This morning, I went out into the garden—just to water the flowers and check if the cats had yet relieved themselves, as they often do. But as soon as I opened the gate, a horrible smell hit me. So strong that my chest tightened and I felt a metallic taste in my mouth.

This morning, I went out into the garden, just to water the flowers and check if the cats had done their business yet, as they often do. But as soon as I opened the gate, a horrible smell invaded me. So strong that my chest tightened and a metallic taste appeared in my mouth.

I took a few steps and froze. On the ground near the flowerbed, something was moving. In front of me was a strange, reddish, slimy formation, as if it had been turned inside out. It smelled of rotting meat, as if someone had hidden a dead animal nearby. I stepped back, my heart pounding, and terrible thoughts flooded my mind.

“What is it? A larva? A strange creature? Or… the remains of an alien?” “I didn’t understand.”

I took out my phone, took a picture, and, holding my breath from the stench, went online to look for answers.

I typed “red, slimy, rotten smelling” into the search engine, and the first result made me shudder. It said:

“Anthur Archera – an alien fungus, also known as Devil’s Fingers.”

It turned out to be a completely real mushroom, native to Australia and Tasmania, but over time it spread throughout the world.

At first glance it looks like a white egg, but then red tentacles come out of it, like claws or devil’s fingers.

CONTINUE READING IN THE NEXT PAGE