Energy Drinks Market Essay Example for Free

Energy Drinks Market Essay Introduction The objectives of this report are to identify how the Energy Drink market is segmented according to demographic, geographic, psychographic and behavioral variables. The Energy Drink industry which is dominated by Red Bull and V energy drinks is worth 151 million dollars and is growing by 47% per year. Energy drinks is the fastest growing category in the soft drink market. I have chosen three different companies in this report to analysis which segments they target, Powerade, Red Bull and Coca Cola. Red Bull is the market leader in energy drinks and Coca Cola which is very good at mass marketing has fallen behind and needs to adopt new and exciting marketing techniques to appeal to the younger demographic. I have also selected three different sub-brands to explain how the product is positioned. I have chosen Powerade Energy Edge, Red Bull Sugar Free and Coca Cola’s new carbonated green tea drink Enviga. Demographic Demographic segmentation consists of certain variables such as age, gender, income, ethnic background and family life cycle. Energy drinks are targeted to the 20-34 age brackets. Energy drinks target generation y and generation x by using modern labels and exciting ads with dance music, and extreme sports. The older generations such a baby boomer would be more inclined to stick with coffee for a quick pick me up. There is more emphasis on marketing to males but lately there has been an increased interest in marketing to females by producing low calorie, low sugar energy drinks. Income of the consumer is not an important characteristic because of the low price of energy drinks. Geographic Geographic segmentation describes segmenting markets by part of the world, region of the country, market density, market size or climate. Energy drinks practice geographic segmentation by advertising higher in more fast paced, high density urban areas rather than sleep country town. This has to do with the hectic lifestyles most people live that work in high density, big cities. Another contributing factor is the higher population. Also energy drinks would geographic segment a product in countries or regions with higher temperatures because energy drinks are best drunk cold so in colder climates people would tend to purchase a hot drink such as a coffee for a caffeine induced energy burst. Psychographic Psychographic segmentation refers to market segmentation on the basis of socioeconomic status, values, attitudes and lifestyle groupings. Social class does not matter when it comes to energy drinks because any one can purchase a can from the local shop or petrol station at a reasonably cheap price. People’s interest in energy drinks is sometimes affected by their lifestyle. For example people who work long hours, work hard, don’t sleep enough will be more inclined to purchase energy drinks because of the practicality and energy buzz afterwards. And now even energy drinks are targeting people who try to live a healthy lifestyle by promoting their products as low calorie, low sugar and claim they increase your metabolism. Behavioral variables Behavioral segmentation allows companies to group customers and buyers into segments according to the benefits they seek from the product. Occasion status is when customers can be grouped according to the occasion when they get the idea to purchase an energy drink. Energy drinks are often consumed before work and any other part of the day when an individual is feeling tired, but energy drink companies are now promoting the beverage as a good pre exercise drink for an increased physical performance. Benefits sought are an effective way of identifying buyers according to the benefits they seek from energy drinks. The main benefit segments for energy drinks are, taste, economic, health and the energy burst. Some people might prefer to purchase a product that claims to give more of an energy burst then another product, even if the taste is less desirable. Some products that are produced and marketed to have fewer calories and less sugar might be purchased instead of a product that is high in sugar even though it is more expensive. Red Bull/ Powerade/ Coca Cola Red Bull Red Bull targets generation y. High School and university students trying to cope with study. Also red bull mainly targets male with its original product, On the Red bull website there is two whole sections that specialize in extreme sports and motorsports. This shows that Red bull targets males in generation Y and also in generation X. Red Bull sponsor extreme sporting events such as air racing. Also Red Bull targets segments of the population that have little time and often need a refreshing drink that gives them energy. Red Bull also caters for the health conscience individual and females by producing a low sugar energy drink. This drink which is called Red Bull sugar free comes in a light blue can that would target the female population. Red Bull also target long distance driver, this can be seen when you walk into any petrol station by the size and amount of advertising. Powerade. Powerade have four different kinds of products, they have Powerade Energy Edge, which is designed for pre-sports, Powerade Isotonic which is best for during sports or any time during the day, Powerade Recovery which is formulated for after sports because of the protein contained in the beverage. Powerade also make a powder that can be made into a Powerade sports drink after water is added. This powder targets the money conscience individual that would rather make it in bulk to save. It also targets sporting clubs and larger groups who can make a big batch for a team or group of some sort. The logo on each of the three drinks also gives the customer hints to what it’s designed for. Powerade energy has a picture of a athlete about to race, Powerade isotonic has a picture of an athlete during a race and Powerade recovery has a picture of an athlete finishing his race. Powerade mainly target generation y and generation x. The company does not target a specific gender but markets to health conscience people and athletes. This is shown by their advertising and sponsoring of sporting associations, and clubs such as the AFL, The Wallabies, and The Perth Wildcats. Powerade also sponsor world class athletes. Powerade are different from other energy drinks because they do not market so much that the consumer will get a quick burst of energy through caffeine but more of a healthier, burst of energy through high carbohydrate drinks. This is more suited to athletes rather than your average tired person. Powerade also take a much more scientific approach compared to the other energy drinks on the market by claiming to have tested their products on athletes. Coca Cola. Coca Cola is spending a lot of money on marketing a couple new energy drinks to try and break into the massive industry of energy drinks which has long been dominated by Red Bull and V. Coca Cola has emphasized on targeting the young healthy demographic. The first of its products is Mother, an all natural juice based energy drink, which claims to contain a potent Amazonian berry , acai. Another new product by Coca Cola is Enviga, this carbonated green tea beverage claims to burn calories after drinking. Coca Cola have produced two drinks to market to two different segments of the population, Mother which has been marketed to young males and Enviga which is made to appeal to young women. Mother Energy drink is positioned to target young males, an example of this is the logo on the front of the can resembles a tattoo. Products/ Sub-brands Powerade Energy Edge Powerade energy edge is specially formulated to provide fast and effective hydration for pre-sports and they claim it has been scientifically proven. The products attribute which are ingredients that contain caffeine, electrolytes, and B-vitamins position the product to appeal to athletes. It is positioned to be used whenever a person need fast and effect hydration or more predominantly before sports. Its benefits claim to be enhanced physical performance. Powerade’s main competitor Gatorade does not produce a drink specifically designed for pre-sports because of the added caffeine. Red Bull Sugar Free Red Bull Sugar Free is positioned to target young adults and largely women because of the advertised low calorie low sugar attributes of the product. The can of the sugar free variety is different from the standard Red Bull as it comes in an aqua blue can, this would suggest that the product is positioned to be more attractive to females. The benefits of this product are claimed to be increased performance, reaction and speed; improves emotional status, increased metabolism and low calories. Coca Cola’s Enviga Coca Cola’s Enviga is a carbonated green tea beverage that claims to increase your metabolism and burn calories because of the presence of green tea and caffeine. The main attributes of this product are green tea and its low calories (five per can). They claim the amount of green tea in their can is higher than most other green tea drink and they list the benefits of green tea as rich in antioxidants, support cardio-vascular health, help your body fight free radicals and helps your body burn more calories. These attributes position this product to aim at young women who want to be healthy and even the health conscience male. The usage occasions for Enviga are anytime throughout the day but they recommend having three cans a day for maximum calorie burning. The drinks come in three flavours natural green tea, berry and pomegranate, and each can has bright colours on the front which further suggests the drink is positioned for women. Reference 1. Kotler, P. , S. Adam, L. Brown, and G Armstrong. 2006. Principles of Marketing. NSW: Pearson Education Australia. 2. Red Bull. 2008. http://www. redbull. com (accessed September 1, 2008). 3. Powerade. 2008. http://www. powerade. com. au (accessed September 1, 2008). 4. Enviga. 2008. http://www. enviga. com (accessed September 1, 2008). 5. Coca Cola. 2008. http://www. coca-cola. com (accessed September 1, 2008).

The Roles Of Design User Interfaces

The Roles Of Design User Interfaces Projects of different sizes have different ways and requirements on how the people are organized. In a small project, little organization structure is needed. There might be a primary sponsor, project manager and a project team. The Designer is responsible for understanding the business requirements and designing a solution that will meet the business needs. There are many potential solutions that will meet the clients needs. The designer determines the best approach. The work of the designer is then handed off to the programmers and other people who will construct the solution based on the design specifications. Terms of appointment of design team and contractors should clearly identify roles and responsibilities. Qns:2 What are the roles and responsibilities of the content creators in a project team? Ans:- Content creation can start when the editors are prepared, and when the technical environment is sufficiently ready. The content work will then most likely continue beyond the technical delivery and acceptance of the Web site. Content can be of many kinds but is typically text and images in different formats web pages, documents , sounds, animations etc.A person who is responsible for entering content for a subject matter expert or for a group of subject matter experts. Content contributors ensure content is up-to-date and adheres to the Writing Style Guide and Graphic Standards. Qns:3 What are the roles and responsibilities of the programmers and coders in a project team? Ans:- A programmer, computer programmer or coder is someone who writes computer software.The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computer programming or to a generalist who writes code for many kinds of software. A programmers primary computer language is often prefixed to the above titles, and those who work in a web environment often prefix their titles with web. The term programmer can be used to refer to a software developer, software engineer, computer scientist, or software analyst. The programmer builds the web sites functionality the things it can do. A web project may need just one or a number of different programmers, depending on the size of the site, what you want it to do, and which programming languages are required to make it work. Qns:4 What are the roles and responsibilities of the information architects in a project team? Ans:- In the Web industry, the architect title has long been hogged by Information Architects, and the Web Architect is generally called Tech Lead. That name is problematic, however, because it implies that the lead has evident authority on the development team, when the reality is often one of much responsibility, little authority: the tech lead seldom has authority by virtue of being a manager.Architects provide services that are designed to eliminate the most common causes of IT project failure. They work with management, business and IT staff to build solid project teams. Qns:5 What is the relationship between the technical and creative aspects and requirements of interactive media projects? Ans:- It allows to work in teams and produce an interactive media project that culminates in Both technical and creative aspects will be emphasized. Its communication,team work and literacy skills sufficient to interpret and clarify project specifications. Its roles and responsibilities of project team members e.g. designers, content creators, architects, programmers and coders. Sound understanding of the relationship between technical and creative aspects and requirements of interactive media projects. Qns:6 List 3 of the issues and challenges that arise in designing user interfaces? Ans:- 3D user inter-faces provide an attractive approach to support the user. Upcoming interaction techniquesenable faster and more intuitive interaction in comparison to standard interfaces. As 3D UserInterfaces gain more capabilities, new challenges and problems arise. But in the course of time upcoming technologies extended the standard parts of interfaces, so human-computer interaction in which the user tasks are performed directly in a 3D spatial context are enabled. This means the user interacts within the computer environment. Hence, in terms of 3D interaction the user is not interacting through an interface, he can actually be seen as a part of the interface. Qns:7 What are the principles of the visual design and communication, including user -centered design principles? Ans:- When evaluating a current user interface, or designing a new user interface, it is important to keep in mind the following experimental design principles: user-centered design (UCD) is a modern, widely practiced design philosophy rooted in the idea that users must take center-stage in the design of any computer system. Users, designers and technical practitioners work together to articulate the wants, needs and limitations of the user and create a system that addresses these elements. Often, user-centered design projects are informed by ethnographic studies of the environments in which users will be interacting with the system. This practice is similar but not identical to Participatory Design which emphasizes the possibility for end-users to contribute actively through shared design sessions and workshops. Principles of User Interface Design: these are seven principles that may be considered at any time during the design of a user interface in any order, namely Tolerance, Simplicity, Visibility, Affordance, Consistency, Structure and Feedback. Qns:8 What are the technical parameters of various platforms and how this impact on user interface designs? Ans:- Responsible for assuring that user interfaces to all HHS products and services designs, prototypes, and specifications across multiple platforms while working across multiple platforms; design and conduct usability tests at various stages The work of the incumbent will impact information dissemination . Being hardly more than data enclosures in XML files, the technical concept of podcasting and RSS feeds is very simpleandhardly anything that could be calledinnovative purely in atechnologicalsense.Podcasts, as well as RSS (often calledReally Simple Syndication but various alternative meanings also exist:Every aspect of the users interaction with a product, service, or companythat make up the users perceptions of the whole. User experience designas a discipline is concerned with all the elements that together make upthat interface, including layout, visual design, text, brand, sound, and interaction. Qns:9 What are the typical formats and techniques for documenting user interface designs? Ans:- In software engineering, a design pattern is a general reusable solution to a commonly occurring problem in software design. A design pattern is not a finished design that can be transformed directly into code. It is a description or template for how to solve a problem that can be used in many different situations. Object-oriented design patterns typically show relationships and interactions between classes or objects, without specifying the final application classes or objects that are involved. Many patterns imply object-orientation or more generally mutable state, and so may not be as applicable in functional programming languages, in which data is immutable or treated as such.Design patterns reside in the domain of modules and interconnections. At a higher level there are architectural patterns that are larger in scope, usually describing an overall pattern followed by an entire system.[1] Qns:10 What are the OHS standards as they relate to working for periods of time on computers? Ans:- Occupational Health And Safety:- Their workstation set up correctly, they are working ergonomically soundly but they seem to forget that working firms and companies must comply with the laws, standards and regulations which .. from a series of events over a period of time.

The Meaning Of Chow Yun-fat (its In His Mouth) :: essays research papers

The Meaning of Chow Yun-Fat (It's In His Mouth) Ultimately, it comes down to his mouth. Chow Yun-Fat is the coolest movie actor in the world today, and the only way I can explain this is to talk about his mouth. He does cool things with his mouth. Smoking cigarettes is no longer an emblem of cool in the USA, but Chow does wonders with cigarette smoke in Prison On Fire. Director Ringo Lam understands this; like most of the great Hong Kong directors, he loves using slow motion and freeze frames to pinpoint important moments in his movies, and he saves a few of the most elegant slow-motion sequences for Chow blowing smoke and looking cool. In John Woo's over-the-top classic, Hard Boiled (the rough literal translation of the Chinese title is Spicy-Handed Gun God), Chow plays with a toothpick. There are few movie moments more violently cool than the shot of Chow, a gun in each hand, sliding down a stair banister blasting a dozen bad guys while letting his toothpick hang just so from the side of his mouth. In God of Gamblers, Chow plays a gambler who gets a bump on his head that turns him into some quasi- autistic prodigy, like Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man. Chow retains his intuitive skill at playing cards, but now he must be pacified by constant pieces of chocolate that he scarfs greedily, goofy smile on his face. Blowing smoke, dangling his toothpick, eating chocolate, or just smiling ... ultimately, when trying to explain why Chow Yun-Fat is cool, it comes down to his mouth. Everything I have said so far describes a subjective reaction to watching Chow Yun-Fat on the screen. Fill in the name of your favorite actor or actress, change the specific references, and this could be your essay. We don't learn anything new from such subjective meanderings; we only identify taste preferences. I'm proud to be a Chow fan, but then, I am proud to be a fan in general. With other favorites of mine, though, I am able to get at least a little bit beyond subjectivity. Be it Murphy Brown or X-Ray Spex, Bruce Springsteen or NYPD Blue, at some point I can analyze my relationship to the cultural artifact in question, place it in some cultural context, and come to some hopefully useful conclusions about both the particular text and our interaction with that text. Chow Yun-Fat, however, seems to defy my attempts at analysis; ultimately, it all comes down to his mouth and nothing more. Try describing Chow Yun-Fat to someone who has never seen him on the screen.

Population Growth, Industrialization, and the Environment Essay

Population Growth, Industrialization, and the Environment Human population growth was relatively slow for most of human history. Within the past 500 years, however, the advances made in the industrial, transportation, economic, medical, and agricultural revolutions have helped foster an exponential, "J-shaped" rise in human population (Southwick, Figure 15.1, p. 160). The statistics associated with this type of growth are particularly striking: "Human beings took more than 3 million years to reach a population of 1 billion people...The second billion came in only 130 years, the third billion in 30 years, the fourth billion in 15 years, the fifth billion in 12 years..." (Southwick, p. 159). As human population has grown, there has been simultaneous growth within the industrial sector. Both of these increases have greatly contributed to environmental problems, such as natural resource depletion, ecosystem destruction, and global climate change. Also linked with the increasing human population are many social problems, such as poverty and dise ase. These issues need to be addressed by policy makers in the near future in order to ensure the survival and sustainability of human life. One of the major effects of the huge population increase has been the depletion of natural resources and the destruction of ecosystems. In the 1960's, theorist Paul Ehrlich predicted that, given the skyrocketing figures of human population, the amount of food produced would not grow at a fast enough rate for human survival (Professor Carr Everbach, personal communication). He predicted mass starvation and death by the year 2000 as the result of uncontrolled population growth. Clearly, this did not occur. Ehrlich did not foresee the advancements ma... ...hods of sustaining the burgeoning human population before these problems reach the threshold of catastrophe. References Hansen, J., Ruedy, R., Sato, M., & Lo, K. (2002). "Global Warming Continues." Science, 295, 275. Kerr, R. A. (2002). "A Brighter Outlook for Good Ozone." Science, 297, 1623-5. NPR Radio Broadcast, March 17, 2002. http://discover.npr.org/features/feature.jhtml?wfId=1140067 Poliakoff, M., Fitzpatrick, J. M., Farren, T. R., & Anastas, P. T. (2002). "Green Chemistry: Science and Politics of Change." Science, 297, 807-810. Quay, P. (2002). "Ups and Downs of CO2 Uptake." Science, 298, 2344. Southwick, C. H. (1996). "Chapter 15: Human Populations." Global Ecology in Human Perspective. Oxford University Press, 159-182. Wattenberg, B. J. (March 8, 2003). "It Will Be a Smaller World After All." New York Times: Editorial/Op-Ed Section.

Mental Health Community in the 19th Century Essay -- Exploratory Essay

Mental Health Community in the 19th Century Mental health is a relevant issue in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Not only is Kurtz’ mental health questionable throughout the novel, but Marlow also has to be examined by a physician, to check both his physical and mental status, before he starts on the journey to Africa. The mental health community in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was not nearly as developed as it is today, but many developments during this time period had a profound impact on the way we analyze the human psyche and mental health today. Mental health patients were considered innately inferior and treated as the weaker portion of the human race due to the prevailing dominant theory of Social Darwinism in the 1800s. They were put in mental asylums, where conditions had deteriorated substantially from earlier in the century. (Floyd) The public’s interest about the unsatisfactory care of the mentally ill, championed by Dorothea Dix, led to some reforms, such as higher medical standards, more oversight into asylum practices, and more research into mental health. (Floyd) Nevertheless, the status of the mentally ill did not elevate much higher, and by the 1890s the repeated failure of asylum therapy convinced most that insanity and mental illness was incorrigible. Finding no alternatives, however, patients continued to be sent to asylums to attempt to cure them as much as to isolate them from the rest of society. (Roberts) Unfortunately, people also began to fear the proliferation of the mentally ill. When ste rilization became considered, unrealistic, more, cheaper asylums were built as a means of segregated them and preventing an increase in their numbers. (Roberts) ... ...h Care. 6 Oct. 2002 http://www.mind.org.uk/information/factsheets/N/notes/notes_on_the_history_of_menta l_health_care.asp> Floyd, Barbara. From Quackery to Bacteriology. University of Toledo. 6 Oct. 2002 Mills, Val. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) 6 Oct. 2002 Mustard, Ronnie. Listings: the history of mental health. 6 Oct. 2002 . Roberts, Andrew. Mental Health History Timeline. 6 Oct. 2000 . Sabbatini, Renato M.E. â€Å"The History of Psychosurgery† June/August 1997. Brain & Mind Magazine. 14 Jun.1997. State University of Campinus, Brazil. 6 Oct. 2002 http://www.epub.org.br/cm/n02/historia/psicocirg_i.htm>

Jonathon Swift: A Modest Proposal Essay

Jonathon Swift: A Modest Proposal Jonathon Swift’s A Modest Proposal is a parody on the economic situation of the society in which he attempts to â€Å"find out a fair, cheap and easy method† (Swift) for the children in poverty to be put to good use for good of Ireland. This is seen right away in the full title of the pamphlet, â€Å"A Modern Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burden to their Parents, or the County, and for Making them Beneficial to the Publick.† The reader begins to realize that Swift does not actually wish to implement these ideas of a baby being â€Å"a most delicious nourishing, and wholesome food† (Swift) once this extreme idea is proposed. Through this extreme proposal of cannibalism and breeding children to solve poverty and overpopulation, he makes the reader vulnerable while also eager to find out more. As entertaining as this text is, it is more than just a comic. Swift wishes to relay a much deeper meaning to the reader. In Robert Phiddian’s article, Have You Eaten Yet., Phiddian recognizes â€Å"the moral-political argument being carried out by means of parody.† (Phiddian) The moral issue, here, is poverty and the political issue is population, yet rarely do these issues remain as clear and separate as intended. Look more:  satire essay examples essay While Swift initially makes the reader chuckle several times throughout the text, he is venting about the societal ills that go unnoticed daily. He is aggravated by the hypocrisy of the wealthy trying to help the poor by coming up with such outlandish ideas that they think will supposedly solve poverty. Poverty is inevitable in a free market therefore with the money that the poor would receive â€Å"may be liable to distress and help pay their Landlord’s rent.† (Swift) Swift wants the reader to realize that no matter how great the ideas of the wealthy are, their motivation is to make a buck from these plans that they devise in their parlors over a cup of tea. â€Å"There is nothing higher than selfish greed within the terms of economic discourse† as Phiddian points out. Even in society today, there are always those people that wish to solve the issue of poverty, but can’t seem to realize that these implications are not easily resolved and are part of socie ty. Swift had compassion for the Irish people and felt for them in their severe  state, but he also shows disgust with the people of Ireland for not even trying on their own behalf. Prior to Swift writing A Modest Proposal he had written several sermons, which provide a background into the state of Ireland and how the people ended up in this predicament. â€Å"The members of this class are being called to their responsibilities and reminded of the guilt they share for the condition of their country.† (Phiddian) Swift leaves no stone unturned in the text and does not excuse any party from the awful state that Ireland is in at this point in time. Swift manages to target most of the groups in Ireland including the politicians, aristocracy, and even the poor. These and outside causes like that of England are included in the parody. Essentially, Swift trying to get the reader to understand that not one person can solve the problems of poverty and overpopulation. In fact, it is part of society and has been for centuries. The struggles are apparent before Swifts time and even now. He is able to address two sets of readers in a sense; one of his time and one of the future, our time. â€Å"While people continue to starve and to live in abject poverty, an analogy exists between Swift’s readers’ situation and our own.† (Phiddian) The reader is able to identify with the subject and the point that Swift is trying to make of the societal ills of the time through this â€Å"moral-political argument.† (Phiddian) in turn see that behind the gore and obscene ideas that he has come up with, there is a voice that needs to be heard. What would normally be a boring economic update or a political argument over what the country needs to do has been transformed by Swift into a masterpiece that peeks the interest of those other than the politicians. He is able to catch our attention as a reader by many surprises and then able to make us think critically about policies, values, and society as a whole in general. Reference Page Robert Phiddian Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 Vol. 36, No. 3, Restoration andEighteenth Century (Summer, 1996), pp. 603-621 Published by: Rice University

Night World : Soulmate Chapter 6

Hannah opened her eyes. â€Å"Oh, thank God,† Paul said. He seemed to be almost crying. â€Å"Oh, thank God. Do you see me? Do you know who you are?† â€Å"I'm wet,† Hannah said slowly, feeling dazed. She touched her face. Her hair was dripping. Paul was holding a water glass. â€Å"Why am I wet?† â€Å"I had to wake you up.† Paul sagged to the floor beside the couch. â€Å"What's your name? What year is it?† â€Å"My name is Hannah Snow,† Hannah said, still feeling dazed and bodiless. â€Å"And it's-† Suddenly memory rushed out of the fog at her. She sat bolt upright, tears starting to stream from her eyes. â€Å"What was all that?† â€Å"I don't know,† Paul whispered. He leaned his head against the couch, then looked up. â€Å"You just kept talking-you were telling that story as if you were there. It was really happening to you. And nothing I could do would break the trance. I tried everything-I thought you were never going to come out of it. And then you started sobbing and I couldn't make you stop.† â€Å"I felt as if it were happening to me,† Hannah said. Her head ached; her whole body felt bruised with tension. And she was reeling with memories that were perfectly real and perfectly hers†¦ and impossible. â€Å"That was like no past life regression I've ever read about,† Paul said, his voice agitated. â€Å"The detail†¦ you knew everything. Have you ever studied-is there any way you could have known those kinds of things?† â€Å"No.† Hannah was just as agitated, â€Å"I've never studied humans in the Stone Age-and this was real. It wasn't something I was making up as I was going along.† They were both talking at once. â€Å"That guy,† Paul was saying. â€Å"He's the one you're afraid of, isn't he? But, look, you know, regression is one thing†¦ past lives is another thing†¦ but this is crazy.† â€Å"I don't believe in vampires,† Hannah was saying at the same time. â€Å"Because that's what that guy was supposed to be, wasn't it? Of course it was. Caveman vampire. He was probably the first one. And I don't believe in reincarnation.† â€Å"Just plain crazy. This is crazy.† â€Å"I agree.† They both took a breath, looking at each other. There was a long silence. Hannah put a hand to her forehead. â€Å"I'm †¦ really tired.† â€Å"Yeah. Yeah, I can understand that.† Paul looked around the room, nodded twice, then got up. â€Å"Well, we'd better get you home. We can talk about all this later, figure out what it really means. Some kind of subconscious fixation†¦ archetypical symbolism†¦ something.† He ran out of air and shook his head. â€Å"Now, you feel all right, don't you? And you're not going to worry about this? Because there's nothing to worry about.† â€Å"I know. I know.† â€Å"At least we know we don't have to worry about vampires attacking you.† He laughed. The laugh was strained. Hannah couldn't manage even a smile. There was a brief silence, then Paul said, â€Å"You know, I think I'll drive you home. That would be good. That would be a good idea.† â€Å"That would be fine,† Hannah whispered. He held out a hand to help her off the couch. â€Å"By the way, I'm really sorry I had to get you all wet.† â€Å"No. It was good you did. I was feeling so awful- and there were worse things about to happen.† Paul blinked. â€Å"I'm sorry?† Hannah looked at him helplessly, then away. â€Å"There were worse things about to happen. Terrible things. Really, really awful things.† â€Å"How do you know that?† â€Å"I don't know. But there were.† Paul walked her to her doorstep. And Hannah was glad of it. Once inside the house, she went straight down the hall to her mother's study. It was a cluttered comfortable room with books piled on the floor and the tools of a paleontologist scattered around. Her mother was at her desk, bending over a microscope. â€Å"Is that you, Hannah?† she asked without looking up. â€Å"I've got some marvelous sections of haversian canals in duckbill bones. Want to see?† â€Å"Oh†¦ not now. Maybe later,† Hannah said. She wanted very much to tell her mother about what had happened, but something was stopping her. Her mother was so sensible, so practical and intelligent†¦. She'll think I'm crazy. And she'll be right. And then she'll be appalled, wondering how she could have given birth to an insane daughter. That was an exaggeration, and Hannah knew it, but somehow she still couldn't bring herself to tell. Since her father had died five years ago, she and her mother had been almost like friends-but that didn't mean she didn't want her mother's approval. She did. She desperately wanted her mother to be proud of her, and to realize that she could handle things on her own. It had been the same with the notes-she'd never told about finding them. For all her mom knew, Hannah's only problem was bad dreams. â€Å"So how did it go tonight?† her mother asked now, eye still to the microscope. â€Å"That Dr. Winfield is so young-I hope he's not too inexperienced.† Last chance. Take it or lose it. â€Å"Uh, it went fine,† Hannah said weakly. â€Å"That's good. There's chicken in the crockpot. I'll be out in a little while; I just want to finish this.† â€Å"Okay. Great. Thanks.† Hannah turned and stumbled out, completely frustrated with herself. You know Mom won't really be awful, she scolded herself as she fished a piece of chicken out of the crockpot. So tell her. Or call Chess and tell her. They'll make things better. They'll tell you how impossible all this stuff about vampires and past lives is. †¦ Yes, and that's the problem. Hannah sat frozen, holding a fork with a bite of chicken on it motionless in front of her. I don't believe in vampires or reincarnation. But I know what I saw. I know things about Hana . ., things that weren't even in the story I told Paul. I know she wore a tunic and leggings of roe deer hide. I know she ate wild cattle and wild boar and salmon and hazel nuts. I know she made tools out of elk antler and deer bone and flint†¦. God, I could pick up a flint cobble and knock off a set of blades and scrapers right now. I know I could. I can feel how to in my hands. She put the fork down and looked at her hands. They were shaking slightly. And I know she had a beautiful singing voice, a voice like crystal†¦. Like the crystal voice in my mind. So what do I do when they tell me it's impossible? Argue with them? Then I'll really be crazy, like those people in institutions who think they're Napoleon or Cleopatra. God, I hope I haven't been Cleopatra. Half laughing and half crying, she put her face in her hands. And what about him? The blond stranger with the bottomless eyes. The guy Hana didn't have a name for, but Hannah knew as Thierry. If the rest of it is real, what about him? He's the one I'm afraid of, Hannah thought. But he didn't seem so bad. Dangerous, but not evil. So why do I think of him as evil? And why do I want him anyway? Because she did want him. She remembered the feelings of Hana standing next to the stranger in the moonlight. Confusion†¦ fear†¦ and attraction. That magnetism between them. The extraordinary things that happened when he touched her hand. He came to the Three Rivers and turned her life upside down†¦. The Three Rivers. Oh, God-why didn't I think of that before? The note. One of the notes said â€Å"Remember the Three Rivers.† Okay. So I've remembered it. So what now? She had no idea. Maybe she was supposed to understand everything now, and know what to do †¦ but she didn't. She was more confused than ever. Of course, a tiny voice like a cool dark wind in her brain said, you didn't remember all of it yet. Did you? Paul woke you up before you got to the end. Shut up, Hannah told the voice. But she couldn't stop thinking. All night she was restless, moving from one room to another, avoiding her mother's questions. And even after her mother went to bed, Hannah found herself wandering aimlessly through the house, straightening things, picking up books and putting them down again. I've got to sleep. That's the only thing that will help me feel better, she thought. But she couldn't make herself sit, much less lie down. Maybe I need some air. It was a strange thought. She'd never actually felt the need to go outside for the sole purpose of breathing fresh air-in Montana you did that all day long. But there was something pulling at her, drawing her to go outside. It was like a compulsion and she couldn't resist. I'll just go on the back porch. Of course there's nothing to be scared of out there. And if I go outside, then I'll prove there isn't, and then I can go to sleep. Without stopping to consider the logic of this, she opened the back door. It was a beautiful night. The moon threw a silver glow over everything and the horizon seemed very far away. Hannah's backyard blended into the wild bluestem and pine grass of the prairie. The wind carried the clean pungent smell of sage. We'll have spring flowers soon, Hannah thought. Asters and bluebells and little golden buttercups. Everything will be green for a while. Spring's a time for life, not death. And I was right to come out. I feel more relaxed now. I can go back inside and lie down†¦. It was at that moment that she realized she was being watched. It was the same feeling she'd been having for weeks, the feeling that there were eyes in the darkness and they were fixed on her. Chills of adrenaline ran through Hannah's body. Don't panic, she told herself. It's just a feeling. There's probably nothing out here. She took a slow step backward toward the door. She didn't want to move too quickly. She had the irrational certainty that if she turned and ran, whatever was watching her would spring out and get her before she got the door open. At the same time she edged backward, her eyes and ears were straining so hard that she saw gray spots and she heard a thin ringing. She was trying, desperately, to catch some sign of movement, some sound. But everything was still and the only noises were the normal distant noises of the outdoors. Then she saw the shadow. Black against the lighter blackness of the night, it was moving among the bluestem grass. And it was big. Tall. Not a cat or other small animal. Big as a person. It was coming toward her. Hannah thought she might faint. Don't be ridiculous, a sharp voice in her head told her. Get inside. You're standing here in the light from the windows; you're a perfect target. Get inside fast and lock the door. Hannah whirled, and knew even as she did it that she wouldn't be fast enough. It was going to jump at her exposed back. It was going to †¦ â€Å"Wait,† came a voice out of the darkness. â€Å"Please. Wait.† A male voice. Unfamiliar. But it seemed to grab Hannah and hold her still. â€Å"I won't hurt you. I promise.† Runrunrunrun! Hannah's mind told her. Very slowly, one hand on the door knob, she turned around. She watched the dark figure coming out of the shadows to her. She didn't try to get away again. She Had a dizzying feeling that fate had caught up with her. The ground sloped, so the light from the house windows showed her his boots first, then the legs of his jeans. Normal walking boots like any Montanan might wear. Ordinary jeans-long legs. He was tall. Then the light showed his shirt, which was an ordinary T-shirt, a little cold to be walking around at night in, but nothing startling. And then his shoulders, which were nice ones. Then, as he stepped to the base of the porch, she saw his face. He looked better than when she had seen him last. His white-blond hair wasn't crazily messed up; it fell neatly over his forehead. He wasn't splattered with mud and his eyes weren't wild. They were dark and so endlessly sad that it was like a knife in the heart just to see him. But it was unmistakably the boy from her hypnosis session. â€Å"Oh, God,† Hannah said. â€Å"Oh, God.† Her knees were giving out. It's real. It's real. He's real and that means†¦ it's all true. â€Å"Oh, God.† She was trembling violently and she had to put pressure on her knees to keep standing. The world was changing around her, and it was the most disorienting thing she'd ever experienced. It was as if the fabric of her universe was actually moving-pulsing and shifting to accommodate the new truths. Nothing was ever going to be the same again. â€Å"Are you all right?† The stranger moved toward her and Hannah recoiled instinctively. â€Å"Don't touch me!† she gasped, and at the same moment her legs gave out. She slid to the floor of the porch and stared at the boy whose face was now approximately level with hers. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he almost whispered. â€Å"I know what you're going through. You're just realizing now, aren't you?† Hannah said, whispering to herself, â€Å"It's all true.† â€Å"Yes.† The dark eyes were so sad. â€Å"It's†¦ I've had past lives.† â€Å"Yes.† He squatted on the ground, looking down as if he couldn't keep staring at her face anymore. He picked up a pebble, examined it. Hannah noticed that his fingers were long and sensitive-looking. â€Å"You're an Old Soul,† he said quietly. â€Å"You've had lots of lives.† â€Å"I was Hana of the Three Rivers.† His fingers stopped rolling the pebble. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And you're Thierry. And you're a †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He didn't look up. â€Å"Go on. Say it.† Hannah couldn't. Her voice wouldn't form the word. The stranger-Thierry-said it for her. â€Å"Vampires are real.† A glance from those unfathomable eyes. â€Å"I'm sorry.† Hannah breathed and looked down at him. But the world had finished its reshaping. Her mind was beginning to work again. At least I know I'm not crazy, she thought. That's some consolation. It's the universe that's insane, not me. And now I have to deal with it-somehow. She said quietly, â€Å"Are you going to kill me now?† â€Å"God-no!† He stood up fast, uncoiling. Shock was naked on his face. â€Å"You don't understand. I would never hurt you. I †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He broke off. â€Å"It's hard to know where to begin.† Hannah sat silently, while he looked around the porch for inspiration. She could feel her heart beating in her throat. She'd told Paul that this boy had killed her, kept killing her. But his look of shock had been so genuine-as if she'd hurt him terribly by even suggesting it. â€Å"I suppose I should start by explaining exactly what I am,† he said. â€Å"And what I've done. I made you come outside tonight. I influenced you. I didn't want to do it, but I had to talk to you.† â€Å"Influenced me?† It's a mental thing. I can also just communicate this way. It was his voice, but his lips weren't moving. And it was the same voice she'd heard at the end of her hypnotic session, the voice that wasn't Paul's. The one that had spoken in her head, saying, Hannah, come back. You don't have to relive this. â€Å"You were the one who woke me up,† Hannah whispered. â€Å"I wouldn't have come back except for you.† â€Å"I couldn't stand to see you hurting like that.† Can somebody with his eyes be evil? He was obviously a different sort of creature than she was, and every move he made showed the grace of a predator. It reminded her of how the wolves had moved-they had rippled. He did, too, his muscles moving so lightly under his skin. He was unnatural- but beautiful. Something struck her. â€Å"The wolves. I picked up a silver picture frame to bash them with. Silver.† She looked at him. â€Å"Werewolves are real.† At the last moment her voice made it a statement instead of a question. â€Å"So much is real that you don't know about. Or that you haven't remembered yet. You were starting to remember with that shrink. You said I was a Lord of the Night World.† The Night World. Just the mention of it sent prickles through Hannah. She could almost remember, but not quite. And she knew it was crazy to be kneeling here having this conversation. She was talking to a vampire. A guy who drank blood for a living. A guy whose every gesture showed he was a hunter. And not only a vampire, but the person her subconscious had been warning her about for weeks. Telling her to be afraid, be very afraid. So why wasn't she running? For one thing, she didn't think her legs would physically support her. And for another-well, somehow she couldn't stop looking at him. â€Å"One of the werewolves was mine,† he was saying quietly. â€Å"She was here to find you-and protect you. But the other one†¦ Hannah, you have to understand. I'm not the only one looking for you.† To protect me. So I was right, Hannah thought. The gray female was on my side. She said, â€Å"Who else is looking?† â€Å"Another Night Person.† He looked away. â€Å"Another vampire.† â€Å"Am I a Night Person?† â€Å"No. You're a human.† He said it the way he said everything, as if reminding her of terrible facts he wished he didn't have to bring up. â€Å"Old Souls are just humans who keep coming back.† â€Å"How many times have I come back?† â€Å"I †¦ I'd have to think about it. Quite a few.† â€Å"And have you been with me in all of them?† â€Å"Any of them I could manage.† â€Å"What do the rest of the notes mean?† Hannah had been gathering speed, and now she was shooting questions at him in machine-gun fashion. She thought she was in control, and she hardly noticed the hysterical edge to her own voice. â€Å"Why am I telling myself I'll be dead before I'm seventeen?† â€Å"Hannah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He reached out a hand to calm her. Hannah's own hand moved by reflex, coming up to ward his off. And then their fingers touched, bare skin to bare skin, and the world disappeared.