I got home, feeling exhausted from a long day at work. As I stepped inside, I noticed the soft glow of the living room lamp, and the faint sound of the TV from our bedroom. My boyfriend, Matt, was asleep on the couch, which seemed odd. He usually greeted me with a hug or a kiss, but tonight he was out cold. I shrugged off the strange feeling and went to the bathroom, hoping a warm shower would help me unwind. What happened next, however, would forever change my understanding of safety.
As I walked into the bathroom, I froze in horror. I could see a shadow moving behind the shower curtain, and I instinctively backed away, thinking the worst. My heart pounded in my chest. “Matt?!” I shouted, my voice panicked. But before I could process the situation, the shower curtain was pulled back—and there, standing before me, was a man I didn’t recognize. He was about to step out of the shower, water dripping from his bare skin.
