That night, I barely slept. Every small itch made me more alert. In the early hours of the morning, I turned on my phone’s flashlight and slowly examined the edge of the mattress again. This time, I noticed tiny dark spots along the seams and what looked like very small insects hiding in the folds of fabric. My heart dropped. I took a few photos and started searching online. The results all pointed to the same answer, something I had hoped it wouldn’t be.

I told my friend immediately the next morning. He was shocked and felt terrible, but at the same time relieved that we had finally found the cause. We contacted a professional cleaning service that confirmed the apartment had a serious infestation that had likely been there for a long time, even while the place sat empty. They explained that these pests can survive for months without being noticed and often hide deep inside furniture and walls.

I left the apartment that same day with all my clothes sealed in bags and went straight to a laundromat to wash everything at high heat. The bumps eventually faded after a couple of weeks, but the experience stayed with me. It taught me how important it is to always check sleeping areas carefully, even in places that seem harmless or familiar. Sometimes the biggest problems are the ones you can’t see at first glance, and a few quiet nights can lead to a situation you never expected.