Butterfly Apocalypse: The Phonecall

Avi found a strange sort of entertainment walking the hallways of Home. One of her favorite games would be to keep strolling in a strait line. Never backing up. Never turning around. And seeing how many rooms she could hit in a certain period of time. Sometimes, if she didn't want to be found she would just think of being lost in the hallways and that's where she would stay. Of course if anyone really needed to talk to her they could use the Hivemind. But the past few days had been uneventful. And while the lack of chaos was always a good thing. She would often find herself bored. Avi had not yet discovered her new ability like the others. And as such she would get frustrated when she couldn't keep busy. The first butterfly didn't have a power yet.

How lame.

Avi opened the entrance and walked out onto the empty courtyard. The wind was picking up and whipping around her. She looked up and saw nothing but blue skies. For a moment she thought of life. What things used to be like. Everyone seemed to be happy just being here. They wern't worrying about their families and friends back home. Truth was, Avi was missing the old days. She hadn't thought that would have been possible. This whole experience was a welcome adventure despite the dangers involved. The people here loved and cared for her. But it wasn't home.

Her real home.

Suddenly a giant flying shadow fell over her. It banked hard and doubled back. Moving closer to the ground the creature put his feet down and landed running. The giant bird like wings helping him keep balance. Normally this would of spooked Avi but she already knew who this creature was.

“Hey Avi!” Dox called as he approached. His wings shrinked behind him and seemed to disappear. He had to have one of the coolest powers of all. Flight. Compete with wings.

“Dox! What's up?”

“Your going to want to go back inside.”, Dox started. “A huge sand storm is headed this way and fast.”

“Wow a real sandstorm?”, Avi said surprised. The wind started to pick up again. This time it seemed more violent.

“Yeah. I'm going to cover up the turrets then get the hell inside.”

“Have you told the others?”

Dox smiled and tapped his temple. “Just did.”

“Alright I'll head in.”, Avi smiled back.

“Okay. See you inside.” Dox turned and ran off. Just as quickly as they had disappeared, his giant wings came back and soon he was off the ground. Avi could see the sand and dust start to swirl. She couldn't even see the sky that well anymore. The sand was beginning to hit her face. She turned to head in when she suddenly heard an odd sound. It was almost like a ringing but the wind was drowning out most of it. She cupped her hands over her eyes to see better and looked around, finally finding what was making the noise. A cellphone. It glowed as it rang. Avi knelt down and picked it up. It rang again and the screen blinked No Number. The wind was now pelting her with sand and dust.
Tarvok opened the entrance and yelled out. “Avi! Come on! Get inside!”
Avi clutched the phone and ran for the door. When she finally got inside Tarvok had to use all his stregnth to shut the door. He locked it then turned to Avi.

“What were you doing out there? Didn't you hear Dox?”, he asked.

“Yeah he told me but I found this phone...” Avi stopped as she held up her hands. Nothing but sand was there, filtering through her fingers.

“Hey! What happened to the phone?”

Tarvok looked at her oddly. “Uh....Avi....that's the strangest phone I've ever seen.”

“I know I had it.”, Avi insisted. “Maybe I dropped it.”

Tarvok shrugged, “Maybe. Are you sure you saw a phone?”

“Yes Tarvok.", Avi explained angrily. It was in my hand ringing. It even lit up and said no number on it.”

“Ooookay....”, Tarvok droned. “Well maybe you did drop it. But no sense in looking for it now.”

“Tarvok! If that was a working phone then we need to go get it. It might be the only way to communicate with the outside world here!.” Avi was pretty insistant. Everyone knew that Home has many comforts. The use of phones or the internet was not one of them. “We could tell our families we're okay!”, Avi proclaimed.

“I'm not so sure Avi. It seems kinda odd that there is a phone all of a sudden. Especially when we haven't seen anything like that since we got here.”, Tarvok offered.

“Everything here is odd. Besides....I...” Avi stopped. She didn't want them to think she didn't like it in Home. She was grateful for the protection. And to be surrounded by this family. She just wished she could make sure things were alright back.....home.

“Come on Avi. Let's go play a videogame. I'll let you beat me again.”, Tarvok smiled. Avi recultantly went along. All she would be able to think about that night was the phone.

                                                                        ***

The next day the storm has passed. It was another bright sunny day. Avi has spent the whole morning scouring the perimiter of Home for the phone. It's not like there was any real place it could hide. But she came up empty handed. The thing was gone. Frustrated, she decided to blow off some steam at the range.
The fireing range is actually a long thin table suspending a number of empty soda cans from the Mess Hall. Avi had set it up on the opposite side of Home. Furthest away from the entrance while still being in the courtard. She may not have had a power but she did have two 9mm pistols that she practiced with for a few hours each day. She was getting very good very quickly. And was possibly the most adept of the butterflies at her chosen weapon. As she was setting up the next round of cans a sound filtered through the air.
A ringing sound.
Avi quickly looked around and desperately searched for the location of the phone. She ran a few feet and found it in the middle of nothing. Just laying on the ground. The screen lighting up with the No Number text glowing across it. Avi picked up the phone and answered it. She waited a minuet and listened before saying....

“Hello?”

A light static could be heard.

“Hello?”

Nothing.

“Who is this?”

The deep labored breathing from a gas mask fell into Avi's ear.

“Help3r? What do you want?”

The call hung up. Avi scrolled though the phones memory and tried to search for any numbers or information. But it was clean. Like a brand new phone. Then she dialed a number. She was calling her house. It rang and rang. Then someone picked up and answered.

“Hello! Hello! It's me...", Avi was interrupted by the same labored breathing. It stopped long enough for her to hear someone calling out in the background.

"Who's there? What do you want with me? What have you done with my daughter?" Avi recognized the voice. It was her Mother.

"Help3r!", Avi screamed. "You stay the hell away from my family do you hear me?!" The call dropped and all she could hear was a busy signal. Avi dialed again and again but the same busy signal answered. Yelling and throwing her arm up in anger. She was about to chuck the phone at the ground when she heard an alert tone come from the phone. She lowered her hand and saw that a new text message had been received.


"If you want to keep your family safe you'll do exactly what I say."

Clearly it was from Help3r. Avi felt trapped. She didn't feel like she had a choice in the matter. Whatever Help3r wanted, she would have to comply.


"What the hell do you want Help3r?", She texted back.

"Paradox, the winged one. I want a sample of his blood.", The message said.

What on earth could he want with Dox's blood? God knew any idea of collecting it didn't appeal to Avi. Let alone giving such a thing to Help3r.

"How do you propose I get this sample for you?", Avi asked.

"On the inside of the battery cover is a small strip with a sharp end. BE CAREFUL NOT TO CUT YOURSELF. Get the sample from Paradox on the strip and place it back in the cover. Then toss the phone over the wall. If you tell him what your doing I will know. You cannot speak of this to anyone.",  Help3r instructed.

Avi thought long and hard. She couldn't understand why this was so important. She knew that Help3r always made good on his threats.

"And if I do this you'll let my Mother go?", Avi asked.


"Yes.", Help3r responded.

Avi couldn't stand this. But what could she do. Her anger grew and grew until she finally yelled in the hivemind; Dox! Please come quickly!


Avi quickly took the battery cover off the phone and found the strip. One side had a sharp end almost like a small blade but with tiny teeth in it. She removed it, careful not to cut herself. In the next second Dox plummeted down in front of her. The look of concern and rush over his face.

"What's wrong Avi?", Dox asked.

Avi's eyes welled up. She was about to cry. This whole thing was so horrible. She was torn from her home. Brought to this strange place in the middle of nowhere. And didn't even have an ability to show for it. Now her Mother was in danger and she had to betray a friend, her family, to help her. Help3r was many things but a bluffer was not one of them.
Quickly she grabbed his hand, and dragged the sharp end of the strip against his skin drawing blood. Dox quickly pulled his arm back and covered up the scratch with his hand. Avi slammed the strip back into the phone, clicked the cover back in place and ran to the wall. Dox called out to her, but she was already at the wall. She threw back her hand and chucked the phone as hard as she could over the wall.

"Take that you asshole! You better keep your promise!", Avi yelled. She collapsed and started to cry. Dox ran up to her and knelt next to her.

"Avi, what was that all about?", Dox asked. "What the hell is going on?"

"I'm so sorry Dox. I'm so sorry.", Avi turned away from Dox in shame. Dox scooted closer as one of his wings reached over and covered her in a sort of hug. Avi went ahead and leaned into it. She just sat there and cried as Dox tried to understand what happened.

She wouldn't tell Dox why she did what she did. She wouldn't have to.

Dox would find out why soon enough.