Lost - Chapter Four
"I refuse! I am not doing this again, Elrond. Get someone else to help you." Erestor stated, his voice carrying the anger he was currently feeling.
"Think of it as helping Glorfindel, not me. He cannot do a lot of things that he used to be able to do before."
"A lot of things?! All he does is stare blankly at a wall. He barely moves his head, let alone his arms." Erestor left the office of his Lord in a huff after saying this.
A week had gone by since the accident and things had just gotten worse. Being one of Glorfindel's closest friends, he had been called upon to help with looking after him, a job he had agreed with whole-heatedly to begin with, but was now dreading every day.
Regardless of all his fussing, he still made his way towards the Healing Wing, readying himself with the thoughts of force feeding, changing sheets that would in all probability be soiled and washing flesh.
All three things he was now completely sick of doing, especially when the bed was in need of changing because of Glorfindel's lack of motivation. The first time he had faced that particular part of this new job, he had almost been sick.
Heaving a sigh, he opened the door that led to the private room Glorfindel had been moved to and put a smile on his face. "Hello my friend. Are you going to speak today? It would lift everyone's spirit a bit."
Silence was his answer. The fake smile dropped at this. He went over to the tray sitting on a stool near the door and took it with him over to the bed. "Will you eat on your own today, or will I have to do as I did yesterday and shovel the food into you by force?"
Erestor was thankful for small favours as Glorfindel slowly ate the mash he held up by the spoonful in front of the waiting mouth. A half a bowlful was eaten, a small miracle in itself.
Erestor was a little bit heartened by this, but that was soon washed away when he had taken off the sheets covering the unmoving body of his friend and found that Glorfindel had not only lost control of his bladder sometime during the night, but had also defecated in the bed.
It was too much for Erestor to take, enough to finally drive him past what he could handle. He hurriedly put the sheet back over his friend and quickly left the room, stopping at the door's entrance. He slid to the floor, his face buried in his hands.
This was how Elrond found him a few minutes later, obviously coming over to see if he was here. By that time, silent tears had been making their way down his face.
"Erestor? Are you alright? What are you doing on the floor when you should be in with Glorfindel?" Elrond asked, kneeling down and laying a comforting hand on one of his knees.
"He is a complete mess. I cannot do this any more..." He uncovered his face and looked at his Lord.
"Would you like me to help? I usually do this evenings, but if you do not think you are capable to carry on alone, I am willing to help you."
Slowly Erestor nodded his consent, got up to his feet, wiped away tear tracks and straightened himself out a bit. He cleared his throat, swiped at his face once more before opening the door and, holding it open for Elrond to pass through, made his uneasy way back to the bed.
"He has eaten. He decided to be co-operative in that way today." Erestor stated softly, looking away as Elrond took off the sheets. The smell hit him then and he gagged. How could Glorfindel stand to lie in such filth like as if he didn't care.
When he was called over, he moved closer. He truly wished to stay away from the bed and its occupant.
"Erestor! I need help. Please, either lift him up, or grab the sheets. We need to change them and clean Glorfindel up a bit."
Swallowing heavily, Erestor decided that he would much prefer to handle the Elf himself and gently lifted the still figure from the bed. The dirty sheets were taken away and Erestor heard the loud sigh Elrond uttered.
"Glorfindel, why can't you just ask for help once in your life..." The half-Elf growled as he took away the mattress itself.
"Sit down and hold him. It will be easier for the both of you. I need to grab another mattress and get some hot water in here so he can be bathed."
With that said, Elrond disappeared back out the door, leaving behind Erestor to look after the almost comatose Glorfindel. He sat down on the chair by the bedside, noticing that his heavy working robes were being dirtied by the mess on Glorfindel.
Sighing, Erestor held the warrior closer to himself, trying to get comfortable. Unfortunately, the movement upset the stomach of his friend and Erestor suddenly found himself being vomited on.
His own stomach rebeled at that and it took all his willpower not to return the favour. Elrond would have to be quick...Erestor couldn't take the smell for too long, that he knew for sure.
As if answering a silent prayer to the Valar, Elrond appeared with a matress, a servant behind him carrying a tub, another, two barrels of hot water.
Elrond silently took Glorfindel into his arms, willing to bathe him himself. Erestor shot out of the chair to a nearby wastebin and threw up his own breakfast. He sat down on the cool floor for a while afterwards, his skin hotter than it was normally.
"Are you quite done over there? I want you to wash his hair. He would hate to see it in the state it is in." Elrond said, effectively getting Erestor back to his feet.
Grabbing the soap that was used to wash hair, he knelt by Glorfindel's head and looked at the hair that had yet to be washed. The golden locks that usually shined so brilliantly in any light were dulled, almost looking light brown in colour.
With shaking hands, he gathered the locks into his hands and began to scrub at them. He didn't want to be doing this. Glorfindel had always prized his hair, with good reason. The colour itself was unique and couldn't be found on any other Elf this side of the Sea.
Erestor kept on scrubbing, almost afraid that the limp and lifeless hair would easily just fall out. He didn't know when, but at some point he had begun crying again. He wiped at his face, trying to keep his vision clear, but failed.
Hands came about him then, gently taking the soap out of his hands. Erestor looked to Elrond, who was diligently finishing the job he had started. He felt sick again and it was then he noticed that he needed to change his clothes.
He stayed in the same position on the floor for what seemed hours, until Glorfindel was put in the nice clean bed and was having his leg and back checked for signs of improvement.
Elrond walked over to him then, kneeling next to him and asked how he was feeling. "I don't feel well." He answered, before he was helped to his feet.
"You, my friend, are in no condition to do much of anything yourself." Elrond stated, helping to move him towards the door.
Erestor didn't realise that he was shaking, until he was walking. He was gently led to bed by Elrond. There he was ordered to stay for the rest of the day.
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It was like living in a thick, black cloud. He had visual information from the world, but it was so dimmed he could barely make anything out. He could hear, but everything sounded distorted and far away.
His sense of smell seemed unaffected and he was always aware of food near him, food which made his stomach churn just knowing about it being near.
He was able to tell that he had done things that he would not wish to do if he had been thinking straight, but his mind was so sluggish he could barely make out exactly what it is he had been doing.
He wanted to fade. He wanted it so much he had tried to just die in his sleep. Unfortunately, the Valar didn't like the idea of him coming for a second visit to the Halls of Mandos and had instead put him in the completely useless state he was in, with the advice that he had to get out of it himself.
How, he didn't know. He knew that Elrond was helping him mainly during the nights, and every now and then he would hear clearly Erestor's voice, but he couldn't respond. How he wished to though.
He needed help. The one time he would gladly ask of it from someone and he had hardly any control of his own body and couldn't find his voice at all.
He heard crying and somehow he knew that to be Erestor. The gentle voice of Elrond, telling him that his leg was healing nicely, but slowly, came to him.
He didn't care about his leg. He wanted the use of them, not them to be broken. If it was possible, he would have cried at the thought. This made him notice the quiet sobbing of Erestor. He wanted to make those tears stop.
He tried moving his head, but couldn't lift it from the pillow. He was not only helpless himself, but he was also useless in helping his friends. Why wasn't Erestor breaking down enough to break him out of this state he was in?!
He felt a glass being put to his lips and automatically drank the liquid. In a few seconds, he could feel his eyelids gently closing.
Soon he was in a deep sleep, all sounds from the outside world forgotten for the time being.
A/N - Well, this is disgusting I know, but hey, it happens. I am sorry if this chapter disturbs anyone. I felt very strange writing it myself, but that was what my mind told me to write. I hope I don't scare anyone away with it.
Thank you's again go to my reviewers, most of which were a pleasant surprise to me, as I have been away for a while and didn't have access to a computer, let alone the internet. Writing was the only thing to occupy my time with, that and reading the Lord of the Rings yet again.
This may not be updated for a while, as I have tests in November to do and have joined up to do NaNoWriMo...silly as that may be.
seeing-spots - Thanks for thinking this story well-written, hope this chapter didn't disappoint you.
Azzy - wags tail The chapter is up now, sis. Hope you read it...again. Maybe leave another nice review....without swearing this time please.
Fritz will get you - Here is more. Hope it doesn't disappoint.
Just Me :0) - Thanks for thinking this story wonderful. I agree, there si truly not enough Glorfindel angst out there. This might be a long story, if my mind has its way, and Glorfindel does, lol. He won't be in this miserable state forever...that is a loaded answer, take it whichever way you want wicked grin
Ellfine - Well, Elrond needed someone to comfort him, and since he is happily married, who better to do the comforting than his wife. Ticklishness meant that he hasn't lost complete feel, only his waist down. That is a good thing, imagine the poor Elf a quadraplegic?!
Barbara Kennedy - Yes, I am trying to say that without saying it. I also do believe that Elrond would miss more Glorfindel's personality than the warrior's loss of leg movement. Hehe, whether or not it can be helped will be left for later on in the story. I will not spoil that now. So I will say maybe, maybe not to swelling being felt.