Beginnings and Ends

Hello,

I suppose a proper introduction is in order. My name's Farron and either you've stumbled across my blog or you came here on purpose. Either way is fine with me, really. I'm told that this is supposed to be my virtual home. As a writer, I can understand that portion, but as person, I am somewhat flummoxed, because I've never really blogged before and, therefore, don't really know what to actually blog about. Regardless, hopefully this blog will turn into something more fruitful that won't waste your time and end up with you hunting me down with fire and pitchforks and the like.

I'm a writer who leans towards speculative fiction, horror, and even a little dark fantasy thrown in there. I've been writing since I was about knee-high. I prefer to write short stories and novellas, but I am also attempting at a stab at a novel for the hell of it and see if it gets me anywhere.

The title of my blog is Pocket-Sized Multiverse because I believe that it has that sense of uncertain mystery, awe-inducing fear and futuristic wonderment that I try to incorporate in my stories. Each one of my stories so far have been standalone, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they don't have things that they share. I want for my stories to be escapes from the real, but not so much that they've become utterly alien. What I like to think that my stories share is a blend between the natural and the uncanny.

Imagine, if you will, a world beyond a world. It is accessible to you only if you know where to look for it. It's hidden in the cracks of walls, the flicker of stars, the reflections of ponds, and the silhouettes of people, just to name a few. At the best of times, you can only catch a glimpse of it, but that glimpse may as well last a lifetime. Suddenly, that world is in everything you perceive. It's superimposed on the one you're living in and it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish the two, or three, or five worlds apart anymore. There is no limit to how many worlds you're immersed in. It's existence so infinitely big that is rich with experiences, perceptions, and memories. Yet, it is also infinitesimally small that it cannot be properly quantified nor counted by anyone else but yourself. That's what I mean by a pocket-sized multiverse. Worlds upon worlds stacked upon one another, all of which are able to conveniently fit in you back pocket.

But, I digress. I hope that his has been an adequate enough of an introduction for you. Over the coming weeks, and perhaps years, I would like to further develop this blog by including my thoughts on writing, sources of inspiration for me, and whatnot.

Prost!

Farron

Places That People Forgot Part 1

Yes, I know I have been postponing this. Hopefully it will be worth the wait!

There's a place I know that is not too far from my home. It's an abandoned campground about five minutes away. It's got everything: overgrown flora, abundant fauna, even paved roads, oddly enough. I know that it sounds like something straight out of a horror movie. Despite knowing this, I decided that I'd take a drive down to the area. Armed with camera and a cheap hunting knife (because of the apparent cougar sightings in the area), I set off to find something half-interesting hidden in the sleepy farmland.

This is the entrance to the campground and the start of my tour. For those familiar with the Saskatchewan Prairies, you'll know that a place like this is an anomaly. The densely populated trees and serpentine paths allow me to become lost every time that I've been here. I can't honestly say I have not had that experience in any southern Saskatchewan. It's simultaneously terrifying and thrilling.

Here's a shot of the entrance/exit of the campground. Around the corner is the road that leads to the Trans-Canada. Weeds have struggled through the concrete and is starting to reclaim the site, providing splashes of color to the drab grey. Unfortunately, all of the buildings on the property have been broken into and looted, so there's really nothing of interest to note in there.

If you ever get the opportunity to tour the campground, you are going to see a lot of this: paved road surrounded by plant life overtaking it. In this place, there is hardly a straight pathway, which makes it very easy to get lost.

Here’s one of the more intact signs. It still retains most of its color and is still legible.

A perfectly abandoned swing. It makes me wonder how many times children have played on it. At this point, the campground has been abandoned for about six or so years. From how the grass is pressed down leading to it, it seems that someone has made use of it despite the thistle growing around it.

Parts of the campground are now inaccessible as they are becoming part of the increasing morass that's threatening to engulf the entire site. These pictures remind me of the old horror stories I used to read as a kid, such as the Goosebumps series.

The juxtaposition of the the artificial and the natural really seems to hit home with me in this picture. It reminded me of the lamppost from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I half-expected a faun to pop appear.

The thing with a place like this is that you never know what you are going to find here. This picture is a perfect example of this idea. This seems like something straight out of a horror movie. After I thought I heard a cough from the nearby restrooms, I made a break back for my car a few meters away.

I found this near a boiler room towards the back of the campground. Unfortunately, it was too dark to see how deep it extended. I didn't have the courage to stick my head in and find out neither.

This was one of the sections where the campground fades away and we return to the golden crops. The contrast of light between the crops and the campsite is phenomenal. It is as if there is a natural border distinguish itself apart from the rest of the prairies.

Tiptoeing though a minefield of broken glass, I came across a drawer full of junk in the old mess hall of the camp. These are some of the few things that haven't been destroyed or stolen.

In the process of getting lost, I stumbled upon this place, which I have never come across before. This is one of the few communal fire pits that have not collapsed yet. Beer cans and cigarette packages littered the interior The two pines that shade the site are two of only a handful that are found on the campgrounds. Poplars mostly populate the site.

That was my late afternoon tour of the campgrounds. Going back there always freaks me out, but it also excites me. It seems like every time that I go there, there's always something new to be found, even though the place is allegedly abandoned. I might have to incorporate this place into one of my stories one day.