all characters belong to studio ghibli and hayao miyazaki. i only on the story line.
Chapter one:
Little houses.
"I can't go any further, just go back to the place you came you'll be fine, but you have to promise not to look back, not until you've passed through the tunnel".
"what about you, what will you do?".
"Don't worry I will go back and have a talk with yubaba, I'll tell her im going to quit to being her apprentice, I'm fine I got my name back".
"will we meet again sometime?".
"sure we will".
"promise?".
"promise!"
I opened my eyes, hoping that what I had just dreamed had come back for me again, back to where I felt alive. I looked around my dreary room, lifeless just like me. That one word replaying in my mind, 'promise'. I had never forgotten them few days in the spirit world, even though it felt like a dream, all my friends "Lin, Kamaji, No face, granny and…." I found it hard to even say his name, it hurt my chest so much "….kohaku".
I realised it was Saturday so I slid out of bed into fresh clothes and ran down the stairs, I grabbed some breakfast and tea and packed myself a little picnic and a single individual package of rice balls. I left at note on the counter for mom and dad to say I had gone for a walk and I will be back at midday.
I ran down the familiar lane between the shrubs, trees and flowers until I reached the small forest. I could see where my feet had made a little path through the trees and wild grass which looked like giant fingers grabbing at my shoes. I walked through along my little path until I found them.
The 'little houses'. Mom had told me that little spirits lived in them and my little reminder of my journey. It had been 7 years, and I was now 17, so long ago but it only seemed like yesterday. I closed my eyes and saw kohaku looking back and smile at me behind my eye lids. "promise?". "promise!". I replayed the words until I reopened my eyes to watch my single tear roll down the faint path on my cheek and into the fingers of the grass.
The miniature village had changed from the very first time I had seen them, I had fixed all their little broken roofs and put them all back together again. I loved this spot, where the sun just shone through the branches of the trees and danced like little fire demons on top of the little village. I laid out my little package of rice balls, like kohaku had done for me. I removed the old packaging from last Saturday. Its probably animals that ate them but I liked to think it's the spirits having their feast once more.
Chapter two:
Empty shell.
After the sun had been eaten by the cloudy sky I stood up and said goodbye to the spirits and walked home, looking back at my secret place that only me and the spirits knew.
I walked into my home, closing the creaky door that screamed when you opened and closed it. Mom and dad must still be out "hmm". I went up to my room and lay on my bed until my lids felt heavy and drifted off into a heavy sleep.
"will we meet again sometime?".
"sure we will".
"promise?".
"promise!"
"idiot promised, idiot!" I mumbled as I brushed my unruly hair. Its was twice as long now and three times thicker, I wonder what would happen if I shaved it all off?. I shuddered at the thought and kept on mumbling. "why did he make the promise if he couldn't keep it?, kohaku you promised me!!." I watched myself cry in the mirror, watch my tears roll down the path on my cheek and onto my clothes, my eyes were red and swollen, I hated him for breaking his promise to me that we would see each other again, to be reunited once more. I dried my eyes and threw my hair into my purple hair band made by my friends. "I love you kohaku, I love you." His name made a burning feeling in my heart, a longing to see him again to make me feel whole and not in this empty shell.
I walked into the kitchen to get my breakfast, I groaned as I heard my mom and dad arguing, again!. I hated it when they argued, mom always threw the sofa cushions at him or smashed something at the floor. I think she has anger issues?. I knew they were on the verge of splitting up, I think I always knew it when they first started arguing, I don't know why their still together?.
I didn't want to think about it too much, it only ticks me off, so I ate my breakfast in my room with my door firmly shut to keep the sound of arguing out. I started to think more about my mom and dad, my parents hated me, they ignored me all the time like I never existed and neither one was happy being in the same room as each other.
I missed the spirit world, I wanted to get away from this one, to be back with my friends, see Lin smile at me and be with, I let out a deep sigh, him again, to see his face, to hold his hand again, to look into his eyes and see his beautiful soul. I wish I could go back. I wish.
I had decided I wanted to get away from this life, I will be back with my spirit friends again, I decided that I will go back through that tunnel and back through that meadow and go back to the bath house where my family awaits me.
I know I promised him I wouldn't look or come back but since he broke his, I was going to break mine and there was nothing anyone could do to stop me. I know where I wanted to be. Forever. Always.
Chapter three:
The meadow
It didn't bother me I was going to leave home for good, I wasn't happy, all the arguments and smashing noises, they never even bothered talking to me, I was just ignored like I was a ghost.
I was glad to finally be out of the house, I didn't really need anything I knew I'd have my pink kimono waiting for me at the bath house, it made me smile.
My feet started to hurt from all the walking so I sat down by the little shrines and told them to tell kohaku I was coming back for him. Would he be happy to see me or angry that I broke our promise?. Who cares, he broke the promise first, if only he knew how much I loved him, how much I longed to be in his arms, just to see him laugh at me for being clumsy.
The mud started to turn into grass, the long fingers grasping at my trainers. I told myself I would never come this place again, my promise to him. I walked up the grassy path and then I saw it, it made my heart skip a beat as I saw the red building, I touched the walls with my fingers, some plaster came away onto the floor, the place hadn't changed at all, just a few more cracks here or there. It seemed like home, remembering the start of my journey from 7 years ago.
"The wind's pulling us in…."
"Come on, lets go in."
"I'm not going in, it gives me the creeps".
I took a few steps into the old train station, nothing had changed not even the damp wood and the musky smell of the room, the stain glass window, the dried up fountain, the wood on the benches. Not a speck of dust was out of place.
I saw the door to the meadow, I could see the grass searching for me, the wind calling me in. I took a step into the grass and threw off my shoes and socks so I could feel the grass between my toes and feel the wind on my face. I was home.
I saw all the frog statues, they haven't even moved an inch just covered in moss. I ran up the hill towards the dried up lake with the sun in my face, little sunlight demons danced on my skin. The smell of the grass made me think of the sunny days me and kohaku spent together. The memory sent goose pimples up my arm.
Chapter four:
The Clock tower.
I stumbled onto the pavement and admired the slight cut on my leg from scrambling over the rocks of the dried up lake. It stung, like a paper cut or a wasps sting, but I ignored it as I saw the grand old theme park.
I walked through the big street with all the abandoned house's covered in a blanket of shadows until I found the stone steps that would lead me to the bath house. I took my steps slowing, trying to be careful of not falling down and injuring myself any further.
As I got closer to the top I saw the big clock tower, the clock face seemed to smile at me like it knew I was coming home. I smiled back and went looking for the bridge where it all happened.
I stopped in my tracks once again, a grand red building that attached to the theme park with a bridge. My memories had done it no justice, it was beautiful.
I pushed myself to walk onto the bridge, walking along the planks of wood with my bare feet it felt nice, they were so smooth and warm from the hot sun.
"KOHAKU, KOHAKU WHERE ARE YOU?". I screamed from the top of my lungs, I hoped so much that he could hear me. I kept calling him, shouting his name, telling him I've come back but 5 minutes had past by, nothing to be heard or seen. I ran to the doors of the bath house and pulled at them with all my might, but they were locked, they didn't even move an inch.
Tears streamed down my eyes, staining my shirt, it began to rain and I didn't care for all I wanted was my river spirit, my angel, my kohaku.
I heard a train coming, I ran to the side to watch it but nothing was there, just a ghost train, a distant memory, a whisper of my soul. I sat down and hung my legs off the side, the tears coming faster and more of them, blurring my vision until I could no longer see.
My clothes were dripping wet and I was soaked through to my bones, I really couldn't have cared less, I'd rather have died then feel this pain of being lonely and heartbroken. I hoped the rain would take me away and numb this pain but it didn't.
I hoped I would turn around and he would be there smiling down on me with his arms open welcoming me home, but he wasn't , I was cold, soaked and alone.