They were clustered together in some places and scattered in others. Small, unfamiliar, and oddly noticeable once I saw them. My first thought was that they were bits of dirt or plant debris I’d picked up during the walk.
But the longer I looked, the stranger they seemed.
They weren’t simply resting on the fabric.
They were attached.
I brushed my hand across my pant leg, expecting them to fall away easily.
Some did.
Many didn’t.
Several clung stubbornly to the material as if they had hooked themselves into the fibers.
That’s when curiosity turned into confusion.
“What are these?” I asked out loud, despite being completely alone.
I moved closer to the light for a better look.
The objects appeared seed-like, but not quite like any seeds I recognized. Some were oval-shaped. Others looked slightly curved. A few seemed almost segmented.
The more closely I examined them, the less certain I became.
Had I walked through a patch of weeds?
Brushed against a bush?
Stepped through tall grass without noticing?
I mentally retraced my route, trying to remember anything unusual. Nothing immediately stood out.
Naturally, I turned to the internet.
