She said the words quietly, then looked again over the beautifully manicured gardens, past the monument and flags, to the Swan River, with Perth spread along its banks and up to the distant hills. She snapped a few photos to send home then wandered a bit further, intrigued by the different coloured kangaroo-paw flowers. She snapped several photos from different angles. She didn’t use Facebook but liked to post quirky images on Instagram. Then she took a selfie with her arm around a statue and texted her friend Bec, ‘Wish you were here’ with a crazy-face emoji.

A group of teenage boys slouched past. Their hands were in their pockets and they were glancing around but they weren’t taking in the view. Keely watched as they walked defiantly into the path of an older couple then, at the last minute, stepped around them. One of the boys yelled “Watch it,” and startled the couple, who had been looking at the memorial.

Keely dropped her gaze. The familiar feeling of helplessness returned and washed over her in a flash with the ease of an enemy knowing it could win. Black spots danced before her eyes and she gasped in some air. She’d been holding her breath.

Her fingernails dug into her palms. She forced the door shut on the dark corners of her mind, spun around and stepped straight into a toddler. The small child was knocked flat by the impact and began to wail loudly.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.” Keely reached to help him up.

The boy wailed even louder. His mother arrived and brushed him off. “He’ll be alright,” she said.

“Sorry,” Keely mumbled again.

“I told him not to run, didn’t I, Mathew.” The mother took the screaming child in her arms and smiled. “If he’s making this much noise he can’t be too badly hurt.”

Keely apologised again before she turned and hurried away. She rushed along under the massive gum trees that lined the road leading out of the park. The child’s wails followed her on the breeze and the familiar feeling of nausea squirmed in her stomach.

* * *

“Here you are, Keely.”

Marty greeted her as she stepped through the door of the hostel. He was dressed only in board shorts and she took in his smooth, bronzed torso.

“We’re making plans for tonight,” he said. “Do you want to join us?”

The walk back from King’s Park had been mainly downhill, but Keely felt breathless. She had a sharp pain in her side and she was tired. “I don’t know,” she replied vaguely. “What are you thinking of doing?”

“Mike’s found a club that gives us free entry and some half-price drinks. They’ve got a live band tonight and it’s not too far from here.”