To answer your question: Yes, you still have it.

I'm glad you offered the "it was only a dream" scenario here, but with a decent twist that left Helga pondering about it all instead of dismissing it when she woke up.

I love the imagery of the pier, and how you described her actions and feelings as she was attempting to just 'let go'. And all the parts of Helga simply observing her life, her friends, her...well, what's left of her family...they left me pretty impressed. The idea of her looking out the window and seeing her life, Arnold, Phoebe, Miriam...all around her, an untouchable glue holding her together with or without her realizing it, I found that just great. I'm happy she could realize people would still care, and her mother would break if she died.

I must also comment on your small mentioning of taking medication for depression, how it can almost make things worse. My sister has depression and sometimes the very idea that she "needs" to take pills to be "happy" really discourages her, so I thought you enlightened that aspect of depression very well.

Surprised as I may be that there was no real Helga/Arnold interaction, for what this was- an entrance to a new world for Helga, a new, dark view- I really enjoyed it. Wasn't the most cheery of things to read at this hour, lol, but...life can't always be, and seldom is, just cheery.

You seem to know Helga and her character, and you seem to know that you know her character, because it definitely shows in your writing. The only small critique I may have is to break up your paragraphs a little more, as I, myself, sometimes can get lost in the text. Of course- write only how you're comfortable. Maybe you just prefer the larger segments of text. That's cool, too. I eventually read it all, anyways. ^_^

Well done.

~*Silver Kitten*~

‘What the...?’ was my first thought when I’ve received your letter.

I had a little problem. I didn’t have access to the FanfictionNet since March 19! And I thought it didn’t work since then.
But now when I’d got your letter I started some research. It seems that some programs (including Internet Explorer) from some reason can’t see FFN. I still don’t know what’s going on at my computer; but I’ve missed 38 new chapters in this period. So don’t think I was ignoring you, I just didn’t know you’d posted anything. Thank you, Stephen — without your letter I wouldn’t still know anything about my problems.

Anyway I’ll write a letter to you later. Now with your story.

Helga has dyed hair and pierced ears — something I hate in girls. The story is already angst for me.

Well, I am not sure whether you’ve made something new in this old plot. There are two differences from the ‘mainstream’ here: usually there is Arnold-the-Savior here, and your language is better than average (and better than one of your earlier works by the way). The characters hardly have anything to do with the original ones (I mean the only thing you have to do to put this story to non-Hey-Arnold section is to change the names), but this is quite usual in fanfics and I’m not sure whether it is a flaw.

By the way is there any difference between “Elk Island” and “Elk Isle”? (The former is from your story, and the latter is from the “Pig War” episode.) I’m Russian and I don’t know whether such things are significant.

And about the theme of suicide. Let me guess, you’ve put into Helga’s head some of your own earlier thoughts? I mean everybody of us think about it sometime, especially when you’re teenager. Alas I know what such death makes with people around: one of my closest friends hung himself when he was fifteen, and I still don’t know why he did it. It was very strange, and somewhat interesting experience for me. But I won’t ever dare to share such experience in fanfiction.

Hellerick

Hello, wonderful one shot! It's very depressing seeing Helga so sad since I always pictured her as a very tough and strong person. But who am I to talk? I also wrote my own angst fan fiction with Helga dealing with depression. Overall this story was very well written. Keep up the good work with your amazing writing!

...

Deanna aka Tigress of The Underworld

Dear Steve:

As you said, Helga being depressed has been done a lot of times in fanfiction. But as you also said, is how you approach the tale the difference between a good and a bad fanfiction.

But I think this tale has gone too far. Let me tell you that I don't ever think Bob will do something so cruel to Helga and Miriam. Yes, he's an idiot and a jerk, but he is not cruel and, of all his family, Helga is the only one who he ever listen. Olga will never be capable of cutting of family ties, well not alone, and I'm sure our favorite footballhead will not let anyone be so depressed.

But beyond that, this tale is original: I think any other fanfiction could end about Helga commiting suicide, or that Helga is happy to discover all was a dream. The end you give us, Helga trying to figure out what is going on with her life, really sounds true.

I think this tale is even beyond fanfiction, and that is serious enough to be transformed in a short tale.

Congratulations!

This was awfully depressing, Steve. Depression is a very serious disease not to be taken lightly. From what I've heard, some of the meds can make a patient feel like a zombie, others...climbing the walls. It takes a talented psychiatrist to regulate his patient.

As for the story itself, it was well written. MG has some melancholy lyrics! Yeah, I've downloaded all that stuff...now to have the chance to listen to it! ha ha Keep up the good work! Never stop writing!

-Jae-

It's good.

Cool one-shot. I really thought Helga was about to suicide. Nice detail about showing her realize people still care about her.

Keep the good writing.