I would give anything for this damn fever to break. Even with the AC cranked, a cold rag on my forehead, and wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, it's not enough. Cold showers don't cut it long term either. And as soon as my head returns to normal, walking too fast down to the kitchen pulls an Uno Reverse card on me and makes me slow back down. But at least there's no pain. Mom has been known to have pretty bad migraines from time to time, and I'm sure this is nothing compared to those. At least she has pills she can take, though. I, on the other hand, just have to wait it out. Thank the Lord the sun has gone down for the evening; the rising room brings cooler temperatures.
A timer rings on my phone. I pause Minecraft and set the controller down to quiet the trilling. In the bathroom, next to the sink, sits three items Mom left out for me: a thermometer, a bottle of Tylenol, and a little cup that has a happy marshmallow on it. I think she took the last from the children's wing of the hospital. I'm sure it won't be missed.
Pressing the power button on the thermometer, I slide the end of it under my tongue. While I wait for the reading, I pop out a couple Tylenol and fill the marshmallow cup. By the time I'm done, the little alarm gives off its beep-beep-beep. It flashes 99.9 on the tiny display, and I press the power button again to shut it off. Improvement, but not much. I gulp down the pills and water in a quick swallow, and head back to my room. Cujo naps on my bed, giving me space so as to not overheat me with his unconditional love and cuddles.
Downstairs, the front door opens and closes. My furry companion leaps off of my bed and trots out to investigate. It's not long, though, before Mom calls up the stairs.
"Ash, I'm home! I brought home some ice cream; I thought maybe it would help."
"At the very least, it'll be tasty," I shout back, slipping on a pair of mesh shorts and a light tank top. Taking my time not to hurry, I head downstairs. Cujo relaxes on the couch by the time I get down the steps. "What kind did you get?"
"What do you think I got?" she asks in return from the kitchen. The fridge door hangs open as she puts things away.
"The good kind," I answer, eying the freezer atop.
"Way to go, Viceroy Vague," she rolls her eyes, shutting the door.
"Bunny or Moose Tracks? Rocky Road?" I guess as I slide into her spot and pop open the freezer door. The arctic blast breathes an air of mist when it meets the warmer temperature of the kitchen. Sitting on the shelf amongst bags of frozen chicken, vegetables, and the ice cube trays are two pints of ice cream: cookie dough and cake batter. Although neither are my guesses, they're good flavors regardless. I stick my head into the freezer, the small space bringing a sense of relief in an instant. If only, I hope, it will last.
"Couldn't find those," Mom tells me, grabbing the shoulder strap of my tank top and yanking me out of the freezer. "Get out of there. You're gonna melt everything."
"But I'm so hot," I whine. "Nothing seems to work."
"What did you clock in at last?" She gets out two ceramic bowls, both white with ridges on the outside.
"Triple nines," I tell her, going back to the freezer. "Which one do you want?"
"Both, duh," she says, getting out spoons. "But triple nines? That's good! Means you're starting to come down. You were at 101 this morning."
"Yeah, hopefully I'll be back to normal for school on Monday." I set both pints on the countertop next to the bowls. "Just a few more degrees to go."
Three solid knocks come from the front door. Cujo hops off the cushions of the couch and stands at attention. Mom and I watch the door for a moment before she springs into action. Almost gliding, she moves to it swiftly.
YOU ARE READING
Incinerate
ParanormálisWhen Ash Woodward moves to a new town before the beginning of the school year, he makes it his goal to befriend anti-social track star Sera von Abaddon. As Ash traverses his new life with his new friends, mysteries arise as to who Sera truly is. But...
