Mark Burns

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Sep, 2023

Stories (4)

4 Stories

78 karma pts

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“The Accidental Christmas” by Mark Burns

Submitted to Contest #227

“God, I can’t wait to get out of this jerkwater state,” Nick Lassiter mumbled to himself as he headed south through Kansas, for Tulsa, Oklahoma. The wipers and defroster of his rental car were waging a losing battle against the slow march of ice that spread down the windshield. It was dark now, and he struggled to find which headlight configuration sucked the least. Switch on high beams, the driving snow blinded his view. Switch them off, and he couldn’t see much at all. Cursing, he decided to use the low beams.Somewhere in the passenger sea...

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“The Marshal” by Mark Burns

Submitted to Contest #226

“That your final word on it, kid?”My hand hovered over the butt of the old Remington on my hip. “That depends on you, Mr. Hall.”I couldn’t believe it had come to this. My mind flashed back to a much better time…Edward B. Hall had always been a hero of mine. He’d been town marshal of Sweet Springs, Kansas since before I was born. My name’s Dan Bonner, and ever since I could ride a horse, I told everyone I was going to be a lawman, just like Marshal Hall. In the spring of ‘79, Hall was between deputies, and I saw my chance.I pulled the Deputy ...

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“The Two Dawns” by Mark Burns

Submitted to Contest #224

The Two Dawns“I can’t sleep, Jimmy.”Jimmy Falco spun on his heel and walked toward me. It was four a.m., and he’d just started his shift. “You thinking about tomorrow morning?”“Yeah. Wouldn’t you be?”Jimmy nodded. Neither of us said anything for a minute. The only sound was the fluorescent light buzzing and blinking overhead, occasionally punctuated by Crazy Larry’s staccato screams echoing in the darkness beyond.“Doesn’t he ever shut up?” Jimmy asked. I smiled. Jimmy had been here three years now. I’d been here three times t...

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“The Devil in Marv’s Café” by Mark Burns

Submitted to Contest #215

I tuck the laptop under my arm and run the last block in the downpour. The bell above the café door tinkles, signaling my nightly appearance. “If it ain’t Hemingway,” Marv says, the cigarette dancing between his lips. Marv is the owner, cook, and my best friend, although neither of us would ever admit to such foolishness. “Evening, Marv,” I say breathlessly. I sit down in my usual booth and brush the rain droplets from my computer with a fistful of napkins. “How’s your night going?”Marv snorts as he brings me a cup of coffee. “Livi...

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Author bio

Looking forward to releasing my debut western novel, "Redemption's Wake."