Michael [Van Helsing] (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
i_vanquish_evil) wrote2005-03-14 08:25 pm
i_vanquish_evil) wrote2005-03-14 08:25 pm
Otherways - Carl
Otherways: Carl's death -
He had been there every day for the last month; twenty-four hours a day for the last week. No one could convince him to leave or even rest. They did try, at least, to get him to eat - sometimes it worked, sometimes not. This time was a 'not'.
The tray of food was still on the table, untouched. Even the coffee was still in its cup. Something was wrong.
The Cardinal approached and stood behind Van Helsing's left shoulder. "His condition has worsened?" he asked, knowing the answer.
Van Helsing's head lowered. "Yes," was his near-silent reply.
He had sat in that chair, watching. Day after day, watching Carl slip away; the friar's face twisted in pain. The old man, however, made no cries of anguish, which seemed to disturb Van Helsing more than if there had been constant screaming.
Inability to 'defeat' this particular enemy made him angry, stressed. He wanted to be able to do something for his friend, but there was nothing, he had been told - many times, that could be done. He had told the Cardinal he would try anyway. And he had, to no avail. When Carl's condition began to rapidly deteriorate, he informed the Cardinal that he would do no work for The Order until either a cure was found or Carl drew his last breath.
It was looking more and more like the latter was to be the case than the former. Carl could do nothing. Nothing. The few pained whimpers from the week before had even faded into nothing more than silent gasps for air. Now, there was just pain. The friar had no fight left.
Van Helsing still refused to leave his friend's side. He would stay… to the end.
Others had come and gone, paid respects, asked him if he needed to rest, to eat. Once another leader in The Order had made the mistake of suggesting Van Helsing return to work. The suggestion was only ever made the once and no one else dared to try again.
All of the other members of The Order stopped bothering Van Helsing about leaving once Carl, his voice weakened to the point of barely a whisper, asked Van Helsing to stay. Nothing more was said and the knight and the friar were left alone.
*****
continues in the comments in the thread here.
He had been there every day for the last month; twenty-four hours a day for the last week. No one could convince him to leave or even rest. They did try, at least, to get him to eat - sometimes it worked, sometimes not. This time was a 'not'.
The tray of food was still on the table, untouched. Even the coffee was still in its cup. Something was wrong.
The Cardinal approached and stood behind Van Helsing's left shoulder. "His condition has worsened?" he asked, knowing the answer.
Van Helsing's head lowered. "Yes," was his near-silent reply.
He had sat in that chair, watching. Day after day, watching Carl slip away; the friar's face twisted in pain. The old man, however, made no cries of anguish, which seemed to disturb Van Helsing more than if there had been constant screaming.
Inability to 'defeat' this particular enemy made him angry, stressed. He wanted to be able to do something for his friend, but there was nothing, he had been told - many times, that could be done. He had told the Cardinal he would try anyway. And he had, to no avail. When Carl's condition began to rapidly deteriorate, he informed the Cardinal that he would do no work for The Order until either a cure was found or Carl drew his last breath.
It was looking more and more like the latter was to be the case than the former. Carl could do nothing. Nothing. The few pained whimpers from the week before had even faded into nothing more than silent gasps for air. Now, there was just pain. The friar had no fight left.
Van Helsing still refused to leave his friend's side. He would stay… to the end.
Others had come and gone, paid respects, asked him if he needed to rest, to eat. Once another leader in The Order had made the mistake of suggesting Van Helsing return to work. The suggestion was only ever made the once and no one else dared to try again.
All of the other members of The Order stopped bothering Van Helsing about leaving once Carl, his voice weakened to the point of barely a whisper, asked Van Helsing to stay. Nothing more was said and the knight and the friar were left alone.
*****
continues in the comments in the thread here.