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.

 I thought I had discovered something dangerous. 

The sight of a glossy, bright red growth beside the garden bed instantly shattered the calm of the morning. My heart raced as frightening possibilities rushed through my mind. Was it poisonous? Was it some invasive organism spreading through the yard? Its strange appearance made it seem completely out of place, and every cautious step toward it felt like I was approaching something that shouldn’t be there. The closer I came, however, the more my initial panic began to fade, replaced by curiosity.