Saturday

It was an early start to the morning first time around when I was up and doing the cats - some feeding and some shots - and then I quickly crawled back into bed and made myself go back to sleep - and then didn't wake up until after 9:30 - quite unlike me. It could have had something to do with that the rain is still falling, quite heavily most of the time, and bed seems like a great place to be. Except there are things to do - but most importantly a breakfast to be had.

M was kind enough to offer us a lift and we all ended up at Robina Town Centre for a very late breakfast and then a wander (she is still looking for presents for their June trip, I was on the lookout for pens and vests and S usually ends up with a book). We would have stayed longer except there was some kind of ruckus at the Centre - which M described as a case of mass hysteria - while she was waiting for her juice a woman and children came screaming by - literally running by and screaming - and then others came racing by. She and the man she was talking to, also waiting for juice which he had to take back to his children because if he didn't they would murder him, stood back against the stall so they wouldn't get trampled in the rush. She heard that there was someone with a gun, and that there had been gunshots.

She made her way back to our agreed meeting place thinking that we would make our way there once we heard the commotion - especially as shops around the Centre were starting to go into lockdown. Of course, we knew nothing about it ... and it was only because I was going to the Apple Store then that I chanced upon her. She had tried to phone us but couldn't get through - as I couldn't when I tried to get on to S. (Don't ever rely on the phone networks in an emergency!)

We went off in search of S at her last known location - but by the time we got there, and I could finally raise S on the phone, she was back at the Apple Store - where we met her and then quickly left the Centre before the whole place went into lockdown as they continued to look for the lone gunman who had, near the Sony store, shot a bikie in the shoulder and a female bystander in the pelvis. Both victims were taken to hospital and are in a stable condition this evening.