ABERRATION -

Something that prevents light from being brought into sharp focus, disenabling the formation of a clear image.

"I'll cover Lacrosse this season, don't send any greenies," my comment was met by a bark like laugh as Audrey raised her head from her laptop.

"Oh, you're being serious," she looked genuinely shocked by my offer, "well by all means go ahead it's not like Matt is doing anything other than messing around with his stick and balls." I had known Audrey would find my request peculiar but her utter disbelief that I would volunteer to do work was slightly insulting. I couldn't help but wonder why she even let me claim credits for the work I rarely did.

"Erm…" A timid stutter pulled our attention away from each other to a petite freshman who was entangled in dark rolls of camera film. Audrey rolled her eyes as if to say 'look at what I have to deal with' and in that moment I remembered why she put up with me. As much as I wanted watch the scene unfold I couldn't suppress my desire to solve the troublesome puzzle the Dynamic Duo had presented. I was a sucker for puzzles.

As I approached the, huddle, gaggle… herd? What do you call a group of hormonally fuelled adolescences locked in a continuous fight to be the alpha male, maybe a pack? As I approached the pack my eyes lingered on McCall. He was facing me but from his vacant expression and coach's excessive shouting I assumed he wasn't actually looking at me. "McCall, what are you waiting for?"

I had pulled my camera from it case for nothing. There was no gravity defying acrobatics instead much to my surprise and it seemed everyone else's Scott stumbled backwards the moment he came into contact with Jackson. It was as if the weirdness that had happened in the previous practice was forgotten and the world had returned to normal. I could see Jackson whisper something to him but failed to hear thanks to Coach's neurotic shouts "My grandmother can move faster than that, and she's dead! You think you can move faster than the body of my dead grandmother?" Scott's lips barely moved as he replied "I can't hear you."

"Yes, coach!"

"Then do it again! McCall is gonna do it again!" As Scott returned to the line it was clear that something had changed. Perhaps it wasn't just luck that had helped him last time. I held the shutter down refusing to miss even a second as Scott propelled himself forward. A whistle, a flash, the sound of bodies colliding mid-air. I frowned as I pulled the camera away from my face both boys were on the floor. Jackson clutching his shoulder and clearly in a lot of pain while Scott clawed at this helmet Stiles rushing to his aid.

I continue to snap away as the pair rush by oblivious to my presence. "I can't control it, it's happening!" His voice almost growled as Stiles ushered him toward the changing rooms.

His escort's panicked tones replied with a hurried "What? Right here? Now? Come on!" before vanishing into the building.

Stiles and McCall managed to keep a low profile after practice and despite actively looking for the pair I had little luck in finding them. It wasn't until Matt arrived at my locker the next day that I heard anything about them. "Rumour is McCalls not playing this weekend," his eyes filled with glee as he relayed the information, "which means I'm starting, maybe Allison will notice me this time" I grin back at Matt my eyes lingering a couple sitting on the stairs just behind him

"oh really because I'm pretty sure your beloved Alison has just told him she will be watching HIM play tomorrow, though she could have told him she is working on a sleigh it's hard to say." I shrug nonchalantly at him as I pull my camera from my locker and place a text book in its place knowing he would have stormed off before I closed the door. Shaking my head at his pettiness I continue down the hall after him though it wasn't long before I was stopped.

"Emma," A fatherly voice, the kind of voice that would calm you down after a nightmare by telling you everything would be okay, called out to me.

I turn and look up at the man before me, "Sheriff." He smiles back at me as if forgetting the last time I saw him I was half naked in the passage sit of another student's car.

"I assume you've heard about the body that was found the other night," I nodded slowly unsure why he decided to discuss it with me. "We haven't found the killer. So to keep everyone safe we are enforcing a curfew. Promise me you'll keep to it, no late night drives," perhaps he hadn't forgotten. I nodded again even added a quick salute before turning walking in the direction Matt had headed.

"Unbelievable ! My dad is looking for a stupid animal when the real killer" The tell-tale voice of the younger Stilinski drifted round the corner. However, the convocation soon stopped as I came into view, "killer ….. killer tune playing…. Yeah?..." when I had passed the pair he continued rambling to his buddy "The killer is just hanging out, doing whatever he wants." I had to know what was going on.

I didn't catch up with Matt, though I don't know if that was a blessing or a curse he can be foul when pushed too far and while I would never admit it to him I may have crossed a line earlier. As I waited for Josh, the talkative kid brother I mentioned before, to find his way to the car and start gushing about what a super day he had had I toy with the idea of making it up to Matt. I even thought about making him a sign and cheering for him at the game but that idea didn't last long. I settled on sending him a quick 'I'm a jerk' text instead.

After a short journey and a very long convocation with a middle school student I was finally able to retreat to my room. I pulled my equipment form its bag and attached the relevant wire before bringing the photographs up onto my desktop. Inspecting the file carefully I searched for any shots that revealed what had been occurring on the pitch. As I near the end one caught my eye. Two figures crouched, both in lacrosse uniforms a clear 24 printed on the back of one though it was the other figure that had made me pause. Beneath his helmet were two white marks where his eyes should have been and for lack of a better word fangs hanging over his lower lip mid speech. My lips curled upward as my eyes moved from the negative film in my hands to a book I had stolen from the local library as a child. Kicking the items that I had piled on top of it away I studied the worn cover. Placing it on my desk I couldn't help but think back to how I had once traced the silvery font with my fingers every night before falling asleep. "Lycanthropy" I chuckled to myself not quite ready to believe it.

Rumours as to why Scott wasn't playing at the weekend began to circle around the school each new story as ludicrous as the first. Though whatever the reason was it clearly wasn't good enough to actually stop him from playing much to Matt's annoyance, "bloody McCall." He had been gloating all week about starting and had grinned triumphantly days earlier when he informed me that Lydia Martin had introduced him to Allison. "I can't believe this," throwing his stick to the ground he sank into the bench in defeat.

"yeah I know it sucks. I mean I went through the effort of bringing the brat here to watch you play and everything," I batted back quickly my eyes flickering back to Josh who I had left on the busy bleachers behind me. He gave me a quick wave before turning his eyes to the two teams on the pitch. I pulled my camera and began to prepare for the game, doing my best to ignore Matt's murderous glares.

Cutting through the air came the referees shouts "Down," and in unison the testosterone filled teens lowered their bodies, "SET!" As the teams edged forward my eyes focused on Scott who seemed to be repeating some sort of mantra over and over to himself.

The whistle was blown. Bodies raced from each end of the pitch, weaving in and out of each other. Goals were being won yet McCall had not even touched the ball. From the quick exchanges between Jackson and Scott I could only assume he was holding a grudge about the whole shoulder incident still. As the game continued on Scott seemed to be distracted by something in the crowd. Turning to follow his eye line I couldn't help but snort loudly as Lydia forcefully shoved a banner , which read "we LUV u Jackson", into the hands of a reluctant Allison.

Twisting my lens slowly I zoomed in on the small group that had formed on one side of the pitch. Jackson was pointing to himself and the others didn't seem convinced by whatever he was saying. I could see Danny mouth the word McCall and pulled back to see if said teen had heard. It seemed he had but how was another question to add to the list as he was on the far side of the pitch. His hands curled around his lacrosse stick and his eyes seemed to flash a vibrant amber. However, before I could pull my camera back to my face to have a closer look he was already back at the line up. His entire demeanour had changed.

The whistle went and off Scott shot. He had propelled himself into the air to gain possession of the ball and once he had it there was no chance of the other team regaining it. The crowd went wild has he sent the ball speeding into the oppositions goal. "McCall! Pass to McCall!" Came the Coach's energetic cries from the sidelines. I could help but take a few snaps of Jackson's sour face as I walked around the bench to crouch beside Matt again.

As I lowered myself down I watched in utter disbelief as a member of the other team stopped in front of Scott and passed the ball to him. Glancing up at Matt I question aloud, "that isn't normal. Right?"

"I don't even know what that is," Matt answered honestly his eyes glued to Scott. I pulled my camera up once more and did my best to track his impressive movements. The crowd erupted into cheers as he scored the equalizing goal. Though despite this great feat he seemed lost, dazed even. I twist my lens slowly zooming in closer. Waiting for the images to focus. If it hadn't been for Matt's fast reflexes my camera would have fallen into the mud as I shot upwards with a gasp. Clearly my actions had been so unexpected that many of the bodies on the bench with Matt turned to give me the same perplexed look. "What the hell Em!" I didn't answer instead I just stared into at the nervous face of Stiles Stilinski before pulling my prized belonging from Matts hands.

I began to walk along the sideline. My eyes locked onto Scott's hunched figure. As I passed the end of the team's bench I could hear Stile's muttering to himself, "no Scott, no, no." The clock was ticking and despite the roars of the crowd and yells of the coach Scott was just standing there looking around wildly for something or someone. Then as if he found it he swung into action and won the match. As the home crowd began to celebrate and rush the pitch I moved closer to Scott watching and analysing every movement. He rushed to grip his hand yanking the padded glove from it to reveal five sharp, almost claw like, nails before dashing off towards the school.

I turn the glove over in my hands inspecting the tears in the fabric. Each tear matching perfectly to the claws I had seen McCall sporting only moments earlier. A smile crept onto my face as pieced the puzzle together. "Em!" The chipper voice broke my concentration as I turned to face Josh. "What's that?" he questioned curiously as his eyes lingered on the glove.

"oh nothing, you ready?" As we head of the pitch I passed an intense looking Jackson. With a flick of my wrist I threw the glove toward him knowing he would catch it with ease, "It's McCall's."