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 (457)
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Hero
I’ve never thought of myself as a hero, and why would I. The few times I’ve managed to help someone out of a jam wasn’t me being heroic, rather it was me being a good neighbor. I never rushed into a burning building to rescue a neighbor’s cat, or dove into raging surf to save someone from drowning. No, usually most of my heroic deeds have consisted of giving a stranded motorist a ride to the gas station so he or she could fill up a five gallon can of gas, or deliver a package to my neighbor because an Amazon driver dropped it off at my door by mistake.
By Mark Gagnon4 months ago in Criminal
I’ve Had Enough
“Okay, Alice enough is enough. You asked me to do you a favor and hide in this closet until this Wonderland thing blew over. Well, it’s been five years, and I want out. I wasn’t a skeleton when you locked me in, but I am now. You must know that we skeletons never stay hidden forever.
By Mark Gagnon4 months ago in Fiction
People Stink
Humans stink. If you have to spend time in an enclosed area with people who haven’t washed for four or five days in a row, you can confirm this statement for yourself. Maybe that’s why most other animals have a keener sense of smell than we do. They know where coming long before we reach their location because of our unpleasant odor. Hence the reason soap was invented. Also, soap is the reason Dennis became the richest man on the planet.
By Mark Gagnon4 months ago in Humans
Governments Best Friends. Top Story - September 2025.
We've all seen them, perched on high wires or rooftops, staring at the world below. Crows congregate in small groups, and when one departs the murder, another quickly takes its place. Have you ever asked yourself what they are looking for and who they are reporting their observations to?
By Mark Gagnon4 months ago in Fiction
What We Once Were
Was it the sprawling maple tree she sat under, her captivating physique, or those mesmerizing eyes that drew me into my oblivion. I may never know the answer to that question. What I do know is that by closing my eyes for what I had hoped would be the kiss of a lifetime unexpectedly transformed me into the monster I am today.
By Mark Gagnon4 months ago in Horror
It Only Took One
Was it the sprawling maple tree, her captivating physique, or those mesmerizing eyes that drew me into my oblivion. I may never know the answer to that question. What I do know is that as I closed my eyes for what I had hoped to be the kiss of a lifetime unexpectedly transformed me into the monster I am today.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Fiction
Bogus Sayings
When I was young I would hear the older kids and even some adults quote these bizarre sayings, and I would think they were true. Step on a crack and break your mother’s back. Break a mirror and it’s seven years bad luck. Don’t walk under a ladder or it will bring bad luck. Then of course there is the saying, lightning never strikes the same place twice.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Journal
Compassion for Who
Orson worked as a contract coder for multiple medical software companies. Freelancing let him make his own hours, live where he wanted, and be his own boss. He avoided petty office politics and usually made more than the 9-5ers. The downside was there were no benefits. Medical and life insurance, along with retirement plans, were his responsibility. It seemed a fair trade for his freedom.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Psyche
Just Let It Go
The stress has driven me to my breaking point. I’ve done my best to maintain my inner strength throughout the years, but enough is enough. Even the strongest of us max out eventually and I’m no exception. Of course I didn’t start out thinking like this.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Fiction
You're Not Getting It
The official-looking sign posted on the door read, “Safe Driving for Seniors.” In many states, the term seniors could apply to high school seniors, but not in Florida. The attendees in this room were all past retirement age and had one thing in common besides age — they had all received a ticket for unsafe driving. The instructor was in his early twenties and displayed the confidence of youth. He was given this assignment because no one more senior than him wanted to do it.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Longevity
The Gemstone Search
It wasn’t a lie, or then again, maybe it was. Could I actually be so gullible as to believe such a thing really existed when my common sense told me it was totally illogical. Perhaps if I hadn’t listened to all those stories about pirate treasures and quests for lost cities or the holy grail, I would have dismissed this story as one more bogus pipe dream. Unfortunately, that wasn’t what happened.
By Mark Gagnon5 months ago in Fiction
