Mark Gagnon
Bio
I have spent most of my life traveling the US and abroad. Now it's time to create what I hope are interesting fictional stories.
I have 2 books on Amazon, Mitigating Circumstances and Short Stories for Open Minds.
Stories (291/0)
Over in a Minute
Our motor coach tour arrived in Bristol, England, around three in the afternoon. The sky was a deep blue, and the temperature had peaked at a comfortable seventy degrees Fahrenheit. From a tourist's point of view, everything about the day was picture-perfect. The city, located in the southern part of England, was resplendent with ancient and modern buildings interspersed with beautifully kept parks and public gardens. Its biggest attraction, seen from miles around, was the Clifton Suspension Bridge. It was the largest iron suspension bridge of its type when it was built, spanning the 702-foot width of the Avon Gorge. The bridge has been the scene of historic events and multiple suicides.
By Mark Gagnon4 days ago in Fiction
Shocked
It will be over in less than a minute. All you need to do is relax and don’t struggle. Your outcome has been predetermined so you might as well accept your fate. Think of it as your path to freedom and a new life. This, and so much more, is what I was told to make me feel better. Of course, I knew they were lying and so did they. Nothing, not kind words, or soothing gestures, no nothing will make me willingly accept my rendezvous with old sparky.
By Mark Gagnon8 days ago in Fiction
Shocked
It will be over in less than a minute. All you need to do is relax and don’t struggle. Your outcome has been predetermined so you might as well accept your fate. Think of it as your path to freedom and a new life. This, and so much more, is what I was told to make me feel better. Of course, I knew they were lying and so did they. Nothing, not kind words, or soothing gestures, no nothing will make me willingly accept my rendezvous with old sparky.
By Mark Gagnon8 days ago in Fiction
- Top Story - April 2024
To Con a PigTop Story - April 2024
Mo, Larry, and Curly were simple country pigs. They lived in a small town called Sty, where nothing much changed from day to day. Their homes were humble abodes constructed of straw and sticks, much like their neighbors. Every day was like the day before until it wasn’t.
By Mark Gagnon12 days ago in Fiction
LIGHTSPEED
Aaron stared past his windshield into the vastness of true nothingness. Sure, he had heard people use that term before, but he knew they had no idea what the physical part of the phrase actually looked like. No, felt like is more accurate. Neither had he until that bitch, Athena, nudged his car across the 50th parallel. He understood her rookie desire to make her mark in the interplanetary racing world, but that was no excuse for placing another racer in harm’s way. Now, while he was drifting in a seemingly endless void of timelessness, she would join his fellow racers in a moment of silence for their lost comrade, then continue with her victory celebration, and no one would be the wiser.
By Mark Gagnon16 days ago in Fiction
Pain
There are a few basic elements that connect every person on the planet. Emotions like love, hate, fear, depression, and joy are feelings every human will experience during their lives to varying degrees. A writer wouldn’t be able to create an effective love story if his or her audience had no concept of what love was. True physical pain is unlike any of the other conditions I have previously mentioned, even though every human can feel it.
By Mark Gagnon18 days ago in Writers
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 Gagnonabout a month ago in Fiction
- Top Story - March 2024
The CustomerTop 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 months 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 months ago in Fiction