Just friends?

Chapter 9 : It connects

"Please, call me back as soon as he gets there. Thank you." 

"Nothing?"

"No. Where is he?" 

Mom and I had been calling the police station all day trying to get a hold of Hopper. Things with Will just kept getting worse. He was acting weird. I understand that whatever I had seen and whatever had gone into him was scary, but he wasn't acting scared. He was acting differently. 

"Sof, can you go take your brother's temperature?" 

"Yeah." I walked into the kitchen and grabbed the thermometer off the table. I made my way over to Will's room and pushed open the door. He was sitting in his bed, coloring. 

"Hey bud. I need to take your temperature."

"Okay." He said softly. 

I raised the thermometer to his mouth and waited. I looked back over the it after a few seconds and the confusion set in.

"That can't be right." I whispered. 

He pulled it out of his mouth. "Is something wrong?" 

"I don't know. I'll be back real quick."

I stared down at the thermometer as I walked back out to where Mom was. 

"Mom, I think there's something wrong with the thermometer."

"Why? Does he have a fever?"

"No, he's cold."

"What?"

"Exactly what I just said. He's cold."

She walked over to me and took the thermometer out of my hands. She looked at it and I could see the confusion on her face.

"Sof, are you sure you did it right?"

"How could I take his temperature wrong?" 

She looked back down at it and then started walking back over to his room. I followed closely behind. 

She sat on his bed and put the thermometer back in his mouth. We waited and then checked it again after a few seconds. It was the same. He was cold. 

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"I don't know bud."

"You promised no doctor." He reminded. 

"And I meant it." She began then continued again without taking her eyes off the thermometer. "How about this. I'm going to run you a warm bath so that we can get your temperature up." 

"Okay." 

She stood from his bed and pulled me into the hallway. 

"Go to the phone and call the station again. We really need Hopper." She instructed me. 

I sighed and walked down the hallway. I once again put in the number of the station and listened to the line ring.

"Hawkins Police Department."

"Hey Flo. It's Sofia Byers again. No news from Hopper? We really need him."

"Sofia, as I've told you and your mother, I will let you know as soon as he is available."

"I understand, but we've been waiting all morning."

"I'm sorry, but he is occupied."

"Alright, thank you." I put the phone down on the receiver. 

Mom walked into the room.

"Anything?" She asked hopefully. 

I shook my head.