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Short Story: Butterfly Effect

Writing prompt: Butterfly Effect. Write a scene, from a third-person POV, based on a small, passing moment you experience this week. This scene will have a fictionalized character experiencing it in place of you. Then you will move the story into the future in first-person POV, where it's revealed this minor moment had a massive effect that ended up completely changing the character's life.

* * * * * * *

Elise flopped onto her bed with a groan. It was two in the morning and sleep was as elusive as ever. Why couldn't she get this story idea out of her head? The opening scene was stuck in her mind, but she couldn't figure out any of the plot points or even think of a proper title for it! She frowned at the shadowy roof trusses above.

Maybe if she wrote down the scene, she'd be able to wind down and get some sleep. With a heavy sigh, she tossed the covers aside once more and grabbed her laptop. Ignoring the blank space where the story title would go and tossing any notion of a plot to the wind, she decided to follow the characters around pantser-style.

How long could it possibly take to write a short story?

~

*One year later*

I gave the document a long look. I had finally run out of ideas. Not a single challenge remained. The characters had led me on a merry chase, and like a skillful DnD Dungeon Master, I had carefully shepherded the ingenious and troublesome group through hell and back before letting them finally declare their victory.

Time and time again, they had slipped out of my grasp, evading my plans and ignoring my hints as they chased after random squirrels like an excited pack of dogs. But they had persevered. Every foe had been vanquished, and every obstacle had been overcome. As for the few that had slipped away, I was going to conveniently label them as plot holes and forget about them, lest the group remember their existence.

Perhaps one day, they would reminisce about the past events and realize a sequel was an option. But I wasn't about to suggest it, at least not today. I had learned a lot more about my characters than I had ever dreamed, and even learned some things about myself, but they deserved their rest, and other stories patiently awaited my attention.

I glanced at the total word count. 624,000 words. Not bad for a short story. I smiled as I regarded the five-book epic series that had joyfully occupied all my free time over the last 12 months. But there was one last thing to do.

I scrolled back to the top of the word document, past all 1,497 pages, to the empty spot where the title should be. I finally had a fitting name for it: The Butterfly Effect.