Theo's story.
After writing a few notes on mystery events, the editor-in-chief proposed that he review the column on the subject. He was given all the reports on haunted houses and interviews, but generally, what he received was ridiculous.
People pretending to be possessed, murderers claiming that something made them do it, supernatural entities allegedly covering crimes, trespassers claiming they were investigating haunted houses, even a woman who swore she had seen an archangel.
He was very disappointed, and many of the stories that reached his hands, he edited and altered, adding things relevant to his investigation, always focusing on the truth.
Many times, he was tempted to invent a story himself, but his father's words resonated within him and prevented him from doing so.
His mother had always wanted him to live a life guided by the truth. Theo's enthusiasm waned, and it was around that time he received the note about three young people who told stories and challenged their audience to guess three lies hidden in their adventures.
At first, the reporter almost discarded the note, but he found more of them, and as he organized them, he became intrigued. A fan of the kids had summarized their stories:
"The Howl of the Hill," "The Red Tights," "Celestial Fire," "The Man-Eating Tree". All were far too fantastic to be true. And worse, the lies had not been revealed, so he couldn't distinguish truth from fiction.
Theo Ruth's curiosity evolved from a strange interest to an obsession. He couldn't stop thinking about them. He deduced the lies he believed might exist, and with a smile, went to visit them. He spent five weeks observing them, taking notes on how they moved, spoke, and behaved. He investigated and asked townspeople to describe them.
He aimed to understand them. When he felt ready, he confronted them, achieving victory on his first attempt. That same week, he published the Saturday Mystery Column titled "Echoes of Lies."
On Sunday, they received an overwhelming number of letters and emails, surpassing 145, and stopped counting. People asked about the story with excitement and expectation, many calling the kids liars, but everyone agreed it was the most interesting column so far.
Ruth couldn't contain his excitement and wrote a response that Sunday addressing the questions from the majority of letters.
This caused the newspaper sales to spike from a single note like that. The editor ordered Ruth to go to that location every Friday, defeat the kids in their game, and increase sales ratings.
Theo sighed again. His streak ended on the third encounter with them. Not only was he defeated, but sitting alone in his cubicle analyzing the story, he realized it was perfect, they had beaten him, and his deductions were wrong.
The worst part: he hadn't even thought of those lies, yet the real lies were provided to him. Taking the notes he had received earlier and the five weeks of observation, the kids had never told the truth after winning.
So telling him the lies was a way of rubbing it in. Nevertheless, Theo didn't feel depressed or angry; his excitement grew with every minute he analyzed the scenario. He had rivals, the challenge wasn't over, and he could continue the column.
But it would have to be written honestly, that was his conclusion. His "name" was at stake. Truth would prevail, and perhaps his defeat would even heighten his readers' enthusiasm, proving he wasn't invincible.
That would make everything more exciting. Theo closed his notebook and finished writing the column, smiling at every word shining on his screen. After saving, he left the work on the publishing desk, closed his briefcase, and left his office, turning off the lights, giving one last smile to his desk and his plaque.
Muttering to himself, "Next week, I won't lose."
Turning off his cubicle light, he closed the door, it didn't shut completely, letting a small beam of light reach his plaque, which displayed: "Editor-in-Chief T. Ruth"
.......
Author's Notes
Theodore is a classic name meaning "Gift of God."
Ruth is associated with truth.
Lawrence well the Law, that's why he was called God of Law
I wonder if readers will also notice the protagonists' wordplay. Good luck.