The Accidental Influencer

My phone buzzed with a ferocity that suggested it was trying to escape my pocket. I fumbled, nearly dropping it, before snagging it with a triumphant, if slightly sweaty, grip. A cascade of notifications flooded the screen, each one more alarming than the last. My eyes widened, scanning the headlines that were already popping up like particularly aggressive dandelions. “Mysterious Golden Cloud Over City Park,” “Is This a New Species of Bird?” “Alien Furry Creature Spotted!” And then, the one that made my stomach do a backflip worthy of a Cirque du Soleil performer: “Viral Sensation: The Mane Man of Maple Street!”

Oh. Oh dear.

I knew immediately. It had to be Arke. That majestic, ridiculously over-the-top mane of his. He’d been trying so hard to be inconspicuous, wearing that ridiculously wide-brimmed hat that made him look like a particularly confused mushroom. But then, of course, a rogue gust of wind, a sudden sneeze from Arke (which, honestly, sounded like a lion clearing its throat), and *poof*. The hat had flown off, revealing the glorious, golden tsunami that was his mane. And I, in my infinite wisdom, had been attempting to capture a candid shot of him looking… well, less like a startled opera singer and more like a regular human. My photography skills, much like my general coordination, are best described as “enthusiastic but ultimately ineffective.” The resulting photo was less “candid Arke” and more “blurry golden explosion with a hint of bewildered eyes.” And apparently, the internet had decided this blurry golden explosion was the next big thing.