Rain fell hard on the city all evening. Ayla stood at the door of her uncle's shop. She watched the street.
整个晚上，大雨猛烈地落在城市里。艾拉站在叔叔店铺的门口，望着街道。
The water was already high. It covered the road and the bus stop. A yellow taxi sat in the street. The driver tried to start it. The engine was dead.
水已经很高了，淹没了马路和公交站。一辆黄色出租车停在街上。司机试着发动它，引擎却熄火了。
A woman got out of the back seat. She held a bag over her head. Water came up to her knees.
一位女士从后座下了车。她用一个包顶在头上，水一直漫到她的膝盖。
"Hello!" Ayla called. "Come in here!"
“你好！”艾拉喊道，“到这边来！”
The woman waded to the shop. Her coat was wet and her face was white. Her name was Selma.
女士蹚水走到店里。她的外套湿透了，脸色苍白。她叫塞尔玛。
"Thank you," Selma said. "My train leaves at eleven. My sister is very sick. I must go tonight."
“谢谢你，”塞尔玛说，“我的火车十一点开。我姐姐病得很重，我今晚必须赶过去。”
"The station is far," Ayla said. "And the roads are all under water."
“车站很远，”艾拉说，“而且路都被水淹了。”
The taxi driver came in too. His name was Tomasz. He shook his hat and looked at the clock.
出租车司机也进来了。他叫托马什。他抖了抖帽子，看了看钟。
"It is ten fifteen," he said. "I am sorry. My car is dead."
“十点一刻了，”他说，“对不起，我的车坏了。”
Ayla thought for a moment. She knew every part of the old city. She often rode her bike here, even at night.
艾拉想了一会儿。她熟悉老城的每一处，常常骑自行车到这里来，哪怕是夜里。
"I know a dry way," she said. "It is long, but it is safe."
“我知道一条干路，”她说，“有点远，不过很安全。”
"Please show me," Selma said.
“请带我去。”塞尔玛说。
Reza, Ayla's uncle, looked up from the counter. He gave Selma a big torch. "Take this," he said. "The lights are out on the next street."
艾拉的叔叔礼萨从柜台后抬起头来。他递给塞尔玛一支大手电筒。“拿着，”他说，“下一条街的灯灭了。”
"Thank you," Selma said. She did not stop to talk.
“谢谢。”塞尔玛说。她没有停下来多聊。
Ayla led them out the back door. They climbed the stairs to the market arcade. It was a long roof over a row of shops. The floor was dry, but the arcade was dark.
艾拉带着他们从后门出去。他们爬上楼梯，来到市场长廊。那是一排店铺上方的长长的屋顶。地面是干的，但长廊里很黑。
"Follow my light," Ayla said.
“跟着我的光。”艾拉说。
They walked past closed doors and empty tables. Rain hit the glass roof above them. Tomasz came behind with Selma's bag.
他们走过关着的门和空空的桌子。雨点打在头顶的玻璃屋顶上。托马什跟在后面，提着塞尔玛的包。
At the end of the arcade was a locked gate. Selma stopped and looked at Ayla.
长廊的尽头有一道锁着的门。塞尔玛停下来，看着艾拉。
"Wait," Ayla said. She took a key from her pocket. "My uncle has the key. He gave it to me this morning."
“等一下。”艾拉说。她从口袋里掏出一把钥匙。“钥匙在我叔叔那儿。他今天早上给了我。”
She opened the gate. They went down a ramp into a car park. Water covered the bottom floor. But the ramp up to the top floor was dry.
她打开了门。他们沿着一条坡道下到一个停车场。底层被水淹了，但通往顶层的坡道是干的。
"We go up," Ayla said.
“我们上去。”艾拉说。
They ran up two floors. At the top, the wind blew hard. They could see the whole city. Many streets shone like rivers under the lights.
他们跑上了两层楼。顶层风很大。他们能看到整座城市。许多街道在灯光下像河流一样闪着光。
"Look," Tomasz said. He pointed far away. "That is the station."
“看，”托马什说，他指着远处，“那就是车站。”
A walkway led from the car park to a building. Ayla crossed it first. The metal floor rang under her shoes.
一条天桥从停车场通向一座大楼。艾拉先走了过去。金属地面在她的鞋下发出响声。
"It is ten forty," Selma said. Her voice was thin.
“十点四十了。”塞尔玛说。她的声音很微弱。
"We are near," Ayla said. "Only one more street."
“我们快到了，”艾拉说，“只剩一条街。”
The last street was the worst. Water ran across it, fast and brown. But a line of tall steps went along the wall. Ayla held the rail and walked on the steps. Selma and Tomasz followed.
最后一条街最糟糕。水从街上流过，又急又浑。不过沿着墙有一排高高的台阶。艾拉扶着栏杆，走在台阶上。塞尔玛和托马什跟了上来。
At the end, the station doors stood open. The big clock on the wall said ten fifty-six.
到了尽头，车站的大门敞开着。墙上的大钟指着十点五十六分。
"Platform three!" a man shouted.
“三号站台！”一个男人喊道。
Selma ran. Tomasz ran behind her with the bag. Ayla ran too, with the torch in her hand.
塞尔玛跑了起来。托马什提着包跟在她后面。艾拉也跑，手里拿着手电筒。
The train was there. A guard held up a small flag. Selma jumped onto the step. Tomasz gave her the bag.
火车就在那里。一名乘务员举起一面小旗。塞尔玛跳上了踏板。托马什把包递给她。
"Thank you so much!" she cried.
“太感谢你们了！”她喊道。
The guard blew his whistle. The doors closed. The train moved slowly into the dark.
乘务员吹响了哨子。车门关上了。火车缓缓驶入黑暗中。
Tomasz and Ayla stood on the platform. Water dripped from their coats.
托马什和艾拉站在站台上。水从他们的外套上滴下来。
"Now," Tomasz said, "how do we get home?"
“现在，”托马什说，“我们怎么回家？”
Ayla looked at the torch and smiled. "I know another dry way," she said.
艾拉看着手电筒，笑了。“我知道另一条干路。”她说。
