What Was It?
Ricky's blood in his veins immediately became ice cold upon seeing it. The back of his neck was covered in hair that stood up straight like soldiers demanding attention.
What did he have his eyes fixed on? It appeared to be an alien creation. But it couldn't possibly be, could it?
Unexpected Find
That was not what he expected to find. He could feel panic brew inside his body like tea in a pot. How could it be possible? It was supposed to be a vacation for him and his family, a holiday full of happiness, memories, and love.
But then suddenly, the ‘alien’ moved, and a terrible feeling hit the pit of Ricky’s stomach.
Ready For Vacation
Ricky Johnson and his family were more than excited to go on their vacation. A week of sandy beaches, glorious sunshine, and unlimited ice cream sounded great! It was just what they needed. They were thrilled to make more memories and take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life.
The family of five all knew it was going to be a trip to remember. And it was, but for all the wrong reasons.
A Hard Time
The Johnson’s vacation came at a time when they needed it most. Ricky’s 84-year-old mother, Brenda, recently passed away, and her passing left a gigantic hole in the family. She was the perfect mother, grandmother, and friend. Her smile lit up a room every time she waltzed in.
But despite the happy and cheerful memories they all shared, Brenda’s final years told a completely different story.
What Was Wrong With Her?
Since moving into a care home, Brenda’s health has started to deteriorate. She would say that she was seeing things. She would speak of a demonic man who she claimed was after her.
She often spent nights waking up distraught, muttering an unknown language no one could understand. But they never discovered what it was that had her in such a state.
A Devastating Sight
Ricky was devastated to see his mother’s health deteriorate like that. He didn’t understand what had happened to her. Was it due to her old age and condition?
A week before Brenda passed, she called Ricky into her room and what she told him sent a shiver up his spine.
He’s After You
Ricky sat down next to his fragile mother, and she grabbed his hand. Her hands were ice cold and as white as snow.
“Ricky,” she said in a whisper. “I’m being followed, and he’s after you too,” she spat out. Ricky’s heart broke at the sight of his mother acting like that.
The Last Visit
Ricky held his mother’s hand tight. “You’re fine, mom. There’s nobody after you,” he said before kissing her on the cheek and getting up to leave.
He turned around one last time to look at his mother and blew her a kiss. She blew one back, and Ricky left. That would be the last time he would ever see his mother.
Two Months Later
Two months after his mother passed, Ricky knew he needed to take this family away on vacation. They all needed something that would help distract them from the death of his mother.
So when Ricky stumbled across a gorgeous hut near a stunning beach, he thought it was perfect. He didn’t waste any time and booked it right away.
Much-Needed Vacation
The family of five set off on their much-needed trip. For the first time in a while, they all felt excited and happy. As Ricky suspected, it was just the thing they needed.
But little did they know those feelings wouldn’t last. Their entire world was about to get turned upside down.
Vacation Begins Now
Ricky, and his family arrived at their hut. It was everything they could’ve asked for and more. It had four bedrooms, gorgeous decor, and a hot tub Ricky knew his kids would love to soak in.
But the first thing they were going to do was head down to the beach.
Beautiful Scene
The sun was about to set, and Ricky knew it would be something incredible to witness. At the beach, Ricky’s youngest child kicked their ball out onto the road, so Ricky went to get it back.
But what he saw across the street left him feeling like he was going insane.
An Old Woman
Across the road from the beach, there was an elderly woman standing at a bus stop. Ricky picked up the ball and saw that the woman was looking directly at him and his family. Were they bothering her somehow?
But then Ricky was left even more lost for words when he realized she looked exactly like his mom, Brenda. Was it some kind of twisted joke?
Losing His Mind?
Was Ricky going mad? Surely he was just seeing things. It couldn’t have been his mother, could it? He rubbed his eyes while his breath quickened. He felt like he was going to be sick.
It had been a terrible few months, and Ricky was tired. But he knew he had to keep it together for the sake of his kids and family. Little did he know more strange things were about to happen.
He Had To Get A Grip
Ricky dismissed the old woman, picked up the ball, and headed back to the beach. He had to get a grip. It was just his imagination, right?
He kicked the ball over to his youngest son, who chased after it. The ball went a bit too far for a four-year-old to retrieve, so the family headed over to get it. But what they saw right next to the ball left them startled.
What Was It?
As soon as Ricky laid his eyes on it, his blood turned cold. It was disgusting, but it also made Ricky want to know more.
His little girl screamed, and the sound pierced the silence in the air. “What is that?” his wife asked while consoling their daughter. Ricky had never seen anything like it before.
With The Help Of Google
The Johnson family had no idea what it was they had stumbled across, but it looked like something out of this world.
The entire family was lost for words. They knew they had to find out what it was, so Ricky told his oldest son to get out his phone and do a Google search. What they found changed everything.
Finding The Truth
It turned out that the grotesque critters were actually not some form of alien species but instead were goose-necked barnacles — a filter-feeding crustacean. These creepy critters are actually a delicacy in Portugal and Spain.
But what the family read next left them even more amazed. Their entire lives were about to change.
Jackpot!
“No way,” Ricky's eldest son said, his mouth open in disbelief. “What is it, son?” Ricky asked, curious to know more. He handed Ricky the phone, and Ricky read it for himself.
Named Percebes, these morsels can go for as much as $124 per pound! With that information in mind, Ricky knew that this patch was probably worth around $65,000! But would Ricky tell others about his discovery?
A Secret
Ricky knew that in order to keep others from damaging his discovery, he had to keep their exact location a secret. So he did, and to this day, he has never told anyone.
After their discovery, the family continued with their vacation and making memories. Finally, Ricky felt at ease with everything. After all, it’s what his mom would have wanted.
Another Critter
Ricky and his family weren’t the only ones who stumbled upon something strange on the beach, though. Andrea Jud also had such an encounter.
Unfortunately for her, though, her find wasn’t worth as much as it could’ve been for the Johnson family. However, it did cause quite a stir when she posted about it.
Going Camping
Andrea was camping with some of her friends on a beach in Egypt. During their visit, she decided to explore the beach at Gabr el-Bint on the Sinai Peninsula.
She was about 12 meters from the shore, so she didn’t expect to find much. Little did she know there was something waiting for her to find it.
Stumbling Upon Something
As she was walking, she saw the carcass of a strange creature. It was unlike anything she had ever seen or heard of, but she supposed it just washed up on the beach.
That assumption quickly changed when she realized how far she was from the water. She took a closer look.
A Weird-Looking Creature
Andrea was freaked out by the creature that managed to stir a sense of unease within her, so she didn’t touch it. She did pick up on a few things during her investigation of the creature, though.
Andrea said that the creature had no eyes and that its head was bigger than her fist. It also had some very sharp teeth.
Going Public
Unsure of what to make of this suspicious creature, Andrea took to social media. She posted the pictures she had taken and asked if anyone out there had any idea of what the creature could be.
Pretty soon, her post was flooded with comments. The netizens were all too happy to give their take on what they thought they were looking at.
Tons Of Suggestions
Andrea received tons of suggestions. Some of them seemed plausible, while others were quite imaginative. One commenter even suggested that it might be Voldemort from the Harry Potter Franchise. We guess they’re a real fan.
But what were some of the other commenters thinking about the creature? What did Andrea make of it?
Some Creature From A Movie?
When questioned, Andrea said that the first thing she thought of when spotting the creature was that it looked like an Orc from The Lord Of The Rings Franchise. Of course, that was just the first thing that came to mind, and we can’t blame her for the comparison.
It kind of resembles one of the orcs, wouldn’t you say?
A Moray Eel?
Some of the more realistic commenters said that it could’ve been a Moray Eel that washed up ashore and got scorched by the Egyptian sun. Since Moray Eels do hang out in the Red Sea, the assumption seemed plausible.
But how would an eel end up that far away from the water?
Loch Ness Monster’s Baby?
Another commenter joked that it might be the Loch Ness Monster’s baby. And although we find the assumption hilarious, we simply don’t think that’s a logical explanation for the find.
We’d have to find the Loch Ness Monster and his or her mate before we can start looking for any babies.
What Was It?
So what was it then? Well, the answer is rather simple. Nobody knows. Some still assume it was an eel that somehow managed to get that far inland and got burned by the sun. While others don’t think the theory is plausible.
Some believe that it might’ve been caught by fishermen. However, there is no evidence of that either. So we can safely assume that this creature will remain a mystery.
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.