A Living Nightmare
Kate trembled as she gawked at the miniscule display in her palms. She was astonished. What was intended to be a harmless Instagram post had evolved into a real-life horror show.


She gazed at the pictures and a chill ran through her. She hadn't realized what was in the background, and if she had, she wouldn't have shared them with anyone.
Nothing Special
On a standard Saturday afternoon, Kate had a brainstorm to upload some pictures to her Instagram page. She didn't think it would be a great deal, as she and her beau, Alex, had spent the day in the pool and she desired to spread the lovely pics they had captured.


She was not expecting much attention, as she had very few people following her. But when she looked at her phone that night, she was astounded by what she saw.
Going Viral
Kate and Alex were having a dinner and relaxing in front of the tube when she heard a constant, annoying noise coming from her device. When she glanced at it, she saw that she had countless messages from her associates and relatives.


“Take a look at Instagram, you're trending!” Her bestie, Moira, texted her. Kate was puzzled and immediately pulled up the social media program, but when she did, she was stunned.
Good News
During the past few hours, Kate's Instagram post had earned an impressive 30,000 likes and 4,000 comments. She was delighted and beamed with joy.


Kate was abounding with exhilaration when she showed her boyfriend the post. She had constantly fantasized about becoming an influencer, and she believed this was the beginning of her ambition becoming a reality. Unfortunately, she was greatly mistaken.
Her Accomplishment
Kate was confused as to why the pictures had become so popular. They were nothing out of the ordinary. She assumed that maybe people liked the bathing suit she was wearing, but she was incorrect.


Alex was ecstatic as he applauded her success. Over the prior few hours, she had gained almost 10,000 fresh supporters. Sadly, the joy disappeared from her face when another message came from her closest companion.
A Confusing Text
Moira's moniker was the first one to show up on the display, and Kate didn't hesitate to open her message. But the contents of the text were really strange.


Moira's message was that she thought Kate was courageous for uploading those images. Kate was perplexed. Was Moira indicating that the pictures were unappealing? None of it seemed to make sense. Kate asked Moira what she meant.
An Alarming Detail
Kate wrinkled her nose in confusion as she waited for Moira to answer her. She was baffled as to why her pals would utter something like that. Shortly after, her cell phone gave a single notification. "Check the reviews!" Moira declared.


Kate felt discombobulated as she opened the application and looked at the post. Her spirit plummeted when she noticed the first comment; her attention hadn't been attracted to a worrying element in the backdrop of the images.
A Normal Girl
Kate Coleman was a regular twenty-year-old, who grew up in Trenton, New Jersey. Apart from studying for her degree in Marketing, she enjoyed spending time with her friends and family.


The youthful female existed in a straightforward lifestyle. She still stayed with her mom and dad, whose names were Jim and Susan, and she delighted in it greatly. Nonetheless, Kate had a wish that she kept private from the remainder of the globe.
Her Dream
Ever since she was a young lady, Kate has been determined to become a well-known social media presence, similar to the women she follows on the platform. She has always had dreams of being a model for large companies and to endorse some of the things she loves.


Throughout the past, she had devoted a huge amount of time into her Instagram pictures, but it never paid off. She was left with only 600 followers, the majority of whom were people she knew personally. Nevertheless, that would eventually shift.
All The Wrong Reasons
Only Kate's partner, Alex, was apprised of her ambition. They had been a couple since their teenage years, and through those times he observed the exertion she invested in her online platforms.


He stuck with her through it all, even though her ambition appeared insurmountable. But then, one of her postings gained notoriety for unfavorable reasons.
Unaware
That day began just like any other. It was a Saturday and Alex had arranged to come over. It was during the hottest months of the year and all they wanted was to take a plunge in the swimming pool.


At the start, it all appeared fine. They bit into juicy watermelon and swigged delicious smoothies while drifting in the chilly liquid. Kate had just purchased an up-to-date swimsuit, and wanted to flaunt it. Nonetheless, they had no idea of something truly terrifying lurking at their back.
If Only
Alex had become comfortable with being in photographs for his partner's Instagram page. She was passionate about displaying him to her audience. They grinned for the lens as Kate snapped a few pictures of them together.


Much to her astonishment, the photos had come out great, so she decided to directly upload them to her social media. Had she taken the time to modify the images, however, she would have seen something in the background, directly gazing at them.
Lower Her Expectations
When Kate initially chose to share the pictures on her Instagram account, she didn't believe it would amount to much. Through the years, she had become accustomed to having restrained expectations. She anticipated the post would attract no more than 100 likes.


After she shared the pictures, she put away her cellular device and spent the afternoon with her significant other. She had no clue what had happened when she clicked the "post" button.
A Strange Sound
They used the rest of the daylight hours relaxing by the pool until it was time for dinner. Kate had ordered them a pizza to split. They were munching on the pizza while watching television when Kate heard an unfamiliar noise.


At first, she was confused about the source, but then it became clear. Her cell phone was generating a loud and persistent sound.
A Text From Her Best Friend
She stretched out her arm and grabbed her phone. After a quick look, she had been bombarded with messages from people she knew. She thought it would be best to respond to her closest companion first.


Moira sent a text saying to take a look at Instagram--she had become popular! Kate was puzzled and her eyes widened with surprise. She could feel her stomach doing flip-flops as she hurriedly opened the app. When she saw what was on the screen, she was speechless.
A Viral Post
Throughout the last few hours, Kate was astonished to see that her Instagram post had obtained more than 30,000 'likes' and 4,000 comments. A huge smile spread across her face as she thought about how she had been attempting to become popular on social media for the past four years, and her efforts had finally paid off.


She demonstrated the post to Alex, her excitement palpable. Kate had constantly hoped to become a social media star, and felt that this was the beginning of her ambitions being fulfilled. Unfortunately, she was incorrect.
Becoming A Reality
Alex was astounded when his partner gave him the phone. When he gazed at the display, he couldn't help but break into a wide smile. He was shocked at what had taken place.


For years, Kate had constantly talked about her ambition, and now, he was observing it come to life right in front of his eyes. But even he failed to take notice of the minutia in the backdrop. They had not the slightest clue of the peril that had hidden behind them only a short time earlier.
Proud
Kate was confused as to why the pictures had become so popular. They were nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe people liked her new swimming costume, she speculated. However, she was incorrect.


Alex was delighted as he offered his congratulations to her for her success. Through the past several hours, she had acquired nearly 10,000 fresh followers. But her smile faded away when she got another communication from her closest friend.
A New Text
Moira's label was displayed prominently on the monitor, and Kate promptly clicked into her message. To her shock, she saw something really peculiar.


Moira sent a message saying how courageous Kate was for posting those pictures. She was unsure why, wondering if Moira thought they were unattractive. She asked what she meant.
An Alarming Detail
Kate scowled while she waited for Moira to answer. She could not comprehend why her buddies would say something like that. After a brief time, her phone chimed again. "Check out the remarks!" Moira declared.


Kate felt disoriented as she opened the app and moved her finger down the page to the post. When she read the initial reaction, her stomach sank. She hadn't noticed a troublesome element in the background of the images.
An Innocent Post
Kate was trembling as she looked at the small display on the device she was holding. She was incredulous at what she was seeing. An unassuming Instagram post had become a real horror.


She glanced at the photos and a chill ran through her body. How had she not seen what was behind them? If she had known, she would never have shared them.
A Loss For Words
Alex saw the scared expression on her face. "Are you alright? What's happening?" His eyebrows were furrowed, and he seemed really worried. Kate couldn't even say anything, she just held the phone out to him, her gaze filled with terror.


He snatched the object from her hands and gazed at the display, yet he couldn't quite figure it out. He looked at the pictures but he could not understand why everyone else was so captivated.
Missing The Details
Kate noticed the bewildered expression on his countenance. It was clear that he had not caught the information just like she had done at first. "Check out the liquid behind us. Look!" She uttered.


Alex peered intently at the monitor, not observing anything until he chose to magnify it. He then saw something lurking in the liquid, but was unsure of what he was beholding until he swiped to the next image.
He Understood
A chill ran up his spine as he gazed at the picture. Instantly, he realized why his girlfriend was so terrified.


It emerged that while they were swimming, a serpent had come to share the pool with them. The pictures showed the snake getting closer to where they were standing more and more.
Exhausted
He was astonished, eyes wide. How could they have overlooked the being in the pool? Alex and Kate instantly stood up and rushed outside.


The serpent was still in the basin, its skull just over the liquid. It was evident that it was unable to leave, and it was worn out. But what type of snake was it?
The Snake
Alex was able to tell what type of snake it was right away, as he had seen many of them in his backyard before. It was a common garter snake, which is native to North America and found in many places on the continent.


Although these snakes are very fierce and will certainly attack and bite, they do not have poison. Kate was worried and said, "We must help it! It's going to drown!
Saving It
Alex decided to give assistance. He was aware that the serpent must have been worn out after spending a lot of time in the water. The likelihood of it attacking him was not high.


Kate observed from a distance as Alex knelt down and carefully removed the skinny serpent from the freezing liquid. He sat it down on the lawn and observed it as it crawled into a close shrub. Fortunately, it appeared to be alright.
Stir
Kate found the situation amusing. She was astonished that such a tiny serpent could generate so much attention on the web. Then, they returned to the house and took a seat on the sofa.


Kate read the remarks on her post and multiple individuals expressed worry about the serpent. "What if it submerges?" inquired one. "I don't think it can extricate itself alone," a different one remarked.
An Update
Kate chose to share the news on her Instagram account, telling everyone that Alex had taken the creature out of the pool and it was doing fine. Her new followers were glad to hear the news.


That evening, her number of followers escalated. Every hour, she was receiving hundreds more, and she was astounded by her fortune.
A Boost In The Algorithm
This viral post had a positive effect on her account in the system, and it wasn't long before her account started to get a lot of new supporters.


Her work started to become successful, and shortly after that, she was given her first business agreement. As a result of this peculiar experience, Kate ultimately achieved the status of an influencer which she had been aiming for, and she was overjoyed.