Finding an excellent short horror story that is simultaneously thrilling and relatable is never easy, which was why I was so delighted by Max Firehammer's The Tunnel in this month's issue of Teen Ink. The piece uses incredibly realistic dialogue and spine-tingling language to create a gripping tale about the horrors found in an abandoned tunnel in a small town, going in depth about the urban legends surrounding it, as well as coming together in a terrifying climax that will truly make you wonder whether all of the urban legends in your town are true. The Tunnel is a well written piece that combines excellently orchestrated suspense with a hair-raisingly descriptive climax.

          Perhaps what truly makes The Tunnel so riveting is the dynamic presented in the group of protagonists, a dynamic of pressuring friends that every teenager knows all too well. Even in the story's few pages, familiarly intimidating characters are introduced and developed. The story reads, "You don't get to bail just because you're scared." The pressure of friends in the story, not to mention it's perfectly chilling yet recognizable dialogue, lend a sense of realism to an otherwise entirely fantastic tale. Clearly, The Tunnel is a piece that's definitely worth a read, and will leave you with new fears of the silly myths you've grown up with.