It began with restless nights and constant itching. Noah would wake up covered in red welts, convinced he had bed bugs. His father Oscar poured over countless articles online, learning everything there was to know about these nocturnal pests. Desperate to find a solution, he sought an expert’s professional help. But once the expert saw those “bed bugs”, his face turned pale, and he said, “These are not ordinary bed bugs. We need to leave your room, now!!!” Oscar and his wife weren’t too pleased with all this chaos in their house, especially with their little boy, Noah, around. They tried to discuss the evacuation, but soon they realized there was no room for arguing! This was dead serious, and it was in their best interest to leave as quickly as they could. None of the researchers spoke a word after hearing what these things in Oscar’s bed really were! At first sight, it just seemed to be bed bugs, but after a thorough examination, they realized there was much more to it. Noah’s parents couldn’t believe it and demanded an explanation from the expert right away! There wasn’t even time to pack their bags. They just needed to leave as soon as they could. Noah looked at how her parents took off in all haste, led by the expert and his team. He wasn’t going to be the same boy after this.  But what was so dangerous? Why was the expert in such a panic, and why did they leave the house instantly?  Like any other young kid, Noah was afraid of what may or may not be hiding under his bed. For that reason, he checked under his bed every morning. But he id not see anything under his bed, but he did see something on it. He had no idea what it was, or that things would become much worse from here on… Noah was shocked and immediately ran downstairs. He yelled for his parents, but they didn’t immediately respond. When he finally got their attention, he told them about his discovery. They didn’t believe him at first, but when they saw the fear in his eyes, they went upstairs with him.  And now it wasn’t just Noah who was in shock. His parents, Oscar and Hilly, were also totally blown away by this. Oscar thought he was dealing with a familiar problem here. But they looked slightly different than bedbugs. He slowly stretched out his hand to touch it, but Noah yelled, “Dad, no! Don’t do that! You don’t know if it’s safe…” Oscar and Hilly decided to call an expert, not only to reassure Noah but also to have the insects removed as soon as possible. Noah was right about them not touching it — it was better to have experts deal with it. The expert arrived quickly: less than fifteen minutes after they had made the call, he was already knocking on their door. Oddly enough, he didn’t want to go upstairs right away.He wanted the family to describe their find as detailed as possible. And Oscar did as he was told. When the expert heard the description of the find, he was shocked. But he didn’t explain why… He just asked if he could go upstairs right now, because there was little time. Suddenly, he seemed in a hurry. Noah could tell that something serious was going on, and he was very scared. He had every reason to be… The expert stepped courageously into the room and carefully looked at the bed with a flashlight. Without saying anything, he kept checking the bed for several minutes while the family waited in suspense. They craved answers, or at least more clarity. But suddenly, they heard a loud sound. The expert was screaming in horror! He had just been so quiet and concentrated, doing his job, and now he suddenly screamed as if he were facing his greatest fear. Oscar squeezed Noah close, telling him everything was going to be okay. But why did the expert scream like that? What had happened in the bed? The family waited for the expert to come out of the room and explain what was going on, but he didn’t do that. He stayed there, leaving the rest in the dark. Oscar wondered what could be going on… He was slowly losing his patience because if it was really that bad, he needed to know immediately! The expert finally opened the bedroom door but avoided eye contact with the family. This is absurd, Oscar thought. He lost his temper and walked over to the man, demanding that he at least say what he saw and what made him scream. But the expert walked away, snapping at Oscar, “I need backup! Leave me alone!” But this only raised more questions on Oscar’s side. Wasn’t this his house, and didn’t it concern him more than the expert himself? Hilly agreed with him. However, she was a bit calmer than Oscar and kindly asked the expert if he could tell them what was going on, and if they could do anything to help. But his answer would only make them even more worried… The expert preferred Hilly’s approach and he finally looked at her. He clearly made an effort to speak to her and Oscar, looking worriedly in Noah’s direction. No matter how hard he tried to find the right words, he hardly managed to speak. He stuttered and tripped over his words. Hilly wondered, these could not just be case on simple bedbugs right? Meanwhile, the expert finally called for backup. He tried to explain everything over the phone, but Oscar and Hilly noticed that he had to repeat himself several times. That could only mean that his backup didn’t understand much of it either! Finally, the man hung up, waiting for the others to come their way… Oscar, Hilly, and Noah were asked to wait in the living room until the others arrived. They hesitantly obliged, but they wondered what the expert actually meant by “backup”. Did he ring his boss? Or one of his colleagues? And what would happen when they arrived? They had so many questions… Not much later, the backup actually arrived: it was a whole team! They hardly paid attention to the family and only briefly nodded to little Noah. They went straight to his bedroom, where they carefully began the preparations. The operation had begun, and it wasn’t going to be an easy one…. Men in white suits filled Noah’s room. Oscar and Hilly stood by their son’s door and watched in horror as the men tore up the room. They pushed all the furniture aside and gathered around Noah’s bed, lifting the blankets carefully. The family could hear the men murmur under their masks, and they sounded very serious. But as soon as the bed was pulled apart, the expert’s colleagues were also shocked! Oscar, Hilly, and Noah could now also clearly see the red “bed bugs” on the sheets. There were many more than he first expected. They still wondered what was so special about it… After carefully inspecting the apparent infestation, the team took a moment to discuss. Oscar tried to eavesdrop but couldn’t hear their conversation. Nevertheless, it was clear to him that they seemed pretty distraught by the situation. Soon after, the team continued. They had made up their minds and suddenly worked in a decisive matter.  Some of them left with samples of the red bugs, and others stayed and taped off Noah’s room. No one was allowed in anymore, which left Oscar, Hilly, and Noah with a dreadful feeling. They all knew now that there was something strange about this shell, but still, no one would tell them what it was… Eventually, the team decided to call the police! Oscar was shocked! Was it that bad? Were the police really needed? He had never seen the police before in his neighborhood, and now he feared for his own innocence! He knew he had nothing to do with this, but the idea of ​​police officers coming in still terrified him. He tried to talk the expert out of it, telling him it couldn’t be that bad and they could solve it together. But the expert had no time for his suggestions. He had gotten irritated by the family’s constant questions. He demanded they’d stay in the living room and let his team do their jobs.  Not long after, the whole house was full of cops and scientists! It was an unreal situation for the frightened family, who tried to reassure each other. Oscar and Hilly found themselves less and less involved in the investigation and just focused on their family. Soon, it would turn out that those concerns were justified… Meanwhile, the police officer in charge arrived. He looked around the room with a serious face and had an obligatory chat with Oscar and Hilly. Unfortunately, he had little to say and tried to reassure them with empty words. Soon after, he joined the other agents and experts. A discovery had been made. Oscar, Hilly, and little Noah tried to get closer. Yet they still couldn’t hear anything because the experts and the police officers were whispering! This was clearly information they could not share directly with the family. Then Oscar saw a strange reaction on one of the officers’ faces. He saw how his eyes were wide open from shock! This officer clearly heard some unexpected news, and it showed on his face! Because of this, Oscar ran out of patience, and he joined the group. The officers immediately stopped whispering. But Oscar didn’t care. He demanded an explanation! Oscar firmly demanded an answer from the officers. But as he spoke to them, all the police officers did something Oscar never saw coming. They stepped back, and with a surprised look on their face, they said, “Sir, stay there. You need to lay on the ground and don’t move!!” What is going on?, Oscar thought.  Oscar had no idea why he was ordered to lie on the ground, but he wasn’t in a position to deny an order. So, he slowly put his hands in the air and got down on his knees. Hilly and Noah looked at him with wide eyes from inside the house. Was Oscar being arrested? Why would they do something like that? Police said he and his family needed to stay inside, as they could be infected with something. No way… Oscar couldn’t believe his eyes. But then, all of a sudden, he saw his little Noah crying just outside of their house. He wanted to help his dad, but suddenly, the cops pulled their guns on him. Oscar couldn’t stand this and ran toward them. Were they completely out of their minds!? But Oscar was immediately shoved to the ground. However, Noah was taken under arms by a somewhat normal cop who treated her sweetly, and Oscar was relieved about that. Then, he was put into a police car, and they also put Noah and his wife into another police car. But they were all separated… What was going on? After a few minutes, Oscar noticed a large group in white suits approaching and entering the house. Hours passed before anyone came to Oscar, leaving him to wonder what was happening. Finally, someone informed him, “We need to take you and your family with us, sir.” What the heck? Was he being arrested? Oscar could hear his son crying in the other car. The situation had gotten way out of hand and looking at his house, surrounded by cops and men in hazmat suits, was a surreal feeling. Everything they took out of his home was concealed in air-tight ziplock bags. It was bizarre… As the car drove away, Oscar noticed that the driver was not a police officer. It was one of those people in white suits… Confused and worried, he asked some questions, but the driver remained silent. Where was he taking him, and why was he dressed like that? The mystery only deepened. After a two-hour drive, they arrived at their destination: an airport. Oscar was confused, wondering what was happening. Suddenly, he was escorted onto a waiting helicopter and taken away. He had no idea where they were going or why, but the fear and uncertainty made his heart race.  “Where are my son and wife?”, he asked, His voice was barely louder than the sound of the helicopter’s propellor. He was strapped in and given ear protection, but there was no sign of the other car containing Hilly and Noah. “Where are you taking me?”, he yelled again, but no one answered. As Oscar flew through the air, his mind raced with questions. Where were they taking him? Was his family there already? Despite his curiosity, he knew asking questions was useless. No one would answer him anyway. But to his surprise, suddenly, a man spoke up, “We’re almost there, just five minutes away.” Oscar looked out of the helicopter, trying to recognize the land below, but it was in vain. The land looked dry and dull, and there was no sign of life. Suddenly he felt the helicopter descend. He looked down but couldn’t make out the shapes below. What was this place? Soon after, Oscar arrived at a base camp that seemed like a military camp. But there was something different about it. He had never seen anything like it before. The strange equipment and unfamiliar faces left him with an uneasy feeling. What could this place be, and why was he brought here? As soon as the helicopter landed, another team of white-suited people arrived and grabbed Oscar by the arms. They whisked him away into a nearby building, where they locked him up in a cell. The stark, sterile surroundings made him feel isolated and trapped. Why had he been brought here, and what was to become of him? Just 24 hours earlier, Oscar had been enjoying a peaceful dinner with his family. Now, he found himself locked up in a cell, uncertain of his fate. Was he under arrest, or was there something else at play? His biggest concern was for his family, especially his young son Noah. He must be terrified by the sudden upheaval. Two hours later, a man entered Oscar’s cell, again fully packed with a white suit. He introduced himself as Alex, who claimed to work for a secret forces team. He apologized for the situation but insisted their actions had been necessary. Oscar demanded answers, but Alex remained mysterious about it.  Oscar’s first concern was for his family, especially his son Noah. Before Alex could say something else, Oscar aggressively demanded to know where they were taken. But Alex stayed eerily quiet and looked at him with concern, hesitating before speaking. Finally, he sighed, looked at the ground, and said, “I have to tell you something…” Oscar’s heart raced as the words sunk in. He yelled, “What? What? What?” Was something happening to Noah? He struggled to compose himself, feeling his pulse throb in his temples. The air felt thick with dread as he waited for Alex to respond, which felt like an eternity. The suspense was almost unbearable. Alex handed Oscar a glass of water, calming him down as he struggled to regain his composure. Oscar felt ashamed for losing control like that, but he had never felt so helpless in his life. Then, Alex’s words hung in the air like a heavy fog. “It’s about your son…” Alex’s voice was grave as he told Oscar that he needed to regain his composure; his son had fallen somewhat ill after they had arrived at the facility. It was probably the infestation in his bed, Alex explained, his face etched with worry. But what did that mean? Oscar’s mind raced with questions. Oscar’s mind was racing with questions as he tried to process the news about his son’s sudden illness. What kind of shell could give his son such a bad reaction? Was he really sick, and if so, how serious was it? The uncertainty was suffocating, and he longed for answers. Alex remained evasive about the nature of her illness, insisting it was top secret. Oscar didn’t mind; his priority was his son, and he wanted to see him immediately. However, Alex informed him that it was only possible after he had been tested for the virus himself. Oscar was anxious and afraid, but he had no choice but to agree. Another man entered the room and conducted a few tests on Oscar. A long and dreadful hour later, they received the results, and thankfully, Oscar was not infected by the bed bugs. He was relieved and eager to finally see his son again. He prayed to god that he would be okay.  Alex explained to Oscar he had to go through some protocols. He wasn’t allowed to touch his son and had to wear a hazmat suit like everyone else. They told him his wife, Hilly, was still waiting on the test results, and if she were to be negative, too, she would be joining him in their son’s room.  As Oscar walked down the long hallway, he bombarded Alex with questions, desperate for answers. What was the origin of the illness? Did it come from the bed bugs? Alex remained evasive, cautioning Oscar that some things were better left unsaid. After several minutes of silence, Alex finally opened up a bit. “I can’t reveal everything to you, but since your son is affected, I’ll give you some information.” Oscar’s heart raced as he tried to piece together the puzzle. What could it be that was affecting his son so badly? “But before I tell you more, we need to run some tests to be sure,” Alex said, leading Oscar to his son’s room. “We’re doing everything we can to help him. Are you ready to see him?” Oscar waited for a few seconds. He had to prepare his mind for what he was about to see.  As Oscar walked into the room, he was struck with disbelief at the sight of his son lying in bed. He looked very tired. He was hooked to a machine, and fluid dripped through a tube. The question that kept haunting him was whether he would pull through this ordeal. But Alex assured him she would. Alex continued. “This illness is fairly new, and there have only been three cases known in the world. We’re still testing various possible cures, but one really stands out.” He paused and looked at Oscar. Alex put his hand on Oscar’s shoulder. “You do not have to worry” Alex suggested that if Oscar’s blood was given to his son, his blood cells might adjust with Oscar’s good blood cells, and it could possibly help save him. Without hesitation, Oscar agreed to do the blood transfusion and took a seat for the procedure. But it wasn’t that quick and easy. They had to fill up a big bag with his blood. But before they could start the transfusion, they had to be sure their blood was compatible. They needed to have the same blood type; otherwise, this wouldn’t work. And after some testing, it became clear they, in fact, had the same blood type. Oscar was relieved.  After they successfully filled the bag with Oscar’s blood, they entered Noah’s room and hung the bag of blood to let it drip into his veins. It was a waiting game now. Oscar couldn’t help but inquire if they had any more information about the mysterious infestation that brought the Illness. Finally, Hilly arrived. She wore a white suit, just like the rest. But her presence meant she tested negative for the virus as well, and that was reassuring. Oscar hugged his wife tightly, and they sat down next to their son. Telling him encouraging words without even being sure she could hear them. Hilly had just as many questions as her husband. But Alex’s answers were also just as vague. No one had any certainty about what was going to happen to Noah. And they didn’t want to make empty promises. After a few minutes, Alex and the other experts left the room, But Oscar wasn’t done yet. So, he followed them. Oscar was eager to know more about the shell, and Alex finally agreed to tell him everything. But on one condition – he had to sign a contract promising not to divulge the information to anyone. And without hesitation, Oscar immediately agreed. He couldn’t wait to know what he was about to learn. Oscar agreed to sign the contract without hesitation. Alex began to reveal information about the mysterious shell and the virus it carried, but Oscar sensed there was more to the story. He wondered what other secrets were being kept from him? And would he regret signing this contract? The bed turned out to have an investigation of mutated bed bugs. A very rare new species that could have a somewhat poisonous bite. Especially children could be very susceptible to it and they feared that the disease the animals spread could also be very contagious. That is why they needed to take all these precautions But regardless, this was the first case of those bugs being seen in this country and that is why such extreme precautions were taken. They had to find out where they came from and make sure they would not spread. And Oscar actually had an idea of what might have happened here About a month ago, he had a friend come over from Brazil for a night. He had been deep in the rainforest just before that and could maybe have had some seeds stuck in his shoes. He slept in Noah’s room for the night, so that would explain how the infestation had started there. Oscar’s disbelief quickly turned into acceptance with all the information he now had. With his mind now focused on his daughter, he asked for an update on her condition. “What is going on with my son? Is he doing better?” he asked anxiously, hoping for some positive news. And the doctors had good news for him. Noah was doing a lot better. Oscar was immensely relieved to learn that the blood transfusion had worked, as his son had finally woken up from his deep sleep. He asked Alex if he could see him, eager to be reunited with his little boy. They embraced, and Noah asked what had happened. He already looked a lot better than a few hours ago. He had to stay the night for observation, but if everything kept improving, he would be allowed to go home tomorrow. Hilly and Oscar stayed with their son to keep him feeling safe. The next day, they asked if they could finally go home. But Alex told them that was a difficult situation. Because their house was still in lockdown and needed to be thoroughly cleaned. Instead, they provided a temporary home for Oscar and his family where they could stay until it was time for them to go home. The end.