As I scrolled the dates the newspapers were published became more recent. Eventually the first mention of a Harold of Hoaxes came up. We both started to read it to ourselves, “Arrives the Harold of Hoaxes. Yesterday in the middle of the night a man by the name of Harvy reported a new cryptid taking residence in the neighborhood. He spoke about a Harold of Hoaxes arriving in the town. A figure with a long dark cloak and smooth white hands visited him the month prior. It never spoke or showed its face but had smooth white hands. Behind it a pair of angelic wings. He was visited by the figure every night and was convinced it was yet another cryptid. Its presence felt like a warning of things to come. He named it a Harold of Hoaxes after a local cafe he used to frequent. This was because the day he stopped seeing this angelic figure was the same day the cafe’s staff was exposed for improper handling of food and not meeting health code. Staying up at night in fear of this being showing up prevented Harvy from waking up early enough for his morning coffee. The paranoia the creature caused had inadvertently saved Harvy from being accidentally poisoned. As soon as the cafe was closed and reopened with new staff, Harvy was never visited by the being again. And every health inspection from then on proved the cafe to now be spotless. ‘It’s both terrifying and eerily comforting. I just don’t know what to make of it,’ Said Harvy while enjoying his morning coffee at the new cafe.”
Merlin hummed in thought, “Perhaps this creature is a good thing? Nothing to be too wound up about.”
I continued to scroll. to find the next mention, “Hopefully. And if all else fails I can probably go looking for that cafe. Do you know if it’s still open?”
Merlin nods, “I’m pretty sure it is. Though I haven’t heard much about it in awhile. It looked cute from the outside but I already had a coffee shop that I regular a few lots down from here.”
I asked, “Do they sell coffee?”
Merlin responds, “Yes. They ha…” what I had seemed to have processed as he squinted at me, “...yes. The coffee shop sells coffee… are you trying to make a fool of me? Maybe a joke?”
I shrugged, “I dunno. I mean some coffee shops don’t sell coffee. They just sell you hot water and a spoon.”
His suspicions change to light scoff, “Amusing. I would say you’re right then in some cases sadly. But the one I visit does. I typically go there on breaks or after work so I can finally read. Surrounded by books all day and yet I never have the time to open a single one…”
I gesture to the library around us, “Then why are you helping me? Aren’t you busy?”
Merlin shakes his head, “Always though I also always have time for polite people who aren’t here to steal my books or newspapers. It’s a once in a lifetime chance for me these days…” His words trail off with a defeated grumble before lightening up again, “Besides, I get a chance to read something a little easier this time than my usual.”
I stop scrolling as I find the next article. Merlin’s attention immediately turns back to the screen as he hears the mouse wheel stop. But soon the lighthearted atmosphere slowly turned sour.
The next article from a month later was another incident, “Horror of the Harold of Hoaxes. Last night the owner of the Heart Hoax Cafe, Kyle Moore, was reported missing from his home in Wickerwoods. His wife remembers him describing seeing a cloaked figure like that of an angel. It would show up in the middle of the night holding a feral snake in its arms. Kyle openly disregarded it as a stranger trying to cause needless fear. The next month street cameras show him being dragged away from his home in the middle of the night and into the woods. The thing dragging him was a cloaked figure that was never seen again. His wife Harlow was devastated to never see him return home, ‘It’s not like him to not put up a fight. I would have heard it if something happened in our backyard that night.’
Locals theorize it could be an evolved case of the mothman sightings, others called it an angel here to give a warning of hoaxes, while the more sceptical suspect it is just yet another murderer. If you or a loved one spot any abnormal activities, call our newspapers toll free hotline and your story might just solve the mystery.”
Part way into reading the two articles, Merlin had already finished reading. He patiently waited for me to finish before I looked over at him a bit nervously.
Merlin asked, “You didn’t see this thing yourself did you?”
I scoffed, “See it? I fucking talked to it.” I nervously laughed while looking over the article again. My hand on the mouse shook some.
Merlin looked down at my hand in worry, “What happened exactly? Are you going to be ok?”
I wanted to speak but I was swamped with thoughts. A person as strong as the man in that photo went missing. This thing was able to overpower him without even a loud struggle. I was barely half his height and out here I was practically alone. The only person I actually knew was Rosey and under all of the pink and glitter she was just as weak if not more so. Unless it was all connected to my job, I'd have no clue unless I asked Wendell.
My thoughts kept rolling as Merlin interrupted them, “Hey. I know this is going to sound weird…” he nervously glances away, “I know you don’t know me and all but uhm… we could talk about it over a cup of coffee? I used to read a bit on this kind of stuff for fun. That and I grew up here. I could try to help out.” he looks back at me with a polite smile.
Hearing someone trying to help an absolute stranger was a first for me. Anything back at the lodge didn't really count in my mind. As we all lived under the same roof it was probably so their own living space wasn't too much of a living hell.
This felt like a good decision for once. One for my own safety and my first choice going off the script. I nodded, “Uh, yeah you know what? Sure.”
His smile warmed up a bit, “I should be off work in a couple minutes. There’s a cafe two lots down from here. I’ll meet you there.”
I closed the tab on the computer and got up, “Ok. See you then.”