Butterfly Effect

"Stop fucking lying man." Yosef holds his sides as he chuckles at the woman in the chair.

"You laugh now but just wait. She'll be fighting soon so you can see for yourself." Her hands continue to shake as the horrors of that day play over again in her head.

He abruptly stops laughing, "Fighting? So she's here?! Where is she and how do I get to her?!" He walks over to her and stands in her face. She shakes her head and slowly rocks back and forth. "No one knows where she is, not even me..."

"Listen lady, I've been trying to keep my cool but you're really startin' to piss me the fuck off! So just tell me where she's at and save me some time."

She takes her shaky hand and points out to the arena below the glass room. "They've gone quiet, she's next." I follow her gaze and see that the crowd has gone completely silent. All eyes stare at the gate that is slowly rises and a dark figure walks out with a shining sword in their hand.

The gate in the opposite side does the same and out comes a sturdy looking man. He's at least two times the size of the other fighter and has a mean look plastered on his face. My heart races as the person pulls off their hood. I stop breathing and my tongue goes numb. "That's..." I feel vomit begin to rise in the back of my throat but I cover my mouth and force it back down.

"Ain't no way that's her..." I watch as she effortlessly avoids his several attacks and then finally makes her move. She grabs hold of his neck and snaps it. 'She didn't even use her weapon...What the fuck?'

"They won't speak until she leaves. No one knows why, they just remain silent until she leaves the arena."

I blink at her. "Wow okay, you done now or can I go see her?"

She starts to rock back and forth again and shakes her head. "It makes no sense why anyone would voluntarily to see her." She lets go of her face and looks at me; "If you really want to see her she's the only room down the hall."

"Thank you blonde Emma Watson." I push through the heavy double doors and walk down the small hallway. The lights flicker every few seconds and at the end is a door covered in all kinds of scratch marks. Some look too big to be a humans and others I can't tell what the hell they are.

"Will you just stand by the door or will you let your big brother in and we can talk? It is our birthday after all."

***

"Are you sure you're okay? Because I swear to God that if they-"

"Keisha, please. I'm fine and besides, I called to check on you."

"I know but I just miss you. When you coming back bitch? I'm bored without you."

I sigh, "I don't even know girl but I when I get back you think you can do my hair?"

"Dee! It hasn't even been that long and you already took em out?!"

"Yeah, I'm sorry but gotta go. I'll call you when I can. Love you and stay safe!"

"Love you too Dee and of course I'll do it for you, bye." I end the call and one of the men snatches the phone from out of my hand. I'd normally curse him out and maybe even hit him but I have no energy. Instead I walk back to my room and decide to wait for Carlos.

Every morning for the past few days he and that other guy leave around 4 a.m. and get back around noon. And everyday I sit and wait. I try to speak to him but our conversations are always short. It's like he completely changed from the sweet natured person he normally is. I can't help but feel like this is all my fault.

I decide to stop moping and walk to his room. It's only 2 so he probably won't be back for a while. His room is bigger than mine, it has a bookshelf and the bathroom is way larger than my own. I skim the shelf until my hand suttels on a certain book. I sit on his bed and start to read but the smell of him is still on the sheets making it hard for me to focus on the book in my hand. I run my fingers along the sheets of his bed and I lie down. My eyes grow heavy as I slide under the covers and let his scent fill my nose. I don't mean to fall asleep but I'm far too comfortable to move now.

***

"Where is she at?"

"She's upstairs boss."

"Did she eat today?"

"No sir, I brought back groceries but she refused to eat."

"She just grabbed a water bottle and an apple then left."

"Damnit, okay. Did she make any calls?"

"Just one sir."

"To who, why, and what were they talking about."

"A friend named Keisha and they were just blabbing."

"Hm, well you three handle the situation out back. I'll go speak to her."

After I dismiss them, I head to her room and knock on her door but there's no response. "Dee? I'm can I come in?" There's still no answer. 'She must be asleep.' I leave from her door and walk into my room. I pause when I see her peacefully sleeping in my bed, I close the door and look at how adorable she looks.

I pull the book from her hand and set down on my nightstand and pull the cover over her legs. I turn to leave but there's a small tug on my shirt. I look back and see that she has grab hold of me in her sleep. 'Seeing her like this feels almost normal...' I want to stay but my better judgement makes remove her hand and leave.

"Stay."

I freeze dead in my tracks. Did she wake up? I peek over my shoulder to see but she's still fast asleep. "Please? Stay." Her voice is filled with such pain. A single tear decorates her resting features. "Shit Dee, you're not supposed to even be here." I grab a chair and set it beside the bed and hold her hand and wipe away her tear. "Maldita Mariposa, siempre te las arreglas para llegar a mí."

(Damn Butterfly, you always manage to get to me.)

While sitting in that chair, I get some of the best sleep I've had since we arrived here. "I guess we'll talk when you wake Butterfly."