My friend and I were enjoying a quiet dinner at a trendy downtown restaurant when our evening took a horrifying turn. The ambiance was perfect—cozy lighting, soft music, and beautifully presented dishes. My friend ordered a salad with avocado and quinoa, and at first, everything seemed delicious.

As she picked up her fork, she suddenly froze and pointed at something strange on her plate. Initially, we thought the tiny black specks scattered on the salad were chia seeds or seasoning. But her expression quickly changed from curiosity to alarm.

She whispered, “These aren’t seeds—they’re moving.” Leaning in closer, we realized the specks were insect eggs—tiny, transparent spheres with dark dots inside, wriggling faintly. Panic immediately set in, and fear overtook us.

We called the waiter over, but the shock was overwhelming. Not knowing what kind of insect the eggs belonged to—or if we had already ingested some—led us to call an ambulance. My friend was visibly distressed, shaking with fear and nausea.

At the hospital, doctors ran tests, gave precautionary medication, and advised us to watch for symptoms. Thankfully, both of us were physically fine, but the psychological effects lingered long after. The trust we had in the restaurant was deeply shaken.

Later, the restaurant blamed the incident on a “technical error” and “a supplier issue.” However, these explanations did little to ease our minds or undo the trauma of that night.

Now, even seeing something that resembles chia seeds triggers a jolt of panic. That evening ruined more than just a dinner—it shattered our sense of safety and trust in places we thought were reliable.