Mark Gagnon
Bio
My life has been spent traveling here and abroad. Now it's time to write.
I have three published books: Mitigating Circumstances, Short Stories for Open Minds, and Short Stories from an Untethered Mind. Unmitigated Greed is do out soon.
Achievements (1)
Stories (451)
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Unsportsmanlike!
“This has to be a dream, and everything will return to normal once I wake up.” Of course, Aaron knew he was lying to himself, but what else did he have left? His former life felt more like a fairy tale than reality, so why couldn’t this lie be real? For the hundredth time, he would mentally revisit the events that placed him in this situation. Maybe, just maybe, an overlooked detail would emerge. Could it be that simple?
By Mark Gagnon2 years ago in Fiction
The Customer. Top Story - March 2024.
The Epicurean possessed the title of best restaurant in the tri-state area. People would try for weeks before acquiring a reservation in the main dining room. Snagging a coveted table in a private room took influence and a great deal of cash. It didn’t matter whether someone was looking for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, reservations were a necessity. Jacque, the establishment’s owner, ran his business with discipline, plus a great deal of empathy for his employees. He recalled working in a burger joint as a teenager for minimum wage. Now that he was a successful owner, Jacque would tolerate no one mistreating his staff.
By Mark Gagnon2 years ago in Journal
Let’s Talk
“Yes, sir, just as fat as you were yesterday. Just because you had a restless night tossing and turning in your dreams, did you think that is the same as working out? The pounds don’t melt off like that in real life? Time to face facts buddy, you’re still fat.”
By Mark Gagnon2 years ago in Fiction
Becoming a New Dad
While struggling to keep up with reading as many stories as possible and creating fresh stories of my own, I came across a recent posting by Shirley Belk titled “New Baby Love.” It was a touching article describing how a woman feels from the time she discovers she is pregnant until just after giving birth. In my comment to her, I said that I liked the story, but as it was written from a female point of view, I had a tough time relating to her emotions. Shirley responded by asking what the male point of view would be.
By Mark Gagnon2 years ago in Families
My Future Past
Wow, that was one hell of a New Year’s Eve party. At least, the parts I remember were. I don’t understand what made the room spin so erratically while the antique grandfather clock was ringing in its welcome to 2024. At least I think we were celebrating 2024. I seem to remember an old-fashioned TV broadcasting Dick Clark’s Rocking New Year’s Eve, and the banners read 1980. The other odd thing is everyone vanished from the party just as the final chime struck. Now that I think about it, I have no idea where that old clock came from, because I’ve never owned one. It just showed up, chimed twelve times, and poof, it’s gone again. Maybe what I need is a couple of aspirin and a cup of coffee.
By Mark Gagnon2 years ago in Fiction
Personal Contact
A note lay on my entryway floor. She must have slid it under my door after I had gone to bed. Some people might say communicating like this feels much more personal compared to how it happened back in the old days, say one or two years ago. Back then, if someone wanted to contact you for work or just to say hello all they did was pick up their cell phone and dial your number. Sure, it was faster, but it lacked the interpersonal feel that notes have. Who am I kidding? The only reason people are contacting each other with notes is to avoid losing their minds to The Coordinator.
By Mark Gagnon2 years ago in Fiction
Hidden From View. Top Story - February 2024.
“I don’t understand why you don’t like the snow, Grandpa. Look at how beautiful the hills look, tucked under a blanket of white. I love how the starlight reflects off the pristine snow. It gives the field a soft, winter wonderland look. Everything is so beautiful, Grandpa. I see nothing here to dislike. Didn’t you tell me this is where you grew up as a child?”
By Mark Gagnon2 years ago in Fiction
Transfixed
I stared into cold, dead, unreadable eyes. Maybe he would allow me to pass. No harm, no foul. Just two creatures whose paths fate briefly allowed to intersect. We moved in an arc, each participant in this deadly dance transfixed on the other. The cobra’s glistening scales rippled as he adjusted his position, searching for an advantage, something I had no intention of allowing him. My fur bristled in anticipation of his next move. My lips pulled back in a snarl, exposing razor-sharp fangs.
By Mark Gagnon2 years ago in Fiction
I’m Your First
I went bug-eyed with anticipation the first time I saw you walk into the backyard. Will you be the one? Has my savior finally come to rescue me from my lonely, neglected existence? In my current condition, I’ll understand if you walk on by without a second glance. Maybe you’ll show me some compassion and look past my rough edges and unkempt trappings to see my true beauty. I didn’t always look like this. All you need to do is look at my baby pictures to recognize my true beauty hidden away beneath this time-worn exterior.
By Mark Gagnon2 years ago in Fiction
Pristine
My clothing drips with perspiration as the sweat pours from my body. To look at me, you would think I was trudging through the desert instead of plodding through a foot of fresh snow in sub-zero weather. My heart pounds so hard I’m sure it’s echoing throughout the valley, making it easier for the beasts to find me. I’ve never thought of myself as prey, but now I know how a deer feels.
By Mark Gagnon2 years ago in Fiction
