"There is no beast more savage than man when possessed with power answerable to his rage."
— Plutarch
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The words barely registered as I crouched down in the darkness of the bathroom, the knife clutched tight in my hand, facing forward, ready to strike. Low. Fast and hard. No second-guessing.
I listened, waited, tried to keep my breathing quiet. Then, the unmistakable sound of the door giving way.
The heavy thud of boots on the floor followed.
He was inside.
I held my breath, every nerve in my body on edge as the footsteps grew louder, closer, heavier. My phone hummed, Renzo's voice coming through the speaker, "I can hear your sobbing. Wipe your tears. You're tougher than this. Show him that."
But I didn't hear the next words. The man was close, too close.
He wa
