AUTHOR NOTE: For those of you who have read this before, it's a bit different now. I wrote these first few chapters several years ago when I still didn't know much about writing so, needless to say, they were poorly written. I had decided to re-read through this one day, and I couldn't even finish it. It was driving me nuts! (lol) So, anyway I will be editing the older chapters so they're a bit more readable. For those of you who haven't read this yet... please enjoy! P.S.- I'm still working on continuing this as well for those of you who are wondering and you will happy to know that I've had a slight break in my writers block! I'm really excited about a few of the ideas I've been able to come up with. So, please just wait a bit longer. Thanx for reading!

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Chihiro sat on the edge of her bed gazing out the open window, her eyes reflecting the various shades of green of the woods beside her house. A sweet morning breeze caressed her face, bringing with it the smell of the early morning dew that glittered in the grass under the rising sun. Though she was physically sitting in her room on her bed, her mind, on the other hand, was miles away and off in a world quite different from our own. It was to this world that she often traveled, searching for the one whom she was waiting for. The one who had promised her that they would meet again. She framed his face in her mind as another breeze flowed over her more forcibly than the last, as if to tell her it was time to go. Reluctantly detaching herself from her daydream she pushed herself off the bed and shuffled over to the desk next to the window. There was a black, leather journal lying in the center. She placed her finger under the front cover and delicately flipped it over to reveal the first page, which read: Chihiro's Daily Journal. She didn't keep it daily, as was her original intention, but rather had resorted to scribbling in it every now and then when she felt like expressing her thoughts and feelings to no one in particular. This was one such time. She flipped the pages until she came to a clean sheet and began to write.

"My 17th birthday was yesterday. I can't believe it's already been seven years. Seven years since I got back. It all seems like no more than a distant memory now; and I still haven't heard a thing from Haku. He said we would meet again but... like I said, it's already been seven years. What's taking him so long? What if he...? No, I just have to keep waiting. He promised me, after all. He'll come, just like he promised...right? I wish I could go back."

Chihiro tossed her pen into her pencil case and snapped the book shut with a frustrated sigh. Stepping in front of her mirror, she quickly looked herself over. Seventeen years hadn't changed her all that much with the exception that she had grown from a child of ten into a young woman of seventeen. Her shiny brown hair reached just past her waist and her bangs were a bit fuller. Her eyes were the same deep brown, but her face was more defined and her complexion a bit pale. She was still a bit short, to her embarrassment. Her exact height was kept as an air-tight secret. Seemingly satisfied, she snatched her book bag off the dresser and headed downstairs to the kitchen. A thick slice of toast was waiting for her on the table, courtesy of her mother, which she grabbed and placed in-between her teeth before making her way outside and down the road toward her school.

She stopped just a few houses down from her own in front of a light pink house encircled by a white fence with a gate located in the front. Chihiro leaned over the gate and shouted, "Yumi! It's time to go! Hurry up or we'll be late!"

Yumi and Chihiro had been friends for the past several years. In fact, Yumi was the first friend Chihiro had made shortly after moving here. The two girls had grown very close over the years and often walked to school together. But despite the deep friendship that had developed between them, Chihiro was still hesitant to discuss her strange adventure those seven years ago. There's no way anyone would believe her. Not even Yumi. At least, that's what she thought.

Chihiro munched on her toast while Yumi stumbled out the door. Yumi was a rather pretty girl with long, black hair and straight cut bangs with hung over her pretty pink eyes. She was lightly tan from constantly playing volleyball in the sun yet still maintained a delicate and fragile appearing frame despite her many years of strenuous training. She was also a steady five foot ten; a trait which gave her plenty of leverage with which to tease Chihiro.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Yumi apologized, "but honestly! Do you really have to shout so early in the morning?"

Chihiro shrugged and managed to grin behind her toast. Yumi simply sighed and began making her way down the road with Chihiro following closely behind her. Along the way, the girls chattered about various things such as last night's homework, high-school drama, club activities, etc., until they entered the schoolyard where they were interrupted by an excited and high-pitched cry.

"Chihiro! Yumi!" a girl about Yumi's and Chihiro's age cried while sprinting at inhuman speeds towards them. Within only a few seconds the girl had sprinted completely across the wide schoolyard and had proceeded to tackle Chihiro to the ground. Yumi had moved conveniently to the side immediately after recognizing the familiar voice.

"Well, Aki's back," Yumi stated the obvious, her tone laced with sarcasm, "aren't you glad Chihiro?"

"Ecstatic," Chihiro replied with equal sarcasm, "Aki, I can't breathe!"

Aki gasped, "Oops! I'm sorry!"

Aki sprang up with cat-like reflexes and pulled Chihiro to her feet. Chihiro casually dusted off her uniform while Aki hugged Yumi tightly around her neck. Yumi and Chihiro met Aki about a year and a half ago. She was an overly-energetic and hyperactive Otaku with short-cut chin-length fiery red hair, which was parted on the right side and fell across her face to the left side. She was only slightly taller than Chihiro with bright gold eyes and has a strong love for food.

"I missed you guys so much! I had to spend my entire vacation locked up in the beach house with my brother!" Aki cried.

"Why'd you have to do that?" Yumi asked after loosening Aki's hold on her neck.

Aki pouted, "It rained almost the whole time!"

"Hmm... we have been getting a lot of rain lately," Chihiro stated.

"How can you be so calm about it?" Aki cried again.

"Aki! Calm down. Vacation's over, your back in school now. Let's just focus on where we are now, okay?" Yumi interjected.

"Oh! Oh! Have you guys heard about some old ruins in the woods right next to Chihiro's house?" Aki gushed.

Yumi sighed, "So much for focus."

"Ruins?" Chihiro asked, slightly startled.

"Ruins or something like that," Aki clarified, "anyway, it's abandoned whatever it is."

"I haven't heard anything like that," said Yumi," what about you, Chihiro? Aki said it was in the woods next to your house."

"Not particularly," Chihiro replied still a bit startled, " anyway, what about them?"

"I thought it'd be fun if we could go and check it out after school today!" Aki exclaimed, " what do you say?"

"That's not a bad idea," Yumi agreed, " it sounds like it might be fun."

"Yeah! Yeah! You think so too, don't you Chihiro?" Aki questioned.

"I don't know..." Chihiro sighed.

"Come on, Chihiro!" Aki pushed, " wait! Your not afraid that it's haunted or something are you?"

Chihiro blushed, "Of course not!"

"Then why are you blushing?" Yumi teased.

Chihiro blushed deeper, "Th-that's not the point right now! Are you even sure that this place isn't dangerous?"

Truth be told, Chihiro was desperately trying to convince the both of them not to go. More than likely, these "ruins" that Aki was talking about was the very same abandoned "theme park" that she and her parents had stumbled upon those seven years ago. For her two best friends to become trapped in that bizarre world of spirits, a place where nearly anything could happen, was the last thing that she wanted to happen.

"Oh, you worry too much! It'll be fine!" Aki assured her.

"Yeah, she's right, Chihiro. C'mon, we haven't done anything like this in a long time!" Yumi exclaimed, obviously getting excited.

"Okay, okay!" Chihiro backed down, defeated.

"Great!" Aki gushed, " let's meet at Chihiro's house around six!"

Yumi smiled cheerfully, "Sounds good to me!"

At that moment, the school bell began to sound, announcing the start of first period. After finalizing their plans, the three girls split up and headed towards their first class. Chihiro stopped briefly at the foot of the stairs and sighed nervously. What was this strange foreboding feeling that had begun to creep it's way up her spine? She hoped her fears were unfounded.

The remainder of the day flew by quickly as if time itself had been manipulated. The three girls rendezvoused at Chihiro's house at the scheduled time and then proceeded to hike down the hill to the little dirt road that wound it's way deep into the woods. The walk itself was pleasant with plenty of things to see and the comforting sound of the river racing alongside the road. They had only been hiking for about an hour when they arrived at what appeared to be a light tan colored stone wall with an oval shaped doorway in front. The dirt road had vanished long before and was replaced with lush green grass matching the moss that clung to and mostly covered the outside of the wall.

"Wow!" cried Aki as she dashed towards the stone structure for a closer look. Yumi followed slowly behind her, her eyes bright with awe.

"It's beautiful!" Yumi gushed.

"What are you waiting for?" Aki called, " c'mon! Let's go inside!"

"Okay!" Yumi smiled brightly.

Aki and Yumi led the way through the opening. Chihiro, however, was hesitant to enter. Flashes from her previous experience filled her head and made her unsure of what she should do. After contemplating a moment, she strode over to the opening, inhaled a deep breath, and stepped inside.