Alex walked out of her common room, a package in hand. She was determined to find Torin, and to give him the present for his little sister. She sighed, this would not be easy. The change in her appearance in just a week was dramatic, to say the least.

She was thinner, in fact she resembled on of those models who looked like they had never eaten in their lives. Her clothes just hung on her now. Her normally pale complexion was now deathly white. Her skin had a waxen look to it, like she was made out of a candle, and not flesh and bone. But the biggest change was her face.

Her normally sparkaling gray eyes now looked dead and hollow, dark circles hovered underneath her eyes, and her cheekbones stuck out in an unhealthy way. This had been the hardest thing she had had to deal with since her parents left, and it was taking it's toll on her. She wasn't sleeping, nor was she eating. She couldn't.. She felt dead inside.. Dead, hollow and hopeless.

Her steps halted as she saw the object of her affection and misery sitting against a wall close to where she was. The mere sight of him made her fragile heart rip to shreds again, but she willed her feet to move.

"This is for your sister." Even her voice had suffered and had lost its musical quality. She stood in front of him, holding the package down for him to get.