"Hi. How are you? Can I get you something from the diner?" asked William.
The frail old woman carefully placed the box of cereal she was holding down on to the ground next to the small section of chainlink fence protruding from the wall behind her.
"Awww, look at you - a fine example of youth. I bet you're a very decent young man. Maybe someone upstanding like a doctor or something?"
William smiled a little at the remark. "Not quite, I'm afraid. I'm just the harbourmaster's apprentice. Nothing special."
"Aaaah. Yes, I remember you. I've seen you at the lighthouse. Your young lady works in the diner, doesn't she? A very kind and caring young woman she is. Joyce, isn't it?"
"Yes. That's my beloved. She's a real treasure. I'm a very lucky man."
"Yes, that you certainly are, William. She's fed me more times than I can remember. As for you, I would imagine that a lot of responsibility comes with looking after the harbour here. The very lives of our brave fisherman rest in your hands. You are far more important to this town than you realise, young William."
"I'll settle for merely being important to Joyce. But thanks. And you can call me Bill. Virtually everyone else does."
"The gratitude is all mine. Not many people ever take the time to come back here and talk to little old me. In fact, most folk pretend not to see me. But I see them. I see everybody...and everything. I see you, William. Outwardly you appear content, but I sense something weighs heavy on your mind. Carrying that weight around with you must be a heavy burden. Others may not be able to see it, but I do. Maybe you'd like to tell me what you're hiding?"
"It's strange, but I feel like I can trust you as much as Joyce, and you wouldn't think I'm crazy."
"Too late for me to judge anybody. Plus, you're not crazy."
"Thanks, but I'm not so sure about that. I have dreams. Peculiar dreams. But I think that they're not just dreams. I think that they're far more than that. I think...I think that they're...that they are...never mind. Forget I said anything. I'm just being foolish."
"If you don't want to share, you don't have to."
The woman smiled then, her weathered and wrinkled face completely transformed by it. 'My god! This woman shines when she smiles like that.' It was as if the sun had descended into the alley and was bathing William in its golden glow. He felt like it was permeating every fibre of his being. The warmth gently, but at the same time intensely, coursed all the way through him and soothed him from the inside out. He realised that he had lost track of the conversation. He felt confused and muddled, but in a peaceful, pleasant way.
"Er...where were we? I was daydreaming for a moment there. Sorry. So, how long have you lived in Arcadia Bay?" William asked as he gathered his thoughts.
"A thousand years, probably. Who knows? Time doesn't really matter to me. I've seen many changes to this place."
"What sort of changes?"
"Changes it takes more than a lifetime to see. I'm sure that I'll see many more, too."
"Is Arcadia Bay your home? Have you ever lived outside of here?"
"I might be homeless, but Arcadia Bay is still my home. I've been here for what seems like an eternity, but I don't mind. I like the sun, and I welcome the mist as well. They balance each other out. There's a lot of beauty here...but a lot of darkness, too."
"Yes. It's a lovely little town. But I think I know what you mean – about the darkness."
"Sounds like you know a lot more than me, William."
"Hardly. But...I think my dreams may be...this is going to sound quite strange...I think that they are visions...visions of the future. My future. The future of the town."
"Really? And what makes you think that?"
"I'm not sure, just a feeling. And they're so terribly realistic. I've never had dreams like these before."
"Few people have. What happens in these dreams?"
"Lots of things. I don't know where to begin...there's a blue butterfly – that's in most of them. And a doe. That's in lots too."
"Interesting. Anything else?"
"I see a young girl in hospital. She's asleep or unconscious in a bed – I can't tell which. The butterfly lands on her chest. Then she changes into a different, older girl with bright blue hair, the same blue as the butterfly. Then it's a much older woman. All three of them are in a hospital bed. All of them are asleep, or maybe...and the last one is two old ladies cuddling each other as they sleep in a normal bed. I don't know why, but I feel like I know all of them. But I've never seen any of them before. The connection feels so strong, though."
"Hmmm. If you think that your dreams are showing you the future, then maybe you will know them in time. Maybe time can flow backwards as well as forwards."
"That sounds really far-fetched, but..."
"There are many strange things in this world of ours, William. Please, continue. What else have you seen?"
"It comes in small fragments – like little slices of time. A small clearing. A treehouse. And often there's the same two young girls. One of them, she's riding a train, huddled up amidst the tree trunks. Then she's digging with her hands. Crying as she reads a letter. Slumped in a shower tray. She's crying then as well...and bleeding. The droplets fall into the water...but then they turn into chocolate chips hitting the sidewalk. Then she's hugging the other girl, weeping at the side of a grave. The blue butterfly rests on the casket. Then the scene sort of ripples, but everything comes back exactly the same...except the taller girl isn't there any more. The smaller girl stands there all by herself, alone and weeping. She looks older now...and totally heart-broken. It really hurts me to see the poor wee lamb's face like that. There's far too much pain and sorrow there for such an innocent to have to bear. For someone so young and pretty to look so...crushed...it tears me apart. I wake up crying."
"The poor girl. But I firmly believe that the future isn't set in stone. Things can change. People can change things. Perhaps someone will."
"I hope so. I really do. Because things just get worse and worse."
"Do they? How so?"
"I sense someone...no...some thing. It's terrifying. And it's on its way. Coming here. To Arcadia Bay. And when it gets here..."
"Yes?"
"It...a storm is coming. A really bad storm. A storm that...destroys everything. The town. The bay. Everything."
"Try not to worry too much, William. That storm may never happen at all. The very smallest of actions can have truly massive repercussions. Just one person could alter the course of everything."
"You're talking about 'The Butterfly Effect'?"
A faint golden glimmer of a smile gilded her face. "Indeed. A most fitting name for it, I feel."
Joyce poked her head around the corner. "Bill! Telephone! It's Aaron. Hi Elanor." Joyce smiled and waved, and Elanor reciprocated warmly.
"Coming dear!" William called back. "I'll just go take this call and then I'll return with some food and drink for you. I'd like to talk some more with you if you don't mind?"
"Thank you William. You and your young lady are truly wonderful people. Arcadia Bay is very fortunate to have the pair of you. Come talk to me any old time you want, young man. I'll always be here."
"Thanks. I won't be long."
"Take your time, William."
William turned and left the alleyway. A blue butterfly alighted from its position atop the diner's sign and came to rest upon Elanor's shoulder. A tiny black nose emerged from behind a blue corrugated sheet which was leaning against the wall. The nose was soon followed by the rest of the creature. It was a rabbit with the purest white fur, the only exception being the ears, which were a deep and dusky shade of black. The old woman took a carrot from the star-shaped bowl on the ground next to her and proceeded to feed the small rabbit.
"Well Alice, we finally meet William Price. Such a lovely person. A terrible shame, but what choice do we have? It has to be him."