Gothic: WAAAAH! IÕm so mean! I canÕt believe I didnÕt update. IÕm so rude. Forgive me! Anyways, today is my first official day back from camp. Camp was so so so awesome. Lac du Bois rules! Mwah. Ha. I actually had this before I went to camp, but the darn thing wouldnÕt let me update. Oh well. Here you go.

Oh yeah. The damn disclaimer. If I owned Spirited Away, I would have sent my grandfather to the best mental ward I could afford. But I donÕt so I canÕt. Capish?

Waiting Ð Chapter 18

Chihiro gave Haku one last hug and a muffled ÒitÕs going to be alright,Ó before stepping into YubabaÕs office. As she passed through the door, a chill swept through her body, and she shivered, crossing her arms about her chest. She gave Haku one last glance. He was standing there, vulnerable and helpless as he gazed at her. His eyes were so beautiful, staring with love. That softened his whole body, and there were absolutely no harsh angles or lines in his face. It was soft and smooth, and when he smiled, Chihiro thought she would melt into the floor.

She turned away, and took the last step into YubabaÕs office. It was the same room, with the three heads still bouncing around, making their annoying noises. There were the paintings, the jewels gleaming in the light, the papers spread every which way. She saw the same box that had the contracts of all the workers, hemming them in to be YubabaÕs prisoners. Her eyes were tracing the lines of gold on the walls, and she mentally cringed. Once, this had all seemed so glamorous and intimidating, but now it all seemed. . . fake. She turned and turned again, but there was no sign of the ruler of the bathhouse. She wasnÕt there.

She sat down tentatively in a velvet chair and began to wait. She was so tense. Her stomach muscles twisted and churned and she found there was an iron band around her lungs, which made it hard to breathe. Her fingers knotted in the wooden carvings, and her feet twined around the legs. Something bad was going to happen. She just knew it. //Why would Yubaba call for me? Not to give me a gift. She doesnÕt like me that much. She wouldnÕt want to kill me. . . would she?//

As Chihiro sat there contemplating why Yubaba had summoned her, she didnÕt notice a board creak as someone stepped down. She didnÕt notice the rustle of cloth as a shadow fell across her body, and a slight sigh. Only too late did she feel something was truly wrong, and too late did she feel someone behind her.

Someone whipped a piece of cloth across ChihiroÕs face, and she brought up her hands trying to rip it off. She tugged and bucked and screamed. She pulled forwards, hoping to trip whoever it was, but only succeeded in tripping over the footstool and pushing her head forwards. A hand reached forwards and tugged at her hair, bringing her whole body backwards and into the chair again.

The hand came back, and stroked ChihiroÕs hair and laughed as she heard the girlsÕ heartbeat pound frantically, and the short breaths from her lungs. So, the girl was scared. That was good. The mouth grinned, and the figure stepped forwards and whispered in the girlÕs ear, ÒYou will forget him. He is not meant to be yours. He never was and never will be. He is mine!Ó

. . . .

Chihiro felt herself fall downward in a sickening spiral, and tried to move her fingers, her hand, anything. Nothing would move. She was caught, and she didnÕt know how to escape. She just felt herself falling ever onwards, and she was terrified. Her eyes widened as she heard two people laughing, one high and melodious, the other old and harsh.

She saw images float by, and squinted to make them out. The images that she could see were blurred and the colors blended together. She felt her heart pound in her chest, and could only breathe ragged gasps. She felt truly terrified. She didnÕt know where she was, and she didnÕt know what was happening.

//A rat in a maze. ThatÕs what I am. And I have a feeling that thereÕs a great big eye somewhere watching me. IÕm being watched. I donÕt know whatÕs happening. IÕm not alone here! Make it stop! Make it stop!// She felt a shock go through her entire body when she heard voices stirring around her.

ÒDonÕt worry. IÕm a friend.Ó

ÒWhat about my mom and dad? They didnÕt really turn into pigs, did they?Ó

ÒMeet me at the bridge. IÕll take you to your parents.Ó

ÒHaku! Haku!Ó

ÒI remember everything.Ó

ÒWill we meet again someday?Ó

ÒIÕm sure of it.Ó

ÒPromise?Ó

ÒPromise.Ó

She screamed, and tried to put her hands over her ears. Everything was changing. As soon as she heard his voice, she forgot what he had just said. Images of them in the river and peeking glances at work and finally when he kissed her floated about her and she cried silently, wishing she could stop and throw her arms about him. //Haku! WhatÕs going on? Please help me! I need you Haku! I love you!//

A voice, low and raspy began to whisper a chant over and over, and it filled ChihiroÕs entire body. She felt it from the deepest of her soul, it wound around her body like a dream, and it filled her lungs and squeezed her heart. She squeezed her eyes tight, but the voice still continued. It proclaimed that she would forget, that her memories of loving Haku would vanish, and instead an irritation would worm its way underneath her skin every time she saw him. She would feel like wrinkling up her nose, and walking away like she had just seen a corpse. She would back away in distaste, and wish that he had never been born.

. . . .

Chihiro opened her eyes slowly, hissing when they hit contact with the light. She felt dizzy, and her vision was swimming, her eyes flooded with tears. She wiped them away, blinking and looked around. ÒYubaba-sama? Where you talking about something?Ó

She glanced at Yubaba, who was now standing in front of her desk, and smiling as if the richest customer had just arrived. She shifted weight and began to walk quietly towards Chihiro.

ÒI was informing you of your promotion from boiler assistant to MY assistant. You are not able to perform the late KamajiiÕs former work, but you are extremely resourceful, and I need someone like that. My other assistant is slowing down, especially with his wifeÕs current. . . predicament. Hopefully she will become healthier and he will work harder, but until he does, I need you. Or perhaps you would like to just become a simple worker, with hard tasks until the day you die?Ó

Chihiro shook her head vehemently and stood up stiffly. Her joints were sore, and she felt groggy. Perhaps she was coming down with the flu. She sighed and bowed. ÒI- I would be honored to work for such a one as you, Yubaba-sama. I will work hard and diligently for you. You will not regret this.Ó

Yubaba smirked. Everything was going accordingly to plan. She felt that the time was coming, the girl would crack, and Haku would be totally and completely YubabaÕs. ÒGood. You have the rest of today to go pack your things, and tomorrow meet me here again.Ó With that, she waved Chihiro away, and turned back to her desk. When she was sure Chihiro was gone, she began to laugh, the sound resounding through the whole room and bouncing off the walls.

Gothic: Whoa. That was short. IÕm sorry. I donÕt like it, but I hope you people do. I luv you all! Merci beaucoup!