The villagers used the screams as a kind of proximity alarm, hoping that each cry of agony would be enough warning before the creature arrived. A gut-wrenching plea for mercy would mean the lives of another family could be saved. Silence became the enemy. Their rescue team sat in panicked terror after the wet gurgle of a final breath, praying the next voice would sound off just a little further than the last.

It had taken forever to gather the closest five families to the centermost cabin, and Aaron saw to it that every man and woman with a capable pair of eyes was staring out into the darkness. Not that they would see anything. While the others used the twisted cries of their friends and family to locate the beast, Aaron Harver could see it clear as day.

A harsh contrast against the dark night, the creature shimmered in brilliant hues as it crossed from cabin to cabin. It moved with curious purpose, and on several occasions he saw it even stop as if to consider which home it preferred. Every step it took set off another painful flash of light, and he did his best to keep from wincing.

“We’ve got every possible entrance locked down, but we’ve got to assume that whatever is out there can probably get in if it really wants.” Claire sighed heavily while speaking in a hushed tone.

“You’re probably right.” Aaron grimaced while taking a peek through a nearby window. ‘Whatever it is, it’s big.”

“Between the ten of us there’s enough firepower to lay out an elephant from across the street.” said Josh, the youngest of their group, while peering out between blinds.

“We still have the emergency flare gun from the lake medkit.” Daniel mused. “In case we need to see it.”

“Once we shoot that thing we’re giving away our position.” Aaron said between his teeth. “No sense in telling whatever’s out there where it can get a free meal.”

“We don’t even know what it is!” whispered a woman from the living room couch, her young son cradled protectively in her arms. “What if it just goes away?”

“Whatever it is, it’s not taking a step closer without us seeing it.” Stanton, the bearded man, said with determination. “An eye at every window. Anyone the beast gets past would have to be asleep not to notice-”

A loud scream outside caught everyone’s attention, causing men and women to crane their necks to see through the slits between blinds and floral curtains. It was a woman’s voice, cracking between the mixed experience of pain and exhaustion. Somewhere out in the dark of night her voice drifted, steadily growing closer.

They knew from the sound of her voice that she was in terrible condition. One of the men even gasped, clearly hoping they had not recognized the tone and pitch of her voice. Aaron tried to stay quiet as the voice approached. It was hard to keep his hands from shaking as he reached for the rifle at his side, staring out into the darkness.

It was Daniel to break their silence first, swearing in disbelief as the woman’s body came into view. Hovering off the ground she was sprawled dangling mid-air, blood soaked so deep into her nightgown it was impossible to discern its original color. One of her arms was draped behind her back, twisted and locked against her body as though it were crushed into her spine. Another arm hung limply at her side, swinging like a pendulum as she drifted unnaturally closer.

“What the fuck is happening? Are you seeing this?” Josh’s voice cracked, slipping an octave higher than he would have liked

“Oh God. It’s haunted. This whole campground’s possessed.” another survivor cried out, scrambling from the window.

“No. It’s not.” Aaron’s words were uncertain, but his voice cut through the fear in those nearby. “It’s not a ghost. It’s a creature.”

“What?” Claire grasped his arm while leaning forward, trying to peer into the darkness from his perspective. “I don’t see anything.”

“I do.” sighed Aaron, staring at the beast only yards away.

It looked ready to pounce at any time. Its body was larger than their truck, wreathed in a swirling, flickering light. A swirl of oranges, reds, yellows and whites that burned furiously in place. Deep within its blue maw was the woman, cradled in the vivid turquoise and violet textures that seemed to be its mouth.

The others looked to Aaron for answers, but he was at a loss. How could he even begin to describe what he saw? Even now as he watched an enormous, blazing paw take another step forward it was difficult to think anyone would believe what he was seeing.

Words began to form in his mouth when he noticed the cavern of swirling blue begin to slowly disappear. The woman cried out in agony. Her body wrenched under some unseen pressure. It was closing its mouth.

Without another word Aaron drew his rifle, butting out a corner of his window to clear the way for his shot. A single flash from the muzzle flared the outdoors in light, sounding off an otherworldly roar from somewhere in the dark. Without warning the bloodied woman dropped from her cradled position in the air, and all eyes turned to Aaron expectantly as the beast’s anguished howl sounded off into the distance.

“It’s gone.” he sighed in relief, letting his weapon slip down to his side.

Several men and women scrambled outside to the woman drenched in blood. John gave Aaron a fearful look, before stepping outside as well. Claire only shook her head in disbelief.

“Can you really see it?” she marveled, leaning close to examine his eyes. “A side effect maybe?”

“A side effect of what?” Stanton growled at the pair, hand resting nervously near the weapon at his side.

“He has a medical condition.” Claire flared up defensively, watching other villagers nearby begin to approach. “It’s nothing--”

“I’m Afflicted.” Aaron sighed, resting a hand on her shoulder in thanks. “It’s alright. I didn’t know what I was looking at before, but I can definitely see it.”

“What was your power? You know, before...” John trailed off, and their group stepped aside as the woman bathed in gore was gingerly carried into the cabin.

“They had a fancy name for it. Directional Photokinetic Wavelengths, or something like that. Heat vision. I was never into the science, but I know the Dust took it away. Left me colorblind.” Aaron sighed, running through the story with a practiced exasperation.

“So you think the Dust lets you...see invisible things?” Claire’s brow furrowed, and she visibly fought the urge to examine Aaron’s eyes with closer scrutiny.

“I don’t know what it did, but I can tell you right now I see it. It’s just shapes and colors. Like it’s on fire.” Aaron glanced out the window. “I know I wounded it, whatever it is.”

Aaron looked outside at the trail of liquid left in the creature’s wake thick pools of liquid that left streaks of vivid reds and pinks where they sat. Was it remains of the creatures energy? Radiation? A scent or smell? He frowned, agitated at the new perplexing limits of his cursed eyes.

Somewhere behind him an argument had broken out. The lady drenched in blood needed desperate medical attention. Their team only had only so much space in the truck, but if they moved quick it would be possible to get the woman back to the Federation forward camp in only a couple of hours. Claire and a few others could go, but some of the townsfolk were less than enthusiastic about staying behind.

Aaron stepped outside the cabin to give the beast’s footprints a closer inspection. Warily he slung his rifle onto his back. He could still see the color, although faint, bounding off into the distant woods. Bending down he reached with an open palm to where it had stood and was shocked to find how warm the print was. In the shape of a paw, but unlike any he had ever seen. Feline, but wrong.

“You can really see it?” Daniel asked curiously, kneeling down beside him.

“Yeah. It’s kind of hard to miss.”

“Then we can track it.” the professor adjusted his glasses in the dark, trying hard to see what Aaron could.

The commotion from inside the cabin had spilled into the night, with several members of the community carefully transporting the wounded woman using a sleeping bag as a stretcher. Claire was at the head, directing how to place the injured carefully into the flatbed. Close behind were men and women yelling in protest.

“I’ve told you, she’s stable for now, but unless we can get her some proper medical care there’s no telling how long she’ll last.” Claire climbed into the flatbed, protectively keeping others from following. “Leaving the supplies we brought here, we can take four people with us.”

“Five.” Aaron corrected her, following the trail of colored residue slowly fade into the woods. “The teacher’s right. It bleeds. I can track it down and put an end to this.”

Claire was ready to argue but lost her voice amid a tide of villagers vying to take the new vacancy. Stepping away from the group with a grunt was Stanton, hand still resting on his pistol.

“Then we should start moving now while the trail is fresh.” Stanton grumbled through his beard.

Daniel had already procured a bundle of flashlights, passing them between Aaron and Stanton while carefully cradling a shotgun under his arm. Aaron briefly saw the teenage John prepare to go with them before being turned back to the others. It was the right decision. He was too young to face whatever was ahead of them.

The three men exchanged a look before Aaron turned to Claire one more time. He wanted to say something to her. A thanks or reassurance before he left. She only had a moment before the small crowd would demand her attention, and he knew anything he said would fall short of the appreciation he felt for all she had done.

“See you soon.” Aaron called out to her. It was the best he could come up with, but she smiled anyway.

“Back in five hours, soldier.” Claire held up a hand then turned to the crowd. “We’ll have room for everyone then.”