JJ's heart sank as she stared at him, her voice catching in her throat. "Ty… what are you—"
The smirk on his face widened into something sharper, more sinister. "You really don't get it, do you?" He tilted his head, his gaze locking onto hers. "He's not here anymore."
JJ's knees buckled slightly as Ty's grip on her wrist tightened, the sharp edge of his voice cutting through her lingering hope. "He's not here anymore," the creature repeated, its tone chilling in its certainty.
Her free hand pressed against his chest, instinctively trying to push him back, but his body didn't move. It was Ty's body—she could feel the familiar warmth of his skin beneath her touch—but there was something wrong. Something profoundly wrong.
"Ty, stop," JJ pleaded, her voice cracking as her pink strand flickered faintly. "This isn't you."
