Shrugg, 1 Mile

It starts Halloween eve when Mark pours the few remaining candy bars from his bowl into that last trick-or-treater's nearly empty bag. In a strangely familiar voice comes: "Thanks mister. Here's a treat for your trouble." And the faceless Spiderman places a small pen in Mark's empty bowl, while HEADLESS HORSEMAN skitteres across the back of his mind. The pen left in Mark's bowl has two words inscribed: Shrugg Inn. That night he wakens to witness a frightful scene of numerous faceless Spiderman aliens in his neighbor's yard--aliens who are gone without a trace the next morning. Though physically untouched, Mark has experienced a depth of fear he'd never expected to feel in his lifetime. The next weekend Mark and his girlfriend, Beth, "throw a dart at the map and head out" to get away from it all for a day. The pen left by the trick-or-treater subtly influences their route. Finally their car stalls beside the highway near a driveway into the woods. By the driveway stands a sign: "Shrugg, 1 Mile." In Shrugg, Mark is befriended by Morgan Magoo, the top scientist of a group of aliens hiding in another dimension. Mark spends three days in Shrugg, while his girlfriend sleeps a few hours in the car by the highway because "time goes differently in Shrugg." Things seem pleasant in Shrugg, though not all their clones are happy and the council is considering eliminating the Earth' population "by peaceful means." The aliens are meek folks who fled a dying planet and came planning to peacefully share Earth with whoever they found here, but they see Earthlings "polluting to death" their refuge. They also fear revealing their presence to such warlike barbarians. The final chapter, ("Band Aids Are Green"), has a surprising twist I wouldn't divulge in the face of heinous torture. Kirkus calls it a "promising novella," saying: "It's hard for new sci-fi authors to dodge long established tropes, but Schindler manages it...This book is a quick easy, read. Once estab-lished, the plot moves smoothly...Schindler has some enjoyable out-of-box ideas. One smashwords reviewer says: "A gradual but well-paced build to an unusual and unexpected climax. The characters and conversations are authentically sketched, and the plot is full of surprises. It's the best kind of modern science fiction: The fantastical arises from what is mundane all around us. A fine effort from this author." Another reviewer says: A very good read The clever, imaginative plot moves along quickly with unexpected twists and turns. The engaging protagonist leads the way into a surprising adventure which creates a novel I couldn't put down until I reached the end. Hope the author will soon take us on another incredible trip to Shrugg.