Alex had been home for three long days. He hadn't smiled. He hadn't spoken much either, not to Emma or anyone. His eyes stayed distant, his body slumped most of the time on the couch or on his bed, and his mind seemed lost in a dark place no one could reach. He was broken. Shattered by something no one could understand because he refused to say a word about it.
His bruises had faded slightly, but his silence grew louder.
Emma tried at first, softly, and gently, asking what happened, what went wrong, but each time she asked, he would just shake his head and say nothing to worry about. She didn't push but worry consumed her. Her brother was falling apart right in front of her.
Sarah, on the other hand, had just finished her classes and went to his house. He wanted to look after him because of how quiet and strange Alex had become. She barged into his room the moment she arrived.
