It turns out I’m not the first person to be terrified by the sight of it. People across the world have mistaken the Devil’s Fingers for something far more sinister. Some have called emergency services, convinced they’ve found an animal corpse—or worse, human remains. Others have shared photos online, certain they’ve discovered an alien species.
But every time, the explanation is the same: it’s just a mushroom. A living thing, but not one that means harm. Its eerie appearance and smell are simply part of its survival strategy.
Even knowing that, I couldn’t bring myself to go near it again.
A Strange Kind of Respect
The next morning, when I went out to water the flowers again, I found myself avoiding that corner of the yard entirely. The Devil’s Fingers was still there, its red limbs curling slightly in the sun, buzzing with curious flies.
I stood a few feet away, oddly fascinated and deeply unsettled at the same time.
In its own way, it was both revolting and remarkable—a reminder that nature doesn’t need to look beautiful to be extraordinary. It can be grotesque, unsettling, even horrifying—and still serve a purpose.
So I decided to leave it alone.
That patch of earth now belongs to it. I water the flowers from a distance, careful not to disturb what I’ve come to think of as “the gift from the devil.”
Sometimes, late in the afternoon when the light hits the ground just right, I can still see a hint of red glistening between the blades of grass. And I’m reminded that even in the most familiar places—our own backyards—nature still has the power to surprise us, frighten us, and humble us all at once.
