The Shining Ones

A story from They Live in the Woods by Ron Blade describes Ranger Mickey witnessing a child vanish after a strange shimmering figure appeared near a picnic site in 2021. Following the disappearance, Mickey repeatedly encounters translucent, humanoid beings that move like heat ripples, sometimes appearing in groups, dancing in a forest clearing. Though he tries to confront them, he realizes they cannot be fought, photographed, or easily understood—only feared.

This modern “glimmer man” phenomenon echoes folklore from around the world. Celtic myths of the Shining Ones (Tuatha Dé Danann) describe luminous beings retreating underground, luring humans from limina...