People told me to drive under a haunted tunnel. When I did, my check engine light came on. I heard my cat scratching at my door. But I realized my cat died two weeks ago. Samuel L. Jackson creeps me out. He always says, “I got my eye on you.” I got a text message. But I was in the country and there was no service. I was driving on the racetrack… then Dua Lipa said I was levitating... levitating away.
About the Author The anonymous author of this piece is a resident at a juvenile detention center in Ohio. Through its Youth Outlet partnership with Writers in Residence, GSR intended to publish “Untitled” under the author’s first name while omitting other identifying details. Just before Issue 9’s launch date, however, a representative from the detention center declined this publishing opportunity, expressing discomfort with the residents’ work being published, even anonymously, and has not provided additional details or explanation. As a result, GSR, with the support of Writers in Residence, decided to publish this piece anonymously. Please see the Issue 9 Editor’s Letter for more information.
About Writers in Residence Writers in Residence is an Ohio nonprofit that teaches creative writing to youth who are incarcerated to empower their voices and assist in their re-entry into society. Writers in Residence partners with juvenile detention centers in Ohio “to reduce the recidivism rates of our residents and participate in the transformation of the juvenile justice system.”
According to the ACLU, nearly 60,000 youth under age 18 in the United States are incarcerated in juvenile facilities. Writers in Residence strives to increase literacy levels, build self-esteem, provide positive peer mentorship, cultivate young writers into published authors, and advocate for youth who are incarcerated in Ohio. Learn more about Writers in Residence hereand view a fact sheet here.
