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JJ knew what she’d seen, and yet she couldn’t believe it.
Oh, my God.
His eyes were open, and Harlan was staring back at her. Right at her.
JJ squeezed around Rachel, who was still holding his hand, and rested her fingers on top of his head. His eyes were good. Pupils reactive. Tracking her as she moved. Even now, she hesitated to touch his bare skin without gloves. Instead, she looked him in the eyes (he’s in there, I swear to Christ he’s in there) and spoke to him.
“Harlan, can you hear me? Do you know who I am? If you do, blink twice,” she said.
She heard the painful crackling of his sticky, dry throat as Harlan swallowed. His tongue snuck out to wet his lips—just a tiny bit, at the center—and she realized, he’s going to try to speak. A moaning sound came from his mouth, a litt
