"Whoa there, little girl," a police officer said, grabbing Charlie's arm as he was passing him by. "Where are you running off to in such a hurry?"
"I'm not a little girl."
"Oh, you're right. You're growing up fast."
"No, that's not what I mean. I ..."
"Julie!" the mother yelled out.
"Is that your mother?" the officer asked.
Charlie turned around and looked. It was the woman from the minivan. She was sprinting towards them.
"Julie," she said, out of breath, when she finally got there. "Why did you run away like that, honey?"
"Is this your daughter?"
"Yes. Thank you for stopping her."
"No problem."
"Come on, Julie," the mother said, grabbing Charlie's hand. Suddenly, there was that same suction feeling. He closed his eyes and when he opened them, he was back in the mother's body.
"Mom?" Julie asked. "Is there something wrong?"
Finally Charlie figured out what was happening. It was all impossible, but apparently he was "hopping" bodies through touch. He wondered why he didn't hop into the cop's body, but then remembered that the cop touched the girl's arm, which was covered with a shirt. So, it had to be skin-on-skin contact.
"Lady? Are you okay?" the officer asked, walking back towards them.
This was his chance. He could take over the cop's body. That was a far better position to be in, to figure out what was going on, than the woman's body. Plus, the cop was a man. The less time he had to stay in a woman's body, the better.
