When I reach the car, the driver is standing outside it with a sheepish look on her face.
"What?" I ask, putting my hand on my hip.
She glances down before looking back at me.
"I'm so sorry, but I've arranged to drop some food off to someone at the same time as dropping you home."
I stare at her.
Seriously?
"Would you mind if we delivered it first? I'll take you straight home afterwards, as quickly as possible. I promise!"
She gives me an enormous smile, clearly hoping I'll agree.
I roll my eyes.
"Yeah, sure. I'm running late for everything now anyway."
"Thank you! Thank you!" she exclaims.
We climb into the car.
Her name, I discover, is Jessica.
As she drives towards Ballarat's western suburbs, an area some locals call the Bronx, I stare out the window, watching the familiar streets pass by.
I check the time again and sigh.
I'll have to call Drew, my fiancé, and explain that I'm going to be late for dinner.
Hopefully, he doesn't get too upset.
Jessica eventually pulls up outside a two-storey weatherboard house. Several people are hanging around out the front.
"Won't be long!" she says, unbuckling her seat belt.
She grabs the food from the front passenger seat and climbs out.
I get out of the back seat, too.
"I'm just going to make a quick phone call while I wait," I tell her.
"No worries!" she replies.
I pull out my phone and call Drew.
"Hey, babe," he answers.
"Hey. I know you've booked dinner for six, but there's a good chance I won't make it home in time to get ready."
"Ah, okay. Why? What's happening? Where are you?"
"Jessica, my driver, is just dropping something off, and then she's taking me straight home. My appointment ran late because the salon was backed up with clients. So, as you can imagine, I've had a shit day," I explain with a frustrated sigh.
Drew laughs a little.
We talk for another five minutes, and I'm just about to hang up when something catches my attention.
A police car pulls up further down the hill, its lights flashing.
The driver jumps out and starts sprinting towards a man I hadn't noticed before.
The man is on top of someone lying on the ground.
I can't see exactly what's happening, but his arm is swinging down again and again, striking the person beneath him.
My stomach drops.
My heart starts pounding.
"What the fuck?" I whisper.
Jessica and several people from the house have gathered nearby. They're all watching the scene unfold.
"What the fuck is happening?" Jessica whispers.
I shake my head, unable to speak.
Another police car speeds towards us and pulls over.
The officers jump out and shout for everyone to stay back before running down another street to our left.
I can feel my heart trying to beat its way out of my chest.
Then I look to my left.
A man is running towards the two officers.
His face is covered in blood.
He looks absolutely terrified.
Before I can make sense of what's happening, I hear a front door slam shut behind me.
I spin around towards the two-storey house where Jessica delivered the food.
A man comes sprinting straight past us.
His face is so pale that, for a split second, I think he looks like he's just seen a ghost.
"FUCKING RUN!" he screams.
For a moment, nobody moves.
Then everyone bursts into action.
Two more police vehicles speed up the street.
We turn and run towards the paddock opposite the houses.
The sky is getting darker by the second.
And I have absolutely no idea what the hell is going on.