Okay this is an idea I have for a new fan fiction. I don't think this chapter is very good because I have been writing it at school... yeah anyway it is of course, about Spirited Away. I got the idea for it after I watched the trailer for Miyazaki's new movie, "Howl's Moving Castle." I hope you enjoy this story! It is the first fanfic that I have written that is not Inuyasha themed.

CHAPTER ONE

The day was hot and muggy as I stepped outside onto the small covered porch. The once light blue paint on the house and porch was pealing and chipped from age. The hedges that ran along the short path to the sidewalk were neatly trimmed and a line of flowers ran along the sidewalk until the next yard began.

I readjusted my bag on my shoulder before leaving the shade of the porch and walking quickly to the street where I then turned right and made my way to the school at the bottom of the slope.

Looking ahead I could see my friend already walking in front of me. "Hey Risa! Wait for me!" She turned around and stopped walking, waiting for me to catch up with her. "Why didn't you wait for me this morning?"

"I did but you were late so your mom told me to just go ahead and go so I don't make myself late." She explained. "What were you doing that was taking so long anyways?"

"I couldn't find my math book and I still can't." I groaned.

Risa faked terror, "Mr. Takashi is going to be so mad! This is the second time this week you have forgotten your book. Get it together girl!"

"I know, but I've just really been out of it lately."

"Maybe you're not getting enough sleep." she suggested.

"Trust me that's not the problem. All I have wanted to do is sleep. I'm always tired and I keep finding myself staring off into space. I can't concentrate on my homework at all either. My grades are slipping and Dad says that if I don't get them up he's going to put me in summer school!"

"Why didn't you tell me all this before? I can help you with your homework and assignments. Then your grades will be better and no summer school." She said.

I looked at her and smiled; she smiled back. "You would really do that for me?"

"Chihiro, why do you think I hang out with you everyday? It's not for my health."

We walked the rest of the way to school together as we did everyday since I moved to this town. Our school was not far, only about seven blocks or so and the walk there was not hard since it was all down hill. It was coming home that we dreaded. Walking up the steep hill with a backpack full of books was not fun or easy to do.

That afternoon, once I was home from school, Risa and I went to my room where we then turned the place upside down looking for my lost math book. As Risa predicted, Mr. Takashi was angry with me for my "incompetence" to be ready for his class. He punished me by doubling my homework amount that night, which was terrible because he assigned too much as it was.

"I found it!" Risa called from under my bed. I saw her wiggle and squirm trying to get out. "Hey I'm stuck! Help!" I laughed and grabbed hold of her ankles and pulled her free. She started coughing and wiping dust from her clothing. "You need to start cleaning out under your bed. It's terrifying under there!"

After she considered herself clean enough from my dust bunny collection we sat down on the bed and started on our homework. Even though she didn't have to, Risa did the second assignment, which was given to me as punishment, as well so that she could help me with the problems. Math was not my best subject but I could do it depending on what subject we were on at the time.

We also had some homework to finish in History and Astronomy too. Once all was finished my mom came in to tell Risa that her mother had just called and wanted her home for supper. "I'll see you tomorrow Chihiro." she called as she left the room with her bag and books.

"Chihiro you need to clean your room. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes so straighten this place up and come down." My mom said as she followed Risa out. Reluctant to do so, I did at least make my bed and stack my books on my desk before heading downstairs to eat.

I have had the same dream for years now. Sometimes it varies as to what I'm doing in the dream, or whom I'm with, but it is always in the same general place with the same group of people. I've told my mom about it but she says it's nothing more than a dream, but why would I always dream the same? It doesn't make any sense. Risa thinks it's a sign of something to come. Of course she has a habit of making huge deals out of nothing.

My dream now was no different that last night, or the night before that, or any other nights for the past seven years. I am standing in a field of long grass and wildflowers. It so beautiful and everything looks free. There are no restrictions or limitations, just rolling hills of fresh green as far as the eye can see and then a small line of trees on the horizon. There is an empty rocky bank where it looks like a river once flowed but now has just a few trickles of water.

Sometimes when I dream I am in this place I am alone, other times I am with somebody. I don't know who they are and it's almost always a different person each time except for the rare occasion when I see the boy. I have dreamt of him many times in the dreams but he never speaks to me or looks at me. I would see him walking far ahead of me in the field, or I would turn around and he would be there and then he would be gone again.

Sometimes when I see him he is standing at the foot of a big bridge. He turns to cross the bridge and I try to follow him but the bridge but I become surrounded by a thick fog and become lost. I try to yell for him, yet I don't know his name. Then I wake up in my bed.

That night though, the dream was different...

I looked around and saw that I was on the edge of the dry river, except now it is not so dry. Water is slowly coming down it, each second bringing more and more with it. The river began to fill up and I was forced to back away or be swept away in the now heavy current. As I backed away the water began to come even faster and I was forced to run. As I ran I heard the rushing sound of the water die behind me but I kept going. I didn't want to stop. Finally it came into view, the bridge. I didn't stop then either; I made my way onto the bridge and was enveloped in the fog. Soon I couldn't see but I continued on, walking rather than running.

It seemed like a long time, and I thought I would never reach the other side when I heard my footsteps change. No longer were they the sound of thumping on wood. I was on stone, some sort of path. The fog cleared out slightly to where I was able to see a little in front of me. Looking ahead I saw him again, this time closer that any time before. His mouth moved and, even though no sound came out, I knew what he was saying to me, 'Come back. Come back Chihiro.' Then he the fog swallowed him once more and I was alone again.

The next morning I woke up confused. "Come back? Back to where?" I asked myself as I pulled the blankets off and slid out of bed. I was happy at least that it was Saturday. No school today, which meant Risa would be over at ten just like she has been every Saturday for the past five years. I put on my house shoes and stumbled down the stairs to the kitchen where I poured myself some cereal.

The next hour and a half was spent watching TV and eating. I didn't think anything more about the dream. I was use to having odd dreams and found no reason to tell anybody about it.

At precisely ten I heard a knock at the door. "Come in Risa!" The door opened and she came running in, almost falling as she tried to take her shoes off at the door.

"Chihiro! We have to get down to the mall!" She cried as she plopped down on the sofa next to me. She was huffing as she tried to catch her breath. My guess was that she had run all the way from her house, about three blocks away.

"Why?"

"Because today is the grand-opening of that new store we've been wanting to check out! Don't you remember? You've been raving about it all week."

The thought struck me like lighting. "Oh I can't believe I forgot about that! Wait, let me get dressed and we'll go okay?" I jumped up from the couch and ran upstairs. I rummaged through my closet and grabbed a purple knee-length skirt and a white short-sleeved shirt. My nightclothes were tossed in the corner with the though that I needed to do my laundry soon. Finally I grabbed my money out of the jar I kept on my desk and stuffed it into my purse.

About a half hour later Risa and I were just making it into the mall. It was large, two-story, and the most popular place to hang out. There was even a built in theater next to the food court.

The new store was on the other side so we walked past and window-shopped in many different stores on the way. My favorite place to look was the antique shop. There were always all kinds of little goodies and knick-knacks that I loved to buy. My room was filled with little old figurines and such things that I had bought at yardsales and auctions. I would have never been able to afford anything in the antique shop though, but still, it never hurt to look.

"Hey look over there." I turned to see where Risa was pointing. It was the new store and there was a gigantic crowd around the front door. "I think we had better wait until later when it quiets down..."

"Yeah. Let's go get something to eat. I'm craving pizza." We both laughed and turned into the food court where there were at least three different pizza parlor choices. We picked Godfather's and while Risa ordered the pizza I found a clean table to sit at.

As I sat down something caught my eye. Looking over I saw a guy, about my age, and he was staring strait at me. For a minute I was startled, then my mind cleared and I noticed why he looked so odd to me.

"Hey Chihiro. What is it?" Risa said as she walked back with the food in hand.

"Him," I said.

She followed my gaze. "Him? Whose he?"

"He's the boy in my dreams..."