Don't let the Bedbugs Bite
Summary: When Chuckie wakes up one morning with a bunch of little bumps all over his body after a sleepover at Zack's, he fears he's grown allergic to his bed, but when Tommy sleeps over, and gets the same bumps a few days later, the Pickles and Finsters, as well as Zachary's family learn they've been inhabited by bedbugs. Will they get rid of them?
Editional Notes: The Rugrats are still in preschool during this story.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Rugrats, they're the property of their original creaters. Zachary and I have been a part of Rugrats since Rugrats and the Gray Plague, and, this story is based off a true story, that did really happen to me, twice in my lifetime before I officially became an aunt, but luckily in this story, they only go through this once. I hope you enjoy it!
It was the morning at preschool. Everyone was sitting around the table except Zack, making different things out of Playdough.
"How was your sleepover at Zack's?" Tommy asked.
"It was fun, but ever since it was over, I've been waking up every morning with little itchy bumps all over my arms." Replied Chuckie, scratching his arm.
"Wow, what do you think it is?" Tommy asked.
"I don't know. Maybe, maybe, I'm allergic to the bed!" Chuckie said in terror.
"Don't be silly Chuckie, you can't be allergic to the bed, but just in case, maybe you should take your allergy medicine at night before bed." Suggested Tommy.
"That's a great idea Tommy." Said Chuckie happily.
"Hey, where is Zack anyway?" Kimi asked.
"I don't know, he hasn't been at school for the past 2 days." Replied Chuckie.
Just then, Aunty Celeste and Zack walked into the room. They were greeted by Miss Applebee at the door.
"Hi Zack, we've missed you!" Said Miss Applebee.
"I've missed you too." Zack replied, scratching his stomach.
"Is something bothering Zack? He seems to be itching a lot." Asked Miss Applebee.
"Yeah, he's been itching a lot for the past several days. It's only been getting worse each morning, and, I have the bumps too. I asked about it at his doctor's this morning, and they couldn't figure it out either. I'm having Taffy come over this afternoon to give me a pair of working eyeballs to help me inspect the place, and for this reason, Kira, Chuckie and Kimi's mom, is going to take off work this afternoon and watch the kids." Said Celeste, as she turned to leave the room.
"Ok, that sounds good. Have a nice day now, and good luck." Said Miss Applebee, waving goodbye as Celeste walked down the sidewalk.
That afternoon, everyone was hanging out at Chuckie's house when the parents arrived to pick them up.
"What makes you think you're allergic to your bed anyway?" Phil asked.
"Well when you're allergic to something, you get little itchy bumps, unless, I'm sick with Chicken Pox again, and I'm gonna turn into a chicken." Said Chuckie nervously.
"Don't be silly Chuckie, don't you remember when we had them, Susie told us we wouldn't turn into chickens?" Tommy asked.
"Yeah, maybe you're right." Replied Chuckie, plopping down on the couch.
"Yeah, and Dil just recently got over the Chicken Pox, and my mommy says you can only get them once. So you must be allergic to the bed." Said Tommy.
"Great, that's just great. When I first got my bed two years ago, I didn't like it, cuz it had no walls, no sides, and at first, there was a monster under the bed that turned out to be my daddy's sweater. And now I'm allergic to it? This kind of thing never happened when I slept in a crib." Chuckie said sadly.
"I don't know, but try the allergy medicine, and see if it works." Said Tommy.
"Well, if you say so." Replied Chuckie.
At the front door, the adults were talking.
"Something's really been bothering Chuckie, he's been itching a lot." Said Chaz.
"Have you had a doctor check him out?" Didi asked.
"No, maybe I should give Chuckie's allergist a call and see about getting an appointment. It also might not hurt to give him an extra dose of his medicine tonight just in case." Replied Chaz.
That night, Chuckie took an extra dose of his allergy medicine, only to awaken the next morning with more bumps all over his arms and legs.
The next day at preschool.
"So Chuckeroo, did the medicine work?" Tommy asked.
"No, it only got worser." Replied Chuckie disappointedly.
"Hey, I slept over with you when you had the monster problem with your bed. Maybe I should sleep over tonight and together, we can figure out what's wrong with your bed." Tommy said excitedly.
"I'll ask my daddy if you can sleep over." Replied Chuckie happily.
That afternoon, Chuckie and his dad paid the allergist a visit, and had some tests done.
"It doesn't appear that Chuckie has developed anymore allergies, but he does appear to have a bunch of bites all over his arms and legs. I'll have to investigate this further, and meanwhile, I'd wash all of Chuckie's bedding, and make sure there's nothing in there." Said the allergist.
"Well thank you doc." Replied Chaz.
"Also, has Chuckie slept or gone any place other than his own home lately?" Asked the allergist.
"Well, he slept over at his friend Zack's apartment, but that's it." Said Chaz.
"Then I don't know what to tell you. Just have Chuckie continue to take his allergy medicine at least once daily, twice if needed, and clean his bedding." Said the allergist.
"Thank you. We'll give you a call if anything else should come up." Said Chaz, as he and Chuckie walked out of the allergist's office.
"Daddy, is it ok if Tommy sleeps over?" Chuckie asked his dad as they were getting into the car to leave the allergist's office.
"Sure I don't see why not." Chaz answered approvingly.
That night, Chaz and Kira put fresh clean sheets on the bed for Chuckie and Tommy, who was sleeping over. Tommy slept over that night, and the two of them, had a really good time together. The next morning when they woke up, Chuckie didn't have any new bumps on his body, and Tommy didn't have any at all.
"See Chuckie, there's nothing wrong with you or your bed. You were worrying for nothing." Said Tommy.
"Maybe you're right Tommy, I just wish I knew why I got these little itchy bumps in the first place." Replied Chuckie.
"Hey, maybe it's not your bed you're allergic to, but Zack's bed you're allergic to." Said Tommy.
"Maybe, but, I don't know." Said Chuckie, with a look of confusion on his face as he got out of bed and headed for the door of his room.
A few days later, Tommy awoke in the middle of the night, with itchy arms. He walks over to the racecar bed where his 2-year-old brother Dil was sleeping. Dil heard Tommy walking over and awoke.
"What's wrong Tommy?" Dil asked.
"I'm all itchy." Said Tommy, curling up next to Dil in bed.
"Well, you can sleep with me if that makes you feel better." Said Dil.
"Thanks Dil." Tommy replied happily, snuggling up next to his brother.
The next morning, the boys awoke to find bumps like Tommy's on Dil's arm, and a tiny little black bug.
"Dil, what's this?" Tommy asked, snatching up the black bug that was crawling across Dil's pillow in his hand.
"Looks like a bug to me." Said Dil.
"Hey, could this be the reason why we're itching?" Tommy asked.
"Maybe, but why would a bug be in bed?" Replied Dil.
"Maybe it's a bedbug. Mommy and Daddy are always telling us when we go to sleep to not let the bedbugs bite." Said Tommy.
"Nah, bedbugs are just pretend, or are they?" Dil asked with curiosity, as he and Tommy headed down to breakfast.
They get down to breakfast, where Didi notices the bumps all over Tommy and Dil's arms.
"What's that on your arms?" Didi asked.
"Mommy, I think we have bedbugs." Said Tommy, opening up his hand to reveal the bedbug he found on Dil's pillow.
"Oh my!" Replied Didi.
Just then, Didi answered the call, to find she was in a three way call with Zack's aunt Celeste, and Chuckie and Kimi's mom Kira.
"Have your kids been itching lately?" Asked Celeste.
"Well, I noticed Tommy and Dil were itching this morning." Replied Didi.
"Well, I know why. Zack and I have bedbugs, and apparently, some of them went home with Chuckie after last weekend's sleepover." Said Celeste.
"Yeah, and it sounds like Tommy must have gotten some when he slept over with Chuckie a few days ago." Said Kira.
"How do we get rid of them? I highly doubt there's anything about this in Lipchitz." Said Didi.
"I'll be meeting with an exterminater later on today to see about treatment, I'll give him your names and have him give you guys a call." Said Celeste.
"Thank you." Said Didi, as she hung up the phone.
After breakfast, Tommy went upstairs to get dressed, when he looked at his bed to see several of the tiny black bedbugs crawling around. Just then, Dil wandered into the room.
"Dil, I've got to show these to Chuckie and Zack at preschool today. Quick, go to the recycling bin and get out an empty glass jar." Said Tommy.
"But that's for Baby Hubert, the recycling truck to eat." Replied Dil.
"Hurry Dil, this is important!" Demanded Tommy.
Dil left the room and came back a few minutes later with the empty jar, at which time, they scooped up the crawling bugs, which wasn't easy to do, and got them into the jar. Tommy closed the lid and put the jar into his Reptar backpack.
Later on at school, Tommy, Chuckie, Zack, Phil and Lil were on the floor at free playtime, talking. Tommy was scratching his itchy arm.
"Wow Tommy, you're itching too?" Chuckie asked.
"Yeah, and I know why we've all been itching." Said Tommy.
"Why?" Asked Phil and Lil in unison.
"Bedbugs." Replied Tommy.
"Yeah I was gonna tell you guys, my aunt and I have bedbugs and sent them home with you Chuckie and then home with you Tommy. I'm very sorry." Said Zack.
"It's ok Zack, you didn't know." Replied Tommy.
"But how are we gonna get rid of them? I don't wanna itch forever." Said Chuckie.
"Well, Phil and Lil like to eat bugs anyway, maybe they can lick our mattresses clean." Said Zack.
"That's a great idea! And, I'll get Phil and Lil a free sample to see if they like them." Said Tommy, ggoing to his backpack and getting out the jar with the bedbugs.
"You mean you managed to catch some?" Asked Chuckie, eyeing the jar.
"Wow neat! Can we try them?" Phil asked.
"Sure!" Said Tommy, handing Phil the jar.
"Hey, I wanna try some bedbugs too." Said Lil, grabbing at the jar.
"Tommy gave it to me Lillian." Said Phil, tugging on the end with the lid.
The two of them continued to fight over the jar for several minutes.
"Uh, guys, don't! You're gonna lose them! Wait till we're outside." Shouted Tommy.
But it was too late. Phil pulled the lid off the jar and the bedbugs escaped, crawling all over the classroom. The kids ran after them. Just then, Miss Applebee looked up from her desk to see what was going on.
"What is going on children?" Miss Applebee asked.
"We're chasing after bedbugs Tommy brought to school." Said Phil.
"But they're really hard to catch." Added Lil.
Just then, Miss Applebee came over to where they were running.
"Children! Stop!" Shouted Miss Applebee.
Everyone stopped, and Miss Applebee went back to her desk, where she started phoning everyone's parents, and writing notes to send home with the students, explaining that preschool would be canceled until they had their classroom treated for bedbugs, and suggested that all of the parents get their homes treated before sending their children back to school.
A little while later, everyone's parents showed up. When Stu came into the room to pick up Tommy, Miss Applebee pulled him aside.
"Stu, may I have a word with you please?" Said Miss Applebee.
In another part of the room.
"Uh oh, I think you're in trouble Tommy." Said Zack.
"Yep." Said Tommy, looking very unhappy.
This ends chapter 1. What's going to happen now? We'll find out, in chapter 2.