Two explorers were in Waxcap Cave. The cave was dark and wet.
One explorer stepped in something slimy, and slipped. "Oof!"
The other explorer caught her. "Be careful, Josie!"
"Thanks, Penny!"
Soon the explorers left the cave and walked through the woods.
"Here's our cabin," Penny said. "We'll get some rest and go back to the cave tomorrow."
"Ugh." Josie looked at her right boot. "There's slime all over my boot. I'll leave it outside."
The next morning bright sunshine woke the explorers early. They heard a rustling noise outside.
"What's that?" Penny asked.
The two women hurried outside. A trash can lay on its side. A creature was sitting in the sun, eating trash. It looked like a giant mushroom.
"Gorp! Gorp!" the mushroom monster said.
"Hey, that's my boot!" Josie said. "It's stuck to that monster's head!"
"Go away!" Penny yelled.
"Gorp!" the mushroom monster said.
Finally Josie kicked a can. Scared by the noise, the creature ran off.
"Phew!" Josie said. "We got rid of it."
"Yes, but . . ." Penny bit her lip. "What was that thing?"
Mara wrinkled her nose. "Ew, Jack, that old, moldy sandwich is disgusting."
"No, it isn't," Jack said. "It's science."
Roxy and her friends were at school. They each had a life science project to share with the class. Mara was studying sea monkeys. Terrell was learning about birds. Roxy was growing bean sprouts. Jack had a sandwich covered in mold.
Jack grinned. "I found this moldy sandwich under my bed. I knew it was perfect for my project. It shows mold's life cycle."
"Mold is cool," Terrell said. "It's a fungus, just like mushrooms. Mold grows well in dark spaces."
"Yeah, like under beds!" Jack grinned.
"Do any types grow in sunlight?" Mara asked.
Terrell shrugged. "I don't think so."
Just then Roxy's watch beeped. "I need to . . . um, add water to one of my plants."
She hurried away. "Mayor Bloom, what is it?"
"Some cave explorers saw a monster. It was in the woods by Waxcap Cave," Mayor Bloom said.
"What did it look like?" Roxy asked.
"Like a giant mushroom," Mayor Bloom said. "Some hikers saw it too. And there are more mushroom monsters. They could take over the city!"
"What? Where did they come from?" Roxy asked.
"I don't know," the mayor said. "But we need to do something. Hurry, Rocket Girl. There's a fungus among us—and it's dangerous!"
"Don't worry, Mayor. I'm on my way!"