I turned then and darted to the other side of the road. 我转过身去，向路的另一头冲去。我

I had a sinking feeling that it was a wasted attempt. 有种沉重的感觉，知道这只是一次白费力的尝试。

The footsteps behind me were louder now. 我身后的脚步声现在变响了。

"There you are!" The booming voice of the stocky, dark-haired man shattered the intense quiet and made me jump. “你来啦！”从那个健壮结实的黑发男人口中发出的浑厚的说话声打破这片紧绷的宁静，把我吓了一跳。

In the gathering darkness, it seemed like he was looking past me. 在逐渐聚拢的黑暗中，他似乎是在向我身后看去。

"Yeah," a voice called loudly from behind me, making me jump again as I tried to hurry down the street. “是啊。”在我试图飞快地穿过街道时，一个声音从我身后大喊着，又把我吓了一跳。

"We just took a little detour." “我们只是绕了点路。”

My steps had to slow now. 现在我不得不放慢了脚步。

I was closing the distance between myself and the lounging pair too quickly. 我把自己跟那两个闲逛的人的距离缩短得太快了。

I had a good loud scream, and I sucked in air, preparing to use it, 我的尖叫相当地响亮，我深吸了一口气，准备让它派上用场。

but my throat was so dry I wasn't sure how much volume I could manage. 但我的嗓子实在太干了，我不敢肯定我能发出多大的音量。

With a quick movement I slipped my purse over my head, 我飞快地把钱包越过头取下来，

gripping the strap with one hand, ready to surrender it or use it as weapon as need demanded. 用一只手紧紧地攥着那条皮带，准备把它交出来，或者在必要的时候当成武器用。

The thickset man shrugged away from the wall as I warily came to a stop, and walked slowly into the street. 当我警惕着停下脚步的时候，慢慢地向街道走去的时候，那个矮胖的男人在墙那边耸了耸肩。

"Stay away from me," I warned in a voice that was supposed to sound strong and fearless. “离我远点。”我警告着，猜想着自己的声音听起来有力而且无畏。

But I was right about the dry throat—no volume. 但我对喉咙太干的判断是正确的——音量不够。

"Don't be like that, sugar," he called, and the raucous laughter started again behind me. “别这样，甜心。”他喊道，然后一片沙哑的笑声又在我背后响起。