Encounter at dusk

I'm sitting on a hill near my house overlooking the nearby park, watching the swings and the slide even though there's no longer anyone playing on them. It might be strange I know, but that's just me; and if anyone else says so, I don't care. There are little stone houses around my feet. When I was 10, Mum told me that they are shrines where spirits live. So I come here often hoping that I see one of my friends again, especially now; at dusk.

You see, when we were moved here, on the way to the house, Dad got lost and we took a wrong turn via the Spirit World. My parents were turned my pigs as punishment for eating their food by that bitch of a witch, Yubaba. So I had to get a job at her bath house and work behind her back for them to be turned back into humans and released. Being in the Spirit World was one of the scariest… and best times of my entire life.

I pulled out a purple hair bobble out of my hair and smiled down at it. It is my most prized possession, because it is the only thing that I have to remind me of my adventures in the Spirit World and the friends I made there. I think of them often: Granny and No-Face (who made it for me), Lynn, Kamaji the boiler man…. And of course, Kohaku

I first met Kohaku when I was 6. I lost my shoe in the Kohaku River and when I was trying to get it out, I fell in. it was Kohaku that helped me back to shore and got back my shoe. I didn't know that it was Kohaku at first of course until near the end of my time in the Spirit World. If it wasn't for him, my parents would probably be dead; and they don't even know it. He helped me so much when I was in the Spirit World, even standing up for Yubaba for me, helping me get a job at the bath house. Most importantly, he helped me to remember my real name.

Kohaku and I had different names when working for Yubaba, so that she could take control of us by stealing our real names. Kohaku was always there to warn me that if I forgot my real name, I would never leave. He's mysterious. I mean, of course we would be since he's a Spirit and he can turn into a really cool dragon but….. but….. well, there's nothing more to say than but it's why I fell in love with him. And I have been ever since. Sure, I had a couple of boyfriends a year or two ago, I've tried to "move on", but it's been no use and I could have only liked them; not loved them the way I love Kohaku. I wonder if he still remembers his promise. When I left the Spirit World, Kohaku promised that we would see each other again. However, it has been six years later and I am still waiting.

I was snapped out of my fantasy when a pair of hands slotted around my waist. And it wasn't my mum, or dad, or my best friend Kiki. These hands felt almost inhuman..! What kind of freak comes to random girls and hugs them; a weirdo that was lurking the streets at night?

"Get away from me!" I yelled, squirming out of grip and impulsively slapped him across the cheek. After seeing who it was though, I regretted it immediately. This 'weirdo' happened to be a boy of my age, if not, a little bit older, with dark blue/black hair and a smile and a twinkle in the eye that I would recognise anywhere – even though I hadn't seen it for so long.

"K-K-K-Kohaku….?"

"Hey Chihiro"

So, after all this time, now he decides to come back ;) yeah i know i'm a bit mean to end it there, but that's how i wanted it to be. what happens now? it's completely up to you ;)