As Ava kept walking, she began to wonder if these were wolves or wannabes on her tail. The knuckle duster still hung loosely around her fingers, but the thought of using it again made her feel sick. Besides, she doubted her pursuers would patiently form a line for her to punch them all out.
Suddenly, as if at some secret signal, the woman trailing Ava broke into a run, coming for her.
Without thinking, Ava broke into a run too, veering off down a side street. Two drunk men laid slumped against the street wall, watching her as she darted towards them with frantic speed. But then as she was about to run past them, one of them stuck out his leg and tripped her.