What seemed like just a rope in my yard turned into something creepy — and later that night, dinner turned into a nightmare.

It all started around noon, when something unusual caught my attention in the grass. I spotted something long and curled up, lying there as if someone had dropped it on purpose. At first glance, I thought it was just a rope. But then, a sudden thought hit me: “What if it’s a snake?!” My heart started racing.

I quickly grabbed my phone, snapped a photo, and, filled with curiosity, cautiously moved closer. Each step felt tense, as if I were approaching something dangerous. But when I got close enough to see it clearly, I froze in shock. It wasn’t a rope. And it wasn’t a snake either.

In front of me crawled a slow-moving column of about 150 caterpillars, all marching in a perfectly straight line, packed tightly together as if led by an invisible guide. I counted them one by one in disbelief. I never imagined witnessing something like that in my own backyard.

Questions flooded my mind: Where were they going? Why so many together? Some say caterpillars move in groups to protect themselves from predators. Others believe they do it to find food more efficiently or save energy — the ones up front clearing the way for those behind. But to this day, I have no idea where they came from or where they were headed.

Later that evening, another unexpected event would shake us even more.

My friend and I went out for a peaceful dinner at a cozy downtown restaurant — nothing fancy, just good food and a relaxed atmosphere. She ordered an avocado quinoa salad. Everything looked perfect… until she suddenly froze, fork in midair.

“Do you see that?” she asked, pointing at the plate.

On top of the salad were tiny black specks. At first, we thought they were chia seeds. But as we looked closer, our stomachs turned — they were moving! 😱

I immediately called the waiter, shocked. Those weren’t seeds at all — they were eggs. Tiny, almost transparent, with little dark dots inside. Some sort of insect had laid them right there in the food. First came the shock, then the screaming. Waiters rushed over, trying to explain, but we were already on the phone with emergency services.

We had no idea what kind of insect they came from — or if we had accidentally eaten any. My friend began to panic, either from fear or nausea.

At the hospital, they ran tests, gave us medication “just in case,” and told us to watch for symptoms. As for the restaurant — of course we filed a complaint. They tried to blame a “technical issue” or a “bad batch from a supplier.” But after a dinner like that, trust is gone.

Ever since that night, every time I see chia seeds… I remember that salad. And I shudder.