A special feature: Chris’s Captivating Chronicles

My eyes fixed on the clock right above the whiteboard in my exam room, my pen stationary on my desk, and a deep breath being exhaled, releasing all of my final drops of anxiety. As the rest of the seniors finished their final exam before the winter break, numerous whispers of "Alhamdulillah" could be heard throughout the classroom. Quite frankly, I felt the same way. With a first term so unusually busy and challenging, the three-week break that now lay in front of me was something to look forward to. Christmas is around the corner, and it well and truly is "the most wonderful time of the year". However, before my excitement for Christmas could grow, a week in a hotel awaited. I got in the car full of excitement and immediately got my vacation mood on. With only a few minutes until we arrive at our destination, One Direction singing in the background, and the salty smell of the ocean sneaking through our car's windows, happiness was the only emotion present. Finally, we got to our hotel, and I ran through the room, jumped on the bed, and my whole body sank into the sheets. Nothing, not a single thing, could ruin this holiday. That was, of course, before I entered the bathroom. As I stepped foot in the bathroom, there it was. Something so cruel, so gruesome, so unspeakably horrible! A small shower with a shower curtain.

People might fail to see why this is such a horrible thing; however, as a 6-foot absolute stallion of a man, small showers, in general, is a massive concern of mine. Adding a shower curtain is genuinely a nightmare. Forcefully, I make myself forget about it for now, but the thought of having to be in that shower the following day is an idea that does not want to leave my mind. I resume my day with the dreadful thought of the shower curtain in the back of my head. Until I thought, "enough is enough". My reflection staring back at me, I had a whole motivational discussion with myself. I felt like a mixture between Steve Harvey and Dr Phil. Eventually, it was nighttime, and the horrible idea of me going into the shower was fast approaching. After a surprisingly good night's rest, it was time to face that small shower and shower curtain. I walk into the bathroom full of false confidence and try to persuade myself that I'm a bad boy who's not afraid of anything.

The sound of the water pouring in the shower was not as inviting as it usually is. As I enter the shower and start washing my hair, I try to stay as stationary as possible to prevent any possible touches of the shower curtain on my body. Stage one was successful, and I started washing my face. The same strategy applied; stay as stationary as possible and do not get touched. The typical sweet smell of the soap was non-existent; I assume it was because I solely focused on staying still. Luckily, stage two was also successful. Stage three, the body wash stage, was the stage that was most likely going to be my most formidable challenge. Carefully, I start washing my body with absolute focus on being as still as I can be. But as I bent down to wash my legs, there it was. I was touched.

The feeling of being touched by a shower curtain is tough to describe. It feels like ten different people put their hands on you and rub without your consent. All sense of privacy is lost, and the significant feeling of shivers down your spine can not be described. Abused by a shower curtain at 18 years old, I was heartbroken. Purely because in the back of my mind, I will always be the guy who got physically harassed by a shower curtain. After the whole abuse session, I slowly walked out of the bathroom and into my room. I finish getting ready, all while avoiding eye contact with everyone in my vicinity.

Eventually, I got the confidence to tell my mother and sister about what had happened and revealed everything. Luckily, they understood entirely and made it out to not be a big deal. Well, in all honesty, they just laughed, but it surprisingly made me find the funny side of it as well. The laughter between the three of us was beneficial for me, as it allowed me to forget about the fact that I would have to face this unspeakable thing for days to come. But for now, I was at peace, surrounded by people I love and laughter. After about an hour of the abusive situation, silence dominated the room as I sat on the couch, and various thoughts came into my mind. First, I realized that facing problems that make you feel uncomfortable does not improve after you face them a couple of times. Second, I developed a different fear of the people who create these small showers with the shower curtains. Lastly, I realized that I would not make it in jail. If I can't overcome the physical abuse of a shower curtain, I will definitely not survive the things that happen in there.

Finally, our time in the hotel passed, and I honestly could not be happier. I left that hotel more stressed and traumatized than when I first arrived, and unfortunately, after facing my fear five times, it did not improve nor go away. It was the same traumatizing experience every time I entered that shower. We made it home in one piece, well, barely, but the nightmare was over, so I was content. The gruesome thought of facing that dreadful shower again will not be present anymore. But, the main thing that I've learned through this brave act of surviving such a disturbing physical situation; is that if there's one thing that gets the better of this 6-foot absolute stallion of a man, it is a small shower with a shower curtain.