Chapter Four
Chihiro picked herself up, holding her head in one hand. She had scarcely even stood when three large, green heads came bouncing and rolling toward her saying, "Hoi," as they did.
"Quiet down. You're making a racket," the same voice said from behind a desk. With that command, the heads stopped bouncing and turned to look at the desk. Chihiro turned as well. A squat, large-headed, old woman sat behind the desk, writing something. Her white hair was done up in a net bun. Many rings shone from her wrinkled hands. Her blue dress was very old-fashioned. Her nose was quite large.
"Excuse me. Could you please give me a job," Chihiro said, stepping closer to the woman.
The woman, most likely Yubaba, looked up and made a sideways motion with her hand. Instantly, Chihiro's lips were literally sealed together. She could not open her mouth at all, even to breathe.
"I don't want to hear such a stupid request. You're just a stinking, useless weakling," Yubaba said, chuckling. "And this is certainly no place for humans," she continued.
The old woman turned to fully look at the human and said, "It's a bathhouse for the spirits. It's where they come to replenish themselves. And you humans always make a mess of things, like your parents who gobbled up the food of the spirits like pigs. They got what they deserved, and you should be punished, too."
As she spoke, Yubaba pulled out a cigarette and lit it with a flame that puffed into existence from her finger. Witch, indeed. The witch took a long breath from the cigarette before taking it out of her mouth and saying, "You could be a piglet, or maybe you would prefer a lump of coal."
She took another breath from the cigarette. She began to chuckle and said, "Actually, I'm impressed you've made it this far. And you're brave enough to not even tremble. But I'm sure you didn't do it on your own. Let's thank whoever helped you. Just who was it, Dear? Why don't you tell me?"
Yubaba made the same hand motion as before, but in reverse. Just as suddenly as before, Chihiro's lips were free and unsealed. "i ned a job," Chihiro said, refusing to yell.
"Don't start that again!" Yubab said angrily, hitting her fist against the desk.
"Please, I just want to work!" she said more fervently.
"Don't say that!" Yubaba said angrily. As her anger grew, a wind swept the place into a state of uproar, quickly reducing the entire room to a mess. Yubaba flew over the desk right over to Chihiro, setting down right in front of the young woman. The witch said angrily, "Why in the world do you think I should give you a job? Anyone can see you're a proud, ignorant girl!...But your manners are surprisingly good. However, I've got all the lazy bums I need...Or maybe I'll give you the most difficult job I've got and work you until you breathe your very last breath." The last was a very real threat.
Suddenly, a large thump resounded through the room. Yubaba gasped just before another and yet another thump followed. These next bumps were powerful enough to displace books and small furniture. A second later, they heard a loud baby cry from an adjacent room. A second later, a huge baby's foot broke through a green wooden door on the other side of the room. The blow splintered the door, forcing pieces of the wood to go flying around the room.
"Oh dear! You woke up the baby!" Yubaba exclaimed, rushing over to the doorway where the foot had come through. "Mommy's here. Now be a good boy!" Yubaba said. She turned back and peeked through the red curtains that hung in front of the door frame. "Why are you still here? I told you to leave!"
"I need a job. Please!" Chihiro said fervently, making sure not to yell.
Quiet down! You're scaring the baby!" she insisted.
The same foot kicked through the doorway again. It hit Yubaba in the head, dislodging some splinters from her hair.
"Hi, Sweetie. Don't be angry," Yubaba said to the baby pacifyingly. In response, the baby began to quiet down. "Good boy."
"I'm not leaving until you give me a job," Chihiro insisted, stepping closer to Yubaba.
"Okay. Okay. Just be quiet!" Yubaba hissed.
"Here comes Mommy! I'm coming to get you," Yubaba said, rushing into the other room. Moments later, Chihiro heard a prolonged kissing sound most likely from Yubaba kissing the baby.
Chihiro waited in silence for several seconds before a paper floated up from the floor and flew to her. A pen followed closely. "That's your contract," Yubaba said, pulling the splinters and pieces of wood from her hair as she walked into the room. "Sign your name away," she continued as she magically began to clean up the room.
As Chihiro took the paper and pen, objects began to whip around the room, flying back to their correct location. "And I'll put you to work," Yubaba finished as Chihiro turned around to kneel by the heart and sign the paper on the smooth stone there.
"If I hear one little complain out of you, you'll be joining your parents in the pig pen," Yubaba warned her.
"I can't believe I took that oath! 'Give a job to anyone who asks' Ridiculous! I hate being so nice all the time!" Yubaba said, rattling on.
"Excuse me. I've finished," Chihiro said. The paper floated out of her hands to Yubaba the second she finished speaking.
"Oh! Your name's Chihiro. What a pretty name! And it's mine now. From now on your name is Sen. Got that?" Yubaba said, looking at her signature.
"Yes, Ma'am," Chihi- Sen said before Yubaba could snap at her.
"You called for me?" Haku's voice said seriously. Sen spun around to see Haku standing near the door facing Yubaba.
"This girl signed a contract. Set her up with a job," Yubaba told him.
"Right," he said to Yubaba before turning. "What's your name?" he asked.
"Chihir- Sen," Sen said, remembering the change in name.
"Okay, Sen. Follow me," he said, turning to the door and walking out. Sen followed.