Desiree approached the woman slowly, carefully, as if one wrong move might shatter whatever fragile calm remained between them.

“Hey… it’s okay,” she said softly, lifting her hands in surrender. Her voice trembled, but she forced it steady. “I’m not going to hurt you. Are you hurt? Can you talk to me?”

The woman was dirty, bloodied, and her eyes were wild with terror as she stared at her like a trapped animal. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her breathing was shallow and ...