AgroupoffourmenturnedaroundthecornerIwasheadingfor,dressedtoocasuallytobeheadinghomefromtheoffice,buttheyweretoogrimytobetourists.Astheyapproachedme,Irealizedtheyweren'ttoomanyyearsolderthanIwas.Theywerejokingloudlyamongthemselves,laughingraucouslyandpunchingeachother'sarms.IscootedasfartotheinsideofthesidewalkasIcouldtogivethemroom,walkingswiftly,lookingpastthemtothecorner. "Hey,there!"oneofthemcalledastheypassed,andhehadtobetalkingtomesincenooneelsewasaround.Iglancedupautomatically.Twoofthemhadpaused,theothertwowereslowing.Theclosest,aheavyset,dark-hairedmaninhisearlytwenties,seemedtobetheonewhohadspoken.Hewaswearingaflannelshirtopenoveradirtyt-shirt,cut-offjeans,andsandals.Hetookhalfasteptowardme. "Hello,"Imumbled,aknee-jerkreaction.ThenIquicklylookedawayandwalkedfastertowardthecorner.Icouldhearthemlaughingatfullvolumebehindme. "Hey,wait!"oneofthemcalledaftermeagain,butIkeptmyheaddownandroundedthecornerwithasighofrelief.Icouldstillhearthemchortlingbehindme. Ifoundmyselfonasidewalkleadingpastthebacksofseveralsomber-coloredwarehouses,eachwithlargebaydoorsforunloadingtrucks,padlockedforthenight.Thesouthsideofthestreethadnosidewalk,onlyachain-linkfencetoppedwithbarbedwireprotectingsomekindofenginepartsstorageyard.I'dwanderedfarpastthepartofPortAngelesthatI,asaguest,wasintendedtosee.Itwasgettingdark,Irealized,thecloudsfinallyreturning,pilinguponthewesternhorizon,creatinganearlysunset.Theeasternskywasstillclear,butgraying,shotthroughwithstreaksofpinkandorange.I'dleftmyjacketinthecar,andasuddenshivermademecrossmyarmstightlyacrossmychest.Asinglevanpassedme,andthentheroadwasempty. Theskysuddenlydarkenedfurther,and,asIlookedovermyshouldertoglareattheoffendingcloud,Irealizedwithashockthattwomenwerewalkingquietlytwentyfeetbehindme. TheywerefromthesamegroupI'dpassedatthecorner,thoughneitherwasthedarkonewho'dspokentome.Iturnedmyheadforwardatonce,quickeningmypace.Achillthathadnothingtodowiththeweathermademeshiveragain.MypursewasonashoulderstrapandIhaditslungacrossmybody,thewayyouweresupposedtowearitsoitwouldn'tgetsnatched.Iknewexactlywheremypepperspraywas—stillinmydufflebagunderthebed,neverunpacked.Ididn'thavemuchmoneywithme,justatwentyandsomeones,andIthoughtabout"accidentally"droppingmybagandwalkingaway.Butasmall,frightenedvoiceinthebackofmymindwarnedmethattheymightbesomethingworsethanthieves. Ilistenedintentlytotheirquietfootsteps,whichweremuchtooquietwhencomparedtotheboisterousnoisethey'dbeenmakingearlier,anditdidn'tsoundliketheywerespeedingup,orgettinganyclosertome.Breathe,Ihadtoremindmyself.Youdon'tknowthey'refollowingyou.IcontinuedtowalkasquicklyasIcouldwithoutactuallyrunning,focusingontheright-handturnthatwasonlyafewyardsawayfrommenow.Icouldhearthem,stayingasfarbackasthey'dbeenbefore.Abluecarturnedontothestreetfromthesouthanddrovequicklypastme.Ithoughtofjumpingoutinfrontofit,butIhesitated,inhibited,unsurethatIwasreallybeingpursued,andthenitwastoolate. Ireachedthecorner,butaswiftglancerevealedthatitwasonlyablinddrivetothebackofanotherbuilding.Iwashalf-turnedinanticipation;Ihadtohurriedlycorrectanddashacrossthenarrowdrive,backtothesidewalk.Thestreetendedatthenextcorner,wheretherewasastopsign.Iconcentratedonthefaintfootstepsbehindme,decidingwhetherornottorun.Theysoundedfartherback,though,andIknewtheycouldoutrunmeinanycase.IwassuretotripandgosprawlingifItriedtogoanyfaster.Thefootfallsweredefinitelyfartherback.Iriskedaquickglanceovermyshoulder,andtheyweremaybefortyfeetbacknow,Isawwithrelief.Buttheywerebothstaringatme. Itseemedtotakeforeverformetogettothecorner.Ikeptmypacesteady,themenbehindmefallingeversoslightlyfartherbehindwitheverystep.Maybetheyrealizedtheyhadscaredmeandweresorry.IsawtwocarsgoingnorthpasstheintersectionIwasheadingfor,andIexhaledinrelief.TherewouldbemorepeoplearoundonceIgotoffthisdesertedstreet.Iskippedaroundthecornerwithagratefulsigh. Andskiddedtoastop. Thestreetwaslinedonbothsidesbyblank,doorless,windowlesswalls.Icouldseeinthedistance,twointersectionsdown,streetlamps,cars,andmorepedestrians,buttheywerealltoofaraway.Becauseloungingagainstthewesternbuilding,midwaydownthestreet,weretheothertwomenfromthegroup,bothwatchingwithexcitedsmilesasIfrozedeadonthesidewalk.IrealizedthenthatIwasn'tbeingfollowed. Iwasbeingherded. Ipausedforonlyasecond,butitfeltlikeaverylongtime.Iturnedthenanddartedtotheothersideoftheroad.Ihadasinkingfeelingthatitwasawastedattempt.Thefootstepsbehindmewereloudernow. "Thereyouare!"Theboomingvoiceofthestocky,dark-hairedmanshatteredtheintensequietandmademejump.Inthegatheringdarkness,itseemedlikehewaslookingpastme. "Yeah,"avoicecalledloudlyfrombehindme,makingmejumpagainasItriedtohurrydownthestreet. "Wejusttookalittledetour." Mystepshadtoslownow.Iwasclosingthedistancebetweenmyselfandtheloungingpairtooquickly.Ihadagoodloudscream,andIsuckedinair,preparingtouseit,butmythroatwassodryIwasn'tsurehowmuchvolumeIcouldmanage.WithaquickmovementIslippedmypurseovermyhead,grippingthestrapwithonehand,readytosurrenderitoruseitasweaponasneeddemanded. ThethicksetmanshruggedawayfromthewallasIwarilycametoastop,andwalkedslowlyintothestreet. "Stayawayfromme,"Iwarnedinavoicethatwassupposedtosoundstrongandfearless.ButIwasrightaboutthedrythroat—novolume. "Don'tbelikethat,sugar,"hecalled,andtheraucouslaughterstartedagainbehindme. Ibracedmyself,feetapart,tryingtorememberthroughmypanicwhatlittleself-defenseIknew.Heelofthehandthrustupward,hopefullybreakingthenoseorshovingitintothebrain.Fingerthroughtheeyesocket—trytohookaroundandpoptheeyeout.Andthestandardkneetothegroin,ofcourse.Thatsamepessimisticvoiceinmymindspokeupthen,remindingmethatIprobablywouldn'thaveachanceagainstoneofthem,andtherewerefour.Shutup!Icommandedthevoicebeforeterrorcouldincapacitateme.Iwasn'tgoingoutwithouttakingsomeonewithme.ItriedtoswallowsoIcouldbuildupadecentscream. Headlightssuddenlyflewaroundthecorner,thecaralmosthittingthestockyone,forcinghimtojumpbacktowardthesidewalk.Idoveintotheroad—thiscarwasgoingtostop,orhavetohitme.Butthesilvercarunexpectedlyfishtailedaround,skiddingtoastopwiththepassengerdooropenjustafewfeetfromme. "Getin,"afuriousvoicecommanded. Itwasamazinghowinstantaneouslythechokingfearvanished,amazinghowsuddenlythefeelingofsecuritywashedoverme—evenbeforeIwasoffthestreet—assoonasIheardhisvoice.Ijumpedintotheseat,slammingthedoorshutbehindme.