"Where did she go? We are going to be late."
"She has to be around here somewhere. I know she comes down here every day."
"Every day? Wow, you would think she doesn't like people with all the time she hangs out in this lonely place. It sorta gives me the creeps."
"Yeah, me too. But it's sort a beautiful in a way."
"No, it's dangerous…and dangerous places like this are better left alone. Especially with as many rumors as that place has. I don't think we should be even coming down this way."
"Aw, Hana…where is your sense of adventure? I actually heard this road leads to an abandoned tunnel. There is an old story that if you go in, you will never return. They say that many have already gone in there and if you get close enough, you can hear the voices of those who have been trapped inside. It's supernatural…almost romantic, y'know?"
"Romantic? You would think it was romantic, but all that tells me is that this place is even creepier than I thought. Let's just grab Chihiro and get the heck out of here!"
"Look! There she is!"
It didn't take a second glance to see the solitary girl on the road. She sat by an eerie stone statue in front of the yawning black tunnel that had earlier been the topic of interest. Chihiro had always been the strange girl, with a dazed look in her large black eyes and a silent face as if her thoughts were in another place. She seemed at home in this strange spot, appearing almost as mystical as her unnatural surroundings. The book in her hands was left unused as she stared into the gaping hole looming before her.
"Chihiro!"
Chihiro broke out of the trance as her friends excitedly ran over to her. She quickly brushed off herself as she rose to her feet.
"Yumi, Hana…what are you guys doing here?"
"We're here to get you, obviously!" Hana stated curtly as she cautiously moved a few steps away from the grinning stone statue. "You didn't forget did you?"
Chihiro gave her a blank stare until a sudden realization made her eyes flash open. "The party! Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. I totally forgot."
"It figures…geez, Chihiro." Yumi giggled. "You are such an air head sometimes. Seriously, what would you do without us?"
"Spend her all time stalking the creepy ghost station like a hermit." said Hana laughing heartily at her own joke.
Chihiro laughed as well. She acted along with her friends, but the fact was that what Hana said was pretty accurate. If it wasn't for them… she would have stayed by the tunnel. There was something so familiar, so entrancing about the place. She couldn't stay away. Ever since her first day in this new area, she had been unnaturally drawn to the tunnel. She remembered seeing the enormous red building for the first time when she was only a little girl, feeling a wind pulling her towards the dark entrance, unnerving her. She could feel a chill in her bones, her mind screaming for her to stay away. However, she walked toward it despite herself, not wanting to be left behind by her parents who had already started toward the building's doorway.
For a passing moment, she thought that she had walked into the darkness of the passage. But all she could remember afterwards was suddenly standing with her back to the tunnel, walking towards the car.
Something was wrong.
She felt there was something missing, like when you are trying to remember something, but coming up with only a vague presence in the back of your mind. There was something important that she shouldn't have forgotten. But no matter how she tried, she could not remember.
And the feeling remained - an unrelenting darkness, plaguing her thoughts.
But that wasn't the only thing.
The night she entered her new house, she discovered a glistening purple hairband tied in her hair, one she couldn't account having seen before. It had plagued her just as much as the tunnel; looking at it filled her with longing, with joy, with the pang of a precious memory that would never come to light. She had always kept it close since then, afraid that forgetfulness would loosen her grip on the familiar, yet unidentifiable darkness in her mind.
She moved to touch the back of her head as she thought about it, but she quickly moved to scratch her head and laughed along with her friend's ranting.
"You're right…I do spend too much time here. We should hurry and get to the party, before it actually ends."
"Yeah, let's to get to the party and away from here…this place gives me goosebumps." Hana rubbed her arms as if a chill had gone through her.
"Hana, you should really be a little more open minded. Think of it as…the mysterious portal to another world, full of adventure and romance! If you keep thinking a ghost is going to come out to eat you, you'll miss all the mystery and intrigue of such a beautiful place." said Yumi dreamily.
"All the intrigue I need is at the party. Come on, let's go!"
She turned and started walking away, Yumi spouting fantastical nonsense as she caught up to her. Chihiro shook her head and laughed. Maybe she shouldn't worry about the tunnel. She had friends to hand out with and a party to get to; life had enough intrigue of its own. Accepting the forgetfulness may be easier, easier than a consistent longing that would never be fulfilled.
She walked away, stepping steadily on the path to the real world. However as she walked, she couldn't shake a sudden, familiar wind from the tunnel, tempting her to turn around, whispering her name.