She pulled four coins from her purse – a two-dollar coin, a one-dollar coin, a twenty cent-coin and a ten-cent coin – before placing it in the locker. She counted the money before closing the door and keying in the code. She walked back over to the waiting area, took a seat, and waited. It was as though she was in a dream: nothing felt quite real.

She was startled by the alarm when it sounded, a school-type bell. She had no idea what it was for – a fire? An escape? Little lunch? – but everyone else did.

‘Get up,’ said the foul-mothed woman to her kid. ‘Move it. Time to see your Dad.’

Nikki stood up and made her way to the rear of the rough line that was forming. Once it started moving, she followed the woman in front of her, trying to take it all in without breaking down and crying.

They shuffled along corridor, through four different sets of heavy doors, which clicked then buzzed open for the group. They stopped at a windowless white room.

‘You,’ a guard said as he pointed towards an ordinary-looking man near the front. ‘Join the screening line, please.’

‘You,’ he continued, pointing at the woman in front of Nikki.

‘Ah, fuck off,’ she fired. ‘Not again. This is discrimination. You cunts are always picking on me.’

The guard ignored the woman and continued down the line, singling out a young man covered in tattoos and an undernourished woman with greasy hair plastered to her head. Nikki started to panic as the guard turned back and walked towards her again.

Look normal. Look normal.

She could feel sweat beads forming on her face as he closed the gap.

Stop sweating. Think cold.

She felt her face starting to twitch as he took another step.

Smile. No, don’t. Yes, do.

Too late, the guard was upon her. She could smell his cheap aftershave as he looked her up and down. Nikki was sure he would smell her fear.

‘You,’ he said as he pointed to the person behind Nikki. ‘Over there.’

Nikki thought she might faint from relief. She let go of the breath she hadn’t even realised she was holding.

Once the guard had filled his quota, Nikki and the rest of the queue went through an airport-style metal detector, down another corridor, through two more sets of security doors and then finally into an outdoor courtyard, completely enclosed by wire fencing. There, they followed a short path to another building: a red-brick block from the 1970s, covered in Aboriginal art murals. Once inside, they passed through more doors.