Friday, May 22, 2020
The History Of The Internet Essay - 2287 Words
nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The internet has come a very long way in the past 50 years. New inovations such as integrated software and hardware has changed the way that poeple view and obtain information today. The internet is a global computer network connecting millions and millions of users throughout the world. quot;It is a network connecting many computer networks and is based on a common addressing system and communications protocol.quot;It has become one of the fastest growing forms of communication today(Encyclodpedia Britannica 1999). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Internet got started by the Defense Department as a Cold War experiment in the 1950ââ¬â¢s. The government needed a way to relay information between tanks andâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;When it first started ARPAnet was limited mainly to military business by the ARPA but soon scientists began to use it to work on research through e-mail. Not long after the first mailing list appeared called SF-LOVERS. The ARPA repeatedly shut the growing number of mailing lists down but gave up after a while calling it a way to quot;test the networks mail capacity.quot; The ARPAnet as it was now called began to grow and by the ââ¬Ë80ââ¬â¢s it began to link to other college and government networks. quot;NSFnet (national science foundation network) and the newly founded usenet were among the first to be connected. These links began the quot;ARPAinternetquot; later called just the internet.quot; The internet grew rapidly over time and bega n to ease out of government ownership and into privately owned routes. In 1990 ARPAnet was shut down but by this time the internet had become completely public and no longer relied on the original ARPAnet. It however still used the TCP/IP technology developed by Cerf(Buick, Joanna and Jevtic, Zoran). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;quot;Usenet was a network similar to ARPAnet created by graduate students and facultyShow MoreRelatedHistory of Internet10240 Words à |à 41 PagesHISTORY OF COMPUTERS AND THE INTERNET OUTLINE 1B MODULE Steps Toward Modern Computing 31 First Steps: Calculators 31 The Technological Edge: Electronics 31 Putting It All Together: The ENIAC 36 The Stored-Program Concept 36 The Computerââ¬â¢s Family Tree 37 The First Generation (1950s) 37 The Second Generation (Early 1960s) 38 The Third Generation (Mid-1960s to Mid-1970s) 39 The Fourth Generation (1975 to the Present) 41 A Fifth Generation? 44 The Internet Revolution 45 Lessons Learned 48 Read MoreThe History Of The Internet2033 Words à |à 9 PagesThe history of the Internet starts with the making of electronic computers in the 1950ââ¬â¢s. After a bunch of rabble The first concepts of the Internet were invented in the 1960ââ¬â¢s who saw much use in allowing computers to share information. It was mainly used for scientific and military purposes, research, development, and sorts. J.C.R. Licklider of MIT first suggested the idea of a global network of computers in 1962. He moved to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop the InternetRead MoreHistory of the Internet535 Words à |à 2 PagesInternet The Internet is a child of the 1960s. 1969 was when the first network of computers, ARPANET, communicated with one another. I took a full decade before the Internet was developed. In 1984, domain names were introduced, bringing with them, the familiar suffixes of ââ¬Å"comâ⬠and ââ¬Å"orgâ⬠(Anonymous, 2013). It didnââ¬â¢t become widely used until the 1990s when two significant developments arrived. In 1991, the World Wide Web (Web 1.0) was released, along with hyper-links, which made navigation easierRead More History Of The Internet Essay1527 Words à |à 7 PagesHistory of the Internet Works Cited Buick, Joanna and Jevtic, Zoran. Introducing Cyberspace. New York, NY: Totem Books, 1995. Crick, Prof. Rex E. E-Mail History. [Online] Available http://www2.uta.edu/geology/compulit/mailhist.html, December 20, 1999. Hafner, Katie and Lyon, Mathew. Where Wizards Stay up Late. New York, NY: nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Simon amp; Schuster Inc., 1996. quot;Internet.quot; Encyclopedia Britannica, 1999 ed. Kristula, Dave. The History ofRead More The History of the Internet Essay1277 Words à |à 6 PagesThe History of the Internet When one thinks of the internet, one may think of America Online, Yahoo!, or of Sandra Bullock being caught up in an espionage conspiracy. For me, it is a means of communication. A way to talk to some of my friends who live off in distant places such as Los Angeles, New Jersey, and the Philippines. The U.S. Defense Department originally had this intent in mind when they connected a computer network with various other radio and satellite networks.[1 Krol] They wantedRead MoreThe History of Internet Piracy1122 Words à |à 4 PagesThe History of Internet Piracy and its Impacts Internet piracy and copyright infringement have become major issues around the globe. Internet piracy has also evolved significantly since its beginnings. The effects are particularly felt by multiple industries, including the music, movie and software industries. As a result of the overwhelming effects of piracy, many pieces of legislation have either been proposed or passed in the United States. Piracy has significantly impacted the Internet as aRead MoreHistory Of Internet On The World1486 Words à |à 6 PagesJosh Margolis EMF140 November 2, 2015 History of Internet Before the the Internet was created, linking the world, human beings were already thinking with a connected mind. While messages obviously were unable to be transferred electronically, humans invented different ways to trade information and news with other people. Firstly was the post. In order to send a friend a message, a letter would have had to been written and mailed. Mailing messages was a long process, often taking days to getRead MoreThe History of Computers and the Internet1457 Words à |à 6 PagesWith the invention of the internet in the late 1960s and early 1970s, no one had a clue what it would one day develop into. When computers started becoming an everyday household appliance and the internet became more widespread, social networking sites (SNS) were developed as a means of communicating with people across the world. Friendster was launched in 2002, and grew rapidly over the course of three months as people started connecting and networking over the internet inste ad of in person. MyspaceRead MoreThe History and Development of the Internet1937 Words à |à 8 Pagesstart with, we have to discuss the historical backdrop of the Internet and its development. The Internet developed out of improvements in bundle exchanging and circulated machine systems intended to be secure in time of war. Throughout the last few decades, the Internet has had monstrous developing. Several years back, numerous individuals completed not have machine information and were not mindful of how to utilize it. Today, the Internet is utilized regularly for just about every errand. A huge numberRead More The History and Future of the Internet Essay831 Words à |à 4 PagesThe History and Future of the Internet Many believe the internet was an over night sensation, that one day, someone invented the internet and it spread in popularity faster than Tickle Me Elmo or the Macarena. Although the internet did have a surge of commercial popularity, with the invention of Mosaic and later with e-commerce, it was created many years ago with the development of military networking technologies. Also, the internet, unlike many pop culture fads of the nineties, will continue
Sunday, May 10, 2020
Broken Family - 3761 Words
Socrates Philosopher Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, Wikipedia ââ¬Å"Personal backgroundâ⬠Born: 469 BC, Athens, Greece Died:399 BC, Athens, Greece Full name: Socrates Nationality: Greek Era: Ancient philosophy Region: Western philosophy School: Classical Greek Main interests: Epistemology, ethics Notable idea: SocraticMethod, Socratic irony Influenced: Most subsequent Western philosophy; more specifically, Plato, Aristotle, Aristippus, Antisthenes Spouse:Xanthippe Children:Menexenus, Lamprocles, Sophroniscus Aristotle Philosopher Aristotle was a Greek philosopherâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦While the philosopher seeks always to rid himself of the body, and to focus solely on things concerning the soul, to commit suicide is prohibited as man is not sole possessor of his body. For, as stated in the Phaedo: the philosopher more than other men frees the soul from association with the body as much as possible. Body and soul are separate, then 2 .CRITO BY: PLATO The dialogue begins with Socrates waking up to the presence of Crito in his prison cell and inquires whether it is early in the day. Crito informs Socrates that it is indeed early and that he, Crito, chose to let Socrates sleep in peace, especially given Socrates current distressful circumstance of awaiting his own execution. Crito explains that he admires the peaceful manner in which Socrates has heretofore lived and the level of calm that Socrates displays in the face of death. Socrates replies that it is only fitting that he react in such a manner given his age and expresses surprise that the guard has let Crito into his cell at such an early hour. Crito informs Socrates that he is well-acquainted with the guard and has done him a certain benefaction. Crito relays bad news to Socrates. He tells him that there are eyewitness reports that the ship has come in from Delos, and that tomorrow Socrates will be executed. Socrates rebuffs the report, saying he has had a dream - a vision of a woman in a white cloak telling him that on theShow MoreRelatedEssay On Broken Family1027 Words à |à 5 Pagest a broken family has on juveniles. A broken family refers to a family that has gone through a separation, abandonment or divorce leaving the children with only one parent instead of the much needed two. In the beginning of a divorce parents tend to argue non-stop and just have a sense of despair around the household. Children around that type of atmosphere can get confused and blame themselves for such arguments and the overall unhappiness. When dealing with divorce the effects on the children varyRead MoreFamilies Are More Beneficial Than Broken Families Essay2447 Words à |à 10 Pages Whole Families are More Beneficial Than Broken Families When I was a child, I used to think that everyone will grow up, get married and live a happy life. I believe that you can get married and have a happy life, but I realize that isnââ¬â¢t the case for everyone. Many people do get married and may or maynot have children, but a large number of those people get a divorce. A number of studies have recently suggested that 40 and 50 percent of marriages end in divorce (Issitt 2). Since there is a largeRead MoreBroken Family After The Second Divorce1225 Words à |à 5 Pagespart of my brain at all times. When I take the time to sit down and dissect it, though, I canââ¬â¢t translate the signaling neurons into keystrokes. I canââ¬â¢t justify growing up believing love is a temporary fix, or that later I proclaimed the title of Broken Family after the second divorce. I canââ¬â¢t rationalize the polarization of my allegiance to the two halves of my whole. I canââ¬â¢t articulate how it feels to be passed back and forth from house t o house like a talking stick at a self-help meeting or a pre-teenRead MoreThe Perfect Family Became A Broken Home1101 Words à |à 5 Pageswas all anyone ever knew. The perfect family became a broken home in 2009, but not just any broken home. It became a home searching for a renewing, searching for a reconnection. With whom? Well, we did not quite know that answer at that point of our beautiful tragedy either. From the alcoholic father, to the sleepless mother, I grew up in a family that seemed perfect enough for me. My dad, my mom, my sister Charli, and I spent most weekends with my dad s family, our friends, and my dad s best friendRead MoreDinner at the Homesick Restaurant:The Broken Family Dynamic of the Tull Family1296 Words à |à 6 PagesIn Anne Tylerââ¬â¢s Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, the negative effects of a broken marriage on the family are continually presented through the use of multiple charactersââ¬â¢ internal and external dialogue, along with their interpretations of events that determine their overall outlook on the world. Contrary to the ââ¬Å"normativeâ⬠family structure consisting of two parents, this family is run solely by the mother, Pearl Tull, who is often overwhelmed by her role of being the exclusive support for her threeRead MoreHaving a Broken Family and How Its Effect to the Children6051 Words à |à 25 PagesPROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND Introduction People marry for many reasons, including one or more of the following: legal, social, libidinal, emotional, economic, spiritual, and religious. These might include arranged marriages, family obligations, the legal establishment of a nuclear family unit, the legal protection of children and public declaration of commitment. It is usually formalized at a wedding or marriage ceremony. The ceremony may be officiated either by a religious official, by a government officialRead MoreFamily As A Broken Family1204 Words à |à 5 PagesFamily is very important as it shapes our development and personality. The family protects your dignity and takes care of your well being. Family also gives us teachings that guide us throughout our lives and these are the values we carry everywhere we go. In addition, your family comes to your aid during hard times. Family is the building block of a successful person. Family is the first friend; first brick and first memory of a person. It can either make you or break you into pieces. A broken familyRead MoreThe Effect of a Broken Family to a Students Performance in School5821 Words à |à 24 PagesTHE EFFECT OF A ââ¬Å"BROKEN FAMILYâ⬠TO A STUDENTââ¬â¢S PERFORMANCE IN SCHOOL A Research Proposal Presented to the Faculty of Rizal National Science High School In Fulfilment Of the Requirement in Research III Submitted by: Luigi Boy C. Echica March 2010 ABSTRACT The Family is an essential factor for a humanââ¬â¢s whole-being, everything about a man, his background, attitude, all of his achievements, his honor and dignity , relies on the structure of the family a man lives in with. A family is composed ofRead MoreBroken Family Structure Leads to Educational Difficulties for Children1253 Words à |à 6 PagesBroken Family Structure Leads to Educational Difficulties for Children UNITED STATES, January 16, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The U.S Center for Marriage and Family released a study in November 2005 that shows broken family structures consistently lead to education difficulties for children. ââ¬Å"When it comes to educational achievement,â⬠the study says, ââ¬Å"children living with their own married parents do significantly better than other children.â⬠The report found that children from non-intact familiesRead MoreBroken Family3631 Words à |à 15 PagesChapter I Problem and Its Setting Introduction Family is the basic components of the society. And the researcher believes that the number one ingredients on youthââ¬â¢s happy life are their family, that the parents are the most important source of youthââ¬â¢s behavior, which effect to their outlook in life. So if the parents are separated, how does it affect the youth and what can they do about it? When parents split up, there can be many emotions that a youth may have
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Wilderness Bradley Watker Free Essays
string(110) " matted to his simian shaped skull, his beard was torn and tangled, his skin was red and lined from exposure\." I hobbled as fast as I could across the moor. I didnââ¬â¢t look back and I didnââ¬â¢t look down ââ¬â the former because I didnââ¬â¢t want to know just how close it was, the latter because I didnââ¬â¢t want to see the blood spurting from my foot. It was chasing me. We will write a custom essay sample on Wilderness Bradley Watker or any similar topic only for you Order Now I didnââ¬â¢t turn round, but with each limped and painful step I knew it was right behind me, ready to pounce and end any futile hope of survival. It was so near, at my shoulder, on top of me, right through my brain. I could feel its breath pushing against my neck, salivating in hunger. Why didnââ¬â¢t it just finish me off? Maybe it wanted me to turn, maybe the moment I looked it would be there. Its red eyes shining into mine, its wide mouth ready to make an aperture of my throat. The temptation to turn was immense. If I turned it would be over, I wouldnââ¬â¢t have to run ââ¬â hobble, limp, stagger ââ¬â anymore. I heard it growl, ready to pounce. My arms flailed, my mangled foot slipped in a coating of my own blood ââ¬â but still I ran, still I refused to look back. I kept thinking of survival, thinking thereââ¬â¢d be a future, thinking Iââ¬â¢d live ââ¬â and it was with that thin slice of hope that my legs disappeared from under me. I screamed, but it was a sound of surprise rather than pain ââ¬â and it was lost in a terrible scream from across the moor. Who was that? Was it Mark? Was it Pete? Weââ¬â¢d run together, separated ââ¬â thinking it couldnââ¬â¢t hunt down all three of us across these moors. But was that right? It was a long way to run and we had no idea how swift it was. I closed my eyes and listened. It was Mark. It was Mark screaming into the night. It was Mark being torn apart. I opened my eyes, slowly, and looked behind me. There was nothing. There were no red eyes, there were no bloodied teeth. Yet I could hear its breath so close, smell its disgusting raw hunger. But it wasnââ¬â¢t there, Markââ¬â¢s cries told me that. It had followed Mark ââ¬â the fattest one ââ¬â meat on the carcass for a good feast. But I could still hear its breath, trapped in my mind, telling me it was near, that despite Markââ¬â¢s cries it was still hunting me. I steadied myself and looked around. Iââ¬â¢d tumbled into a crimson ditch, a jagged hole covered in blood. Every inch of grass, every patch of mud was smeared red. I blinked a couple of times and gagged as the stench beat its way through my nostrils ââ¬â and then, under the moonlight, I saw them. There were a dozen rabbit carcasses in the hole with me, each of them dissected and eviscerated by teeth. This is where it was before the bar, this is where it started before it came to us for the main course. I pulled myself up, scared Iââ¬â¢d vomit. Markââ¬â¢s cries had stopped. Mark had been stopped. It was silent again, so I couldnââ¬â¢t retch. If I threw up it would know where I was, it would find me easy. I crawled from the ditch, away from the blood and the smell. I lay on the grass, keeping my face pressed down, hoping the aroma of night time freshness would remove all others. I was tempted to just stay there, but the pain in my heel was too much. I had a knife in my shack, a good sharp blade. I could cut out the wound, remove the infection. The shack wasnââ¬â¢t far. I knew this land, knew how to navigate these moors ââ¬â I just prayed I could move fast enough it wouldnââ¬â¢t catch me. I stood up, putting my weight on my right foot, only gingerly using my left. I took my bearings. Markââ¬â¢s cries had come from the east. What was it doing now? Was it feasting? Was it burrowing its nose into Markââ¬â¢s blubber? Or was it going to use the darkness to hunt down me and Pete as well? It had started in the bar ââ¬â what? Half an hour earlier? A life time ago? ââ¬ËThe Bar At The End Of The Worldââ¬â¢ we called it. There had been three of us in, and Paul the bar-keep. No matter who else was there, the three of us ââ¬â and Paul the bar-keep ââ¬â were always there. We were single men, away from civilisation, glad ââ¬â in the absence of any other human companionship ââ¬â to have a kind of family to go to of an evening. It wasnââ¬â¢t exclusive, we never made anyone feel an outsider. When others came in from the moors they were welcomed, they were old friends. Even strangers received a cheery greeting. Weââ¬â¢d had lost English motorists, Scotsmen in kilts, even once a Japanese coach party. We always treated strangers kindly, we always wanted the stranger to leave as a friend. We werenââ¬â¢t a bar which looked shifty and suspicious at every unknown who walked in. We smiled, we cheered, we brought another round. The stranger who walked in that night was different. He looked cold, distant, unfriendly. He looked like a man who wouldnââ¬â¢t appreciate smiles or cheers or any warm welcome. He was huge, the size and shape of a bear ââ¬â near seven foot of him. He lowered his head through the doorway and then straightened, standing dead still, staring at us on our bar-stools. Pete ââ¬â the friendliest, youngest and lithest ââ¬â tended to pounce forward and shake the hand of whoever came in, he didnââ¬â¢t with this guy. This man just stood and glared at us, like he was ready to growl if we came near. We were in the wild, we ourselves were part of the wild ââ¬â but he looked like he was born of it. His hair was greasy and matted to his simian shaped skull, his beard was torn and tangled, his skin was red and lined from exposure. You read "Wilderness Bradley Watker" in category "Papers" His long jacket was the brown of every kind of dirt, his trousers were stained and short on his bruised calves, his torn shirt was only buttoned once ââ¬â showing off a scarred and lined torso. It was Paul who spoke. Paul was the custodian and was never scared of confronting the unruly elements ââ¬â his shotgun was never far from reach below the bar. ââ¬Å"Can I help you?â⬠he asked. The man did nothing, just continued to stare with passive venom. ââ¬Å"Can I help you?â⬠said Paul. The man moved. He turned his head, slowly, towards the bar-keep. ââ¬Å"Whisky.â⬠said the man, his voice as dark as earth. ââ¬Å"You got money for that?â⬠asked Paul. It was never usually a problem. Once or twice weââ¬â¢d had a tramp stray out that far and weââ¬â¢d brought them drinks ââ¬â tramps have stories too. No one seemed willing to volunteer this time. The man took three strides, three strides which seemed to dent and echo against the floor. He grabbed a bar stool and swooped it under him. It was amazing those rickety old stools could take such a weight. ââ¬Å"Whisky.â⬠said the man. ââ¬Å"You got money for that?â⬠said Paul. They stared at each other. Paul kept his hand beneath the bar, clutching the gun. There was music on the jukebox, an old pop hit of the nineteen-seventies, but even though it played it was like silence had come and crushed it. The man brought his hand up, a brutal weapon of a fist ââ¬â huge, scarred and red. He opened it, dropping a dozen coins down onto the bar. He smiled at Paul, or gave what passed for a smile on that face. Paul let go of the gun and pulled out a clean glass. ââ¬Å"What kind?â⬠he asked. ââ¬Å"Whisky.â⬠Paul shrugged and reached for a bottle ââ¬â the cheapest ââ¬â and poured out a measure. The whisky made itself at home at the bottom of the glass, but the man just stared at it in disapproval. ââ¬Å"Whisky.â⬠he said. Paul poured another measure. Again the man stared at it with disgust strained across his wrinkled, bruised face. ââ¬Å"Whisky.â⬠Paul shrugged again and poured it so the glass was brimming with brown liquid. Helicopters! I could suddenly hear choppers. They were up there, more than one ââ¬â patrolling the night-sky. I dropped to the grass and looked up, but couldnââ¬â¢t see them despite the moonlight. How did they know about it? Who had called them? It took a long time to get a helicopter out here ââ¬â helicopters were city. They must have been hunting this thing awhile, must have tracked it down here. But what were they going to do now? It was an animal, it had natural senses ââ¬â they didnââ¬â¢t know this moor, they didnââ¬â¢t know where things were. It was ridiculous, what were city men in helicopters going to do against a beast like that? I lay still. They were on my side. The police, the army, the protection authorities ââ¬â whoever they were ââ¬â we all wanted the same thing, we wanted it gone. But I knew they wouldnââ¬â¢t be as careful as I would. Theyââ¬â¢d come to the moors before looking for things, other animals roaming these parts. Theyââ¬â¢d found them, theyââ¬â¢d got them ââ¬â and so what if a local got in the way of their sharpened bullets? It was collateral damage, it didnââ¬â¢t matter. After all, we were too far away from the cities and the towns and the newspapers and the television cameras for anyone to care what actually happened. We were too far away for the death of a few yokel innocents to matter. But we knew. We knew it was as just as dangerous encountering a city man sent with a gun as it was encountering a beast. I got up slowly. What would I look like to them? A man limping in darkness across the moor, smeared with dirt and remains ââ¬â how was I going to appear to them? I tried to figure out where they were ââ¬â the sound of propellers said they were close, but I could also hear that breathing. I shuddered. I had to keep moving, I had to get safe. My shack, with heavy bolts on the doors and windows, was still a mile away. There was nowhere else though. Nowhere between where I stood and my shack. Nowhere in that direction between the bar and my shack. It was all so desolate. I had to get home ââ¬â I could lock himself in, I had weapons, Iââ¬â¢d be able to treat my ankle and give myself a chance of a tomorrow. I just had to get off the moor. I didnââ¬â¢t want to die out there from either sharpened teeth or sharpened bullets. The man had just stared at that glass of whisky. Rain fell, records changed on the jukebox and still the man watched that glass with slow contemplation. All human sound had died. Before the man walked in Pete was regaling us with a childhood story weââ¬â¢d all heard three hundred times, Mark nevertheless could not stop sniggering at it ââ¬â now there was only silence. We stared at the man ââ¬â anxious of what he was going to do, scared of what he was going to do. Paulââ¬â¢s hand was below the bar, tight on the gun. Maybe the man would just drink and leave. Maybe heââ¬â¢d drink and start a conversation. Maybe. His hand reached quick for the glass. One moment it was lying still in his lap, the next it was dropping the brown liquid down his throat. He took it in one gulp, then slammed the glass back to the bar and stared at it disappointed. He seemed to wonder if that was it. Paul reached his free hand to the bottle, to offer a refill, when the man jerked himself over the glass. He hunched his body over as if about to vomit the contents back in, his head so close he could have snapped the rim with his teeth. But he didnââ¬â¢t. Instead he unfurled his tongue, pushing it into the empty glass so it curled at the bottom and piled up on itself. The tongue was long, dark, thick ââ¬â it had two black veins running and pulsing up the back. He pushed it into the glass and filled it. The receptacle crammed full with purple flesh spilling over the top Then he made a slurping sound, like his tongue was a paper-straw reaching for the last drop of liquid. He slid it out, but stayed hunched forward and unfurled it again, wrapping his tongue around the base of the glass. He lifted it from the bar, tilting his head back and shaking whatever atoms of whisky might be left into his wide eager mouth. He dropped the glass back to the bar carelessly, so it landed on its side and rolled. The man grunted as it came to a stop right at the edge. I wasnââ¬â¢t far now, but still far from safe. The helicopters had moved away, but there were men on the moors. I could hear them communicating, I could hear the static of their walkie-talkies. They were armed and scared in the moonlight, and it didnââ¬â¢t matter what they saw ââ¬â man, sheep, deer, great big beast ââ¬â theyââ¬â¢d all get the same treatment. I kept moving, conscious of them, conscious of the salivating breath, conscious that one wrong turn and Iââ¬â¢d be exposed for all in the moonlight. I rounded a ridge, and there ââ¬â close enough to see ââ¬â was my shack. I felt so much relief I nearly wept, but then I heard them on the bank right above me. I hit bank-side and listened, they were chatting about vectors and shut downs and containing the area. All the time the beast was getting nearer. It was so dark out there ââ¬â even with the moon ââ¬â that it could have pounced from five feet and surprised me. Even with armed city men so close, it would still have time to tear out my throat before taking them too. They were above me so I couldnââ¬â¢t move, but I could hear the beast and knew I had to move. The sound of its hunger was louder when I stopped. It seemed like it could attack from all sides, like I could be ripped apart by more than one of them. It was everywhere. What were those idiots doing? Why were they advertising themselves? I held my breath and listened to them and listened to it, and figured I was in for a bloody death. Then there were screams. From across the moor came dreadful cries, that even through the wind I recognised as Pete. I lurched forward from the bank, but then reality knocked me back again. Even if I knew where to run it would be too late. The screams swirled in the wind, they echoed, so it seemed that each death throe was repeated again and again across the moors. The men primed their weapons, but what were they going to fire at? It could be miles off, it could be bursting up from just over the next hillock. Finally there was movement, orders were given, the men raced away. I could still hear the breathing, rattling between my ears even with the screams. I could hear the helicopters swooping back. The men had gone, the helicopters werenââ¬â¢t near enough yet and it was as close as it had ever been. If I looked to my left I could make out the brickwork of my shack. I moved hastily towards it. With the empty glass in front of him, the man closed his eyes and became still. Why hadnââ¬â¢t Paul shot him then? Why didnââ¬â¢t he just blast him one? What had gone through Paulââ¬â¢s mind to make him wait? But then the opportunity was gone, his eyes opened and he spoke. ââ¬Å"I get so lonely,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"I get so very, very lonely.â⬠His voice was quiet, a growled monotone. ââ¬Å"I know the kind of life I lead isnââ¬â¢t meant to have company, but still I am lonely. I think itââ¬â¢s an odd thing for me to have become lonely ââ¬â I wasnââ¬â¢t born lonely, I didnââ¬â¢t grow up lonely, there was nothing in my life that suggested loneliness. But now I am alone. I donââ¬â¢t miss the people I knew, I donââ¬â¢t miss the people who loved me ââ¬â some of them I canââ¬â¢t even remember ââ¬â but I do miss the sensation of somebody else, I do miss there being another. I talk to myself a lot, I talk to myself and try to make sense of it, because after all ââ¬â who else is there to talk to? Sure, there are people like you. Thereââ¬â¢s the welcome of strangers when I can get it. But youââ¬â¢re not my friends, youââ¬â¢re not even my friends for the hours I spend here. Youââ¬â¢re just people I meet. You donââ¬â¢t like me and you donââ¬â¢t trust me ââ¬â and Iââ¬â¢ll be honest with you, you have no reason to do either. You know what I am, or you have a good idea what I am. You know what I have to do, you know what will happen next. And later on when Iââ¬â¢m alone I might regret it, but for nowâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ And there it was ââ¬â an angry mass of hair, claws and teeth. It went for Mark first ââ¬â the most meat ââ¬â but Mark was strong and pushed it back. It was only for a second, knocking it off balance, but enough for the three of us to get passed. We scrambled, had almost reached the outside, when it clamped me in a hungry vice. I looked to my foot and saw its horrible mutated face, growling and supping at my flesh. I screamed and it was answered by a gunshot. Paul put both barrels into its back. It roared and let go of my heel, and I hobbled out as fast as I could. There was another shot, and then a scream from Paul. I reached my shack, fumbling in the darkness as I tried to open the door. I had to be quicker ââ¬â my blood was in the air, surely I was going to be next. It was so near, its breath seemed to bruise the back of my neck. Finally the door opened. I slammed it behind me, bolted it, pushed furniture to block the windows. Outside were choppers, men running ââ¬â but they werenââ¬â¢t going to get near it. It was coming for me, stalking me. I opened the table drawer and pulled out my revolver, then went to my book shelves and cracked open a little box. It was a present, given to me as a keepsake, a lucky charm, in case I ever needed it. A silver bullet. I looked to the door and with shaking fingers slipped it into the chamber. The full moon shone on me despite the furniture. I could hear growling, panting, a nearby and desperate salivating. But then I heard a chopper, I heard men. It receded, cowering, taking a tactical retreat. The sound of breathing softened in my head. I took a gulp of relief and vomited on the floor. The vomit was blood red. I sat down, shaking with tears. I reached to the drawer and pulled out a carving knife, bringing it to my heel. But it was no good. The wound was deeper than Iââ¬â¢d realised, the teeth had sunk in further than I thought, meeting below my flesh. There was no way I could just cut it out, the infection was in me, rampant in my blood. I put the gun to my temple. Why not? Anyone who passed as my friend had already died that night. But then the moonlight touched me and I realised just how powerful I felt. I could hear the breathing again, friendlier now though. There was a new smell in the night air ââ¬â warm, welcoming. The beast was just the other side of the door, I could sense it. I could smell it, it could smell me. I put the gun down and smiled. I guessed neither of us would be lonely for a little while. How to cite Wilderness Bradley Watker, Papers
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