Trapped in the Past

1...

Alex nervously fiddled with the old digital camera he had just bought at a garage sale. The seller—a strange, slightly hunched old man with a sharp gaze—had stubbornly refused to drop the price even by a cent. But Alex took it anyway. There was something alluring about this worn-out piece of tech, as if it was hiding something more.

He returned home, settled onto the couch, and started scrolling through the old photos. The images were blurry and distorted in places, but in each one, there was the same red-haired girl in different settings—sometimes on a rooftop, sometimes near an antenna, sometimes in an abandoned park.

— Why are you showing me this? — Alex muttered under his breath and pressed the delete button.

But suddenly, the screen flickered. A message appeared on one of the photos: “Activate immersion mode?” Alex frowned.

— What the… immersion mode? Alright, let’s see, — he muttered and, without thinking much, clicked “OK.”

The world before his eyes flared with a bright light. The room vanished, and his heart seemed to pound twice as hard. Alex didn’t even have time to blink before finding himself in the middle of a wasteland. A cold wind brushed against his bare stomach.

— Hey! What the hell! — Alex jerked his hand up to his face and... froze. Thin fingers, neat nails, and… small, delicate hands? He looked around, a slow horror creeping over him.

In front of him stood a guy with a camera, the same one who had been holding it in one of the photos. And next to him—several tall antennas, a fence with barbed wire, just like in the image from the camera.

— Hey, Emmy, why’re you just standing there? The pose is great, let’s get a few more shots, — the guy laughed and, without waiting for a reply, took a few clicks with his camera.

— What?! Who are you?! — Alex wanted to shout, but instead, he heard a quiet, slightly trembling female voice. It was his, but… not his.

— What’s up, Em? — the guy frowned, still snapping photos. — Nervous? Seriously? This shot’s gonna be awesome, just don’t freak out.

— I… I… — Alex tried to say something, but fell silent again, feeling how awkwardly his lips moved, and how his voice sounded higher.

The guy jumped closer and suddenly grabbed his hand, peering into his face. — You okay, babe? You’ve gone pale.

‘Damn, damn, damn! I’m in this girl’s body! — panic washed over Alex. — This is her body! Her hair, her voice… her skin, everything!’

— Emmy, what’s wrong? Are you sick? Maybe we should take a break? — his “boyfriend” froze, letting go of his hand and looking genuinely worried.

Alex frantically glanced around, clutching the pants at his hips. He could feel how the soft fabric clung tightly to his new, feminine curves. The thin top barely covered a narrow waist, leaving a flat stomach exposed. A strange new weight from his chest added an unreal sense to everything that was happening.

— Where am I? — he asked softly, looking straight into the guy’s eyes. — What is this place?

The guy blinked, staring at him in confusion. — Em, are you serious? We’re on the roof of the abandoned building, photoshoot. You… don’t remember?

— No… no, — Alex whispered, and suddenly a shadow of concern crossed the guy’s face.

— Wait… What’s wrong with you, Emmy? You’re acting weird. Like… like you’re not you…

2...

Alex swallowed, feeling a chill run down his spine. His eyes widened, and his hands trembled.

— I’m not her… — he said quietly, and then, feeling like he was losing control, almost broke into a shout. — I’m not Emmy! I’m not supposed to be here! My name is Alex… I just…

— What the hell are you talking about? — the guy stepped closer, a dangerous note appearing in his eyes. — Alex? Who’s that? Stop scaring me!

— It’s me! — Alex blurted out, waving his hands, feeling his voice betraying him with a trembling pitch. — I was a guy… and… I bought this damn camera, and suddenly…

— Camera? — the guy approached slowly, tilting his head suspiciously. — You’re scaring me, Em. Is this some kind of prank? Did you have a rough day? Not enough sleep?

But Alex wasn’t listening to him. He clutched at his hair, feeling the soft red strands slipping through his fingers.

— No, no, damn it, no… This isn’t my voice, this isn’t my face… I’m not Emmy!

— Hey! — the guy grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him. — Calm down, you hear me? You’re acting crazy! You’re my girlfriend, Em, understand? Mine! We’ve been together for two years! What the hell are you talking about, some Alex?!

— No… — Alex squeezed his eyes shut, then exhaled sharply, feeling the tremor slowly subside. He opened his eyes and met the guy’s worried gaze.

— Give it to me! — Alex lunged forward, and before the guy could react, he snatched the camera from his hands. The moment he did, he felt his chest painfully jolt from the sudden movement, swaying heavily. He let out an overly feminine sigh, sensing how his new forms rebelliously shook under the light fabric of the top.

The guy blinked in confusion, not understanding what was happening. He tried to yank the camera from Alex’s hands, but Alex, with surprising strength for his new fragile body, held on tightly, his fingers turning white from the strain.

— Emmy, let go! — the guy raised his voice, but there was more fear than anger in his tone. — What’s wrong with you? It’s just a camera! — He tugged, and Alex nearly fell, losing balance on his unfamiliar slender legs.

— No, no, — Alex gasped, s***g in air like he’d just surfaced from deep water. — It’s… it’s not just a camera. It’s… all of this is because of it! I… — He struggled to find words, feeling panic gripping him harder. — I need to turn everything back!

The guy froze, trying to catch Alex’s gaze. Pain and disbelief flickered in his eyes. — Em… You’re scaring me. Say something normal! Stop it, for God’s sake!

— You don’t understand! — Alex almost shouted, feeling warm, sticky tears running down his cheeks—unfamiliar, large drops on his new delicate face. — I’m not Emmy, damn it, this isn’t my body!

The guy looked as if he’d been punched in the gut. He let go of the camera and stepped back, his face twisted in a mix of horror and despair.

— If this is some kind of joke, it’s disgusting, — he whispered, shaking his head. — I don’t know what’s happening, but you need to stop, do you hear me? You’re my girlfriend. My Emmy. Some twisted joke about not being her… What the hell?!

3...

— I… I’m not joking! — Alex almost screamed, feeling his voice crack, becoming even higher and raspier. — I was Alex… a guy… just a minute ago. I bought this camera, and now… now I’m here. In her body.

The guy took another step back, watching as “Emmy” fumbled with the camera. Her hands trembled as she desperately tried to do something.

— Emmy… Are you saying it… it… — he swallowed, not knowing what else to say. — It changed you?

— Yes! Yes, damn it! — Alex raised the camera higher, his hands shaking from anxiety. — I have to figure out how to go back… how to become myself again!

The guy suddenly snatched the camera from his hands, and Alex yelped in surprise, instinctively pressing against him. The high-pitched, feminine cry made even Alex flinch, as anger mixed with pain and desperation.

— If you’re not Emmy, — the guy hissed, narrowing his eyes, — then how do I know you’re telling the truth? Maybe it’s just some glitch, some temporary madness? Or is this your way of breaking up with me? A stupid excuse?

— No, damn it! — Alex grabbed the camera again, almost tearing it out of the guy’s hands. A strange mix of horror and adrenaline was building up inside. He pressed the button, scrolling through the pictures. The same images flashed across the screen again: the red-haired girl in various settings, like someone’s collection of memories that now somehow belonged to him.

— Why?! Why isn’t that option here?! How?! How do I go back?! — Alex was practically screaming, frantically pressing the camera’s buttons, but the screen remained motionless. No new messages, no mysterious menus—just a series of those same photos of Emmy in different places.

Suddenly, in the distance, he noticed a silhouette of a man. His heart tightened in his chest, as if sensing something sinister. The hunched figure moved slowly across the rooftop of the abandoned building, as if observing them. The old man—the same seller from the garage sale who had given him this cursed camera. Alex recognized him immediately. But how was he here? Without thinking, Alex sprinted toward him.

— Stop! — the guy’s voice sounded panicked, but Alex didn’t hear him anymore. He lunged forward, and immediately lost his balance, desperately trying to adjust to this new, entirely different body. Every movement felt completely foreign—his chest, which he had only just noticed as a heavy burden, began bouncing wildly, as if it had a mind of its own. He barely managed a few quick steps before the sensation of weight and swaying made him falter, but he bit his lip and forced himself to keep going, refusing to slow down.

‘Damn it! — he thought in horror, clutching the thin top with his hands in a futile attempt to hold his chest in place. — They… they just… bounce!’

— You! — Alex shouted, his voice breaking into a shriek as he skidded to a stop. — What did you do to me?!

The old man froze, lifting his head in surprise, as if he couldn’t comprehend where this enraged girl had come from.

— Girl, are you out of your mind? — his eyes widened in confusion. He looked exactly the same as he had at the garage sale—the same old pants, the faded shirt, and slouched shoulders. — What do you want?

4...

— Turn everything back! — Alex struggled to keep himself from screaming. He stepped forward, almost grabbing the old man, but stopped at the last moment, feeling his feminine hands trembling with tension. — You sold me this damn camera. It’s because of it that I… I ended up in this body!

— Camera? — the old man looked him up and down, then slowly furrowed his brows. — I haven’t sold anything to anyone. Are you out of your mind? Who are you?

— You did sell it! — Alex almost shouted, gripping the camera even tighter. — An old digital camera… You didn’t even want to lower the price by a cent. I… I saw you! — His voice cracked again, turning into a raspy, feminine shout. — What the hell do you mean you don’t know me?! I’m Alex Svenson, and you’re that weird old guy who lives near my house!

The old man’s frown deepened, as if he were trying to remember something. Then his gaze shifted to the camera, which Alex was clutching to his chest like the only link to his former reality.

— Hold on, girl, — he took a step back, distancing himself from the agitated redhead. — You’re clearly upset, but let me explain. I haven’t sold anything… at least, not yet, — he stopped, narrowing his eyes. — Tell me… what did you say your name was? You’re saying that you’re… Alex?

Alex was breathing heavily, trying to get a grip on himself. The old man in front of him—the same one he had bought this cursed camera from—was looking at him with mild confusion. But something in his eyes, the faint smile, and the expression on his face suggested he could be trusted. Alex stepped forward, gripping the camera even tighter, feeling his new chest respond painfully to the sharp movements after his sprint.

— Yes, I’m Alex, — his voice trembled but was firm. — I was a guy, and now… damn it, look at me! It’s all because of this damn camera! It… it… transferred me here. Into this body! I’m not supposed to be here, got it?! Send me back! — Alex raised the camera again, barely holding back from throwing it at the old man.

— Calm down, calm down, — the old man frowned, but there was no longer any disbelief in his gaze. He seemed to be seriously considering something. — Let me take a look, — he reached out his hand, but Alex recoiled instantly.

— No! Stay back! — Alex jerked the camera up as if it were a shield. He felt another wave of strange sensations ripple through his body—the unfamiliar weight of his chest, the pressure of the clothes on his waist, as if all these changes were constantly reminding him of their reality.

The old man lowered his hand and sighed. — Alright, I won’t touch it. But if you want to understand what happened, listen to me. You’re saying that this camera transferred you… here? Into this body? And you have no idea how it happened?

Alex nodded, his trembling fingers gripping the camera’s body. — Yes. I found it at a garage sale. You were there and sold it to me… You wouldn’t lower the price, but I bought it anyway… and… — he swallowed hard, recalling those strange photos. — Then I saw these pictures… pictures of this girl, and some message appeared. I don’t know what it was, but when I clicked ‘Yes,’ everything suddenly flashed. And I… I ended up here, in her body.

The old man listened carefully, and then his eyes widened as if something important had just dawned on him.

5...

— Hold on a second, — the old man frowned, peering intently at Alex’s face. — You said I was there? Hmm... — then, suddenly, his face lit up with realization. — Tell me, girl, or whoever you are… what year are you from?

— What? — Alex froze, his breath catching. — What do you mean… what year?

The old man merely raised an eyebrow and, seeing Alex’s confusion, repeated patiently:

— You heard me. What year is it? What time are you from?

Alex stared at him in silence for a few seconds, trying to process what he had just heard. His heart tightened painfully. What year? What kind of nonsense was this? But the old man seemed to be serious.

— Two thousand twenty-four, — he whispered softly, feeling a shudder run through his body. — I… I bought the camera at a garage sale this year. You… were there. I saw you.

The old man smiled, then suddenly burst out laughing, as if everything had clicked into place.

— So that’s it, huh? And now it’s now two thousand and four! I think I finally understand…

Alex stared at him, stunned, as another thought slowly took shape in his mind. Not only was he in some strange girl’s body, but… had he ended up in the past as well? At that moment, the guy grabbed his arm.

— We’re leaving! — the guy suddenly seized Alex’s wrist, roughly yanking him backward. — Emmy, enough! I don’t know what kind of crap you’re spouting, but you need to get out of here. Right now!

Alex cried out, feeling his thin fingers bend helplessly, as if they didn’t belong to him. He instinctively recoiled, trying to pull away, but his new hands, clearly weaker than his original ones, betrayed him, trembling uncontrollably.

— No! — he shouted, clinging to the camera like a lifeline. — I’m not leaving until he explains everything!

The guy tightened his grip on Alex’s wrist even more, his face twisted with anger and confusion. His eyes darted between Alex and the old man, as if he was desperately trying to make sense of what was happening. This was too much—his girlfriend of two years suddenly began talking nonsense, claiming to be some guy, and yelling at a complete stranger.

— Enough, damn it! — he roared, yanking Alex’s arm so hard that he nearly lost his balance. — You’re scaring me, Em! We’re going home. Now!

— I’m not Emmy! — Alex tried to pull away again, but the guy just squeezed his wrist tighter. He turned toward the old man, who was watching the scene unfold with a curious expression. — Help me! Please, do something!

The old man took a slow step forward, but the guy immediately stepped back, glaring at him with hostility.

— You… — the guy’s voice was tense and shaky. — Who the hell are you? What did you do to my girlfriend?

— Calm down, kid, — the old man raised his hands in a placating gesture, shaking his head. — I didn’t do anything. But I need to talk to her… or, well, to him. — He glanced quickly at Alex and added softly: — Give her a chance to explain. I think I can help.

The guy froze, his eyes narrowing, and his breathing became ragged. — This is bullshit. No chance. We’re leaving!

Sensing that the guy was distracted, Alex jerked his arm sharply, slipping out of his grasp. The guy shouted in surprise, but Alex had already dashed behind the old man, using him as a shield.

— Please, — he whispered quietly, feeling the panic rise within him again. — If you know anything… you have to get me back!

The guy behind him clenched his fists, his face flushed red with anger. — Emmy! Stop it. You’re acting like a lunatic!

But the old man just sighed and raised his hand, as if commanding him to stop.

6...

— Enough, kid, — the old man said quietly. — She… or he, — he glanced at Alex again, smiling faintly, — is telling the truth. Your girlfriend… she’s not her anymore.

The guy’s mouth dropped open, his face turning pale.

— What the… are you fucking insane?! — He took a step back, shaking his head. — I don’t believe this. Emmy… she’s Emmy! This is just bullshit!

The old man shrugged. — You don’t have to believe it, but that doesn’t change the facts. This person, — he nodded toward Alex, — is really not Emmy. He… how should I put it… switched places. Through that camera.

The guy’s mouth opened again, his gaze filled with disbelief and pain. — This… can’t be… Em, say something… please!

Alex bit his lip, feeling hot tears welling up again. He knew that no matter what he said, it wouldn’t change anything. This guy loved Emmy, and now a stranger stood before him, trapped in her body.

— I… — he swallowed, trying to keep his voice calm and steady. — I don’t know what else to say. I’m not Emmy. My name is Alex. I just… bought this camera, and…

The guy shook his head, as if refusing to believe what he was hearing. — Stop… Just stop… This… this is impossible…

The old man gently touched Alex’s shoulder, making him turn around.

— Listen, — he began, and his voice carried a strange mix of regret and weariness, — I… don’t know how you ended up here, kid. But if I understand correctly, it happened because of something I did.

Alex froze, his eyes widening. — What? What did you do?!

— This camera, — the old man slowly nodded at the device Alex was still clutching tightly, — I… enchanted it once. Or maybe I will enchant it. It’s… complicated.

— Enchanted… — Alex breathed out, feeling his heart skip a beat. — You’re saying… it’s all because of magic?!

The old man nodded. — Yes. I’m a mage… but that’s a secret, — he smiled briefly, then turned serious again, looking directly at Alex. — It seems it swapped you and, um, this girl.

— Emmy! — the guy snapped sharply from the side.

Alex froze. A cold dread ran down his spine. — You’re saying… I… I’m in the past?

The old man nodded again. — Exactly. And now Emmy… she’s probably in your body. In the future.

The guy took another step back, shaking his head. — This… this is crazy… You’re both insane!

— Maybe, — the old man smiled, then turned back to Alex. — Listen, I can’t guarantee that I can get you back. But I can try. If you want, of course.

Alex stood still, his gaze darting to the guy, who was watching them both in horror. Then he turned back to the old man.

— Can you really? — he whispered, feeling hope break through the fear. — You… you can get me back? Into my own body?

The old man shrugged slightly. — I can’t promise. But I know I can try. But I need time, and you… need to stay calm and not do anything stupid here, alright?

Alex swallowed, gripping the camera even tighter. He couldn’t believe that here he was, standing on some abandoned rooftop, discussing magic and time travel with a random old man. But something about this person made him want to trust him.

— Okay… — he exhaled. — I… I agree.

The guy behind him shouted, stepping forward.

— Emmy! You can’t… You can’t trust him! You’re my girlfriend, you’re Emmy!

But Alex was already looking only at the old man. The old man nodded, smiling softly.

— Then trust me, — he whispered. — I’ll do everything I can to get you back. But I warn you… it won’t be easy.

Alex just nodded, feeling tears streaming down his cheeks. The old man stepped forward, gently touching his hand.

— Everything will be alright, — he said softly. — I promise.

Epilogue

Alex… or Emma, as he was now called, stood in front of the mirror in the tiny dorm bathroom. The red-haired girl in the reflection no longer felt like a stranger. Her face had become familiar, her body—almost his own. But the feeling that it was all some kind of illusion, too real to be true, never went away. "Emma..." — that name now sounded like his own.

Months had passed since everything happened. The wizard said he couldn’t do anything. The camera, he claimed, wasn’t enchanted, and the magic that had tangled their lives was ancient and unpredictable. Alex had waited for a long time to be returned to his old self, but it never happened. Every week he visited the old man, and each time the wizard would just shrug, promising to keep searching for a solution.

But time passed, and everything changed.

Emma’s parents… No, his parents, strange as it was to think of them that way, had noticed the changes. "You’ve become more withdrawn, dear," her mother said, noticing how Emma buried herself in her studies instead of hanging out with friends or being active on social media like before. Her father, with stern concern in his eyes, would ask if everything was alright, but she only nodded. They couldn’t understand why their daughter, always so lively and bright, had suddenly grown strange and distant. Alex felt guilty. After all, this wasn’t their Emma.

Emma’s boyfriend… He struggled for a long time to accept that his girlfriend had suddenly changed. He didn’t leave, stayed close, tried to understand, hoping this was all just nonsense. For him, she never became "Alex," and he kept acting as if everything was the same, even though he knew she had changed drastically. In the end, Alex realized he couldn’t stand having this person near him anymore and didn’t want to keep pretending to be someone else. He said something like "we need to take a break," which was clearly the end of the relationship, a relationship that never truly existed with the new Emma.

College was yet another challenge. Alex, who had spent his life studying tech and programming, suddenly found himself as a student of the humanities. Literature lectures, philosophy, and art history became torture for him. He tried to keep up, studied the materials. Other students were surprised by how much "Emma" had changed—she socialized less, withdrew more, and her interests were suddenly so different from what they used to be.

It was hard. Hard to get used to the fact that every morning required makeup, that he now had to care about things that had once seemed like small details—clothes, hairstyles, even posture. Hard to get used to a foreign body that, despite months of living in it, still felt like a temporary shell. Hard to adjust to the way people looked at him—as a young woman, someone they spoke to differently than they did with men, and from time to time, someone they tried to flirt with.

But worst of all was that with each passing day, Alex was forgetting who he once was. His old self seemed to dissolve, and the new life was pulling him in. He barely remembered his old apartment, his friends, or even what his own voice sounded like. All of it was becoming a distant illusion.

…

One evening, when he came to see the old man again, the wizard greeted him with a tired smile.

— Sorry, girl, — he said softly, avoiding eye contact. — I’ve tried everything I could. But… I can’t bring you back. It seems the magic here is too strong. I won’t be able to return you to your old body.

Alex, though he had expected this, still felt his insides tighten. He silently sat down, staring at the wizard.

— What am I supposed to do now? — he whispered, feeling despair rising inside him. — Live as her? I… I can’t. This isn’t my life.

The wizard sighed heavily, sinking into the chair opposite him.

— I understand, — he said gently, with a deep sigh. — But sometimes we have to accept what we can’t change.

Alex nodded slowly, feeling his heart clench even tighter at this admission. He ran his hand over his face, realizing that even this gesture didn’t feel the same as before.

Alex nodded silently, his fists clenched. He stared at the old man, but something flickered in his eyes—something dark. Alex couldn’t quite grasp what it was, but there was something false in the wizard’s tone.

"Emma" glanced at the camera lying nearby and said,

— Maybe… you could try again? — her voice trembled, but there was a spark of hope in her words. She couldn’t believe it was really over.

— Girl… — the old man started with his usual condescension but fell silent when he saw "Emma" clench her fists. — Fine, yes… I’ll try again.

The old man was lying. He kept looking at Emma with a strangely calm expression, but inside him, chaos raged. He knew there was nothing he could do because he was the cause of what had happened.

When Alex first brought him the camera, it had been just a regular old digital device—there was no magic in it. But his curiosity and desire to help had complicated everything. Using magic, he had created this camera, which Alex would use in the future and end up here. It was an enchanted loop, a trap the old man had set for himself.

He had wanted to help… or at least, that’s what he had thought at the time. But the magic was too unpredictable and fickle. The more he tried to fix the situation, the more it unraveled, and now Alex, this confused young man, was trapped in Emma’s body—and there was no way out.

Every time Emma came, hoping for a solution, the old man realized he was sinking deeper into his own mistakes. Each time his lies grew bigger, and the weight of guilt heavier. But now it was all over. By meddling once, he had created a cycle that no one could break. Not even him.

Emma looked at the old man with hope, her eyes blazing with desperation. But he could no longer change anything. And worse still—it was all his fault. He had created the trap, and now they were both its prisoners.

— You understand that all of this is my fault, — the old man muttered when Emma had left.

He stood still, breathing heavily, feeling the overwhelming pain and shame consume him. The knowledge that his actions had destroyed someone else’s life, trapping Alex in a body that would never truly be his own, was unbearable.

His hand reached for the cupboard with bottles, and he grabbed a small vial containing a magical potion—a mixture that could wash away guilt and conscience. This potion had been his personal salvation—he had turned to it more than once when the weight of his guilt became too much.

The old man lifted the vial, his hands trembling slightly. He unscrewed the cap and drank it in one gulp, feeling the bitterness burn his throat. As the liquid coursed through his body, the unpleasant heaviness in his chest began to dissolve, replaced by calmness.

His breathing steadied. The shame and guilt disappeared, as if they had never been there. Now, he could look at the situation coldly. There was no longer any guilt about what he had done. No longer any concern about what would happen to Alex, who was now forever Emma.

The old man closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair. In the silence of the room, he felt at peace. His guilt had vanished with the last gulp of the potion.

It was no longer his burden to bear, and soon he would forget all about that camera, which he would one day sell at a future garage sale.