“The Finding” by Megan Williams is one of the short stories from the February “love and relationships” section, though it stands out greatly from any other passage in that section. The narrator, presumably Megan, feels that her high school relationship is threatened when a girl called Mattie comes into her life and seems to develop feelings for Megan’s boyfriend, Ethan. Eventually, Ethan noticeably starts reciprocating those feelings, staring at Mattie’s lips constantly and having more and more private conversations with her. One day, evidently enraged, Megan steals her favorite novel, completely destroying it along with all the annotations scribbled inside. When the other two find out about this, the story ends on an abrupt cliffhanger; emotions pile up on both sides and spill in that single moment. Williams, as well as being a thrilling author, perfects the psychological aspect of all the characters, most of all herself. It is almost as if readers know these people as well, and can easily share the narrator’s opinions on those around her. Overall, this was an incredible story to read, both because of the author’s beautiful writing style and how eventful this rollercoaster of a plot is.

         Though I’ve never been in that same situation, Megan’s actions are derived from intensified emotion, and that is something everyone deals with, whether they regret it or not. Complemented greatly with a fantastic writer’s voice, this passage is also filled with a galore of powerful figurative language. Numerous times, the author of Mattie’s book, Edith Wharton, seems to establish her presence in the narrator’s life and symbolize her painful perception of Mattie. The text states, “Some nights it feels like she is holding my hand, an elderly palm pressed to mine, reading passage after passage from her novel, placing emphasis on the moments wherein Ethan and Mattie fall in love.” Through this language, readers are able to sympathize and properly envision Megan’s pain. Due to Williams’ marvelous capability to write a narrative, and the sheer depth of its plot, her story unfolds as one of the most uniquely heartbreaking I’ve ever read. It’s sure to leave a lasting impact on anyone.