Once Upon a Time: The Ballad of the Black Bronco

The Strange Air

by Erick Mertz

A Paranormal Mystery Short Read

Everyone wears a mask.

Good guy or bad guy, they’re all a veneer.

In the wrestling ring, Bryce Randall wore the mask of the “Black Bronco”. For a little while at least, his character was among the favorite heels on the circuit around Whistler's Grove. Crowds came from far and wide to jeer and boo his dark persona. It wasn’t until Randall fought a drifter named White Sky that he knew what real “bad guys” felt like. Once he got out of his grip, it was too late. He was down for the count."

30 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2019

About the author

Erick Mertz is an author, born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, a place he is still lucky enough to call his home. He writes a paranormal mystery series, “The Strange Air” , described as “Longmire” meets “The X-Files”, set in the fictional central Oregon town of Whistler’s Grove.
In a previous lifetime, while a student at the University of Oregon, he studied English literature and played records late at night on campus radio 88.1 KWVA. After school was finished, he worked in group homes and as a case manager for community based adults with developmental disabilities. This is an area where he continues to work.
If he’s not writing, you can probably find him worrying about the Portland Trailblazers, drinking a local beer, or exploring that glorious Pacific Northwest landscape with his wife, Lisa, and son, Elijah.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely enjoyed this little tale about a run down wrestler (had the movie The Wrestler in mind) who tells his sad story to his niece Sally. His battle name was The Black Bronco and he always wore the black hat of the bad guy in his matches. But when he has to fight White Sky, a mysterious wrestler, light as a feather, his luck changes and his body is letting him down. He never found out who really was behind White Sky's outfit and what caused his physical decay. Like so many stories on ex-wrestlers it's a melancholic read but the supernatural opponent makes this story a real good read. Like the idea and concept and can only recommend it!