The butterfly effect

It was December 13th 1996, a date that resonates so clearly in Adam's mind. As he closed his front door behind him he could feel the bite of the winter's wind but he wouldn't let this stop him from exploring his new found hobby.

After leaving school only four years previously Adam was a trainee mechanic and working with all that clunking of metal day in and day out it got him thinking about what metallic treasures could be hidden beneath us. He knew his Father had owned a metal detector many years ago and luckily for him he still had it in the shed, albeit covered in dust and needing a quick clean.

It was Adam's fifth or so time venturing out onto the public fields only a ten minute walk from his house, previous expeditions would only uncover the likes of rusty old cans or an old two pence coin if he was lucky but he wouldn't let this deter him from the mystery and excitement as he made his way there. Once he arrived he gazed over the breezy fields with the sun reflecting off his spectacles, he was trying to discover a spot that was fresh and untouched when he noticed a magpie sitting in a specific part of the field. He felt as if the mischievous bird was beckoning him and without a conscious thought he made his way over as it flew off into the distance.

It was less than five minutes into waving his device over the grass that he started to get a faint beeping sound, he zooms his ears closer to the ground and continues waving slowly 'beep beep' he'd found the exact point. He throws his rucksack to the floor and scrambles for his trowel, without hesitation he digs frantically at the earth waiting for the buried treasure to come into view and reveal itself but what he saw just left him confused. "It's a piece of wood" he exclaims out loud, he carries on scraping the soil to reveal more wood, he suddenly realises that this is some sort of box. He manages to get his hands on one of the edges and pulls with all his might until it finally comes free, it topples out of it's grave and lands next to him as he gets his breath back.

The box looks like it has been here for quite some time with the condition of the wood, there is no lock to his relief so he opens it slowly without any real difficulty, what he sees inside bewilders him, a small black notebook with metallic symbol of a butterfly on the cover. His curiosity overrules him immediately as he opens the book to find nothing but blank pages, he flicks his thumb through the book to make sure he hadn't missed anything when he notices something on a page that flashes past his view. He quickly turns the pages one by one and finds what he was looking for, the page reads 'Les ailes d'un papillon decident de ton destin, Un equilibre pour tout l'univers cree'. He tries to decipher the seemingly French phrase but can only make out what he thinks to be the word 'universe'. His mind is racing but he feels as if this was meant for him, his late Grandfather was French and his Grandmother and Mother both spoke the language fluently. He grabs his possessions and stuffs them into his bag in a hurry along with the mysterious black book.

Adam is running home as he is still thinking about what this message could mean, he has a sudden realisation that his Grandmother's house is a little closer so he diverts and makes his way there. He arrives and knocks on the door lightly not to startle his beloved Grandmother, she opens with a surprised look and says

"Come in love, its freezing out here!" as she ushers him into the living room

"Is everything ok Adam?" she asks as she can sense the strange situation surrounding her.

"Yes Grandma I just need to ask you something"

"Ok what is it?" she replies.

"I've found a book with a phrase in it and I think it's French"

"Alright let me take a look then" she requests with a bemused look.

Adam hands the book to his Grandma turned to the page with the unknown writing, she raises her eyebrows as she reads what is inside, Adam's adrenaline rushes around his body like an electric circuit.

"The wings of a butterfly decide our fate, a balance for all the universe creates" she reads in a calm but haunting tone.

She begins to laugh and hands the book back to Adam.

"I don't know where you found this love but its interesting, I hope it makes sense to you, would you like a cup of tea?"

"Yes please Grandma" he replies in a shaky voice.

She makes her way to the kitchen and washes her hands before flicking the switch on the kettle.

"Two sugars love?"

"That's the one Grandma"

Sitting back in the living room to normalise the conversation again she doesn't hear the sounds of the kettle boiling so she goes back into the kitchen to investigate, she remembered that she had unplugged the kettle to use her blender when preparing dinner earlier that day. She picks up the plug and enters it into the socket when suddenly there is a loud explosion like noise.

"Grandma?" Adam screams as he enters the kitchen to find her lying on her back on the kitchen floor, the water dripping from her hands as he puts the pieces together in his mind of what has just happened.

"Grandma its going to be ok I'm going to get help" as he darts towards the her phone for dialling for an ambulance.

The operator gives him instructions of how to deal with the situation as best he can until help arrives but as he reaches his Grandmother again he can see the life draining from her.

"Stay with me, they will be here very soon" he cries in a worrying and cracked voice.

"I haven't got that long love, I think it's time for me to go" as she takes a sharp intake of breath.

Something catches Adam's eye out of the kitchen window, it's a butterfly that lands on the ledge outside, everything starts to make sense.

"I've left you everything, it's what me and Grandpa would of wanted, just be the best person you can" she whispers as she closes her eyes.

"Au revior mon cheri"