This morning, I went out into the yard—just to water the flowers and check if the cats had scattered litter, as usual. But as soon as I opened the gate, I immediately smelled a terrible odor. It made my chest tighten and my mouth taste metallic. I took a few steps and froze. Something was moving on the ground next to the flowerbed. In front of me lay something slimy, reddish, as if turned inside out. It reeked of something unpleasant, as though something in the garden had been left too long in the sun. I even recoiled—my heart pounding as unfamiliar thoughts rushed through my mind. “What is this? Some strange growth? A creature I’ve never seen?” For a moment, my imagination outran reality, and I stood rooted to the spot, unsure whether to approach or run back inside. Continue reading…
