Tag Archives: visual fiction

January 13, 2013

Visual Fiction – The Ice Crown

Magwi, the troll-king sat deep in the frozen vault of the Twilit Hall, clouds of frozen vapor swirling around his head. His ice-blue mace lay on the floor by his throne, but these days he seldom needed it. Because of the crown.

With its power, he could freeze his enemies with a look from his eyes. He could feel its biting pressure on his skull, numbing his mind, but also filling it with new ideas. He had always been confined to the arctic underground, unable to stand the heat of overworld. But now . . . turn it all cold, the crown whispered. Freeze the world above and be its ruler. I will help you.

He sat and dreamed of the overworld, towards which the crown’s slender spires reached. He could feel them growing, expanding. Through all his greedy ambitions, he hoped it would never outgrow him.

click to enlarge

11 Comments | tags: conquest, crown, evil, fantasy, fiction, ice, photograph, troll, visual fiction, winter | posted in Visual Fiction

January 6, 2013

Visual Fiction – Vanishing World

By David Stewart

I watched it from the mountaintop: the creeping whiteness that devoured the landscape below me. I had climbed up, camera in hand, to capture the view but instead what I saw was nothingness. It was not fog, it was simply white. I should have been frightened, I suppose, but instead I watched with dread fascination as it ate away at the landscape, slowly approaching the mountain where I stood. Just as it was climbing up the slope, I saw far away, a glimmer of something. It was a single spot of color in the vast field of white, but it was enough to give me hope. So I saw down on the bench to watch and see what would happen.

6 Comments | tags: David Stewart, Jeonju, Korea, mountains, photograph, snow, vanishing, visual fiction, white, winter | posted in Visual Fiction

December 30, 2012

Visual Fiction – The Blossom Snow

By David Stewart

taken in Gyeongju, Korea

It was a New Year’s miracle, they say, and as far as I know, no one has been able to explain it. New Year’s Eve was projected to be bitterly cold and we bundled up together on the couch, watching the festivities on TV. The wind picked up and I heard the house creak slightly.

“I’m going to go check on the stuff on the porch,” I said. I put on my coat and hat and stepped outside, bracing myself for an icy blast. Instead…I stopped, in shock. The wind was warm, like something you might feel in April, not the last day of December. I stood there, stupefied, and then took my jacket off. The snow was melting, running off in rivulets, opening up dark patches on the lawn and driveway.

“Honey, come take a look at this,” I called after a moment. She came, finally, grumbling a little at being called away from the warm couch, but then stopped short and laughed. We stood there for a long time, marveling and enjoying the warmth.

The wind died and soft whiteness began to fall.

“It’s snowing,” she said. “Isn’t it too warm for that?”

“It’s not snow.” I was looking closely now. It was not until I reached out and caught one on my hand that I realized they were flowers; tiny delicate white blossoms that released a delicious fragrance that made me close my eyes and breathe deeply. We watched, silently, as the flowers covered the ground and trees around our yard.

From the living room, we faintly heard the countdown and shouts of “Happy New Year!”

I put my arm around her and hugged her tight. “It’s going to be a good year,” I said. She nodded.

9 Comments | tags: blossoms, Gyeongju, Korea, miracle, New Year's, photograph, seasons, snow, visual fiction | posted in Visual Fiction

December 23, 2012

Visual Fiction – Birds of Hope

By David Stewart

I had toiled many days through the snowy mountains until my strength and spirit were almost gone. I was about to despair when I came to an area where stone lanterns sat, capped in snow. Nothing was moving, save a few small birds, which filled the air with their chirping. I tried to move on, but they fluttered around me, always blocking my way.

Taken in Odaesan National Park, Korea

I finally held out my hand and one of the birds came and perched on it. It may have been my fatigued state, but it seemed to me that the bird spoke to me. “There is hope,” it said. “You have wandered many days and do not know, but today is Christmas. It is a day when all people can find hope, for it was the day that the great Hope came into the world.”

With that, it flew away and although it would not come back to my hand again, I followed the birds to a hidden path and found myself at last in the land of life and hope.

12 Comments | tags: birds, Christmas, Gangwon, hope, Korea, mountains, photograph, snow, temple, visual fiction, winter | posted in Visual Fiction

December 16, 2012

Visual Fiction – Seasonal Divide

By David Stewart

The town passed an ordinance: summer will always be maintained in a certain neighborhood. They set up lines of demarcation and for a while it worked. Fall came and weather got cooler, but inside the summer zone, the trees remained green and the air was warm. People would take off their coats as soon as they stepped inside. Eventually, however, fall began to creep across the line…

taken in Jeonju, Korea

15 Comments | tags: fall, Jeonju, Korea, photograph, seasons, visual fiction | posted in Visual Fiction

December 9, 2012

Visual Fiction – Phantom Mountain

By David Stewart

Jun-Young’s breath caught in his throat as he stepped outside and saw a mountain rising out of the mist, where before there had only been fields. It was Gwishin-san, the phantom mountain, which appeared every century, for one day only.

He had to leave soon. He had less than twenty-four hours to reach the peak.

taken in Wanju, Korea. (click to enlarge)

9 Comments | tags: creepy, fog, ghosts, Korea, mountains, photograph, visual fiction | posted in Visual Fiction

December 2, 2012

Visual Fiction – Moonlit City

By David Stewart

The moon glowed bright above the sleeping city. Below, thousands of people slept, ensconced in cocoons of warmth to keep out of the cold and snow. Each with their own lives, their own stories. For each one, the old year was past and with the rising of the sun, each could start anew.

Taken in Jeonju, South Korea on New Year’s Day, 2010

14 Comments | tags: city, Jeonju, Korea, New Year's, night, photograph, visual fiction | posted in Visual Fiction

November 18, 2012

Visual Fiction – Funny Face

By David Stewart

My mother said not to make funny faces.

“It’ll stay like that,” she said.

I should have listened.

Now I’ll never be a model.

I really wanted to.

What’s a poor guy to do now?

9 Comments | tags: creepy, Korea, monster, photograph, pottery, visual fiction | posted in Visual Fiction

November 10, 2012

Visual Fiction – Dawn Guardtower

By David Stewart

“The sentry gripped his spear with sweaty hands, watching the shadowy figures moving in the valley below. The final assault was beginning and it was likely he would not see another day. Behind him, the sun rose, a blazing orb setting alight the funeral pyre of the world.”