#apollodrive

[romagiago]

Putting my fic here too for anyone who doesn't want to read it on AO3.

There's a certain feeling to an abandoned place.

Dark and empty spaces that once were full of life and held a greater purpose. An office for example, is meant to be busy with energy, with noise and plans and people moving about, but when those people have gone home for more than the night, when they’ve gone forever? Fluorescent light dims and the once familiar space takes on a very unusual feeling. It deteriorates. It rots. While memories keep it nostalgic and alive in one’s mind, it crumbles away day by day. A mall without anyone inside has lost its very purpose for existing, and a school with no children has since lost its warmth. Even a parking garage with no cars evokes feelings of unease in those who find themselves lost within one.

The world is full of places like this, places that cannot exist comfortably without people in them… without a purpose and when it is taken from them, the world regards them with disdain.

What happens then, when people themselves become empty and abandoned like long forgotten hallways and inaccessible corridors? Can a person lose their purpose in the same way a shut-down train station can? Can they lose their purpose for being? Living? Will those around them think of this person with kind, nostalgia tinted glasses like they think of their old childhood home? Or will they see nothing more than an empty, run down thing that used to be?

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

The metallic 'clink' of a chain link fence in the wind suddenly breaks someone's spiral of thought

as a young man stands at the gate. Oh… He doesn’t remember how long he’d been standing there. The sun has long since gone down, its dull glow no longer visible against the mountains in the distance. Yet, light from roads and streetlamps still linger. With a shake of his head the boy tells himself to let it go, preparing to sneak in without a trace, though nobody really comes by here anymore. This park is abandoned, not like there's much inside to keep safe now. With a huff he pushes past the broken wire gate, its little claws trying to keep hold of his hair and clothes as he escapes their grasp once more.

It’s a short walk to where he’s trying to go, but not an easy one. The young man walks along quietly towards the center, side stepping over twigs and sharp things along the broken concrete. The ground here is worn down, no longer smooth and welcoming like it once was. Wanderers like him haven’t been as kind to this place as he has, throwing glass and rocks around at each other like children do. Perhaps it’s a good thing that this little park, even in its ruined state, can be a welcome place for even vagrants to play. This place used to be lively and fun, well, fun for those who enjoyed the company of many others in loud revelry. To him though, it's the setting where his near constant nightmares take place, and a quiet spot to sit when they keep him awake at night.

When it was open years and years ago, this place was never any fun for the young man exploring its now abandoned paths. A small part of him is even glad that it's gone now. Good riddance, he'd say. A public pool... a rich family's playground... all on the sprawling acres of a secretive church he’d been forced to attend for years.

He rolls his eyes thinking about it again.

It's a shame that such a decent place was so full of nasty people when it was alive, and a shame that those people abandoned it after even the slightest hardship. The way the pool and park had been maintained for years up until it all closed... it was obvious that someone had once cared about it a lot.

‘Guess it doesn't matter anymore…’ Thinks the young man as he carries on. ‘Once someone

abandons something it’s as good as gone…’

He pauses to wrestle with the door handle leading into the chapel, groaning as he realizes that it's broken. He’d have to take the other route in… a route he never enjoyed walking. Fortunately, or rather not, there's an unkept path around the building. Its long yellow grass covers the once pristine trail down to the pool, and he remembers walking along it fairly well.

He hates having to go this way. For all the comfort and peace that these abandoned places bring him, something about the poolside trail… Something here makes him feel the complete opposite. Realistically, he knows it's nothing. It's stupid even, to be scared of it compared to the far scarier places he has explored. Dead malls, long since shuttered school grounds, hell- even the ‘haunted nursing home’ didn't freak him out as badly as this place does. He's seen far worse, but the sight of a dimly lit pool he hasn't swam in in years… ugh.

With a sigh, he runs a hand through his hair, pulling it back and out of his face as he kicks his way through the overgrowth.

“Stupid-” He grumbles. “This is so stupid…”

He doesn't feel brave. Not now. He feels it come up behind him. As long as he's been able to remember, he's been followed, not by a human stalker, or anything… tangible… but by what he can only describe as a ‘shadow’. There's never a pattern as to when it comes, nor any way he can make it appear to him. It is a force of its own. It comes and goes as it pleases.

And now… His shadow follows him as he walks along the pool, hanging lowly in the air and buzzing with a quiet energy.

He's been trailed before by people both real and imagined, but the feeling now is different. The eyes of strangers boring into him from behind and waiting for him to slip up are nothing compared to the power in the mere feeling that was following him now.

Now.

It wasn't just now though, he thinks to himself. He really tries to think… This shadow has followed him for... he can't tell how long. It's been with him even before his night terrors have. Has this feeling always been here? When he was younger, fresh out of school or recovering in the hospital, the shadow crept up occasionally still. Never doing enough to make him worried, but often enough to remind him that it was still there. A quiet presence in the dark.

Shaking his head and trying to ignore it, he looks up to find the stars, maybe to gather some sense of direction with them, maybe just to find a constellation he can recognize… and finds nothing.

The night sky was far more empty tonight. He couldn't figure out why it felt so unnerving without the stars above, such a tiny detail that changes everything. The darkness was a comfort to him more often than not, but being here now under a starless sky… it felt like something was terribly wrong... There were no clouds, yet this was not the same night sky as when he began his journey here... What was happening?

Pale flats stepped faster and faster around the cracks in the tile, he walked on, looking for a sign that maybe someone was around. Windswept brush lined the path around the fence, obscuring the view into the distance completely and the grass whispers amongst itself, talking in hushed tones all around the boy, filling him with an even greater unease. He swore he could hear voices further away in the dark. He shivered as the wind picked up, gently blowing the grass and leaves past the boy as he came to a stop.

'Are you there?' He wants to ask, but hesitates as panic rises up in his throat.

Instead, the wind stills around him… Quiet… calm as the night again, though not peaceful. In a moment, he feels the skin on the back of his neck touched ever so gently by something that he could swear was not the wind.

Gasping, he turns around and finds nothing.

“Fuck off!” He yells into the darkness instead, the sound echoing across the half empty pool.

Before he knows it, he's made it to the other side. With a huff he opens the back door to the chapel, immediately noticing the halls are a monotonous rust color, dulled by time and neglect. It was an ugly color, even in its prime.

“Stupid fucking-” He kicks a stray chair over and out of his way, breathing harder now.

“I'll- I'll ruin you even more! See how you like it!”

He yells louder into the chapel, its tall, over-the-top architecture echoing his shouting throughout the building. The sounds that came from his aching chest warped into a pathetic cry. Never before had he given into the angry feeling like he had tonight, he was so damned sick of this place, so sick of seeing it in his nightmares and sick of the fact that despite everything that happened here, he always wanted to come back.

He sits down, amongst the torn up carpet that was older than he is, and the other trash that careless people had left here. Left to rot and be forgotten. How he wished he too could leave this place behind. He sighs, not hearing the sound of things shuffling around him.

"Hey!" A voice calls out behind him.

In a panic he turns around to try and see who’s there- Someone or something comes at him too quickly to see as a searing hot pain shoots through his head. He hits the cracked tile below as everything goes dark in an instant.

[chen0193]

I used to work with Richard & Ken at Metro magazine. Today we got together at Duck Duck Goose to catch-up and have a chinwag. Being lads, they went for the bao; beef short ribs cooked in mushroom and pepper and the pork belly braised over 2 days in BBQ sauce. I always love the congee from DDG; it’s cooked the way I like it. And so much better than the wallpaper paste that masquerades as congee in most (Cantonese) eateries. If I continue to have those, I’ll no longer have to lick stamps. The congee has shredded chicken and a poached egg. For condiments today, karaage chicken, spicy eggplant and crushed peanut. Chef Willie @nguyenwillie sent out his 2-tone baguette, the blue coming from the blue pea flower. It’s wonderful to catch up with friends you used to work with, the genuine ones that is. There are too many ratbags out there and I don’t give 2 hoots about them. #duckduckgooseeatery #apollodrive #rosedale #bao #beefshortribs #braisedporkbelly #baguette #congee #condiments #catchup (at Duck Duck Goose Eatery) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByfDOVIpY0l/?igshid=1393969wssshq

[xperht]

Läs mer läs mer på www.xperhotelsandtable.wordpress.com eller klicka på länk i bio⬆️ @apollodrive @clarionhotel #clarion #clarionhotel #hotel #hotels #hotell #resturang #weekendtrip #weekend #gäst #visit #västkusten #bo #havet #winter #vinter #umgås #upplev #upplevelser #vy #magiskt #food #mat #umgås #sommelier #sommeliers #sommelierlife #vin wine #wineworld #sport #fotboll #piasundhage

[minassecrets]

When the lights go out, when the air runs out i still breathe to you .

[romagiago]

Going crazy going insane recently. 7/10 chapters posted for Atom’s fic rn. Bonkers. Anyways I Might post chapter 8 tonight if we get silly enough yeehaw

[romagiago]

Haha wow. 2 chapters in 1 week it's like I planned this or something :)

Fic below if you dont like ao3

Chapter 2 - Sleepwalker

For a long while there’s nothing.

Nothing but darkness. No warmth or cold, no comfort nor unease, just silence…

The world he finds himself in now is dark. It's all encompassing and overwhelming, but strangely beautiful. Like a thick blanket of starry night as far as the eye could see. Within the comfort of that velvety sky, dim lights sparkle off in the distance, what felt like entire lifetimes away, blinking their soft red glow. To him, the night sky seemed to go on for eternity.

He knows nothing about how he got here, he thinks while slowly opening his eyes, though half formed thoughts about it seem to swirl in his newly active mind. Half formed, half awake. Like all his switches haven't been turned on just yet. The next thing he begins to notice is the hot feeling of water on his form.

Oh, his body. He twitches his hands, feeling the way it moves around him, clinging to his skin. Something deep in his mind tells him that he's floating within the darkness. It's a nice feeling.

For a moment, he thinks about that. He can feel. A mere moment ago there was nothing, and now? He feels so much. The warm water against the chilled and unmoving air on his face, the low droning sound of something far away… A dull burn in his chest. It's all becoming too much. Even the slightest splash of water against his body is sending him into overdrive…

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

In the world somewhere, with a blink of his eyes the android awakens. Coughing and heaving

like he’d inhaled the sea, his chest aches already.

Gasping for air, his panic stricken mind overworks itself the moment he begins. This is not the peaceful dream he knew just moments ago, not the calm floating darkness he'd been nestled in. Now it's a blinding white flash of noise and sensations, voices spoken in rushed tones and the air in his lungs… oh how good breathing feels despite the burn. All the while, he begins to feel the touch of hands prodding and poking him, flipping on the final switch that was him.

There were far more noises now he could make out, hums and beeps of machinery that looked like he’d been hooked up to, the sound of something whirring to life. The voices above him were much clearer now. He takes in the sound of a soft, organic gasp as he opens his eyes to look at the few men in the lab, who watched him with bated breath as their new machine had awoken.

The android looked up, catching the gaze of a terrifyingly tall, pale man, gaunt and sickly looking. He gleamed in the unnatural light of the lab, eyes reflecting something as equally unnatural, though he seemed to be pleased at the sight lying before him. The machine noted that this man's smile was wide and unnerving, like a wolf baring its teeth to him, ready to bite. Leaning forward, his long equally pale-blonde hair draped like a messy curtain over the body on the table, he was cold to the touch.

“Oho!” He beamed, and pulled the android up by the arms. “You're awake! Alive! You work!”

The android was silent, wide eyes fixed on the other man as he continued rambling.

Alive?

“You! You're…Atom! That's what I think we'll call you.” The tall man had decided in his excitement.

Atom.

Quickly, he looked around and tried to figure out where he could possibly be. The pale white walls and sickly fluorescent lighting were unfortunately familiar… This was some kind of lab. Medical, experimental, whatever it was he didn't care. He knew he needed to get out right now.

A panicked noise was caught in his throat as he felt such a place be so familiar, and yet he could not remember why.

Why were the sounds of machines and monitors so familiar if he couldn't remember being around them?

As Atom was lost in his thoughts, a far younger, more timid looking man stood next to him. This boy… he looked no different than the boys Atom had gone to school with. A brooding energy seeped off of him as the boy ignored the glare in his direction while he approached, trying not to antagonize the android.

“Can you hear us? How do you feel?” He asked Atom softly. When the android didn't respond,

he stepped back, hesitantly grabbing the sleeve of the one in charge.

“Vex, this might be too-”

With another blink of an eye, Atom stood up, wobbling on new legs like a baby deer, screaming as he looked down at himself. Plugs and monitors ripped off and out of his body. Fortunately draped in white, though now splattered with blood, he looked down and took in his new form. It felt different, but he couldn’t pinpoint why. What the hell was going on?

He struggled trying to get away from the two staring back at him. In a panic, he managed to get the idea of using his legs and stumbled out of the lab. His panicked screams echoed and rang out through the corridors, and once again he couldn't quite figure out why it was a familiar sound.

The younger man tried to run after Atom, but the other pulled him back by the collar.

“Leave her for now, she can't get far.” The pale man spoke.

‘Her?’ Atom thought to himself, unsure why even that felt so wrong and foreign to him. 'That's not right…’

He didn't dare look back as he ran through massive hallways and winding paths. Between the shock of waking up and how unusually built this place was, he was bound to lose his way. The faint glow of the android’s yellow eyes contrasted the pale white pillars and arches that loomed far above him. Even in the dark they reflected a dull blue light from somewhere he couldn't comprehend.

Completely mesmerizing. The light was coming from all directions, disorienting him. Though Atom could not begin to fathom what kind of place this was, he knew it was not his home.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Elsewhere, through cold, dark corridors and castle chambers the screams echoed, warped and twisted by the halls. Surely the whole castle knew something was up now, even its master could tell.

“It seems that Vexen’s experiment has begun.” A shadowed figure spoke down to his second in command.

The two paused for a moment to listen as they walked side by side together. It was a quiet stroll between them even before they heard screaming, and now they could hear the sound easily.

His sole companion shrugged, standing there in the dark cloak further obscuring him from the faint moonlight in the hall.

"Doesn't sound like it'll be much of a success.” He snickered to himself.

“It's much too early to tell.” The master of the castle spoke, turning to through the windows for the strange glow of the moon outside. The light reflected off of his unnaturally white hair, though his empty gaze down at his companion was what made him seem truly otherworldly.

“Xigbar,” The first spoke, quiet and commanding. “Keep a watchful eye on this little machine of his.”

“Ah…” Xigbar rolled his good eye with pretend annoyance and slinked away. “Babysitting mission, on it boss.”

[chen0193]

Congee is back! ... after the Queen has celebrated her birthday with us that is but Uncle persuaded Chef Willie to make one today. Always loving the congee from DDG, it’s cooked the way Uncle likes it. And so much better than the wallpaper paste that masquerades as congee in most (Cantonese) eateries. If Uncle continues to have those, he’ll no longer have to lick stamps. The congee has shredded chicken and a poached egg. For condiments today, karaage chicken, spicy eggplant, crushed peanut + a kombu sauce. Had a raisin danish after lunch, as you do. #congee #riceporridge #condiments #danish #duckduckgoose #apollodrive #rosedale (at Duck Duck Goose Eatery) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByMQGxsJ0Pw/?igshid=cqvyfeyx8j58

[chen0193]

You can't go past a good congee. Even in summer (and late lunch) at Duck Duck Goose, Apollo Dr, Rosedale. Specially made by Chef Willie @nguyenwillie. Unlike the usual Chinese restaurant white wallpaper paste masquerading as congee, this is everything I like in a congee, and the Kombu Tsuyu shifts it to the next level. Instead of the usual pork belly for the congee, Chef sent out a fried chicken thigh (battered) on a sweet & sour sauce. Delicious! #congee #chicken #egg #condiments #friedchicken #battered #kombutsuyu #duckduckgooseeatery #apollodrive #rosedale (at Duck Duck Goose Eatery) https://www.instagram.com/p/Br_n6d7lQv1/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ulyxaeimt9zb

[chen0193]

After a whole week of eating white people’s food on set, I had a great yearning for the chicken congee with poached egg and condiments cooked by nephew Willie @nguyenwillie at Duck Duck Goose, Apollo Drive, Rosedale. Yessika then offereda little treat of frangipane tart with dehydrated strawberry to go with the English Breakfast tea. Well satiated now, until the next time. #congee #chickencongee #chickencongeewithegg #chickencongeeforthesoul #condiments #porkbelly #sesamecracker #toastedpeanut #shallot #frangipanetart #dehydratedstrawberry #duckduckgooseeatery #ddgnz #apollodrive #rosedale #instacongee (at Duck Duck Goose Eatery) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnxSCh4B-TL/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=19tgwsk7hkwz8

[chen0193]

Uncle if off to judge the E-PACS Vegan Cooking Contest. To fortify himself for this rather challenging task, he’s taken himself for a comforting chicken congee at Duck Duck Goose. Sensing Uncle’s trepidation, Chef Willie sent out a little amuse bouche of eggplant fritters. That also hit the spot. #chickencongee #eggplantfritters #duckduckgooseeatery #apollodrive #rosedale #instacongee (at Duck Duck Goose Eatery) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpIaS--Bvil/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=rrqw9weklcmk

[chen0193]

Easter catch up with photographer Ken @kendownie at Duck Duck Goose, Rosedale. Chef Willie @nguyenwillie produced excellent dishes while Yessika @yesyessika took the best care of us. We had amuse bouche of roast lamb with Yessika’s dipping sauce that packed a punch with Sichuan pepper and @ddgnz’s variation of Gado Gado. I really wanted to try the Congee, with poached chicken, crispy pork hock, poached egg, sesame cracker and condiments of crispy shallot and toasted peanut. I so love this congee and condiments. Photographer Ken had the pork Belly Bao, of original bao, carrot & daikon pickle slaw, bbq sauce, aioli. Ken demolished this delicious stack. #ddgnz #ddgnzeatery #apollodrive #rosedale #roastlamb #gadogado #congee #condiments #bao #porkbellybao #instaeatery (at Duck Duck Goose Eatery)

[chen0193]

Chicken & Vegetable Soup at Duck Duck Goose, Apollo Drive, Rosedale. The flu jab Uncle had beginning of winter must have worn off as the coughing & runny nose has returned with a vengeance, after getting caught up in the vagaries of supposedly Spring weather. Lesson: don’t play tennis in the rain. So Uncle dragged his sorry arse to Duck Duck Goose to have Chef Willie’s Chicken & Vegetable Soup: with shredded chicken, seasonal vegetables and a piping hot master chicken broth, which you pour into the dish. It’s exactly what Uncle needed, and he tells himself he feeling better for it. So much so, he has a cream cheese blueberry muffin made fresh this morning by Yessika @yesyessika. #chickensoup #chickenandvegetablesoup #masterchickenbroth #creamcheeseblueberrymuffin #duckduckgooseeatery #apollodrive #rosedale (at Duck Duck Goose Eatery) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3N_UBdpOoH/?igshid=jeyin5jgbl37

[chen0193]

Duck Duck Goose Uncle and Photographer Ken Downie meet up for a professional chinwag at Duck Duck Goose. Owner-Chef Willie makes the Vietnamese-style Pork & Prawn Noodle Salad into a vegetarian delight. Fried tofu, tempura mushroom, crispy offspring roll, are served with rice vermicelli, herbs, salad and pickles + a Vietnamese dressing and crushed peanuts & deep fried shallots to garnish. Ken needs his meat, so it's Beef Bao, with mushroom pepper sauce, gochujang, pickled red onion, and celery slaw. Bao wow, he mumbles, as he polishes off his beef bao. Yessika tells us she comes in at 4am to start her baking for the day. The brioche bun is fresh, soft and buttery, made even more seductive with chocolate ganache and buttercream. Irresistible! Ken ate most of it and then licked his lips. #vietnamesevermicellisalad #vegetarian #springrolls #beefbao #housebakedbriocherolls #chocolateganache #buttercream #duckduckgooseeatery #apollodrive #rosedale #chinwag (at Duck Duck Goose Eatery) https://www.instagram.com/p/B204HLOJGRS/?igshid=1p1p8dmcv8w3j

[chen0193]

C O N G E E J O Y Chef Willie @nguyenwillie @ddgnz’s congee is Uncle’s favourite comfort food. It has a pictorial spread in the latest Metro magazine. So on a lazy Saturday morning, Uncle hooned over to Rosedale in his trusty Fiat 500 hairdresser’s car. The rice porridge has 3 different types of rice - white and brown jasmine and glutinous rice. It has generous finely shredded chicken strips and there’s a soft boiled egg. The congee is cooked in chicken stock and Kombu Tsuyu is drizzled in. Today’s condiments include karaage chicken, fried soy eggplant cubes with crispy curry leaves, fried shallots and crushed roasted peanuts. As a special treat, Willie sent out crispy pork spring rolls (chả giò), and a carrot and radish pickle. The more condiments you have, the more delicious your congee becomes. Tip: have Kombu Tsuyu on hand, it acts as a dipping sauce and enhances the egg & chicken strips. Slurps! #congee #riceporridge #chickenstrips #softboiledegg #condiments #eggplant #karaagechicken #friedshallots #crushedpeanut #vietnamesecrispyspringrolls #pickles #kombutsuyu #vegancomfortfood #ddgnz #apollodrive #rosedale #metromagazinenz (at Duck Duck Goose Eatery) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz19PoYJsFu/?igshid=r8esads6hmv0

[chen0193]

We love going to Duck Duck Goose in Rosedale. Chef owner Willie is always pushing out the menu envelope and this lunchtime, there were new items to try. Aunty Renee chose the focaccia bao with prawn, aioli, cheese & chilies, served with hand cut fries and green salad. Uncle had the mushroom tofu soup, with charred corn, spinach, shredded chicken on soft tofu in a shiitake mushroom broth. We shared a blue baguette, served with halloumi, poached egg plus orange nutmeg butter and salad. The blue of the marbled baguette is from the blue pea flower. The counter is laden with cakes made by Yessika, wife of Willie. The coconut chiffon cake shone like a star, resplendent in gossamer fluffy pandan chiffon. It's Uncle favourite cake. It was served with a pandan custard. Lunch was an adventure, a very pleasant one at that. #focacciabao #prawn #aioli #bluebaguette #mushroomtofusoup #coconutchiffoncake #duckduckgooseeatery #apollodrive #rosedale (at Duck Duck Goose Eatery) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxrgFYLlOs7/?igshid=kx5b2pdon41x

[chen0193]

Duck Duck Goose Bao Wow. Friends of Ken are up from Wellington. We know Chef Willie will not let us down. Baos have made a transformation; it’s no more only the steamed white flour ones. Today you can have red baos (from beetroot), yellow ones (with turmeric) and green baos (from spinach). Today, soft-shell crab is a runaway hit, with beetroot bao. Ken had the pulled pork and Uncle the chicken soup. We had hors d'oeuvres of smoked salmon on focaccia bread squares and pulled pork on cucumber slices. And then just a sweet taster of cheese cake, to round up a most wonderful lunch. #softshellcrabbao #pulledporkbao #focacciabao #smokedsalmon #cheesecake #freezedriedraspberries #duckduckgooseeatery #apollodrive #rosedale (at Duck Duck Goose Eatery) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuxuWPhlk1w/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1uqxxnflby1kq