“Mark Morris was a monster bent on revenge. Armed with hatred, brass knuckles, and a glock pistol, he traveled to his hometown to harm those who harmed him so long ago. But every act of revenge only moved Mark closer to the edge. In the end, Mark finds out that the only person he is harming is himself and that happiness had always stood before him like an open door. But by then, would it be too late for him to walk through that door? Would he be able to close the door on his past so that he can truly embrace his future?”
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Inspirational fiction
It seems I’m developing a habit for reading short stories from Mr Fant having reviewed The Secret Branch in January and from what I’ve seen so far, he’s cultivating his own brand of inspiring (and/or thoughtful) short stories. This includes the themes of real relationships (i.e. sometimes complicated and rarely perfect) ; questions about right and wrong; the consequences we could face when we take the wrong path in life; and even, sometimes, the second chances we might be gifted with.
As for this short story, well it’s clear from the start that some revenge is in play with a brutal fistfight but I challenge you to guess where it leads from there. I spent my time wondering what the protagonist was so bitter about, and finally, whether he had imagined it himself… Imagined a situation and then held onto it for years, so that it develops into a bitter, soul-destroying hate. In the end the question remains whether he can let it go and get on with his life and could you do the same?
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