The cloaked figure's face was almost completely obscured by the hood. The only thing you could faintly make out seemed like a ring of eyes peering down at me. The faint light from the moon. It felt like forever that they watched me frozen in place, expecting me to make a move. But instead of grabbing the knife in my hand or even reaching out to grab me, it gently tilted its head.
Its voice sounded daunting for sure but nothing that was impossible for someone to make. It only seemed otherworldly matched with its tall stature, “Seeking lies in the face deary?”
It was familiar. Old memories of their face flashed into my mind again as my eyes widened. It was all coming back to my mind due to them mocking my endearing words.
My own voice was fearless but now confused, “Gale? You go by Hoax now?”
It mocked me again just like the old days, “And you became Dante? I dreamt you a better name than this.”
My stature relaxed as I squinted at the hood, “Can you show me your face then? Just so I’m sure it’s you?”
Gale gave a gentle nod. One of the arms reaching up and pulling back the veil to reveal a normal nonferal. The ring of eyes was only an illusion. Her feathers had white spots with black marks in the center of each, portraying a creature much more terrifying than she was. That’s not to say she wasn’t terrifying in her own ways. Being a dark barn owl, her pitch black eyes appeared to have no pupils. Darkness spreads out from them making them seem sunken in. It was hard to see the point that her eyes ended and face started.Though wasn’t much to see there anyways. Her expression is almost always just as stoic as her voice and strange speech patterns, “You know my name, why do you not wield it?”
I huffed, “I didn’t know it was you out here scaring my clients. Otherwise I would have!”
She gently smiled but her tone showed no change, “Why do you stumble here? For strong legs on soft soil is no challenge. No growth. Perhaps just healing yet again? You heal a perpetual wound? Perhaps a wound you imagined?”
I responded a bit spitefully, “I could say the same to you. Why are you scaring people out here? You know this town is full of people paranoid of cryptids. Everyone thinks you are one.”
“Simply misled, they took themselves imagination as well. Though after our departure, my path led to a path of insights. I gift these warnings so none shall trip and fall. My fearful face as a means of serious consideration. Imprinting of the mind. No memory left behind of it.”
Gears turned in my mind as my chin titled up some, “I know you well. You seek Wendell’s weakness yourself I would assume. Not just for Michael's sake but your own.”
Gale shook her head, “I only provide for ones of calloused hands, not the one who provides them labor.”
I folded my arms, “Oh really? You of all people wouldn’t have any interest in that? From day one you’ve always hated him even back at the orphanage. I haven’t forgotten that. Left an imprint on the mind. No memory left behind and all that bullshit.”
She explains though it is as convoluted as always. She reminded me of Sage in that way but at least with Gale I knew there was a reason behind it all other than profit, “Indeed I could have my revenge but seek it not. I refrain and hold constant as a careful footing on a rope. Tilting not away from what I have seen so it may be reality. To hit the scalps of those below me from my own misstep. That which I avoid. You whom I protect.”
I questioned her more, “So what’s this insight then?”
“Dreamt by the bead of a feather. Though you can hold your words until you see it for yourself. I know what your mind makes of them and I will not hear it. Such is the ways of a toddler turning down carrots. New to the mind as a fear not a chance.”
I took a deep breath, “Again with the feather things? It’s just a metal bead! Unless it's laced with mercury and making us all halusinate, it isn't going to give us any real insights.”
Her eyes narrowed, “Sleep with its reflection in the eyes of you and the moon. Tell me then is of coming days. What weakness is sought yet seeming meaningless. Surely to you it brings ends of days. Sun never rising. Your best interest, involved.”
Every fiber of my being wanted to reach in her head and fix whatever faulty wiring was deciding to believe the feather nonsense. It simply wouldn't make sense to work. That hint of frustration spilling out between my gritted teeth as I replied, “FINE. I’ll put it in my window, go to bed, and hallucinate that the world is going to blow up if I don’t get to know my boss better. Thanks.”
I started to turn and leave but her hand gently rested on my shoulder. I paused to look at her with a judgemental glare, “What?”
Her voice now had a slight tinge of concern, “You are of this. No matter the ways, keep steady.”
I pushed her hand off my shoulder, “Just because you said it dramatically doesn’t mean it’s true.” I started to walk back towards the lodge before adding another comment, “And stop hanging around peoples houses at night. Knock and talk to them during the day. You’re likely to get shot out here if you keep doing that.”
All I heard as I approached the window to my room was my own steps in the grass. But looking behind myself, she was already gone. An entire being with a tremendous height that's able to just step out of sight without the sound of even a breath. If anyone was a cryptid here it would be that recluse.
After all, cryptids are supposed to be mysterious and hard to find or prove the existence of. But Gale was far from it. Since she wasn’t one there wasn't anything remotely cryptic left out there. The second you think it's there, it's understood and no longer one. Besides, we live in a realistic world. We don’t have magic or things that make no sense. Reason reigns here as nothing is suddenly going to be defying the laws of nature just to be creepy. There would be no point to that. Chemicals and DNA don’t suddenly decide to give normal people super powers, so why would any beings in the woods be any different?
If it doesn’t look, sound or act like a cryptid, then it isn’t one. Though no one ever listens to me. Everyone thinks I’m just critical of it without merrit. Just because I'm a snake doesn’t mean I do nothing but spread lies. I just see things for how they are. REAL clarity. Not some smoke and mirrors to fool you. Would you rather believe a fake cryptid literally calling themselves a Hoax, or a real snake who is honest and upfront about what they are?