Christopher Michael
Bio
High school chemistry teacher with a passion for science and the outdoors. Living in Utah I'm raising a family while climbing and creating.
My stories range from thoughtful poems to speculative fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, and thriller/horror.
Stories (27/0)
Chaos I Contain
If walls could talk, oh, the things I’d tell you about the chaos I contain, how I witness the unraveling of society like a mutant cat attacking a ball of yarn. I’d also tell you, how I’m just a degenerate like the rest of my compatriots. And they’ll complain just the same. Because in the end, I’m government funded.
By Christopher Michaelabout a year ago in Fiction
- Runner-Up in Reset Your Password Challenge
Digital ParadiseRunner-Up in Reset Your Password Challenge
Silty rain washes down your window. Lights flicker. Rattle. A nearby monorail passes on squealing joints. A flood is likely. The East drowns. The West is bone dry almost like The Grapes of Wrath in reverse. Don’t get me started on politics. Schools, gay bars, and churches are blood baths and bullet smoke vigils. The right-wings foster single-minded conspiracies and rig elections from the bottom up, and the left-wings chant equality but sip martinis and turn down bills that will shrink their estates. Sounds like someone needs an escape. Sounds like someone needs Digital Paradise™.
By Christopher Michaelabout a year ago in Fiction
Orange Sun
The outside world was unknown to her, but she could see a glimpse of it through the window in his room. There it was. An orange orb in the sky. The sun. She heard it should be too bright to look at, but it hung behind brown hills and a wall of dust bearing towards them. The room rumbled and trophies and plaques shook in their stands. He quickly shut the window and flashed a smile then coughed.
By Christopher Michaelabout a year ago in Fiction
Klaus: An Amazing Holiday Movie Except… the Teacher
While in the throes of the holidays, many of us sit down with family and friends and watch movies. Tradition, right? Though most movies or TV specials are campy, sometimes you get that perfect balance of holiday cheer, fresh perspective, and that good old emotional tug-of-the-heart. A notable addition to the vast archive of festive films is Netflix’s 2019 Klaus. The film is rife with dark humor, beautiful art, memorable characters, and a unique spin on the origin story of Santa Claus. Klaus has made it to the top of my holiday movies. It sits next to some classics such as Elf, Home Alone, Die Hard (fight me on this one), and a lesser known one We’re No Angels. Despite all the positives and academy accolades, however, one issue stands out with the movie. One particular character brings to light a major flaw in modern society and merits discussion. The Teacher, Alva. She's the love interest of the film and plays a large role in Jesper's selfish-to-selfless arc. Her story is simple. She came to the fictional Norwegian town, Smeerensburg, to teach, but as the years passed her bright optimism disappeared due to the town’s impossible feud. We watch as she overcomes her misery, sacrifices much, and works to establish an education for children regardless of the town's political divisions. She becomes a model teacher many hope to have in an American classroom. At the same time, however, Alva's story demonstrates the cause of America’s failing education system through teacher treatment and safety, learning prioritization, and inadequate funding. This article examines the portrayal of Alva as a teacher and how she represents America’s–and many other countries–exploited, underpaid nurturers of society.
By Christopher Michaelabout a year ago in Education
Haunter: Ghost-for-Hire (Chapter 02)
Read Chapter One Here Chapter Two There you have it, life of a Ghost-for-Hire. I’m Haunter, deader than a coffin nail or however that old saying goes. Now, I’m sure, dear reader, you’re dying to hear about the ins-and-outs of the afterlife and learn what it’s like after you close your mortal eyes for good. I mean, it’s the speculation of the millennium that philosophers and scholars, poets and writers, theologists and gurus have spent countless hours stewing over, so I’m going to share with you my afterlife story for the hell of it.
By Christopher Michaelabout a year ago in Horror
Atop Kolob
We drove up the snowy, winding road towards the cozy A-frame cabin. Tonight we neglected to invite those who always come and only invited those who are always otherwise occupied. We had a scare with Nick, as it seemed his girlfriend was working late and he might “stop by,” but in the end the long drive turned him away. Now, it was only the two of us first passing arid plains of rust colored dirt then turning north in LaVerkin and winding up past sandstone bluffs until we were high on Kolob Terrace Road surrounded by twisted Junipers and black basalt cliffs.
By Christopher Michaelabout a year ago in Fiction
Haunter: Ghost-for-Hire (Chapter 01)
Chapter One The house on Shilbert Lane is priced too good to be true. It’s old, a little rundown, and mossy tufts hang from the gutters and porch railings. Paint peels off like dead skin and the door hinges scream like a banshee. But as much as Jeremy Clive searched during due diligence, the only questionable issue about this long-abandoned house was that some husband murdered his wife in the nineteenth century. The woman’s spirit had since lingered in malice. In other words, superstition cheapened the property. It’s “haunted.” To the practical and agnostic, it's a perfect opportunity for flipping. Jeremy Clive stumbled upon a great investment.
By Christopher Michaelabout a year ago in Horror