The escape

Original idea: jmurdoch
Text: Perplexity AI
Images: OpenART / KlingAI   
Videos : KlingAI 

 Chapter 1 — The walls and the promises

 

    The sky was a uniform gray, as if even the light refused to penetrate the prison walls. Caroline walked slowly across the courtyard, her steps dragging on the rough concrete, keeping pace with the other inmates scattered in small groups. Some were talking loudly, others laughing. Not her. She walked alone. Her arms were crossed, as if holding back something that threatened to collapse. Perhaps her dignity. Perhaps what remained of her former life. Forty-two years. One year to serve. An accumulation of bad choices—clumsy scams, almost mechanical shoplifting, and that soft drug use that had become a refuge, then a trap. Nothing spectacular, nothing glorious. Just a slow descent. But what was truly eating away at her wasn't there. It was her daughters. Léa and Manon. Both ten years old, inseparable, with eyes still full of trust—at least, they used to be. Caroline couldn't see them anymore. Custody had been taken from her without appeal. Too unstable, the judge had said. Too unpredictable. She looked up at the perimeter wall. High, cold, impassable. Like the distance that had grown between her and her children. A guard whistled, signaling the end of the walk.

 

    Caroline didn't react right away. Then, as if awakened from a heavy dream, she turned and followed the flow of prisoners inside. The doors slammed behind them, one by one, with that metallic brutality that reminded you exactly where you were. Her cell was narrow, almost impersonal. A bed, a small table, a chair. She closed the door softly, as if that might muffle the sound of the lock clicking. She sat on the bed and, almost mechanically, slipped her hand under her pillow. The photograph. She took it out carefully, as if it were a fragile object. Léa and Manon were smiling in it, their hair tousled by the wind, their eyes shining with simple joy. A day at the seaside. Another life. Tears welled up unexpectedly.
 - "I'm sorry..." she murmured. Her voice broke. She clutched the photograph to her chest, her shoulders trembling. Regret had that bitter taste that wouldn't fade. She wished she could turn back time, make just one different choice, then another… but reality was there, locked inside her. After a few minutes, she took a deep breath and wiped her cheeks with a sharp gesture. Crying didn't change anything. That's when she remembered. The letter.
    She stood up, rummaged in the metal drawer, and pulled out a crumpled envelope. She knew the handwriting by heart. Fred. A sad smile flickered across her lips. Fred, always there. Always present, even when she didn't deserve it. He had been patient, perhaps too patient. In love with her for years, without ever truly admitting it… or perhaps he had, and she hadn't wanted to hear it. She had never known how to reciprocate that love. Not in the same way, anyway. She unfolded the letter once more. The words came back to her immediately. He was talking about her. About her mistakes, yes, but without judgment. He spoke to her mostly of hope. And then there was this promise. One day. Just one day of freedom. With her daughters. Caroline shook her head slightly, as if to dispel an illusion. It was impossible. And yet… Fred was asking her to trust him. To follow precise instructions. To ask no questions. She had to agree to a visit. With a complete stranger. And at the moment of the meeting, she had to say a sentence. A formula he had written carefully, as if it were something precious… or dangerous. Caroline stared at the sheet of paper, her heart beating faster.
    “What are you planning for me, Fred…?” She hesitated. Everything inside her told her not to believe it. But another voice, more fragile, more desperate, whispered that this might be her only chance. Even if it lasted only a day. Even if it was an illusion. She slowly folded the letter and clutched it to her chest. For the first time in a long time, a different thought crossed her mind. What if...? The cell was still just as cold. But something had just changed.

 

Chapter 2 — The intermediary

 

    The wind whistled along the prison gates, making the metal panels vibrate slightly. Fred stood a few meters from the main entrance, his hands in his coat pockets, his gaze fixed on the ground. He looked like an ordinary man, almost unassuming. But his eyes betrayed an unusual nervousness. He checked his watch. She shouldn't be long now. A taxi pulled into the parking lot, and Jennifer got out. She carefully closed the door, instinctively adjusted her outfit, then scanned the area until she spotted Fred. She approached, her heels clicking confidently on the asphalt. The outfit was exactly what he had requested: a white satin shirt, slightly open at the collar, a black leather miniskirt, pristine nylon stockings, and pumps that accentuated her walk. She had hesitated while getting dressed, finding the request strange, almost inappropriate. But a thousand euros was still a thousand euros. “Fred?” she asked, stopping in front of him.
He nodded.
“Jennifer.” A brief silence fell. She studied him, visibly surprised. He was nothing like the man she had imagined. No forced smile, no lingering gaze. None of that heaviness she knew all too well in some men. Just… fatigue. And something sincere. Jennifer crossed her arms, slightly defensive.
“Okay. I’m here. But I hope it’s really worth it.” Fred took an envelope from his pocket and handed it to her without hesitation.
“As agreed. One thousand euros.” She opened it, quickly checked. Everything was there. A slight smile played on her lips.
“Okay. So… what’s next on the agenda?” She took a step toward him, slightly provocative, as if testing him. Her movements were fluid, almost mechanical, the result of deeply ingrained habits. “If you want us to…” Fred stepped back immediately, raising a soft but firm hand.
“No.” Jennifer frowned, surprised.
“No?”
“That’s not why I brought you here.” He paused, then added, more quietly,
“I only have eyes for her.” The tone wasn’t theatrical at all. It was simple, almost blunt. Jennifer stared at him for a few seconds, unsettled. Then she shrugged slightly.
“Okay… that’s new.” Fred gave a faint, almost absent smile.
“Listen to me carefully. What I’m about to ask is important.” He moved slightly closer, lowering his voice as if the walls could hear.
“You’re going in. You’re going to request a visit with Caroline Parmentier.” Jennifer nodded slowly.
“And then?” “You will give her this message. Word for word.” He looked her straight in the eyes.
“Tell her to trust me. And to follow exactly the instructions I wrote for her.” Jennifer tilted her head, intrigued.
“That’s it? A thousand euros to deliver a sentence?”
“Yes.” She let out a soft laugh.
“Honestly… I’ve seen much more complicated things.” She glanced toward the prison, massive and silent.
“And the uniform? Is that in the message too?” Fred hesitated for a fraction of a second.
“Let’s just say… she’ll understand.” Jennifer raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask any more questions. The strangeness of the situation no longer seemed to bother her. Perhaps because, deep down, it was all quite simple. Go in. Talk. Go out.
“Okay,” she said, putting the envelope back in her bag. For a thousand euros, I can play the mysterious messenger.
She turned toward the entrance, then stopped.
“How is she?” Fred looked up. For a moment, his face changed.
“Tired. But stronger than she thinks.” Jennifer looked at him for another second, as if trying to understand something deeper… then she looked away.
“Very well. I’ll take care of it.” She walked away, her heels clicking against the floor again, until she disappeared behind the security doors. Fred was left alone. The wind had died down. He took a deep breath, as if everything now rested on a fragile mechanism already in motion.
“Trust me…” he murmured to himself.
Inside, somewhere behind those walls, the countdown had just begun.

Chapter 3 — The visiting room

 

    The doors closed behind Jennifer with a sharp, almost final thud. Inside, the air felt heavier, denser, as if each breath had to force its way through the walls. She walked forward, guided by a guard, under the furtive gaze of a few inmates she passed in the corridors.
"First visit?" the guard called out without looking at her.
"Is it that obvious?"
"Let's just say... you're still looking around." Jennifer gave a nervous smile. She was put through a quick check. Bag searched, ID verified, brief questions. Everything was mechanical, devoid of warmth. She complied without question. A thousand euros. She repeated it to herself like a mantra.
"Visiting room number 4," the guard finally indicated. Jennifer entered a small room, separate from the rest, closed off, almost stifling. A table bolted to the floor, two chairs. Nothing else. She sat down, crossed her legs, then immediately uncrossed them, feeling slightly uneasy. Silence fell. She glanced at her outfit, smoothed her skirt, adjusted her shirt. The more time passed, the stranger she found this whole situation. Then the door opened. Caroline entered. She paused for a split second when she saw Jennifer. Her eyes quickly scanned the room, then returned to her. There was a moment of awkwardness. An immediate misunderstanding. They didn't know each other. Caroline walked slowly forward and sat opposite her, never taking her eyes off her face.
"May I ask who you are?" Jennifer took a small breath.
"I'm here on behalf of Fred." The name made the air hang in the air. Caroline froze.
"Fred...?" A mixture of surprise and suspicion crossed her eyes.
"How do you know him?" Jennifer shrugged slightly. “I don’t really know him. I met him online. He offered me a thousand euros… to come here.” Caroline frowned.
“A thousand euros… for this?”
“Yes. To meet a woman in prison. You.”
A silence. Jennifer continued, almost embarrassed now:
“He gave me very specific instructions. Even about what to wear.”
Caroline instinctively looked down. The white satin shirt. The black leather miniskirt. The nylon stockings. The heels. A hazy memory surfaced.
“He… loved it,” she murmured.
Jennifer tilted her head.
“Excuse me?” Caroline looked up, taking Jennifer in slowly, from head to toe. Not with jealousy. Not really. More with a kind of painful lucidity. She was beautiful. Undeniably. Seductive, confident, almost magnetic. Everything Caroline no longer was. “That’s exactly the kind of outfit he would have liked to see me wear,” she said softly.
Jennifer gave a small smile.
“He has good taste.” A silence fell between them. Then Caroline asked, bluntly,
“Did you sleep with him?” Jennifer shook her head immediately.
“No.”
She paused, then added, more seriously,
“He rejected me.”
Caroline seemed surprised.
“Rejected?”
“Yes. He told me… that he only had eyes for you.” The words hung in the air for a moment. Something cracked slightly in Caroline’s gaze. Jennifer took a breath, resuming her role.
“I have a message for you.” Caroline sat up almost imperceptibly.
“He told me to tell you… to trust him. That he loves you. And that he’ll keep his promise.” Caroline's heart began to beat faster. The letter. The instructions. The formula. She closed her eyes briefly, as if gathering her courage. Then she opened them again.
"Okay." Jennifer looked at her, intrigued.
"Okay?" Caroline didn't answer. She searched her memory, recalling each word, each sound, each strange syllable that Fred had written on the paper. Then she began. The words were ancient. Rough. From a language she didn't recognize. Yet they slid out of her with a disturbing fluidity, as if they had always been there. Jennifer frowned.
"What are you—" But she stopped. The atmosphere was changing. Subtly. But clearly. The air seemed to vibrate, almost imperceptibly. A strange pressure built in the room, like a silent storm. Caroline continued. She didn't understand what she was saying. But she wasn't afraid anymore. Nothing to lose. Nothing to hold on to. The last words fell, heavier than the others. Then— Silence. A heartbeat. The world wavered. Jennifer brought a hand to her temple.
“Wait… I…” Her voice broke. Caroline felt the floor give way beneath her, as if her body no longer belonged to her. The room spun. The walls moved away. Then nothing. The two women collapsed almost simultaneously, their bodies hitting the cold floor of the visiting room. Unconscious. And somewhere, far from the walls, something had just answered.

 Chapter 4 — The exchange

 

    Silence fell over the visiting room. Two motionless bodies lay stretched out on the cold floor. Two slow, almost imperceptible breaths. Nothing moved. Then something happened. First, a sensation. Indefinable. Like a breath detaching itself from matter. And suddenly—Caroline opened her eyes. But not quite. She could no longer see from the floor. She was seeing… from above. Her own body was there, lying inert, her hair spread out around her face. An unreal, almost unbearable vision.
“What is…?” Her voice didn’t leave her mouth. It vibrated. In the air. Facing her, another presence floated, hesitant, trembling. Jennifer. Her detached mind seemed to be searching for an anchor, swaying like a fragile flame.
“What… is that…?” Jennifer breathed, her voice distorted by panic. “Caroline…? Is that you?” Caroline looked at her. Or rather, she turned her attention to her. The reference points were no longer the same.
“Yes… I… think so.” Jennifer spun around, panicked, looking at her own body on the floor.
“No… no, no… tell me we’re not dead…” Caroline observed the scene. Their two bodies. Their two floating presences. A wave of dizziness washed over her. But behind the fear, something else was taking shape. A logic. Fred. The letter. The instructions. His gaze—or what passed for it—fell on Jennifer. The outfit. Every detail. A thought took hold, slow but relentless. Why her? Why this woman, exactly as he had imagined her… her, once? Why hadn’t he touched her, if that was what he wanted? No. That wasn’t it. Caroline felt an understanding dawning within her, like a key turning in a lock that had long been jammed. “It’s not a coincidence…” she murmured.
“A coincidence of what?” Jennifer replied, on the verge of panic.
Caroline didn’t answer immediately. She was observing. She was thinking. And suddenly—
“That’s it.” Jennifer froze.
“What, ‘that’s it’?!”
“The way out.”
A silence.
“Out?! We’re floating above our bodies!”

 

    But Jennifer wasn't really listening anymore. She was trying to come back down. To re-enter her body. She concentrated, leaned forward, almost dove toward herself—Nothing. As if she were passing through an invisible surface. Her body wasn't responding. Closed. Inaccessible.
"No... no, it's not working!" she panicked. "I can't get back in!"
She tried again. Again. Still nothing. Caroline, on the other hand, was barely moving. She was observing. Calculating. Understanding.
"Fred..." The word echoed softly. Then, without warning, Caroline launched herself. A sharp movement. She rushed toward Jennifer's body. The contact was immediate. Brutal. A violent suction occurred. Like two forces reversing. Jennifer screamed—or thought she screamed. Her mind was ripped away, pulled back, sucked against her will—toward Caroline's body. Then—The impact. The two bodies, on the ground, were shaken by simultaneous spasms. Their muscles contracted, their fingers clenched, as if struck by an invisible electric shock. Then everything stopped. Silence. A few seconds. Nothing.

 

The visiting room door burst open.
"Hey! What's going on here?" Two guards entered, alerted by the lack of movement.
"Damn it..." They approached quickly. One of them crouched down next to the first body—Caroline's. He placed two fingers on her neck.
"Normal pulse."
The other checked Jennifer.
"Same here. They're breathing."
They exchanged a glance.
"Mass fainting spell? What's going on..." The first guard stood up.
"Okay. Procedure. We'll separate them."
He pointed to the bodies.
"That one, back to her cell."
"And the other one?"
"Infirmary." Without knowing. Without understanding. They had just separated much more than a prisoner and a visitor. They had just confirmed the impossible.

 

Chapitre 5 — La peau des autres

 

    Caroline's inert body was lifted roughly.
"Come on, let's take her back." The guard slipped one arm under her shoulders, the other under her legs, and carried her through the corridors. Her head bobbed slightly with each step, her arms hanging limply, unresponsive. Inside, however, Jennifer wasn't there. Or rather… she was there, but locked away. Plunged into a thick, dreamless night.
The pills. Caroline had followed the instructions to the letter. In the preceding days, she had asked for sleeping pills, claiming she'd had trouble sleeping. She had accumulated them, one by one, without ever swallowing them. Then, just before visiting hours, she had taken them all. Fred had planned everything. Jennifer, now a prisoner in this sleeping body, could neither move, nor understand, nor escape. Not for a long time.
The guard placed Caroline's body on the narrow bed in her cell.
"She'll sleep for a while, that one." The door closed. The lock clicked shut. Silence.

 

    Meanwhile, elsewhere in the prison—A breath. A slight movement. Jennifer's fingers—or rather, what appeared to be Jennifer's fingers—trembled on the white sheet in the infirmary. Then her eyes opened. Caroline inhaled sharply. The air felt different. Lighter. More fluid. As if each breath filled her lungs with a forgotten energy. She blinked, still disoriented. The ceiling. Unfamiliar. She frowned slightly, trying to gather her memories. The visiting room. The words. The fall. And then—This feeling. Strange. Her body. Something was wrong. Or rather… everything was too right. She slowly raised her hands to her eyes. They were different. Thinner. Smoother. The skin slightly golden, without the marks of time, without the small roughness she knew so well.
“What is—” Her voice trailed off. She brought her fingers to her face. Her skin was soft. Supple. Instinctively, she searched for the small scar near her eyebrow. Nothing. Her heart raced. She ran her hand through her hair. It was softer. Slightly wavy. Carefully groomed. Her gaze drifted down. Her breasts. They froze. Fuller. More defined. Naturally harmonious. An old insecurity flashed through her mind, almost like an echo from the past.
"No…" She placed her hands on them, almost incredulous, as if to check that it was all real. Then her legs. Bare. Encased in nylon stockings. She slowly ran her hand along her thigh, unsettled by the sensation, the texture, the sheer obviousness of what she was touching. She knew this outfit. She had seen it. A few minutes earlier.
"Jennifer…"

 

    The name slipped from her lips. Caroline sat bolt upright. The world reeled. Her feet touched the floor—unsteady. Her heels. She nearly fell, catching herself just in time on the edge of the bed, her heart pounding.
“Gently…” She inhaled, trying to regain her balance. Every movement was new. Every sensation, foreign. Then, slowly, she walked over to a small mirror fixed to the wall. She stopped in front of it. And looked up. The reflection stared back at her. It wasn’t her. It was Jennifer. Her face. Her features. Her undeniable beauty, almost unreal compared to what she had left behind. Caroline remained motionless. Then, very slowly, something changed in her gaze. Understanding. Deep. Irreversible. Her lips stretched slightly. A smile.
“Fred…” she murmured. She looked at herself again, more intently. Free. For the first time in a long time. And this time—the walls were no longer there to hold her back.

 

Chapter 6 — The reflection and the key

 

    Caroline stood motionless in front of the mirror for a few seconds. Then she moved. Slowly. Her hands slid down her hips, up to her waist, as if she were redrawing the contours of uncharted territory. Each movement was a discovery. Each sensation, a confirmation. It was real. She tilted her head slightly, observing how the light caressed this new face. Younger. Smoother. More…desirable. She didn't have to force it to realize it.
“Hello…” she murmured.
Her voice surprised her. Clearer. Softer. With a different musicality. She repeated it.
“Hello.”
Then again, modulating slightly:
“Hello… how are you?” She listened to herself, attentive to every detail. The intonation. The rhythm. The way the words came out. Jennifer. She had to become Jennifer. Caroline straightened up, took a deep breath, then let her shoulders relax. She tried a different pose, more confident, almost instinctively more… seductive.
“It’s strange…” she breathed. Her fingers played with the buttons of her shirt. One. Then two. She paused for a moment. Then continued. The satin opened slightly. She looked down. Her breasts appeared, more fully defined, natural, almost self-evident in this body that had never known its insecurities. Caroline leaned toward the mirror. Observed. For a long time. Without embarrassment. Without shame. Only with intense curiosity.
“So that’s it…” She slowly moved her hand up to her face. Her features. Her skin. Then her eyes. She froze. Blue. A light blue, almost unsettling. She blinked, brought her face even closer.
“I no longer have… my eyes…” The realization was somewhat dizzying. She stepped back slightly, as if to regain her footing. And that’s when she saw it. The bag. Casually placed near a coat rack where a jacket hung. Caroline approached it quickly, almost impatiently, and crouched down. She opened it, rummaging with feverish curiosity. Wallet. Papers. She pulled out an identity card. Jennifer Lemaire. Address. Date of birth. Caroline calculated instinctively.
"Ten years…" A slight smile touched her lips.
"I've aged ten years…" She opened the purse. The bills. She counted them with her eyes, amused.
"The famous thousand euros…" A thought crossed her mind.
"You're going to want them, Fred…?" But the question remained unanswered.

    The door burst open. Caroline sat bolt upright, her heart racing. A nurse entered, surprised to see her standing.
"Ah! You're awake!"
Caroline blinked, then quickly adjusted her expression. Jennifer.
"Yes… I feel much better." Her voice was smooth, almost natural this time. The nurse approached, reassured.
"That's good. You gave us quite a scare."
Caroline offered a small smile.
"Sorry…"
"If everything is alright, you can leave."
A heartbeat. It was so simple. Too simple. Caroline nodded, then, as if by a genuine reflex:
"And… the other woman? Caroline?"
The nurse replied immediately:
"She's been taken back to her cell. She's fast asleep, but everything is normal." Caroline nodded slowly.
"Okay…" Everything was in place. Perfectly."

 

    She retrieved the bag, slung the jacket over her shoulders, and grabbed what was still inside. A phone. Keys. Her new life fit in her hands. She headed for the exit. Each step resonated differently. Lighter. More confident. Even her heels, unsteady just minutes before, now felt natural. The doors opened. The corridors passed by. And the stares. She felt them immediately. The guards. Their eyes. Sliding over her without any discretion. Caroline couldn't help but smile slightly.
"If you only knew..." She continued walking. Without looking back. Until she passed through the last doors. Outside. The open air. She took a deep breath. And looked up. Into the distance. Fred. Standing. Motionless. Watching her. Without moving. As if he were waiting for an answer. As if he were trying to find out—who was really standing in front of him.

 

Chapter 7 — The taste of freedom

 

    As soon as her feet crossed the last gate, Caroline paused for a second. The air. Real air. Not the filtered, trapped, recycled air between walls that were too close. She breathed deeply, her eyes closed, as if she wanted to fill every part of herself with this forgotten sensation. Freedom. Then she opened them again. Fred. Over there. Without thinking, she started to run. Her heels pounded the ground with a new, almost euphoric energy. She no longer wavered. She moved straight ahead, carried by something stronger than fear. Fred, however, remained frozen. He saw her coming. Hesitated. For a fraction of a second. Then he opened his arms. Caroline threw herself against him. She hugged him tightly, almost desperately, burying her face against his shoulder.
"Thank you…" she breathed.
Her voice trembled.
"Thank you…" She held him as if she might still disappear. Thanks to him, she was outside. Thanks to him, she was going to see her daughters again. Thanks to him, she had a second chance at life. Fred gently placed his hands on her back, still uncertain.
"Caroline...?" He stepped back slightly, seeking her gaze. A doubt. Slight, but present.
"It really is you...?" Caroline stared at him. Then a smile appeared. Better. A mischievous smile. Without answering, she leaned towards him and kissed him. Tenderly. A slow, deliberate kiss. Different. Fred froze at first. Surprised. Then something gave way. He responded. The taste. Sweet. Light. Nothing like the bitterness of tobacco or the trace of alcohol he used to know. When she pulled back, he looked at her differently. The doubt was fading.
"It's you..." he murmured. Caroline shrugged slightly, amused.
"You were still doubting?" Fred stared at her, almost fascinated.
"How are you feeling?" She took a shallow breath, as if savoring her own words.
"Feeling good…" she said softly.
Then a more pronounced smile stretched across her lips.
"Young… beautiful… and sexy."
She took a step back, almost as if to show herself off, turning slightly.
"You had good taste, Fred."
Her eyes sparkled.
"Excellent taste." She tugged slightly at the collar of her shirt, conspiratorially.
"And in the end… you managed to get me to wear this outfit." Fred gave a discreet smile, tinged with something more complex.
"It wasn't just for that." A silence fell. Then he asked, more seriously:
"And Jennifer?" The name fell like a weight. Caroline didn't look away.
"The nurse says she's perfectly healthy." She paused. “She’s asleep.”
Fred understood.
Or rather… he agreed to understand.
“How long?”
“At least a day.”
A brief silence. Enough. Caroline continued, her voice lighter:
“So… what’s next?”
Fred took a deep breath. Then, for the first time, a genuine smile appeared on his face.
“I’ll keep my promise.”
A heartbeat.
“We’re going to see your daughters.”
Caroline’s heart sank instantly. Raw joy. But immediately tempered by a reflex.
“I can’t…” she said.
Fred frowned slightly.
“Why?”
“The court order… I’m not allowed to go near them.” Fred looked at her for a few seconds. Then his smile returned. Calm. Almost automatic.
“Caroline.”
He moved slightly closer.
“No one will recognize you.”
A silence. Then—Caroline's smile widened. Slowly. Dangerously. As if she were finally realizing the full extent of what had just been offered to her.
"You're right..." She slipped her arm around his.
"Let's go see them."

 

Chapter 8 — The journey

 

    The train station was only a few minutes' walk from the prison. Caroline walked quickly, almost too quickly, as if she feared everything would collapse if she slowed down. With each step, she glanced around, not out of fear of being recognized, but simply from dizziness. The world carried on. Normally. As if nothing had happened. Fred stayed by her side, calm, almost methodical. He had planned everything. The tickets were already in his pocket. No unforeseen circumstances. They arrived at the platform just in time. The train pulled into the station with a low rumble. A few minutes later, they were sitting next to each other. Caroline didn't keep her distance. She pressed herself against him, almost instinctively, her head resting against his shoulder. She closed her eyes for a moment. This closeness. She knew it. Fred had always been there. Solid. Present. Protective, without ever being suffocating. A guardian angel.
“Tell me…” she murmured.
Fred turned his head slightly toward her.
“That formula… that incantation…” He hesitated briefly.
“I searched for a long time.”
His voice was low, almost intimate.
“In an old library. Not one of those you find easily. There was… a grimoire.”
Caroline raised her head slightly.
“A grimoire?”
“Yes. Ancient. Incomplete. But it had this in it.”
He paused.
“An exchange. Temporary.”
The word hung in the air.
Caroline straightened slightly.
“Temporary…?” Fred nodded.
“One day.” Silence fell. Caroline looked out the window. The landscape drifted by, blurry, almost unreal. One day. Only. A slight disappointment crossed her face. So brief. But almost immediately, another thought took hold. Her daughters. She inhaled. “A day… that’s already huge.” She smiled faintly.
“Even an hour.” She turned to him.
“It’s worth everything.” Fred didn’t reply. But his gaze was fixed on her. Or rather… on what she had become. Caroline felt it. With every movement. When she ran her hand through her hair, tossing it back naturally. When she crossed her legs, then slowly uncrossed them. When she adjusted her posture without thinking. Fred’s gaze followed. Discreet. But present. Intense. Caroline said nothing. A slight smile simply touched her lips. She knew. And, in a way, she was playing with it. But Fred remained true to himself. Restrained. Respectful. As if he refused to cross a line, even now. Even like this. The train slowed. Then stopped.

 

    The journey continued by bus. At the stop, they waited a few minutes. The sun was gentler here, almost warm. Caroline turned to Fred, her eyes sparkling. Then, without warning, she sat on his lap. It was as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Fred stiffened slightly.
"Caroline..." She put a finger to her lips.
"Shh." A smile. She settled more comfortably, slightly crossing her legs.
"Enjoy this moment." Fred inhaled, trying to maintain his composure. His hands remained cautiously placed, as if he didn't know where to put them. Caroline watched his reaction, amused.
"You haven't changed..."
"You have," he replied softly.
She tilted her head.
"Just a little." The bus arrived. They got on. A few minutes later, Caroline continued, more seriously:
"Do you know where they'll be?" Fred nodded.
"Yes." He looked out the window.
“On Wednesdays… when the weather’s nice… they go to a park. Always the same one.”
Caroline felt her heart race.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He turned to her.
“I checked.”
A silence. Then, more softly:
“I wanted to be absolutely sure I wasn’t mistaken.”
Caroline stared at him. For a long time. Then she placed her hand on his.
“You’ve thought of everything…” His voice trembled slightly. But this time, it wasn’t from sadness. The bus slowed down. The park wasn’t far now. And for the first time in a long time—hope had a face.

 

 Chapter 9 — What remains of a mother

 

    The park opened up before them like a parenthesis. Laughter. Children. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind. A normalcy that felt almost unreal after everything that had just happened. Caroline quickened her pace slightly. Her hand slipped into Fred's, which she squeezed without realizing it. He said nothing. He simply guided her, confident, as if he already knew the way.
"That way," he murmured. Caroline scrutinized every figure, every movement. Then—Laughter. Clear. Luminous. She froze.
"It's…" she breathed.
She didn't need to finish her sentence. Her heart had already recognized. A little further on, two little girls were playing, carefree, chasing each other. The sun illuminated their hair, their gestures, their untouched innocence. Léa. Manon. Caroline felt her legs tremble. She approached quietly. Almost shyly. Like a stranger in her own life. They didn't look at her. Not right away. Then one of them looked up.
"Fred!" The little girl's face lit up.
The other turned immediately.
"Fred!" They ran towards him. Caroline stopped a few steps away, frozen, watching them. Every detail. Every expression. As if she were trying to etch this moment into her memory. Fred crouched down to greet them.
"Hey, you two..."
"What are you doing here?" one asked.
"And Mommy?" the other asked, more softly.
The word pierced Caroline like a blade. Fred stood up slowly.
"I have someone I'd like you to meet." He turned towards her.
"This is Jennifer." Caroline took a breath, then approached. She felt their eyes on her. Curious. Open. Without suspicion. She smiled. “Hello…” But before Fred could continue, she spoke.
“I’m… his girlfriend.” Fred turned his head slightly, surprised. Caroline gave him a quick, almost mischievous look, then returned to the girls.
“And I’m also a good friend of your mom’s.” Their eyes widened slightly.
“You know Mom?” Caroline crouched down to their level.
“Yes.” Her voice softened.
“I saw her recently.” A silence.
“She thinks about you a lot.” She felt a lump in her throat.
“She misses you terribly.” She wanted to tell them. Everything. That she was there. Right there. In front of them. But she held back. Too dangerous. Too fragile. Fred understood. He placed a light hand on Caroline’s shoulder.
“I’ll leave you two alone.” He stepped away, giving them this space. Caroline watched him, grateful. Then she turned to her daughters. Her daughters.
"So... tell me."
And they told their stories. School. Homework. Little arguments. The foster family. New routines. Caroline listened to everything. Every word. Like a treasure. Then they played. Simply. Running. Laughing. Hide-and-seek. Finding each other. Caroline laughed with them. A laugh she hadn't heard from herself in a long time.
"You're so beautiful," one of them said suddenly, looking at her.
Caroline stopped. Surprised.
"Oh, really?" she replied softly.
"Yes. Like a princess."
A silence.
"Thank you..." But deep down, something broke a little more. Time passed too quickly. Always too quickly. A woman approached.
"Girls, let's go."
The return. Inevitable. Caroline stood up slowly. “Hello…” she said to the woman. “I’m Jennifer, a family friend.”
The woman nodded, polite but in a hurry.
“Nice to meet you.”
The girls grabbed their things. Then, before leaving, they turned back to Caroline. A moment of silence.
“That’s strange…” Caroline felt her heart stop.
“What?” she whispered.
“You remind us of Mom.” The world seemed to reel. But she smiled.
“That’s sweet…” They left. Without looking back. Caroline remained motionless. Then the tears welled up. Silent. Uncontrollable. Fred came back to her. Without a word. He took her in his arms. She surrendered to him immediately, clutching her shirt, letting her tears soak into it.
“Thank you…” she murmured. Her voice trembled. She slowly raised her head. Her eyes were moist. But bright. She stared at him. Then she kissed him. For a long time. A deep kiss. Laden with everything she couldn't say. Gratitude. Love. Regret. And perhaps— A beginning.

  

Chapter 10 — An almost normal day

 

    Caroline stayed pressed against Fred for a few more moments, long enough to catch her breath, long enough to hold back what she could. Then she wiped away her tears. Fred gave her a gentle smile.
"Shall we get something to eat?" She looked up at him.
"You choose."
He shook his head.
"No. Today, you choose everything."
A brief silence.
"Everything." Caroline smiled. A genuine smile.
"Okay..." She barely thought.
"McDonald's." Fred gave a soft, surprised laugh.
"Seriously?"
"Yes."
She shrugged.
"I want a hamburger, fries... and a Coke."
She looked him straight in the eyes.
"Even if it's junk food... it'll still be a hundred times better than prison." Fred's smile faded slightly, replaced by a more serious understanding.
"I see."
"And besides…" she added with a playful glint in her eye, "today I'm allowed."
"Then let's go to McDonald's." The fast-food restaurant wasn't far. A few minutes' walk was all it took. Inside, the heat, the smells, the noise… everything seemed strangely alive. Fred turned to her.
"Take whatever you want." Caroline didn't need to be asked twice. A large meal. Without hesitation. They sat down. And she ate. With appetite. Almost urgently. The first bites were almost too big, too fast. She nearly choked, coughed slightly, which made Fred burst out laughing.
"Easy now…" She shook her head, laughing too.
"You wouldn't understand…" She took another bite.
"Over there… it's disgusting." She grimaced.
"The food... the smells... everything." She told him all about it. The cold trays. The questionable textures. The meals swallowed without pleasure. Without taste. Without desire. Fred listened in silence. His gaze gradually darkened.
"Sorry..." he said simply.
Caroline shrugged slightly.
"That's it for today." She raised her glass.
"And this... is already a lot." They ate quietly afterward. More slowly. Almost normally. Like an ordinary couple. A sweet illusion. When she had finished, she stretched slightly.
"I'd forgotten what it was like... to eat like this." Fred smiled.
"Shall we go back to the park?" She nodded.
"Yes."

 

    The park welcomed them again, calmer this time. They sat on a bench in the shade. A suspended moment. Caroline turned her head toward him.
"Thank you.
Again. But differently.
"For everything." She hesitated, then added:
"And... thank you for not taking advantage." Fred frowned slightly.
"Taking advantage?"
"Of... this." She gestured slightly toward her body.
"You could have." A silence. Fred looked at her. Seriously.
"That's not what I like." He paused.
"It's you." Simple. Direct. Caroline remained silent. Touched. She looked away slightly, flustered. Then, after a few seconds:
"And the incantation..." Fred didn't answer immediately.
"It really can only last one day?"
"Yes." But his tone lacked clarity. Caroline sensed it.
“Are you sure?” He slightly averted his gaze.
“That’s what was written.”
A beat. Caroline tilted her head, observing him.
“What was written”… or “everything you know”?
Fred didn’t answer. So she continued, more softly:
“Wouldn’t there be a way to prolong it?”
A silence. Then, with a slight, almost provocative smile:
“Because… if it lasts a little longer…” She moved slightly closer to him.
“Perhaps you could learn to discover me… in a different way.”
Fred turned his head toward her. Their eyes met. A tense moment. Then he straightened slightly, cutting the conversation short.
“What do you want to do now?”
Caroline stared at him. Then she burst into a soft laugh. She looked down at his body. His legs. His outfit. His hands. Then she raised her head, a bright smile on her lips.
"Shopping." A twinkle in her eye.
"A lot of shopping."

 

Chapter 11 — Shop windows and unspoken truths

 

    The shopping streets were bustling, vibrant, almost electric. Caroline moved with renewed energy, leading Fred from one shop to the next, as if she wanted to make up for years in just a few hours. First, the shoes. She tried on several pairs, enjoying the walk, looking at herself, rediscovering the balance and gait these heels imposed. She laughed, twirled, seeking Fred's gaze. Then the clothes. Dresses, skirts, fitted tops. She tested, compared, observed herself from every angle. Each mirror became a new territory. Fred followed. Always present. Always slightly withdrawn. But unable to completely tear his eyes away. Then they passed a shop window. And Caroline felt it immediately. Fred's gaze. A little longer. A little more fixed. She turned her head slightly. Fine lingerie. Delicate bras. Garter belts. Fishnet stockings. Light, almost transparent lace. She watched Fred out of the corner of her eye. He looked away slightly. Almost embarrassed. Almost blushing. Caroline gave a small, discreet smile.
"Shall we go in?" Fred jumped slightly.
"No... it's not... well..." She looked at him, amused.
"Just to look." She moved a little closer to him.
"And try things on."
"Caroline..."
"Without buying."
A silence. She tilted her head playfully.
"You can let me have a little fun." Fred hesitated. For a long time. Then he sighed softly.
"Okay." Inside, the shop was quiet. Almost empty. The atmosphere was hushed, intimate. Caroline browsed the racks curiously, her fingers gliding over the fabrics, the materials, the cuts.
"Which do you prefer?" she asked, picking up two different outfits. Fred remained silent for a few seconds.
"I... I don't know." She smiled. “Yes. You know.”
She picked out several. Then, without waiting, she took his hand.
“Come on.”
They headed to the cabins. Deserted. Fred sat down on a small seat right in front. Caroline entered. The curtain closed. A soft rustle of fabric. Then her voice.
“Tell me…”
Fred raised his head slightly.
“That incantation…”
A silence.
“Is it really temporary?”
Fred stared at the floor.
“Yes.”
“Really?”
She persisted. He hesitated. For a long time. Then—
“There might be… an exception.”
The curtain parted. Caroline appeared. Fishnet stockings. Wonderbra. A reshaped silhouette. Confident. Fred froze. His gaze fixed. And, in that fragile moment, he gave in.
“If you sleep… in this body… with the first person who knows your secret…” Her voice dropped. — So the exchange becomes permanent.
Silence fell. Abrupt. Fred blinked. As if he were realizing what he had just said.
— I shouldn't have…
He looked away.
— Caroline, listen… I…
He inhaled.
— I love you. No matter what you look like.
He looked up at her, sincere.
— And that would be… theft.
His voice grew firmer.
— If we did that.
Caroline looked at him. For a long time. Then, without a word, she slightly closed the curtain.
— What do you think we should do now?
Her voice had changed. More neutral. Fred sat up slightly, trying to regain his footing.
— We can go to the movies.
A pause.
— And… I booked a room.
Caroline parted the curtain slightly, intrigued.
— A room?
— A hotel. Four stars.
He gave a faint smile.
"So you can have a real night's sleep."
A silence.
"A good night's sleep." Caroline remained motionless for a few seconds. Then she nodded slowly.
"Okay..." But her gaze had drifted elsewhere. Somewhere between the mirror... and the possibility.

 

Chapter 12 — The idea that takes hold

 

    Caroline stepped out of the fitting room as if nothing had happened, a slight smile on her lips.
"We're not buying anything." Fred seemed almost relieved.
"Are you sure?" She nodded.
"Only that." She chose only the fishnet stockings. As if it were all just a game. As if this day had clear boundaries. As if she accepted them. But deep down, something had changed. Yet she continued to enjoy herself. Every step. Every glance. Every sensation. This body. She was getting used to it. Better than that. She loved it. She loved what it offered her. The lightness. The confidence. The silent power she felt in the eyes of others. Jennifer wasn't just beautiful. She opened doors. Fred let her choose the movie.
"A romantic comedy," she announced.
"Obviously," he replied with a slight smile. In the dimly lit theater, they sat side by side. The movie began. Popcorn. Sodas. Simple gestures. Almost forgotten. Caroline absentmindedly reached into the bag, her eyes fixed on the screen… but her mind was elsewhere. Far away. She was thinking. About what he had said. About that condition. Just one. Simple. Radical. She looked at her hands. Then at her legs. The fishnet stockings. She had finally made him buy them. Without comment. Without justification. She knew why. Her gaze slid to Fred. Focused on the film. Present. True to himself. Always this restraint. Always this distance. She gave a faint smile.
“You wouldn’t resist…” she thought.
Not him. Not anyone else. No one. She turned her attention back to the screen, but the images no longer mattered. Another life was taking shape. Possible. Disturbing. Dangerous. She saw herself. In this body. Forever. Free. Young. Desirable. She pictured Jennifer. In a cell. Screaming the truth. No one to believe her. A shiver ran through her. No immediate guilt. Just a cold thought.
"Who would believe her?" The popcorn crunched under her teeth. She swallowed slowly. Her fingers slid along her thigh, almost absentmindedly, feeling the nylon, the tension of the fabric. She inhaled softly. Then looked at Fred again. And this time—it wasn't just gratitude. It was a possibility. The night. The hotel. A turning point. The movie kept going. But Caroline wasn't following a single scene anymore. She was already writing the next one. And for the first time—she was seriously considering never going back.

 

Chapter 13 — The room

 

    Night had gently fallen when they left the cinema. The city lights took over, warmer, more diffuse. Caroline walked beside Fred, silent, yet deeply present. Each step brought her closer to the moment she had begun to imagine. The hotel appeared around the corner. Elegant. Discreet. Just enough to give the evening an unreal quality. As they approached the entrance, Fred's phone rang. He stopped and glanced at the screen.
"Wait a minute." Caroline nodded.
"I'll check the reservation." She went in alone. The lobby was quiet, hushed. A receptionist looked up at her with a professional smile.
"Good evening."
"Good evening. A reservation under the name Fred..." He quickly checked his screen.
"Yes. A double room." Caroline barely hesitated. “Would it be possible to change to a king-size bed?” The receptionist glanced up slightly, then nodded.
“Of course. Just a few clicks.”
“It’s done.”
“Thank you.”
When Fred entered, she turned to him, almost instinctively.
“I’ve changed the room.”
“Oh?”
“A bigger bed.” A brief silence. Fred understood. His shoulders tensed slightly.
“So… we’re sleeping in the same bed.” Caroline met his gaze.
“Yes.”
 

    Without hesitation. They went upstairs. The door opened onto a spacious, elegant bedroom, bathed in soft light. And in the center—the bed. Large. Too large to ignore. Caroline didn't even take the time to observe the rest. She threw herself onto it, almost laughing, bouncing slightly on the mattress.
"It's incredible..." Fred stayed near the door, a little apart. His gaze drifted toward a sofa.
"I can sleep here, if you prefer." Caroline sat up immediately.
"No."
She sat on the edge of the bed, then beckoned to him.
"Come." He hesitated. She softened her voice.
"I trust you." A silence.
"You'll behave yourself." These words touched him. He approached slowly. Caroline looked at him intently. Then, without hesitation—she began to unbutton his shirt. One button. Then another. Without taking her eyes off him.
“I’m tired…” she said simply.
The satin slipped away. She stood up. Undressed. Naturally. Without rushing. As if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Fred looked away briefly… then back again. Unable to do otherwise. When she slipped under the sheets, naked, she sighed softly.
“Come…” His voice was lower. More enveloping. Fred remained still for a second. Then gave in. Slowly. He undressed in turn, with an almost awkward restraint, then slipped in beside her. Silence. Their breaths. Their bodies close, yet not yet fully touching. Fred turned his head slightly. He was looking at her. Still. Always. As if he wanted to etch every detail into her memory. Caroline opened her eyes. Deep blue eyes.
“You can stop looking…” she murmured.
A slight smile.
“Or continue… if you prefer.” Fred gave a nervous smile.
"I could spend the night watching you sleep." She moved closer. Gently. Very gently.
"Do you really want to sleep...?" Her voice brushed against him. She snuggled against his chest, her skin against his. Warmth. Presence. Invitation. Fred inhaled. Deeply. His body was no longer indifferent. And in that heavy silence—something was about to shift.

 

 

Chapter 14 — The Possibilities

    In the dim light of the room, their bodies were close, almost motionless. But their minds were anything but. Caroline raised her head slightly, her gaze locked on Fred's.
"Tell me the truth..." Her voice was calm, yet charged.
"You desire me... like this." A brief silence. Fred didn't look away.
"Yes. Simple."
"Because it's you."
Then, after a second:
"And because... I chose." The word hung in the air. Chosen. Caroline repeated it to herself. Then, almost immediately, she continued:
"What if we did it again?" Fred frowned slightly.
"Do it again?"
"The ritual." She sat up a little, propped up on one elbow.
"With someone else." The silence shifted. Less tender. More dangerous. Fred hesitated. “Theoretically… yes.” Caroline stared at him.
“So it wasn’t unique.”
“No.” A heartbeat. She gently fell back onto her back, looking up at the ceiling. Her mind raced.
“So… why stop there?” Fred turned his head toward her.
“Caroline…” But she continued, carried away by an idea that was gaining momentum.
“Imagine.” She raised a hand, as if to draw in the air.
“Choose.
Not endure. Not wait. Choose.” Her voice grew animated.
“Be different each time.” She turned her head slightly toward him.
“Be Black. Or mixed-race.”
A faint smile.
“Be taller.” Her hand brushed briefly over her current body.
“Have a completely different body.” She looked him straight in the eyes.
“Feel something else.” Living differently. Fred remained silent. But he was listening. And above all—he was imagining. Caroline saw it.
"You're thinking about it too."
He exhaled slowly.
"It's… dangerous."
"All of this already is."
A silence. Then, more softly:
"But it's also… an opportunity." Fred ran a hand over his face. Hesitant. Torn.
"Wouldn't you like to stay like this?"
She shook her head slowly.
"No."
"Not right now."
Then, with an almost cold lucidity:
"I want more."
    Those words changed everything. Fred looked at her differently. As if he were discovering a new facet of her. More ambitious. More elusive. Freer… than ever.
"And what do you propose?" Caroline smiled slightly.
"We're respecting the rule."
"I'm going back into my body." “And you…” She paused.
“You write to me.” Fred frowned slightly.
“Write to you?”
“Proposals.”
She met his gaze.
“Women. Lives.”
“And this time… I’m the one who chooses.” The silence stretched on. Then Fred nodded slowly. Not entirely reassured. But already committed.
“Okay.”
    A fragile agreement. Almost unreal. Caroline closed her eyes for a moment. As if to savor this decision. She wasn’t giving up this freedom. She was transforming it. She was multiplying it. And somewhere, without saying a word—she had just opened a door far larger than the prison gate.

Chapter 15 — The Return and the Wait

    The awakening was brutal. Like a fall. Caroline inhaled sharply, her eyes snapping open in the narrow darkness of her cell. The ceiling. Cold. Still. Instant familiarity. Too familiar. She didn't move right away. As if her body refused to recognize itself. Then the sensation returned. Heavy. Different. She slowly raised her hands to her eyes. Rougher. Less smooth. She brought her fingers to her face. The scar. There. Her hair. Less supple. Less well-groomed. Her heart sank. She straightened her torso slightly. Her eyes descended. Her body. Her own. Old. Familiar. And suddenly— A void. Brutal. Physical. As if something had been ripped from her.
"No…" she murmured. She closed her eyes, trying to recapture the sensations. The lightness. The suppleness. The gaze of others. Nothing. Only the cold of the cell. The silence. She remained motionless for a long time. Then she took a deep breath.
"One day..." Her voice was almost empty. But deep down—something still burned.
    A few days passed. Slowly. Differently. Caroline wasn't quite the same anymore. She observed. She waited. And above all—she imagined.
    Then one morning, she was called.
"Mail." 
    Her heart immediately raced. She took the envelope. Already recognized the handwriting. Fred. She went back to her cell without waiting, almost tearing the paper open. Inside—five photos. She spread them out before her. Five faces. Five bodies. Five possible lives. Two elegant brunettes. A slender, radiant Asian woman. And two other figures. Her gaze stopped. Instantly. On one of them. Brunette. Confident smile. And above all—a generous bosom, displayed without restraint. Caroline froze. An old memory resurfaced. Her insecurities. Her frustrations. Her silent comparisons. She slowly ran her fingers over the photo.
"So that's it…" An almost childlike curiosity. But laden with something deeper.
"What does it feel like…?" 
    She surprised herself by smiling. A new smile. More confident. More… bold. The choice was made. Without hesitation. She picked up a sheet of paper. Wrote to Fred. Just a few words. Clear. Precise. Her choice. Then she folded the letter. Held it close for a moment. And handed it in. All that remained was to wait. The next visiting room. The next encounter. The next body. Caroline lay down on her bed, the photo still between her fingers. Her eyes fixed on the ceiling. But her mind—Far away. Very far away. Already elsewhere. Already in another skin.

Chapter 16 — Jennifer's Return

    Waking up was slow. Blurry. As if the world were returning in successive layers. Jennifer took a deep breath, her fingers tightening slightly against the sheet. Her body reacted before her mind could follow. A strange sensation. Then— She opened her eyes. The ceiling. Unfamiliar. She frowned, trying to understand. Then it all came back. The visiting room. The woman. The incomprehensible words. The fall. Jennifer sat bolt upright.
"What...?" 
    His voice. Her own. She froze. Her hands moved to her face, quick, almost panicked. Her skin. Her features. Her hair. Everything was... normal. Her heart raced. She pushed back the covers, looked at her body. Her own. Without a trace of what she had been through.
"No... it can't be..." She got out of bed, still unsteady, searching for something to look at. A mirror. She rushed to it. Her reflection. Jennifer. As if nothing had happened. But she knew. She had felt it. She had lived it.
"It was real…" she murmured.
The door opened. Fred entered. He stopped short when he saw her standing there.
"Jennifer?" She turned toward him. Her gaze was troubled. Almost lost.
"Fred…" He approached quickly.
"Are you alright? You fainted, they told me that…" He trailed off. Something in his eyes.
"What happened?" Jennifer shook her head slightly.
"I… I don't know."
Her breathing was still uneven.
"There was this woman… Caroline…" She ran a hand through her hair.
"She started talking… a strange language…" She looked up at him.
"And then… nothing." Silence. Fred watched her intently.
"You don't remember anything else?"
     Jennifer hesitated. Fragments. A feeling of floating. A sense of no longer being... herself. But everything was a blur.
"No..." she said finally. "Just... a feeling of unease." Fred nodded slowly. But his gaze betrayed something else. A tension. A silent checking. Jennifer looked around.
"Can I go?" Fred seemed to come to.
"Yes. Of course." He paused. Then, more softly:
"Thank you." She frowned slightly.
"Thank you... for what?" Fred gave a small smile.
"For coming."
    Just a moment. Jennifer stared at him. As if she sensed he wasn't telling her everything. But she didn't press the issue. She grabbed her bag, mechanically checking its contents. Everything seemed to be in its place. As if nothing had been moved. And yet—something about her had changed.
"This story is strange…" she murmured. 
    Fred didn't reply. He simply watched her leave. Silent. Thoughtful. Because he—knew exactly what had happened. And now—everything depended on what Caroline chose to do next.

Chapter 17 — The Choice of Forms

    Fred had changed his approach. More discreet. More cautious. But also more generous. Karinka hadn't hesitated long. The sum he offered her far exceeded what Jennifer had been given. Enough to silence the questions. Enough to ignore the strangeness. She knew nothing about him. Nothing about Caroline. Only a meeting. And instructions. There was no dress code this time. Unnecessary. Karinka didn't need any help attracting attention. When she entered the prison, the reactions were immediate. Intense stares. Silences that were a little too long. Even the guards, used to seeing people come and go, couldn't help but scrutinize her. She walked with confidence. Accustomed. Almost amused.

    In the visiting room, Caroline entered a few minutes later. And this time—she knew. From the first glance, she observed. Every detail. Every curve. Karinka was even more striking than in the photograph. A defined figure. A generous, confident bosom, effortlessly accentuated. Caroline felt something stir within her. A mixture of desire. And impatience.
"It's you…" Karinka murmured, sitting down.
"Yes." No beating around the bush. No surprises. Fred had done the work. The message was delivered quickly. Simple. Effective. Caroline asked almost no questions. She didn't need to anymore. She already knew what was coming next.
"Trust me," Karinka said, repeating the words.
Caroline smiled slightly.
"Always."
    And she began. The words. Still as strange. Still as ancient. But this time, there was no hesitation. Only cold control. The shift was swift. Almost violent. Blackness.
    Then—Silence. Caroline's body, now inhabited by Karinka, was led back to the cell. Asleep. Trapped. As planned. Again.

    And elsewhere—A breath. An alarm clock. Caroline opened her eyes. The infirmary. Again. But this time, the smile came immediately. Before she even moved. Before she even checked. She knew. She slowly raised her hands. Firmer. More defined. She took a deep breath. Then her eyes lowered. And she froze.
"Oh..." Her fingers slid slowly over her body. Her hips. Her waist. Then— Her breasts. Heavier. More present. Impossible to ignore. She let out a soft, incredulous laugh.
"Okay..." She sat up. More confident. Quicker than the first time. As if she were learning. As if she were getting used to it. The door opened. The nurse came in.
"You again..." She gave an amused smile.
"Your friend Caroline certainly has a strange effect on people. Last time, another young woman fainted after seeing her." Caroline shrugged slightly, playing her part.
"She must be impressive."
"You could say that."
A glance. A quick check.
"Everything's fine. You can go."
Caroline stood up. Easily. Without hesitation. She gathered her things. Out the door. And in the corridors— The stares returned. Even more intense. She felt them. Welcomed them. Used them. A guard stared at her a little too long. She slowed down slightly. A glance. A barely perceptible smile. He looked away. Troubled. Caroline continued. Amused.
"So that's it…"
She savored it. Every second. Every effect. Every silent power. Then—The exit. The open air. Fred was there. Just like the first time. But this time, he didn't hesitate for long. He looked at her. And understood.
"Caroline."
She approached. Slowly. Confident.
"Well…?"
    A smile. “Do you stand by your choice?” Fred remained silent for a moment. Then he nodded. But in his eyes—something had changed. Caroline, on the other hand—had never been so certain. She no longer just wanted to escape. She wanted to choose. Again. And again.

Chapter 18 — The Turning Point

    The city seemed different. Or perhaps it was her. Caroline walked beside Fred, aware of every movement, every glance directed at her. Karinka's body reacted differently. More present. More assertive. And Fred. Always there. Always at that fragile distance. She looked at him discreetly. Then more openly. Something had changed. Before, he had been a refuge. Now—he was becoming a temptation. An idea took hold, almost against her will. What if… She looked away, troubled by her own thought. They stopped at a café terrace. Sit down. A quiet moment. Too quiet. Caroline crossed her legs slowly, almost unconsciously. She immediately felt Fred's gaze. She was playing a game. She knew it. She was testing the waters. A smile. A more intense look. A hand sliding through her hair. Fred reacted. Always with restraint. But he reacted. And that was enough. Inside, though, the turmoil was growing.
"You could…" a voice whispered within her.
    She took a deep breath. Tried to gather her thoughts. The pros. She closed her eyes briefly. This body. The one she'd never had. The one she'd always imagined without ever daring to admit it. A new life. Free. Without a past. Without judgment. And Fred. Present. Faithful. In love. Maybe even ready. She opened her eyes. Looked at him. "He deserves it…" she thought. A life together. Maybe more. A family. The idea didn't seem absurd. Not here. Not now. But the cons returned, brutal. Her daughters. Their faces. Their voices.
"Mom…" She looked away. A pang. Then a thought. Colder. More deliberate. "Adoption… With Fred. Starting over differently. Differently… but starting over nonetheless." She sat up slightly. Troubled by herself. The longer she stayed in this body—the more natural it seemed. The more… legitimate it seemed. As if the old Caroline were slowly fading away. As if Karinka were taking up space. No. As if she were becoming something new. A mixture. A choice. She looked at Fred again. Long. Differently.
"What if I stayed...?" 
    The question didn't even shock her anymore. It was there. Clear. Possible. But she hadn't crossed the line yet. Not yet. She wanted to be sure. So she continued. Testing. Seducing. Measuring. Until the choice was no longer a hesitation—but a certainty.

Chapter 19 — The Irreversible Question

    Caroline no longer wanted to wait. She felt it as soon as they passed the lingerie shop again. This time, she didn't ask. She went in. Straight away. Fred paused for half a second… then followed her. Inside, the atmosphere was the same. Soft. Muted. Almost suspended. But Caroline was no longer the same. She browsed the racks confidently, choosing sets without hesitation. Bolder. More precise.
"This one," she said.
Then another.
"And this one." Fred said nothing. But he was watching. Always. She turned to him, a slight smile on her lips.
"Are you coming?" He approached, almost against his will. She took his hand. Off to the fitting rooms. Like last time. But different. Laden. She went in. The curtain closed. A few seconds. Then her voice.
"Fred…" Lower. Slower.
"Look." The curtain parted. Caroline appeared. A new outfit. More striking. More confident. She wasn't testing the waters anymore. She was asserting herself. Fred remained silent, frozen between desire and restraint. She continued. One outfit. Then another. Each look bolder than the last. Each gaze more intense. Each silence heavier.
"Are you still holding back?" she murmured.
Fred took a deep breath.
"Caroline..." She moved closer. Very close.
"Tell me." Her voice became almost serious.
"If I stay like this..." He paused.
"If I become Karinka forever." The silence fell again. Brutal. Fred looked at her. Really looked at her.
"It wouldn't be insignificant."
She held his gaze.
"Tell me."
He hesitated. Then gave in.
"If you do it... there's no going back."
Her voice was deeper. “Your old body… will never be yours again.”
A heartbeat.
“And the person in that body…” He didn’t finish. No need. Caroline nodded slightly.
“She would remain trapped.”
“Yes.” The word fell. Heavy. But Caroline didn’t look away.
“And us?” Fred seemed unsettled by the question.
“Us…?”
“You and me.”
A silence.
“Could we…?” He hesitated.
“We could live normally.”
She moved closer.
“A life?”
“Yes.”
“A family?” Fred stared at her.
“Maybe.” The word resonated. Caroline remained motionless for a few seconds. Then she stepped back slightly. “Shall we go home?” Her voice had changed. More composed. More decisive.

    The hotel room welcomed them again. Same bed. Same soft lighting. But this time—nothing was innocent. Caroline slowly put down her things. Then she turned to him.
"So…" A silence.
"Tell me the truth." She moved closer.
"If I choose to stay…" Her hand lightly brushed against his.
"You're staying with me?" Fred looked at her. For a long time.
"Yes." Without hesitation. Without beating around the bush this time. Silence closed around them. Thick. Heavy. Caroline felt her heart beat faster. The choice was no longer abstract. It was there. Within reach. And for the first time—she didn't just want to try. She wanted to decide.

Chapter 20 — The Final Hesitation

    The room was silent. Too silent. Caroline stood motionless, facing the mirror. The soft light traced the contours of Karinka's body with an almost unreal precision. She gazed at herself. For a long time. As if searching for an answer in that reflection. Her hands slid slowly along her hips, up to her waist, then stopped. She knew every sensation now. Every reaction. This body was no longer foreign. It was… familiar. Behind her, Fred barely dared to move. He watched her. Silently. Waiting. Caroline took a deep breath.
"If I do this." Her voice was low. Almost fragile.
"There's no going back." Fred didn't answer immediately.
"No." A simple word. But definitive. Caroline closed her eyes for a moment. And the images returned. Her daughters. The park. Their voices. Their gazes.
"You remind us of Mom…" Her heart sank. She opened her eyes again. Her reflection. Not their mother. Not the one they would recognize.
"They'll never know..." she murmured.
Fred lowered his eyes slightly.
"No."
A silence. Caroline turned to him.
"And if one day... they look for me?"
"They'll look for Caroline."
The word weighed heavily.
"Not Karinka."
She remained motionless. Then took a few steps. Hesitant. She sat on the edge of the bed. Her hands clasped together.
"I could start over differently..." Her voice trembled slightly.
"Be a better person."
Fred moved closer gently.
"You could."
She looked up.
"But not for them."
He didn't answer. Because there was nothing to say. The silence grew heavier. More real. Caroline looked at her hands. Then at her body. Then at Fred. “And if I don’t…” She gave a faint, sad smile.
“I’ll go back there.
The walls. The cell. The emptiness.” Fred crouched slightly in front of her.
“But you’re still you.” A heartbeat. Caroline stared at him.
“And if ‘me’… could be something else?” 

    The question hung in the air. Unanswered. She stood up slowly. Took a few steps. Returned to the mirror. Again. Always. She observed this body one last time. This possible life. Then she closed her eyes. For a long time. As if to weigh everything up one last time. When she opened them again— Her gaze had changed. Calmer. More decisive. But she hadn’t moved yet. Hadn’t chosen yet. Because there was still—One last moment. Before everything changed.

Chapter 21 — Returning to Oneself

    The silence dragged on. Too long. Caroline was still facing the mirror, motionless, suspended between two lives. Behind her, Fred finally stood up. Slowly. As if he were measuring each step. He approached. Not too close. Just close enough.
"Caroline…" His voice was soft, but different this time. More grounded. Less troubled. She didn't turn around.
"You still have a choice." A slight shiver ran down her spine.
"I know…" Fred took a deep breath.
"I'm not going to lie to you."
Silence.
"This body…" He hesitated. Then continued.
"It's… attractive." The word seemed almost inadequate. Caroline gave a very faint smile.
"I suspected as much."
But Fred immediately added:
"But that's not what matters."
She closed her eyes.
"You say that now…"
"No." His voice grew firmer.
"I say that because I almost forgot."
A silence. Caroline opened her eyes, flustered.
"Forgot what?" Fred took another step.
"Who you are."
The mirror reflected his image. Karinka's. Not his own.
"This body…" he continued, "it's a possibility."
"A temptation."
"But it's not you." Caroline tightened her jaw slightly.
"And if I want it to be?" Fred shook his head gently.
"Then you give up everything else."
A heartbeat.
"Your daughters." The word fell. Clearly. Directly. Caroline lowered her eyes slightly.
"They've already been separated from me…"
"But they haven't lost you." His voice was lower. Deeper.
"Not yet." The silence returned. Caroline felt something crack inside her.
“If you do that…” Fred continued, “you won’t be their mother anymore.
Not in the world. Not in their lives.” She inhaled deeply.
“But I could be happy…” Fred nodded.
“Yes.”
“Maybe even more than ever.”
A pause.
“But without them.” Those two words were enough. Caroline felt tears welling up. She looked away from the mirror. As if she could no longer bear the sight.
“You’re asking me to go back…”
“No.” Fred moved even closer.
“I’m asking you not to lose yourself.” She remained silent. Her shoulders trembled slightly.
“Do you think I still have something to save…?” Fred didn’t answer right away. Then, simply:
“Yes.” One word. But a word full of meaning. Caroline closed her eyes. The faces returned. The voices. The laughter. Then the park. Then that look. “You remind us of Mom…” A tear rolled down her cheek. She took a deep breath. A long breath. Then she sat up. When she opened her eyes again, she wasn’t looking in the mirror. She was looking at Fred.
“Okay.” Her voice trembled. But it was clear.
“I’ll be back.” The silence changed. Lighter. More fragile, too. Fred nodded slowly. Without triumph. Without excessive joy. Just… relieved. Caroline glanced one last time at the reflection. At that other life. At what she could have become. Then she looked away. For good.
“Let’s go home.”

    This time—she knew. What she was giving up. But above all—what she was choosing to keep.

Chapter 22 — After

    Months passed. As if it all belonged to another life. Karinka had resumed hers without difficulty. Without memory. Without a trace. For her, there had only been a simple unease, a black hole without consequence. Jennifer too. Two lives untouched. As if nothing had ever happened. But for Caroline—nothing had faded. Every sensation. Every glance. Every choice. Everything remained. Etched. She had reclaimed her body. Her habits. Her vulnerabilities. But also—a new kind of lucidity.

    Prison, too, had become a memory. Good behavior. Visible efforts. She had held on. And finally—she was out. The open air no longer tasted the same as before. Less intoxicating. But more real.

    She reconnected with her daughters. Gradually. At first tentatively. Every other weekend. Structured.     Supervised. But real. They were growing up. And she was learning to be their mother again. Not perfect. But she was there.
“Things can change,” the social worker had told her. “Provided there’s stability. A job. Structure. Proof.”

    Fred had been there. As always. Discreet. Steady. He helped her. To search. To rebuild. To believe it was still possible. And above all—he had never betrayed her. Not with Jennifer. Not with Karinka. Despite the temptations. Despite the situations. He had remained true to what he said. To what he felt. Caroline had finally given in. Not out of weakness. But by choice. One night. Then another. A relationship that blossomed slowly. Without pressure. Without excessive illusions. She had refused his marriage proposals. Several times. Not ready. Not yet. But she wasn’t running away anymore. Her feelings had changed. Profoundly. Fred was no longer just a refuge. He had become—a given. For her. For her daughters. For what they were building, slowly.

    And then one morning—Caroline woke up feeling unwell. A wave of nausea. A growing morning sickness. Sudden. Unexpected. She remained motionless for a few seconds, sitting on the edge of the bed. One hand on her stomach. Her gaze lost. Then a thought came to her. Simple. Obvious. She slowly raised her head. A faint, almost incredulous smile played on her lips.
"We didn't notice..." A silence. Then, more softly.
"Or maybe we did..." She watched the light stream in through the window. And for the first time in a long time—the future no longer frightened her.

 

THE END