Mark Gagnon

“Minute by Minute” by Mark Gagnon

Minute by MinuteByMark Gagnon This was it. The day that was circled in red on my calendar. I reluctantly opened my eyes after a restless night’s sleep, knowing what awaited me. Simple denial, procrastination, appeals to higher powers, none of it worked. This was my fate, and I had to accept it. At least my reckoning wasn’t until the afternoon, so I still had some time to enjoy life. For some inexplicable reason, I was starving. The best way for me to start this noteworthy day is with a big breakfast. The smell of bacon wafted through the air...

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“Dangerous Mind” by Mark Gagnon

Five hundred years had passed since countries waged war against one another. It took centuries of conflict to reach this point in time, but once the last battle was fought and the remainder of humanity were no longer interested in killing each other, the leaders that survived examined what caused wars. After many months of extensive investigation, these wise men and women determined that exploration, in any form, especially exploration driven by curiosity, was the root cause of all conflicts. Make people remain in the location they were born...

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“Discoveries” by Mark Gagnon

Submitted to Contest #241

“So, this is what I get for trusting you.” The vitriol oozed from Cain’s words. His eyes burned with hate as he glared into her gold flecked orbs. All he needed to do was pay attention, but initially, that was something he didn’t want to do. It was only now, knowing the end was near, that he saw her for what she actually was—a demon. Cain’s business consisted of buying and selling relics created by artisans from ancient civilizations. Most of his clients were museums and wealthy collectors. At periodic intervals, Cain took part in trade show...

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“Let's Talk” by Mark Gagnon

Submitted to Contest #239

CW: body image, body shamingLet’s Talk“Yes, sir, you're 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.”“Who said that? I must be still dreaming because I’m the only one here, aren’t I?”“Will you please step your fat ass off my back, and we can talk about it? It’s amazing I can still function having to support all this tonnage. What makes you ...

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“House of Mirrors” by Mark Gagnon

Submitted to Contest #215

House of Mirrors The mirror showed a reflection that wasn’t my own. That didn’t surprise me because I maintain this Fun House. They designed the mirrors in here to distort people’s images and create confusion as the patrons moved along a dimly lit path. People laughed at their elongated or squatty reflections. They tease their friends about how big or small they look in a particular mirror. It’s all done for a laugh, at least that is what I thought. The Fun House is one of multiple exhibits featured in a traveling carnival that arrived in to...

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“Stay Awake Stay Alive” by Mark Gagnon

Submitted to Contest #210

Stay Awake, Stay AliveI’ve been awake now for 48 hours and I know I won’t be able to stay this way for much longer. Who wants to die at 31—I know I don’t, but I’ll have to sleep sometime. Maybe the end will be painless, however judging by what I’ve observed, it will be anything but. This all started innocently enough.What I thought was the crown jewel of my life at this point is this penthouse on the 22nd floor of a newly renovated high-rise. The neighborhood had been run down but, because of gentrification, it’s now a great place to call ho...

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“Marooned” by Mark Gagnon

Submitted to Contest #209

The digital sign read, ACCIDENT AHEAD. ROAD CLOSED. FOLLOW DETOUR, and that’s what I did, or thought I was doing. I-25 between Las Cruces and Albuquerque is the personification of desolate nothingness. Becoming lost should have been impossible. The word impossible only applies to a task until someone accomplishes that task and, unfortunately, that someone was me. There were sparsely placed detour signs right up to where the road forked. Then it was the driver’s choice. Waze was useless because there was no cell service. I chose the right for...

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“Rat Trap” by Mark Gagnon

Submitted to Contest #206

Rat Trap Most people find rats unsettling, and Julian was no exception. After being forced to deal with one rat in particular, he now fears them. Julian Hawk is a successful writer; not in the Michael Connelly or Lee Child category of successful, but he has sold three books with a contract from a major publisher for more. The twist in his stories is that the bad guy always gets away. There is no Jack Reacher or Harry Bosch to save the day and put things right. His fan base seems to like it when a smart criminal wins. With fame comes distr...

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“The Eavesdropper” by Mark Gagnon

Submitted to Contest #200

The congregation bowed their heads in reverent reflection as the Vicar droned on about the evils of sin and the ultimate reward for the righteous. His ability to preach about topics they had recently been thinking about baffled them. This week's sermon covered infidelity and the desires of the flesh versus chastity and faithful adherence to wedding vows. As he delved deeper into the subject, several women shifted uneasily on the church pew. Multiple men adjusted their gaze to the floor and refused to look up. They all felt as though he was a...

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“The Opportunist” by Mark Gagnon

Submitted to Contest #194

The Opportunist Witnesses standing along the perimeter of the small regional airport said the commuter jet didn’t appear to land unusually hard compared to other planes that had touched down just before. At the debriefing, the pilots claimed to have inspected the tires during their pre-check and found nothing wrong. No matter the reason, two tires on the right main landing gear burst on impact with the runway. An ear-splitting squealing sound made by metal scraping concrete was followed by the right wing separating from the fuselage and cart...

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“Dead! Who Me?” by Mark Gagnon

Submitted to Contest #187

The moon was full but shrouded in a halo of clouds. If the stars were out tonight, they must have found some other part of the universe to twinkle in because there were none to be found in my sky. A stiff wind added to what was already turning into a night to forget. The only welcoming light emanated from a hangout my friends and I call The Shelter. It was time to pop in and pay a visit.I headed down the street, carefully avoiding the random circles of light given off by the streetlamps that were still working. My hearing snapped to full att...

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“Lost Connection” by Mark Gagnon

Submitted to Contest #184

Lost Connection “Houston, we have a problem! This is Stargazer. Do you read me?” “I’m sorry, commander, but all I’m picking up is static on every channel. I can’t even raise the ISS.” “The ISS is on the other side of the planet, so it makes sense we won’t be able to contact them if the Earth’s relays are down. We should be able to achieve line-of-sight communications with them in 17 minutes. Keep trying Space-X command central. In the meantime, does anyone have a theory about that inky black anomaly we just flew through?” All but one crewme...

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“Parallel Lines” by Mark Gagnon

Submitted to Contest #183

It is strange how the mind can play tricks. When I stare down the train tracks, I’m standing on, I could swear the left and right ribbons of steel join, becoming one at the horizon. Of course, the logical part of my brain tells me such a thing is impossible, but could it be that just this once my eyes aren’t betraying me? Are the mathematical laws of the universe always unwavering? In my life, I have observed other constants abruptly evaporate, allowing random chaos to rule, so why shouldn’t parallel lines, for just a moment, meet somewhere ...

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