It took Roxy, Evie, Thea, and Edol about a few seconds to realize what had actually happened to them. Everyone was intact – alive and well. Who had saved them? No one knew. It couldn't have been an ordinary butterfly – an insect weighing little more than a gram? Then who? Or what? This place was clearly home to powerful forces beyond the reach and control of man. Evil dwelt here. And evil has no place in this world. At least not in the City. We have to save him. Warn the others. Call for help. Gather an army and defeat the monsters. If necessary, raze all the Forests and Steppes to the ground. Or lower.

– Shall we go back? " Roxy was the first to speak, as expected.

– What was that?" Edol asked, scratching the back of his head.

– We failed the mission, you oaf! " Roxy shouted at him. How could she, a real star, successful in everything, screw up? Not catch a single scary beast? She was loved, no, just adored by the whole school, and she chickened out! They can't let that go!

– I remember the old woman," Evie said slowly, almost syllabically.

– What? Nonsense We were in the forest," Roxy countered.

– You were the first to set foot in it, and Thea and I were here for a while," Evie explained. – Right, Thea?

– Uh-huh," she mumbled. As before, so now, you couldn't get many words out of her. "And who are they all – just a bunch of losers!"

– Anyway, listen," Edol said, – there's no point in us staying here. We've got to go home – no, we'd better go to the police. They'll come and arrest these vile creatures.

– Yeah, and let them get what they deserve. Kick them, and kick them hard!" that thought didn't seem so stupid to Roxy.

– Let's get out of here before it gets dark," Evie was drawn toward the house, toward the chips on the shelf and the phone charger.

– Okay, let's go.

The four started back the way they'd come. Their journey had been almost useless, but now they had a purpose: to find and kill evil monsters. Better than cramming for algebra and geometry exams.

– People? Here? And who are they? " a worried Galya asked the butterfly, who had just returned from the Forest. – Of course, unless you mean those poor children…

– They were human youngsters. Four of them," sang the butterfly.

– I saw them. Apparently, they all went into the Forest.

– Yes. They're dangerous.

– You think so? I am not sure they're dangerous at all. People haven't come to our land for centuries. Except, of course, for the simple farmers. But they don't care about us.

– We could be in trouble. We could be attacked.

– By who? Children? Aren't they schoolchildren?

– There are adults.

– I don't know. I'll tell Louise.

– Louise is a child.

– She's going to be a Butterfly! The only one in the whole neighborhood.

– That won't happen for a while.

– Then forgive me, but what do you suggest?" it seemed Galya was beginning to lose patience. She didn't want to change the way things were and fight people instead of her and Louise's carefree life. The world had changed. Years and centuries had passed, and knights and kings had been replaced by programmers and designers. Of course, Galina was far from modern urban realities and generally the problems of existence, but now, and indeed, vigilance will not be superfluous. I'd have to send Louise on a little errand.

When Galina approached the house, she found the girl sitting on the doorstep with her arms around her knees. "Isn't she crying? I don't remember my Louise ever crying at all".

– Is everything all right?" the old woman asked timidly, stroking the girl's back.