“There are six succulents on my windowsill, each in their own spherical, glass holder.” This opening line of the fictional piece “Overgrown Anxieties” by Hazel Shanks intrigued me. The author had an interesting take on a story about succulents. She describes lying awake in bed one night and hearing the plants. At first, it seemed it was her imagination. However, the next night giant vines sprouted from the succulents. They surrounded her body and left her in darkness.

    I believe this story has a powerful underlying theme. One line says, “How could my succulents, so sweet and harmless, grow into something so destructive?” The author wanted to express that not everything is as beautiful as it may seem. It is a theme that is relevant to all teens because most of them have experienced that conflict. Hazel also described vivid imagery and included a lot of internal thinking. I hope to read more of her work.