Spirited Away
"Almost there, almost there," Chihiro muttered to herself.
She was in the Yutoshi Forest climbing her tallest tree yet. Chihiro had been at it for 5 hours going up up and up. It was her hobby, her life. spending hours out here in the woods. It was the only place left that she felt truly accepted anymore. After going to the spirit world, she never fit in again. No believed her, she was marked loner with no one to talk to. It had been 8 years since her return from the spirit world. Since that unbelievable adventure, she had never been the same. She had sat in woods day after after day. Talking to the animals and trees. She became in tune with nature. Out in the woods she had cried her heart out. Her favorite place was her thinking rock. It was a giant rock with a tiny cave in it. The cave had a rock in it. It was her thinking rock. For hours she would just sit there and think it herself. The cave had become her home, she did her school work, she read, she even stocked it up with snacks and coke. Her forest companion was a tiny chipmunk that lived in the cave. She named him Bud, and fed and played with him. The forest, the cave, the thinking rock, and Bud, her home away from home. Not that her house really felt like home any more. She had been drifting away from her parents for ages. She was off to college next year. After the spirit world, she was never able to reconnect with her own. She was there, but not in the moment, never truly herself, just a shadow of the girl she once was. She was with her own world yet a part. Since making her unbelievable friends at the bathhouse, she had never been able to gain a true friend again. Sure there were those girls in school who she said hi to everyday. Yeah, those to boy twins next door she sometimes kicked a ball around with. She knew her true friends weren't here, they were 'there'. They were Kamiji; her spidery grandfather, Lin; her bossy big sis, Boh; her ginormous little brother, No face; her friend with a mask, Zeniba; her magical Granny, and… Haku. Urghhh! Haku made her so angry, she wanted to tear herself a part! He had promised they'd see each other again! He had promised her! What kind of promise does he make! Thinking about Haku, caused her to begin an internal battle. Part of her was mad, upset, and wanted to cry. The other just longed to see him again no matter when. He was one of the main reasons she wanted to go back to the spirit. He was the real purpose she remained separate from her own life. She wanted to see him again so badly. She wanted him keep his promise! She wanted to go back and stay for good!
It was dark out; Chihiro finally reached the top of the tree. Good now I can focus on getting my studying for my exams tomorrow she thought. She scampered back down the tree picked up her bag and began to jog back home.
(Just walking in the door)
"How was your day, Chihiro?" my mom asked.
"Fine," Chihiro answered. "What's for dinner?"
"Chicken pot pie."
"Ok, I'll be in my room."
Chihiro entered her room. Her place of rest and solitude.
It was decorated with a watery blue dragon dancing across the walls. And pictures of all of her friends from the spirit world.
She dropped her bag and slid off he shoes. She undressed and put on some comfy clothes and her running shoes. Every night after dinner she went for a 'run'. Or at least her parents thought she did. She did run but not for the exercise. Each day around 8 o' clock she would run to the place where she had once entered the spirit. Each time she would try to enter and fail. But for minute after minute she would try and try again to enter the world.
Today was no different. After dinner with her parents Chihiro went for her run. During her 'run' she went to the gateway. But today something was different.
There was a soft drumming noise coming from the other side. Chihiro had never heard it make that sound from beyond the gate before. She crept towards the gate. Nervous, anxious, scared, wanting, all at once. She touched it and then was sucked in. The wind picked up, leaves rattled, her long chocolate locks were whipped behind her, and with a flash of light she was in.
"Uff," Chihiro said as she landed in the grass on the other side of the gateway. She could not believe that had just happened. She had been waiting for years for something like this to happen. How many days had she just stood outside there waiting! How many days did she wish she could return! Well, it doesn't matter she was there now.
Taking in the world. Savoring everything she felt from. From the grass tickling her knees, to the bright lights of the spirit boats coming to the bathhouse, to the sound of laughter surrounding her.
The wind picked up again. Worried, Chihiro tried to stand but she couldn't. frightened she looked around to see where the wind had come from. And she was him. Miles above her in the sky was a white and blue majestic dragon.
