In the early morning, I stepped out into the yard, still half-asleep, just wanting to water my flowers and make sure the neighborhood cats hadn’t scattered the trash again — their favorite morning ritual, it seems. The sun hadn’t fully risen yet, the air was cool and fresh… or at least, it should’ve been.
The moment I opened the gate, a wave of something awful hit me. A stench so strong it felt like it punched the air out of my lungs. My chest tightened, my stomach twisted, and there was even this strange metallic taste on my tongue, as if I’d bitten down on a coin. I froze, frowning, trying to understand where it was coming from. 🤢
I took a few cautious steps forward, glancing around the garden. The flowers looked normal, the grass slightly damp from the night’s dew. But then — I noticed movement near the flowerbed. I squinted and instantly felt my blood run cold. Something was wriggling on the ground. 🫣
At first, I thought it might be a snake or some kind of large worm. But as I leaned closer, I saw… it wasn’t an animal at all. Lying there was something slimy, reddish, and oddly shaped — like a mass of raw flesh turned inside out. The surface glistened with moisture, and the smell was unbearable — the stench of decay, of something that had been dead for days. It was so strong I instinctively stepped back, covering my nose. My heart started pounding in my ears, and the wildest thoughts began racing through my mind.
“What is that? A giant larva? Some strange sea creature? Or… something from another world?” 😨
The thing didn’t move much, but the faint twitching was enough to make my skin crawl. I hesitated for a long moment before pulling out my phone, holding it at arm’s length, and snapping a photo. My hands were trembling. I needed to know what this thing was. I couldn’t just leave it there — not without an answer.
So I went back inside, opened my laptop, and started searching. I typed in, “red slimy thing smells like rot,” hoping for something ordinary — maybe a fungus, or an animal organ someone’s pet dragged in. But when I hit “search,” the first result made me go completely still.
The title read:
“Clathrus archeri — the Alien Fungus, also known as the Devil’s Fingers.” 😳🍄
I clicked the link, and as I scrolled through the photos, my jaw dropped. What I had in my yard was exactly what I was seeing on the screen.
Turns out, this horrifying thing was actually a fungus! Originally from Australia and Tasmania, it has slowly spread around the world. It begins its life hidden inside a white, egg-like sac buried in the soil. Then, when it’s ready, the “egg” cracks open — and several red, finger-like arms burst out, stretching in all directions like claws. These arms are covered in sticky, stinking slime that smells just like rotting meat. The smell attracts flies, which then help spread its spores to new places.
People who come across it for the first time often panic — and for good reason. It looks like a creature from a horror movie. Some mistake it for animal remains or even alien life, and there are real stories of people calling the police or emergency services after finding it. 😱
But no, it’s not an alien. Not a creature. Just a fungus — one of the strangest and most disturbing ones nature has ever created. A perfect mix of beauty and horror.
I couldn’t believe something like that had grown in my own yard. For a few days, I couldn’t even bring myself to walk near that spot. Every time I looked out the window, I half-expected to see it moving again, growing, changing.
Now, I simply avoid that part of the garden altogether. I don’t water the flowers there anymore. I let nature have that little patch.
After all, if something is called the “Devil’s Fingers,” maybe it’s better not to disturb it. 👀🔥
