What is your "Butterfly Effect" story?

It was a quiet day at the park. There weren't many people around, with the exception of the peculiar folks I saw standing near the lake, lighting candles.

I walked over to the group, curious. I tried to find someone who seemed approachable. I saw a man who looked to be in his 70s, and I chose to approach him.

"Why are candles being lit here?" I asked.

"We're just paying tribute to our dear Jack, who tragically died in the war," the man replied.

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said. "I suppose he was your grandson?"

"Yes," said the man. "How did you know that?"

I couldn't quite think of how I knew that, so I made up an answer. "Well, the war I assumed you were talking about had a lot of young men in it. And, if you had a grandson, he'd probably fit that description."

The talk we had wasn't going anywhere. I was freaked out by my intuition, having guessed that Jack was his grandson. I was getting a weird feeling, so I thought it'd be best for me to leave. "Anyway... I should get going."

Suddenly, a man rose out of the water. "Could this be Jack?" I thought. I felt some sort of connection to this man. I couldn't explain it. Was it only I who could see this apparition above the lake?

"You..." the apparition spoke, towards me. "Give me my tree fiddy."

That's when I knew... Jack was a man who I never returned his tree fiddy too. Maybe he'd gone to war only to resent me further.

"I ain't givin' you your damn tree fiddy," I said, not knowing what has gotten into me.

"One day you will give me my tree fiddy... One day you will pay." The apparition then disappeared.

I knew it was only a matter of time before I would have to give him his tree fiddy. But I was desperate to keep it. But I don't think I'm greedy... What have I become?

/r/AskReddit Thread