Chapter Four - Shadow Sickness
The healers were becoming more frantic. Over night, more and more elflings were being brought in. The ones brought in earlier now had high fevers. Parents were sent home to rest, as there was nothing they could do. Legolas's second friend had been brought in early that morning, yet no one told him. Nor did they tell Tlatgorn. They were also being kept away from the other elflings so that they wouldn't become sick also. It seemed that every single one of the elflings had been on the picnic.
One of the healers watching Glaslind noticed that she began to shiver profusely. A whimper came, as if she were having a bad dream. The healer went over and took her hand. Instead of a fever, she was frozen. The healer motioned for another healer to come and help wrap her. Things were getting much worse.
M
Legolas was asleep when Tlatgorn woke up. He was surprised and worried to find his friend with his eyes closed, fearing the worse that he to may be sick, he began to shake him.
"Legolas! Don't do this to me! Wake up!"
Legolas woke with a start. "Glaslind."
"Glaslind isn't here silly. She's sick, in the infirmary,"
"No. She's not in the infirmary."
"Legolas, she wouldn't be at our home. The healers need to take care of her,"
"No. Glaslind is in the Halls of Mandos,"
This caused Tlatgorn's jaw to drop. He pushed away the covers and took off. Legolas hurried after him, putting slippers on his feet. Thranduil saw them and stopped the two elflings.
"Where are you two off to,"
"To see my sister,"
"She's in the infirmary. It's best to let her rest,"
"She is resting Ada. She's in the Halls of Mad os." Tlatgorn took off again at Legolas rephrasing of what he had said before. "Ada, why would Mandos take Glaslind away?"
Thranduil didn't know what to say. Instead he scooped Legolas up and hurried after the other elfling.
M
As the healers wrapped Glaslind up to warm her, they noticed that her breathing was slowing. One of them called for further help. They hurried over, but at that moment, her breathing stopped. The head healer came over and felt her pulse, finding none. It was then that they heard the sound of elfling feet hurrying across the floor. "Glaslind."
One of the healers made to pull Tlatgorn away, but was unable to grab him. He grabbed his sisters arm and began to shake her. "Wake up Glaslind! Wake up!"
Thranduil peered through the door, Legolas in his arms. The elfling then piped up. "Ada, I told you. She's in Mandos's halls. Ada, why did he take her? I don't understand. When will she come back?"
The healer grabbed Tlatgorn forcefully and pushed him out. "What happened, Thranduil, to keeping this from them."
"Hi. Can you tell me why she's gone," Legolas piped up.
"Thranduil ..." Legolas's eyes then began to roll back. "Thranduil, please tell me Legolas is not sick also."
It was then that Legolas's eye stopped rolling backwards. The healer let out a sigh of relief. It was then that two more elflings were brought in. His relief left just as quickly.
"Aenil and Eloadle ... but ... they were no where near the picnic yesterday." The healer let out a gulp of anxiety as he watched the two other elflings be carried in and Glaslind's body carried out. Tlatgorn had buried his face in the healers robe.