Cory leaned against the balustrade looking up at the full moon.

For the third consecutive month Cory became overwhelmed by the strange manifestation. What he now understood, was that these abilities he possessed were at their strongest with every full moon. What he still didn’t understand was why it happened.

The sliding door opened and Molly stepped out.

“Mum and Dad are putting on the movie. Do you want to join us?”

“You’re staying?” Cory asked with his gaze transfixed to the full moon.

“If I eat and run, you’ll annoy me about it,” Molly replied.

“Nah, it’s all good. I was thinking about going out.”

“Well, I’ve already told Mum and Dad I’m staying, so you are too.”

Cory didn't reply, his distraction obvious to Molly.

“So how are you going with university? Mum says you spend most of your time studying,” Molly asked, as she came to stand beside Cory.

“Uni's good. I knew becoming a vet would be hard work but I’ll get there.”

“You will. It's what you've always wanted.”

Cory laughed, his love for animals had been apparent from an early age. Unlike those who pick up strays and bring them home, Cory took other people's pets because he thought he could do a better job looking after them. It frustrated his parents to no end and once, when he was twelve, the police were called after someone saw him taking a cat from a neighbour’s yard. After that, his parents made him volunteer at the local animal shelter, even driving him there every Saturday and Sunday on the condition he never took another pet again.

“How are you going with uni?” Cory asked Molly, who was studying to become a primary school teacher.

“Good, can’t complain. Job placements are coming up this semester but I won’t find out which school I’m at until next week.”

“Will they place you somewhere close? They don’t send you into the country for those, do they?”

“No, no. It will be local.”

“Cool.”

Still looking at the moon, Cory asked, “Dads planned our next holiday. Are you coming?”

“It's a free holiday, who wouldn't go?”

“Right, because the last one was a real smasher.” Cory relied.

“Come on, it was fun. It only rained the last day.”

Cory’s thoughts floated back to the three men he had seen. Now certain it wasn't a dream, whoever they were would have the answers as to what was happening to him. He pushed his obsession with understanding to one side.

“Yeah, it was fun... but I still hope Dad has found us somewhere more comfortable.”

Molly laughed. “Knowing dad, he’ll be looking for a place that's hard to come by.”

Cory buried his face in his hands, pretending to be devastated by her comment, which brought another laugh from Molly.

“Well, I guess I’m going no matter what. Like you said, who would refuse a free holiday? You never know maybe one day Dad will take us somewhere great, like a cruise,” Cory said.

“Nah, I heard Mum say they were saving that trip 'till after we're both married with our own kids.”

“That would be right.” Cory sighed. “Never mind, a holiday is a holiday.”

“You like looking at the moon?" Molly asked.

He turned to Molly, surprised.

“Mum says you do this a lot, standing out here looking at the moon?”

Cory shrugged. “It helps me to think.”

Molly placed a hand on Cory’s back.

“If you ever need to talk, you can talk to me.”

At that moment, an intense sense of anger rippled through Cory’s body. He recoiled, gripping the rail to stop falling.

“You all right?” Molly asked, leaning over Cory, concern in her voice.

Cory stared across the backyard. Darkness had fallen, but every detail stood out visible to Cory. He searched for the source of attack. So strong had the sense of danger been Cory became concerned for their lives. His grip on the railing tightened, and he readied himself to take a defensive position – until the sensation suddenly vanished.

Silence surrounded him, until Molly asked again, “Cory, are you all right?”

Cory used his vision to glance beyond the yard but saw nothing. Whoever was out there had vanished. Cory turned to Molly and gave her a small smile. “Yeah, I’m all right.”

“Hell, I thought you would throw up everywhere. You sure you're all right?”

“Yeah, give me a minute.”

They lapsed into silence as Cory took a moment to compose himself.

“Do I look different to you?” Cory asked, after a minute of silence.

Molly stared at him intently and then said, “Why? Are you sick? Does this have something to do with what was wrong with you while we were away?”

“No, I’m not sick,” Cory quickly replied. He’d forgotten about Molly’s concern while they’d been away. “I’m fine. I wanted to know if I looked different in any way.”

“Why?”

Molly’s expression registered confusion, not only by Cory’s question but also his behaviour.

“No reason. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine now.”

“Are you sure, Cory?”

“Yes, I’m fine. So, what movie are we watching tonight?”

Not pleased with the change of topic, Molly went with it.

“Not sure but if we don’t head inside soon Dad will pick and we’ll be left watching some eighties movie neither of us will enjoy.”

Before following Molly inside, Cory took one last glance at the moon and the pale orange tinge surrounding it only on the nights it was full. He desperately wanted to understand. And, more importantly, who was behind the attack on him. Convinced someone was watching him, the last thing he wanted was his family to get involved. For tonight, he would to let it go but decided he would confront whoever it was – before they confronted him first.

While studying the phases of the moon, Cory discovered the next full moon would peak during daylight hours. Unsure how this would affect him, Cory decided to focus on university and his studies while he waited out the moon's cycle. During the new moon phase, Cory’s abilities were at their weakest, but they slowly increased towards the full moon phase.

After the first attack on his senses, there were other occasions where he sensed a penetrating force touch his mind. It became disconcerting, as Cory was yet to encounter who was behind the probing. Sometimes, the sensation had a sense of kindness to it, which confused Cory. Whenever the sensations occurred, Cory always scanned his surroundings, hoping to find the one responsible, but he never saw anything. He watched people more closely, hoping he might see the same orange glow he'd encountered previously. He never did, and he wondered if it would ever happen again.

Still reluctant to tell anyone. A fear born from the unknown left Cory afraid to say anything. Thoughts of experimentation or exploitation if discovered guaranteed Cory’s silence.

“Sweeneys Flat. Can you camp overnight?”

“I don't know, Mum. But I want to get photos of the nocturnal animals there and staying the night makes sense. If I can’t stay the night, I’ll come back home late.”

“Do you need me to do anything?”

“I think I’m fine. Thanks though.”

Sweeneys Flat, north-east of Melbourne, was the closest national park to where Cory lived. The park offered an opportunity for isolation and hopefully bring out whoever was following him.

On his arrival, Cory parked some distance from the entrance before walking in on foot. He hoped to go unnoticed as he carried his bag on his back and followed the public paths further into the park. Given the late in the afternoon Cory didn’t come across another person. He soon left the track and made his way to somewhere more isolated before it got dark.

The leaves and twigs crunched beneath his feet, accompanied by the sound of bugs being crushed. The enhanced sounds more than once made Cory cringe. When he came across a small clearing, Cory decided he would set up camp there; it was isolated enough not to be detected.

From his bag, Cory removed his sleeping bag and laid it out on the ground. He’d considered a tent but decided not to bring it in case he needed to leave in a hurry. With his bag on top of his sleeping bag, doubling as a pillow, Cory took in a deep breath and surveyed his surroundings.

As summer neared the end, the days remained hot and the night's warm. In a plain t-shirt and shorts, Cory brought only a jacket with him should he need it in the morning. As he had told his mother, Cory removed his camera from his bag and wandered off into the bush. With his eyes and ears tuned to the clarity, Cory found all manner of life.

Until the sun set Cory distracted himself with his camera. Although his true purpose was to call out the one following him, Cory would not let the moment be wasted.

As nightfall came, Cory made his way back to his makeshift camp. With care he put his camera away back in his bag and removed the fruit bars he’d brought with him. The surrounding park came to life. Much like his holiday at the Blue Mountains, Cory once more grew amazed at what he heard and saw. But after listening for some time Cory realised he was bored. He’d not been able to detect the sounds of anyone nearby nor had he seen anything that indicated a person surrounded in an orange glow.

Cory pulled out his mobile phone and played games on it. After thirty minutes even that lost its appeal. It never occurred to Cory he’d have nothing to do. He packed his phone away and lay down on his sleeping bag, staring up into the night sky. Arm under his head, Cory hoped his being there didn’t end up being a waste of time.