Below and Beneath -Jim Hopper-

007

We spent the next ten minutes arguing about the whole discovery that something was under my skin, trying to decide what to do about this situation. Joyce wanted to take me to "Owens" whoever that was. Mike said we should ask Will what he thinks about it... I didn't really want to after that kid made me feel like I was having an exorcism preformed on me. Then there was Hopper's option, which was cutting it out of me. Everyone was talking over one another while I silently tried to wrap what was happening around my head.

"Owens doesn't know shit- we don't trust him." Hopper raised his voice at Joyce.

"Well, no, but he could properly get whatever is inside of her out." She said, I could tell she was just as flustered as I was.

"Right, right. And what if they don't let her off as easy as they did us? She's another person who knows shit."

"I'm telling you, Will knows what's happening. Just-" Mike tried to join in.

"He isn't going near her. Did you not just see what happened when she first got near him?" Hopper said, getting closer to me.

Right when Hopper had said that there was a knock on the front door. We all froze, looking at each other. A moment later there was a voice yelling from the other side.

"Joyce? Ya' home?" The voice said.

"Shit." Joyce hissed, looking at Hopper before heading for the door. "It's Bob. Don't say anything." She said quickly, going to the door.

"What? Who?" I said, looking at Hopper and Mike in panic.

"Shut up." Hopper said before leaving the room.

I sat up on the edge of the couch, watching Hopper walk in the direction of the kitchen. I then looked to where Joyce had left through the front door to talk to whoever was on the other side. The house was filled with silence, the only other sound was coming from Hopper doing whatever he was doing in the kitchen which was a lot of shuffling and banging sounds. No one for some reason could enlighten me on what was happening. Ever.

Joyce came walking back into the house a bit later, looking at me with an awkward smile as she entered. I wondered why until I noticed she was followed by a confused looking me before her. I stayed very still, hiding my weird wound, keeping my eyes on Joyce.

The man looked around, he carried some books in his hand. He was obviously overwhelmed by all over the drawings taped everywhere. I was so flustered earlier I never bother to ask what they actually were. Surely they couldn't just be her child's drawings. There was a very thick atmosphere of awkwardness and silence. I don't think anyone knew really what to say.

"So, Bob, you know Mike." Joyce said awkwardly, breaking the silence. "And this is Victoria." She said while motioning to Mike and then me.

The man looked at me, smiling quickly to greet me, even though I could tell it was obviously just him being polite. I smiled back as well of course.

"So, uh... looks like you guys have had one heck of a day." He laughed a little bit. "What exactly is all this for?"

"Bob, remember, I said no questions." Joyce said.

Sounds familiar.

Bob nodded, smiling at Mike quickly before setting the books down on the table that was shoved against the wall. 

Hopper walked in from the kitchen with a few things in his hand. A bowl of water, a few rags, soap... and a kitchen knife. I swallowed hard, getting that overwhelming feeling of fear once again. Hopper didn't look at me, only staring at whom I assume goes by Bob.

Hopper cocked his head at him from where he stood in the doorway of the kitchen. "Hey, Bob." he said casually as if nothing was odd about this situation. "Um, not to be rude... but why is he here?" Hopper said as he made his way over to me.

Before Bob could answer for himself, Joyce did for him. "Bob is going to take at look at Will's work." She said, looking at Hopper with a cheeky smile. "Bob's very good at this stuff."

"Will drew all of these?" Bob said, looking more shocked than before.

Hopper sighed, setting the things he had gathered on the floor beside where I sat. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Joyce, have you forgotten that we-" He was pointing at me as he spoke. I'm assuming he was going to say something in regards to my arm.

Joyce spoke over him quickly. "Bob and I are going to start in the other room and see if we can figure something out. Okay?" She said. I think she knew what Hopper was going to say. Joyce walked over to Mike, talking quietly to him. "Mike, stay here and help Hopper, okay?"

Mike nodded, not looking too thrilled about it. Trust me, neither was I.

Joyce drew Bob into the other room. Not like that would help any. I looked up at Hopper in fear, hoping he maybe had a better solution to this problem. He only looked down at me with worry all over his face. I took that as he hadn't

The couch sunk down beside me as he sat with me, looking to Mike. "Could you go find some rubbing alcohol for me and see if she has any kind of bandages around here?" He asked Mike.

Mike quickly nodded, rushing off to go find what he had requested.

"Hopper... I really don't want to do this." I managed to squeak out.

Hopper scoffed, starting to take of his coat. "And you think I want to?" He looked at me for a minute, after realizing I wasn't laughing his expression dropped. "I'll go as quickly as I can. Your cuts are still open so I'll just open you up a little more, and reach in with these and get him out of there." Held up a pair of tongs. "Sound like a plan, kiddo?" He said, trying to sound positive.

I shrugged looking up at him from where he sat next to me on the couch, catching myself staring longer then I intended, looking back down at my feet. "I don't have much of a choice." I scoffed nervously. "I just feel bad for using Joyce's kitchen supplies for surgery." I said while laughing lightly.

He smiled a little bit. "Eh, she'll get over it."

We looked at each other, I could tell by his weary expression he didn't want to do this as much as I did. I couldn't believe I was going to let some man who is only slightly less than I stranger that I have only talked to a handful of times in my life cut open  my arm and reach into it. I was even more shocked that he was willing to do that for me. 

Mike then came back into the room with some bandages like the ones I had wrapped around my arm before and a large bottle of rubbing alcohol. 

"Does this work?" Mike asked, setting it down where the other supplies were at.

"Perfect." Hopper nodded, starting to roll up his sleeves, standing up over me, meeting eyes with me.