Mike Schertenlieb

A lumpy bullfrog plopped into the pond, imprinting the algae with a splayed leg silhouette. The boy clapped his hands with excitement and went slogging into the mucky little watering hole after it, his toes sinking into squishy earth and slimy green soaking into his rolled up corduroys. He didn’t… Read More »Lord of The Grasshoppers

The coffee was burnt and Teddy was pissed. Four mornings in a row now, his favorite part of the day – that first sip, before the morning rush, as tightly wrapped silverware clinked its way onto booth-wrapped tables and the scent of fresh cut onions danced through the double hinged… Read More »Another Day on The Job

Stasis crested the four hour mark, and the inhabitants of Car 67 began to grow restless. Delays were normal, of course, but this stoppage was anything but. Since the moment they rumbled to a halt, nervousness festered, and as the sun set in the desert, the decorum of self-containment eroded… Read More »Off The Rail

Nine avocados in the bag, each in in varying degrees of ripeness. A wide brimmed hat. A gallon and a half of water divided among two containers and Kalai already had blisters forming on his feet. He’d made sure to give each of the green almost-orbs a good squeeze before… Read More »The Mountain Keeper

She couldn’t remember her name, or much else, but as the fair haired woman awoke on a bed of frost-covered leaves, a distant smell of sulfur flirting with the cool air around her nostrils, she knew she was responsible for ruin. With gloved hands, she patted her torso, arms, legs… Read More »Specialist

At precisely 9:12am, on a September morning that could only be described as pleasant, Gary got his very first taste of philosophy. The bus was running late, as it often did, but the man’s patience was unwavering. For as many of his forty-three years as he could remember, Gary was… Read More »Bus Stop

Darren noticed a sliver of reddish moon through the bay window as he sat down at the dinner table alone. Another meal eaten too late, a nightfall reminder of time misspent and familial disconnect. Delicate clouds hung tender post-dusk, and the haze across the crescent seemed both ominous and calming.… Read More »Housewarming Party