Becoming a Predator

The toxic fumes of a pesticide burnt my nostrils, I refused to breath in the air that so heavily smelled of death – attempted to open the windows, but the fumes stifled me already…..Escaped, the word is still a misnomer, into a brightly lit cubicle, still stifled by the insensitively cold air in the atmosphere. I am still trying to breathe in - - -



Clear blue skies, flourishing blooms, the greens breaking through the ground to rise above the dark soil, the onset of Spring stole the grey white sheets from over me, too. But, little did I realise the returning of warmth in the air was to break the dormancy of another powerful species!!! TheCimex lectularius have made this Homo sapien completely insomniac and a predator in the making.


In Spring I learned about them, identified them and prepared to combat if need be. Prudentially, tried to maintain a “sweet” introduction from a distance. Restrained visiting friends who I knew had become hosts to the bedbugs and I guess, was being hated in reciprocation.

I was fooled though. Came late Spring and I would wake up in the middle of the night looking for my elusive “guests”. They were crawling over me, piercing my skin, injecting anticoagulants and anesthetics and feeding on me!!!


To begin with, I was nice to my guests – did not take “ their” bed away, instead lost mine!! Live and let live, what say?


Came in Summer and along came the sweltering heat. Perfectly snuggled under my bedroom carpet they were, feasting on reportedly every night; we have played the hide and seek game for a month now. They have grown in health, in numbers and shown courage in the light. I wait till dawn comes to only stretch my spine.


Extermination is known to be hard game and I have provenly failed!! But I have to battle to sleep. The fumes burn my nostrils, my eyes blur from insomnia as I wait for the dawn ---- of the day and everyday!