Teen Ink Magazine,
September 2004 :
Nonfiction Articles
Bringing Home a Stranger by Anonymous ., TX I play with the stitching on my shirt as you say, "Come on, this is your time to talk."
You think I don't want to talk. You think I don't want to scream about the horrifying memories that play over and over in my head. But I can't talk. Continue...
Emily by Hilary R., New City, NY Her arms take a leap and throw themselves onto your shoulders. You turn around and get a quick vision of her smile, encompassing most of her face, leaving you with a feeling of warmth that tugs at your heart. You don't speak, you don't move, you just smile. Continue...
Finding Myself by Anonymous ., CT I couldn't see because my eyes were so swollen from crying. I couldn't breathe because my throat was filled with sobs. It was the worst day of my life. It felt as if someone had torn out my heart and ripped it into a million pieces. Continue...
Gamble by Christopher R., Clarence, NY The cool October breeze blew through my hair as I approached my friend's house. Walking into the garage, the time had arrived to be serious.
My anticipation grew when I saw a bunch of guys from my class gathered for the poker tournament. Continue...
I Never Said Good-bye by Sumayyah T., Hernden, VA No one expects to die as a teenager. The teen years are when life starts, when the fun begins. We were a group of six friends, all going to a small private school in Maryland. Continue...
My Powerful Violin by Conor S., San Antonio, TX First there is nothing. Suddenly, a chord rends the air, penetrating the silent void. Gradually it melts into a sweet melody of smooth phrases and gentle themes. Continue...
Not 5, But 8 by Adam C., Houston, TX These days, whenever you apply for a job or fill out important documents, a set of questions awaits you. In my 15 years I've been asked a lifetime of questions, mostly about me and my background. Continue...
Rainy Day Man by Sharon W., Troy, MI Emily and I were the best of friends. I remember when we were four, licking melted ice cream off our fingers in the burning sun. I remember fifth-grade days frolicking in the pool. Continue...
Sanity by Lydia H., Waynesboro, PA I am awakened from a beautiful dream to a loud ringing. In my efforts to reach the phone, I knock the clock and Chapstick off the bedside table. Cursing, I answer the phone. Continue...
She Was Serious by Peng P., Scotch Plains, NJ If a stranger looked into her life, it would seem fairly normal. Julia* was an active tomboy with loving parents who got along (a rarity these days), several brothers and sisters and a huge house. Continue...
Stolen Innocence by Melissa G., Congers, NY Terror, panic and confusion - that's what we have felt since that day, a luminous day that turned into a black cloud of dust.
Danielle told me about the World Trade Center during lunch. Continue...
The Power of Friendship by Tracy S., St. Louis, MO Oomph. The nearly inaudible sound escapes my mouth seconds before I collapse, doubled over in pain. I lie on the smoldering asphalt desperately trying to regain the breath so forcefully knocked out of me. Continue...
Walking by Chris R., Amesville, OH I was walking around Amesville one night, at about ten. I was trying to find something to do, so I stopped at a friend's house. He opened the door, shirtless. He was really hyper and wired, laughing at everything from a joke to how I was tying my shoe. Continue...
Watching the Sky by Gabrielle R., Mattawan, MI For the first time, I saw fireworks this summer. In reality, I have spent every Fourth of July since the beginning of my life sitting in a lawn chair gazing up at the sky in wonderment. Then something happened - I grew up. Continue...
We Were the Coolest by Christine N., Owasso, OK I stopped by the snow-cone hut to see you but you weren't there, just some short-haired blond girl who didn't get my raspberry-vanilla-coconut-with-cream mix right (too much syrup, not enough cream). Continue...
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