Last week I told the story of how we acquired a bed bug as an office pet.

Well, now I am back to report the most recent and grossly disturbing development.

It all began Tuesday around 5:15 pm, on what would appear to have been an ordinary evening at the office.

I had largely forgotten about the bed bug that was still alive and well in its red dixie cup suite across the hallway. (I am type of person who tends to block disturbing realities from her consciousness). That is until Michael called me in and I spotted the ominous and now empty red cup sitting next to his keyboard. Michael had his arm extended and held very steady in front of him. My heart started thumping as I cautiously approached his desk. Soon I could see our little bed bug friend ambling about on Michael’s forearm, trying to make its way through a thick forest of arm hair.

In a very repulsed tone I stated, ” Michael. You are not trying to get him to feed on you again?!”  It was not really a question since I already knew the answer.

Michael confirmed my fears with a nod and a sick maniacal grin.

I pretended to be really interested in Michael’s masochistic science experiment for about a minute longer before politely excusing myself. I did not make it two steps out of his office though before he hollered at me  to grab the digital camera.

“I think its starting to feed! Look! Its burying its head in my arm.”

Not only was my heart thumping now but my stomach was churning. Sure enough, the parasite had finally decided it was hungry enough for a snack. Its head was tilted down toward Michael’s arm flesh with its little booty stuck up in the air behind it. Bed bug bodies are translucent when empty so you could actually see the head reddening as it drew the blood up through its mouth and down into its rapidly expanding abdomen.

By the time the feeding was complete, the bed bug had grown nearly twice its original size and had turned bright red in color. It’s amazing how quickly they fill up. It only took about 3 minutes. Michael placed it back in the dixie cup with a look of triumph on his face. I suggested he give it a name now that they had bonded so closely.

I would love to think we have seen the end of the office bed bug, especially now that Michael has realized his ambition of becoming  its main course. But in reality I know that Tuesday’s live feeding was just the beginning. I have a feeling there are more experiments to come and that Mr. Bed Bug is going to be sticking around for a very long time.