***Loosely based on the true story of Corrections Officer Vicky White***
By Stuart Stephens
Carrie Vaughn had spent 20 years as a corrections officer in Southern Georgia. Respected by her peers, she knew the ins and outs of the prison system better than anyone. Her stern, no-nonsense demeanor was matched only by her sense of duty and loyalty to her job. She had always been by the book, never slipping up or allowing personal feelings to interfere with her work.
But things had changed in the last two years.
Carrie was 50, and life hadn't quite panned out the way she'd imagined. Her marriage had ended years ago, quietly dissolving into the kind of indifferent separation where both parties simply drifted away from each other. No children, no family waiting for her at home, just a small, aging house and the company of her cat. The once-strong connection she'd had to her job had faded into a monotony of days blurring together. She felt like she was disappearing, sinking into a routine she couldn't break free from.
That's when Eli Harris came into her life.
Eli was one of the prison's most notorious inmates, a tall, charismatic man who had been convicted of multiple violent crimes. His reputation as a manipulator was well-known, but Carrie, ever the professional, believed she could handle him. He was just another inmate. She was wrong.
It started slowly. Eli would linger a little longer during check-ins, striking up casual conversations that turned into deeper, more intimate exchanges. He had a way of making Carrie feel seen, like she was more than just a cog in the prison machine. His gaze was intense, focused, as though she was the only person in the world who mattered. She hadn't realized how much she missed being noticed.
At first, Carrie dismissed their talks as harmless. But soon, she found herself looking forward to their interactions, lingering at his cell longer than she should, laughing at his jokes, listening to his stories. She knew it was dangerous. She knew what inmates like Eli were capable of. But something about him made her feel alive, something she hadn't felt in years.
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The Suggestion King
Short Story"The Suggestion King" is a loosely based fictional retelling inspired by the real-life story of corrections officer Vicky White. It follows Carrie Vaughn, a respected corrections officer who, after 20 years of dedicated service, becomes emotionally...
