I froze when I saw it on his floor.
Dark. Lumpy. Covered in tiny beads like something ready to burst.
For a second, I was sure it was alive. My son swore he’d never seen it before. My mind raced through every nightmare scenario a parent can imagine, until I finally leaned in closer and rea…

It turned out not to be alien, parasitic, or anything out of a horror movie, but it wasn’t exactly comforting either. What I’d found was animal droppings packed with undigested seeds, most likely from a dog or fox that had been snacking on berries. The fruit had broken down, but the seeds passed straight through, leaving that strange, bumpy texture that made my stomach turn.

The relief of knowing it wasn’t hatching eggs quickly gave way to a new unease: how did it get into my son’s room at all? Maybe someone stepped in it outside and tracked it in without noticing. Maybe a pet carried it, thinking it was something to play with. Or maybe there’s a part of the story my son still isn’t ready to tell—and that mystery bothers me more than what I actually found.