[Michael, on the other hand, has a lot longer to wait. He stays there, head leaned against Harlan's once he can't support it himself. His eyes are unfocused, staring into the middle distance, tears leaking out one at a time until they stop.
He's almost beyond sadness now.
He listens to Harlan's breathing, first too fast and then too slow, and then not audible at all. He feels it when it happens, that gradual slumping of the body next to him.
The body. Harlan's.
He stays where he is for a while, not sure how much time is passing until suddenly it feels like it's time. He gently moves Harlan onto the floor and reaches for the first aid kit.
Harlan- Harlan's body is still warm when Michael starts to pull aside his shirt and pull together his mangled flesh into some semblance of a torso. There are folds of intestine he has to put back inside, tears of skin he has to match together and stitch. The violence reminds him of the Visitor, in some far off place where he's still thinking and not just moving like a robot.
Eventually, he's done all he can. He folds a blanket over Harlan's middle and then struggles to lift him, only managing for a short while. In fits and starts, between almost dragging and carrying, he makes his way to Hope's temple.
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He's almost beyond sadness now.
He listens to Harlan's breathing, first too fast and then too slow, and then not audible at all. He feels it when it happens, that gradual slumping of the body next to him.
The body. Harlan's.
He stays where he is for a while, not sure how much time is passing until suddenly it feels like it's time. He gently moves Harlan onto the floor and reaches for the first aid kit.
Harlan- Harlan's body is still warm when Michael starts to pull aside his shirt and pull together his mangled flesh into some semblance of a torso. There are folds of intestine he has to put back inside, tears of skin he has to match together and stitch. The violence reminds him of the Visitor, in some far off place where he's still thinking and not just moving like a robot.
Eventually, he's done all he can. He folds a blanket over Harlan's middle and then struggles to lift him, only managing for a short while. In fits and starts, between almost dragging and carrying, he makes his way to Hope's temple.
He can't explain why. He just has to.]