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> Chaos theory states that within the apparent randomness of chaotic complex systems, there are underlying patterns, interconnection, constant feedback loops, repetition, self-similarity, fractals, and self-organization. The butterfly effect, an underlying principle of chaos, describes how a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state (meaning that there is sensitive dependence on initial conditions). A metaphor for this behavior is that a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil can cause a tornado in Texas.

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Penny found the office building quite quickly. She knew the street. Penny recognized the bistro shop right on the left side. She used to be that Penny. A bored woman with a tedious job and no prospects in life. And one day, everything changed. And she was not ready to let go of all she had conquered. To accept that all she had worked so hard for would vanish because her self-past still existed. No, there would be no copy of herself threatening to corrupt her perfect world. Penny needed to kill Penny.

She was at the main gate when she crossed with a man with wavy hair holding a yellow gallon: 'Penny?'

'Hi.'; she mumbled, not recognizing him. Who was it?

'Weren't you just at the front desk, now?' He asked as he passed by her, then looked back.

'I came to take fresh air.'; she said, smiling awkwardly.

He laughed and took out his phone from his pocket. 'You're back to smoking? Is that it?'

She used to, yes. She used to smoke almost a pack per day. Did this Penny quit? 'Telling myself I'll quit after the new year.'; and chuckled.

'Well, you know what they say...,' he smiled

'What do they say?'

'It's time for me to go now.'; he said, embarrassed. 'Need to take this acid home, have some... rat infestation. See you later.'

Penny couldn't shake away the strange feeling in her gut. There was something wrong with that man. She reminded herself that this timeline would be deleted soon, and all types of anomalies, mandala effect, crossing events, and corrupted data would just disappear and turn into zeros and ones.

She entered the building and as soon she gave two steps she saw her. It was like seeing herself in a mirror. A young redhead woman pretending to be cheerful, happy, and friendly when in truth, she was fighting a crippling depression and gathering a generous sum in credit card debt. That was her, a sad, lonely person. But now, she would take her out of her misery.

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She approached the counter: 'Hi.'

'Hi, how may I help you?'; said the receptionist distracted. And when she raised her head, she gasped, revealing an expression of pure terror on her face.

'Could you follow me? We need to talk.'

'I can't. I'm working. I...'; she looked around as if she was looking for someone to confirm she did not see things that didn't exist.

Penny placed her gun on the balcony: 'You don't have much of a choice.'

'What is with everyone showing me their gun lately!'

'Get out of the counter, and follow me. I'm trying to be nice!'; Penny threatened.

The receptionist raised her hands, moving along with the gun pointed at her.

Penny walked behind her and followed her down the corridor until she reached a small room where she stood next to the door. The girl hesitated but finally opened the door and stepped inside. 'Why are you doing this?'

'Because you want to die, and I want to live. So let me help you get your wish. You will not feel anything, I promise.'

They both stared at each other. One with her hands raised above her head, the other holding a gun. 'Why?'

Penny lowered the gun for a moment and wetted her lips: 'There is a timeline of an almost perfect world. There are no wars, no hunger. We learned from human past mistakes and how to trick death and keep our cemeteries almost empty. The whole world behaves as neighbours. But it is hard work to keep our world clean from any corruption. We must clean any cluster that could destroy our almost perfect Utopia.'; Penny took a second: 'We, I mean me, are married. His name is Robert. We have two adorable children. We named them after the founders. Our house is really nice, very cosy. And we love our job. It is hard and tiring. Eske has a very special temper, but he is a good guy. It is a perfect life. One that can only be dreamed of, but real.'

'What does it has to do with me? I'm not gonna steal your life! I don't want it.'

'Mathematics. The more of us, the more probability of creating new repeated, almost copied timelines. The more timelines created, the bigger the risk of tangling our reality. One multiplied by zero equals zero. No chance of copying a new timeline. But multiply by one equals one, and two equals two. No citizen of Pi can have more than zero. We can't be a threat to our own reality. Is that simple.'

Penny put her hand on the receptionist's shoulder: 'Don't worry about it, you won't feel anything. It would be like it never happened.'

The girl shook her head: 'No! No, I'm not a number!'

'Yes, you are.'; Penny grabbed the gun tighter, pointing to the other Penny's head: 'Even chaos is made of patterns and numbers!'

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Her eyes were wide open. Her mouth was agape. 'Please, don't. I don't want to die!'

Penny squeezed the gun's trigger, releasing the firing pin, and moved forward. While the firing pin strikes the primer, exploding. The other Penny jumps towards her. Meantime, the spark from the primer ignites the gunpowder. The two redheads fall against the door, and the gun's gas converted from the burning powder rapidly expands in the cartridge, ricocheting into the wall.

Both women disappeared behind the door while a loud siren could be heard in every corner of the world: 'Greetings, citizens of the world. I'm Chloe, speaking on behalf of Pi timeline. Don't be afraid.'

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