After the car parking incident we continued along the old wharf to the next terminal. Just before it, was an area that was obviously going through an urban renewal process. There were several new apartment buildings, the foreshore was being made over and a new building was under construction. And as with many construction sites we were funnelled through a “safe walkway” through portable cyclone mesh fencing away from the actual construction. It was a long straight path that veered around the back of the new building and passed what looked like a derelict building. Nothing strange so far but as we walked further down this mesh tunnel we realised there was a man standing on the other side of the fence.
He was standing absolutely still and staring directly at us. Again a little strange but there are strange people everywhere nothing to be concerned about yet; until we got closer and could see him clearly. His pose was like that of actors who emerge from some disaster – bomb explosion, nuclear blast, tunnel fire (just think of Bruce Willis movies and you’ll get the idea) his shoulders where hunched and his arms and legs were akimbo, his hair was all over the place, his clothes were dishevelled and torn and there was what appeared to be blood over him!
And he just kept staring. The first thing that went through my head was bomb explosion victim but there was something surreal about the whole thing. As the surroundings started to register in my head – construction site, derelict building, mesh fencing – it all became horribly clear, it was a Zombie Apocalypse. Obviously I have been watching my son’s Xbox games too much or had I?
He freaked both of us out completely, as he didn’t respond in any way, jsut continued to stand dead still, so we scurried away around the corner to come across complete normality; people, cars, bycycles, a cafe and the ferry terminal! It was then I realised the the derelict building was actually some kind of arts centre and this must have been some kind of performance art piece. Or was it one of those candid camera things and we are the stupid tourists!