Mark Gagnon
Bio
I have spent most of my life traveling around the US and the globe. Now it's time to draw on these experiences and create what I hope are interesting fictional stories. Only you, the reader, can tell me if I've achieved my goal.
Stories (126/0)
The Worst Table
I was on vacation exploring famous locations in the historical wild west. As luck would have it, I arrived in Deadwood, South Dakota, on Wednesday, August 2, 2016. It was exactly 140 years ago to the day when James Butler Hickok (aka Wild Bill) was killed. I had to stay and learn all I could about the real man and the legend.
By Mark Gagnon4 months ago in Fiction
Cryptogram
Cryptogram I started my day in the usual way: wake up at 6:30, dress in running gear, leave the house by 6:50, and try to run a 2-mile course through the park in under 15 minutes. My routine came to a halt the moment I opened the front door. A drone with a small package hanging from a grappling device was descending about ten feet above my head. Startled, I jumped sideways. The miniature delivery device continued to within a few inches of the ground, dropped its cargo, and sped away.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Fiction
A Real Snoop
People are always accusing me of snooping around. They say I stick my nose where it doesn’t belong, that I should learn to mind my business. Of course, I ignore these critics because they don’t know what they’re talking about. My detractors have mistakenly labeled my natural curiosity as snooping. Has anyone ever called Columbus, Magellan, Armstrong, or Aldrin snoops? Of course not! They were all great explorers driven by curiosity, and so am I.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Petlife
No Need For Resolutions
Marty sat in his one-room efficiency apartment watching New Year’s Eve festivities on his second-hand TV. Every year some celebrity counted down the seconds before the Times Square Ball began its descent, signaling the start of a new year. For Marty, the ball drop, and a calendar he received in the mail from his insurance company, were the only things that marked the end and beginning of each year. His life remained the same no matter the day, the season, or the year.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Humans
A Little Piece of Heaven
Every time I think my life couldn’t possibly be any better, POOF! WHAM! KAPOW! It becomes more heavenly. It didn’t start that way, not by a long shot. I was born into a dirt-poor family, the middle child of seven brothers and sisters. We usually had at least one meal a day during the summer and three when school was in session. All my clothes, from underwear to shoes, were hand-me-downs from my older siblings. My parents possessed no special skills, so they earned a living as day laborers. It looked like life had dealt me a losing hand from the start.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in 01
A Christmas Carol- The Aftermath
It was the night after Christmas when there arose such a commotion in the street below that I had to tear open the shutters and through up the sash to see what was going on. The clattering sound that woke me was a police wagon being pulled by two stout horses. The disturbance was happening directly below my window so that I could hear everyone’s conversation.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Fiction
The Guardian
Time affects both humans and dragons in much the same way. It drags us along entangled in its web until we can travel no longer. No matter how large or small, weak or strong, there is no defense against time. We simply must follow its lead. Alexander was no exception.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Fiction
Estate Sale
I enjoy perusing the classified ads. People will post everything from attempting to reconnect with a long-lost love to selling a pair of slightly used shoes. There really is something for everyone. Since I’m new to town, checking out the classifieds gives me some insight into the people who live here.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Horror
A Fresh Start
Living in the year 1819 meant only one thing for a large segment of the population—poverty, and despair. There were no government subsistence programs, unemployment checks, or homeless shelters. During this time in our history, the country was in the middle of a severe depression and everyone had to fend for themselves. It was certainly not a good time to be a ten-year-old boy abandoned by his parents and living in the streets of Boston. That, however, was the situation young Raymond was in. Added to his problems was that he was born with a club foot.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Fiction
What Goes Up
Alan left the sixth-floor law offices of Swindell and Shyster and walked to the elevator at the end of the long empty hallway. It was late and all the other offices on the floor were already locked for the weekend. He and his now ex-wife, Maggie, had spent the last three hours hammering out the last details of a very contentious divorce. By leaving first, Alan would avoid riding in an elevator with the woman who had just tried to take everything he possessed—both now and in the future.
By Mark Gagnon6 months ago in Humans
