as quietly as I could. My breathing was ragged from running. I covered my mouth with my hand to stifle the sound. â€Å"†¦ why we keep doing this,† someone complained. I wasn't sure whose voice it was. Someone I didn't know well. Maybe Violetta? It held that same depressed tone that I recognized from before. It erased any notion that I'd been imagining things. â€Å"Doc didn't want to. It was Jared's idea this time.† I was sure that it was Geoffrey who spoke now, though his voice was a little changed by the subdued revulsion in it. Geoffrey had been with Trudy on the raid, of course. They did everything together. â€Å"I thought he was the biggest opponent to this business.† That was Travis, I guessed. â€Å"He's more†¦ motivated now,† Geoffrey answered. His voice was quiet, but I could tell he was angry about something. They passed just half a foot from where I cringed into the rocks. I froze, holding my breath. â€Å"I think it's sick,† Violetta muttered. â€Å"Disgusting. It's never going to work.† They walked slowly, their steps weighted with despair. No one answered her. No one spoke again in my hearing. I stayed motionless until their footsteps had faded a little, but I couldn't wait until the sound disappeared completely. Ian might be following me already. I crept forward as quickly as I could and then started jogging again when I decided it was safe. I saw the first faint hints of daylight streaming around the curving tunnel ahead, and I shifted into a quieter lope that still kept me moving swiftly. I knew that once I was around the gradual arc, I would be able to see the doorway into Doc's realm. I followed the bend, and the light grew brighter. I moved cautiously now, putting each foot down with silent care. It was very quiet. For a moment, I wondered if I was wrong and there was no one here at all. Then, as the uneven entrance came into view, throwing a block of white sunlight against the opposite wall, I could hear the sound of quiet sobbing. I tiptoed right to the edge of the gap and paused, listening. The sobbing continued. Another sound, a soft, rhythmic thudding, kept time with it. â€Å"There, there.† It was Jeb's voice, thick with some emotion. â€Å"‘S okay. ‘S okay, Doc. Don't take it so hard.† Hushed footsteps, more than one set, were moving around the room. Fabric rustling. A brushing sound. It reminded me of the sounds of cleaning. There was a smell that didn't belong here. Strange†¦ not quite metallic, but not quite anything else, either. The smell was not familiar-I was sure I had never smelled it before-and yet I had an odd feeling that it should be familiar to me. I was afraid to move around the corner. What's the worst they will do to us? Mel pointed out. Make us leave? You're right. Things had definitely changed if that was the worst I could fear from the humans now. I took a deep breath-noticing again that strange, wrong smell-and eased around the rocky edge into the hospital. No one noticed me. Doc was kneeling on the floor, his face buried in his hands, his shoulders heaving. Jeb leaned over him, patting his back. Jared and Kyle were laying a crude stretcher beside one of the cots in the middle of the room. Jared's face was hard-the mask had come back while he was away. The cots were not empty, as they usually were. Something, hidden under dark green blankets, filled the length of both of them. Long and irregular, with familiar curves and angles†¦ Doc's homemade table was arranged at the head of these cots, in the brightest spot of sunlight. The table glittered with silver-shiny scalpels and an assortment of antiquated medical tools that I couldn't put a name to. Brighter than these were other silver things. Shimmering segments of silver stretched in twisted, tortured pieces across the table†¦ tiny silver strands plucked and naked and scattered†¦ splatters of silver liquid smeared on the table, the blankets, the walls†¦ The quiet in the room was shattered by my scream. The whole room was shattered. It spun and shook to the sound, whirled around me so that I couldn't find the way out. The walls, the silver-stained walls, rose up to block my escape no matter which way I turned. Someone shouted my name, but I couldn't hear whose voice it was. The screaming was too loud. It hurt my head. The stone wall, oozing silver, slammed into me, and I fell to the floor. Heavy hands held me there. â€Å"Doc, help!† â€Å"What's wrong with her?† â€Å"Is it having a fit?† â€Å"What did she see?† â€Å"Nothing-nothing. The bodies were covered!† That was a lie! The bodies were hideously uncovered, strewn in obscene contortions across the glittering table. Mutilated, dismembered, tortured bodies, ripped into grotesque shreds†¦ I had clearly seen the vestigial feelers still attached to the truncated anterior section of a child. Just a child! A baby! A baby thrown haphazardly in maimed pieces across the table smeared with its own blood†¦ My stomach rolled like the walls were rolling, and acid clawed its way up my throat. â€Å"Wanda? Can you hear me?† â€Å"Is she conscious?† â€Å"I think she's going to throw up.† The last voice was right. Hard hands held my head while the acid in my stomach violently overflowed. â€Å"What do we do, Doc?† â€Å"Hold on to her-don't let her hurt herself.† I coughed and squirmed, trying to escape. My throat cleared. â€Å"Let me go!† I was finally able to choke out. The words were garbled. â€Å"Get away from me! Get away; you're monsters! Torturers!† I shrieked wordlessly again, twisting against the restraining arms. â€Å"Calm down, Wanda! Shh! It's okay!† That was Jared's voice. For once, it didn't matter that it was Jared. â€Å"Monster!† I screamed at him. â€Å"She's hysterical,† Doc told him. â€Å"Hold on.† A sharp, stinging blow whipped across my face. There was a gasp, far away from the immediate chaos. â€Å"What are you doing?† Ian roared. â€Å"It's having a seizure or something, Ian. Doc's trying to bring it around.† My ears were ringing, but not from the slap. It was the smell-the smell of the silver blood dripping down the walls-the smell of the blood of souls. The room writhed around me as though it were alive. The light twisted into strange patterns, curved into the shapes of monsters from my past. A Vulture unfurled its wings†¦ a claw beast swung its heavy pincers toward my face†¦ Doc smiled and reached for me with silver trickling from his fingertips†¦ The room spun once more, slowly, and then went black. Unconsciousness didn't claim me for long. It must have been only seconds later when my head cleared. I was all too lucid; I wished I could stay oblivious longer. I was moving, rocking back and forth, and it was too black to see. Mercifully, the horrible smell had faded. The musty, humid air of the caves was like perfume. The feeling of being carried, being cradled, was familiar. That first week after Kyle had injured me, I'd traveled many places in Ian's arms. â€Å"†¦ thought she'd have guessed what we were up to. Looks like I was wrong,† Jared was murmuring. â€Å"You think that's what happened?† Ian's voice cut hard in the quiet tunnel. â€Å"That she was scared because Doc was trying to take the other souls out? That she was afraid for herself?† Jared didn't answer for a minute. â€Å"You don't?† Ian made a sound in the back of his throat. â€Å"No. I don't. As disgusted as I am that you would bring back more†¦ victims for Doc, bring them back now!-as much as that turns my stomach, that's not what upset her. How can you be so blind? Can't you imagine what that must have looked like to her in there?† â€Å"I know we had the bodies covered before -â€Å" â€Å"The wrong bodies, Jared. Oh, I'm sure Wanda would be upset by a human corpse-she's so gentle; violence and death aren't a part of her normal world. But think what the things on that table must have meant to her.† It took him another moment. â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"Yes. If you or I had walked in on a human vivisection, with torn body parts, with blood splattered on everything, it wouldn't have been as bad for us as it was for her. We'd have seen it all before-even before the invasion, in horror movies, at least. I'd bet she's never been exposed to anything like that in all her lives.† I was getting sick again. His words were bringing it back. The sight. The smell. â€Å"Let me go,† I whispered. â€Å"Put me down.† â€Å"I didn't mean to wake you. I'm sorry.† The last words were fervent, apologizing for more than waking me. â€Å"Let me go.† â€Å"You're not well. I'll take you to your room.† â€Å"No. Put me down now.† â€Å"Wanda -â€Å" â€Å"Now!† I shouted. I shoved against Ian's chest, kicking my legs free at the same time. The ferocity of my struggle surprised him. He lost his hold on me, and I half fell into a crouch on the floor. I sprang up from the crouch running. â€Å"Wanda!† â€Å"Let her go.† â€Å"Don't touch me! Wanda, come back!† It sounded like they were wrestling behind me, but I didn't slow. Of course they were fighting. They were humans. Violence was pleasure to them. I didn't pause when I was back in the light. I sprinted through the big cavern without looking at any of the monsters there. I could feel their eyes on me, and I didn't care. I didn't care where I was going, either. Just somewhere I could be alone. I avoided the tunnels that had people near them, running down the first empty one I could find. It was the eastern tunnel. This was the second time I'd sprinted through this corridor today. Last time in joy, this time in horror. It was hard to remember how I'd felt this afternoon, knowing the raiders were home. Everything was dark and gruesome now, including their return. The very stones seemed evil. This way was the right choice for me, though. No one had any reason to come here, and it was empty. I ran to the farthest end of the tunnel, into the deep night of the empty game room. Could I really have played games with them such a short time ago? Believed the smiles on their faces, not seeing the beasts underneath†¦ I moved forward until I stumbled ankle deep into the oily waters of the dark spring. I backed away, my hand outstretched, searching for a wall. When I found a rough ridge of stone-sharp-edged beneath my fingers-I turned into the depression behind the protrusion and curled myself into a tight ball on the ground there. It wasn't what we thought. Doc wasn't hurting anyone on purpose; he was just trying to save – GET OUT OF MY HEAD! I shrieked. As I thrust her away from me-gagged her so that I wouldn't have to bear her justifications-I realized how weak she'd grown in all these months of friendliness. How much I'd been allowing. Encouraging. It was almost too easy to silence her. As easy as it should have been from the beginning. It was only me now. Just me, and the pain and the horror that I would never escape. I would never not have that image in my head again. I would never be free of it. It was forever a part of me. I didn't know how to mourn here. I could not mourn in human ways for these lost souls whose names I would never know. For the broken child on the table. I had never had to mourn on the Origin. I didn't know how it was done there, in the truest home of my kind. So I settled for the way of the Bats. It seemed appropriate, here where it was as black as being blind. The Bats mourned with silence-not singing for weeks on end until the pain of the nothingness left behind by the lack of music was worse than the pain of losing a soul. I'd known loss there. A friend, killed in a freak accident, a falling tree in the night, found too late to save him from the crushed body of his host. Spiraling†¦ Upward†¦ Harmony; those were the words that would have held his name in this language. Not exact, but close enough. There had been no horror in his death, only grief. An accident. The bubbling stream was too discordant to remind me of our songs. I could grieve beside its harmony-free clatter. I wrapped my arms tightly around my shoulders and mourned for the child and the other soul who had died with it. My siblings. My family. If I had found a way free of this place, if I had warned the Seekers, their remains would not be so casually mangled and mixed together in that blood-steeped room. I wanted to cry, to keen in misery. But that was the human way. So I locked my lips and hunched in the darkness, holding the pain inside. My silence, my mourning, was stolen from me. It took them a few hours. I heard them looking, heard their voices echo and warp in the long tubes of air. They were calling for me, expecting an answer. When they received no answer, they brought lights. Not the dim blue lanterns that might never have revealed my hiding place here, buried under all this blackness, but the sharp yellow lances of flashlights. They swept back and forth, pendulums of light. Even with the flashlights, they didn't find me until the third search of the room. Why couldn't they leave me alone? When the flashlight's beam finally disinterred me, there was a gasp of relief. â€Å"I found her! Tell the others to get back inside! She's in here after all!† I knew the voice, but I didn't put a name to it. Just another monster. â€Å"Wanda? Wanda? Are you all right?† I didn't raise my head or open my eyes. I was in mourning. â€Å"Where's Ian?† â€Å"Should we get Jamie, do you think?† â€Å"He shouldn't be on that leg.† Jamie. I shuddered at his name. My Jamie. He was a monster, too. He was just like the rest of them. My Jamie. It was a physical pain to think of him. â€Å"Where is she?† â€Å"Over here, Jared. She's not†¦ responding.† â€Å"We didn't touch her.† â€Å"Here, give me the light,† Jared said. â€Å"Now, the rest of you, get out of here. Emergency over. Give her some air, okay?† There was a shuffling noise that didn't travel far. â€Å"Seriously, people. You're not helping. Leave. All the way out.† The shuffling was slow at first, but then became more productive. I could hear many footsteps fading away in the room and then disappearing out of it. Jared waited until it was silent again. â€Å"Okay, Wanda, it's just you and me.† He waited for some kind of answer. â€Å"Look, I guess that must have been pretty†¦ bad. We never wanted you to see that. I'm sorry.† Sorry? Geoffrey'd said it was Jared's idea. He wanted to cut me out, slice me into little pieces, fling my blood on the wall. He'd slowly mangle a million of me if he could find a way to keep his favorite monster alive with him. Slash us all to slivers. He was quiet for a long time, still waiting for me to react. â€Å"You look like you want to be alone. That's okay. I can keep them away, if that's what you want.† I didn't move. Something touched my shoulder. I cringed away from it, into the sharp stones. â€Å"Sorry,† he muttered. I heard him stand, and the light-red behind my closed eyes-began to fade as he walked away. He met someone in the mouth of the cave. â€Å"Where is she?† â€Å"She wants to be alone. Let her be.† â€Å"Don't get in my way again, Howe.† â€Å"Do you think she wants comfort from you? From a human?† â€Å"I wasn't party to this -â€Å" Jared answered in a lower voice, but I could still hear the echoes. â€Å"Not this time. You're one of us, Ian. Her enemy. Did you hear what she said in there? She was screaming monsters. That's how she sees us now. She doesn't want your comfort.† â€Å"Give me the light.† They didn't speak again. A minute passed, and I heard one set of slow footsteps moving around the edge of the room. Eventually, the light swept across me, turning my lids red again. I huddled myself more tightly together, expecting him to touch me. There was a quiet sigh, and then the sound of him sitting on the stone, not as close beside me as I would have expected. With a click, the light disappeared. I waited in the silence for a long time for him to speak, but he was just as silent as I was. Finally, I stopped waiting and returned to my mourning. Ian did not interrupt. I sat in the blackness of the big hole in the ground and grieved for lost souls with a human at my side.