I have been updating rather quickly for this story haven't I? Well I spend my whole computer class (1 hour 40 mins) with nothing to do so I work on this. I hope you like this chapter and I'm sorry for all the cliffies I've been leaving you with... well not really. They build up the suspense for the next chapter and keep you reading. Oh and sorry but this chapter is slightly shorter than the others.

CHAPTER THREE

It only took me ten minutes to reach the road from my house. I look ahead of myself to the overgrown path as I tightened my ponytail and then put on a cap, pulling my ponytail through the hole in the back. I started off inside.

The road was once dirt and easily able to pick out, but now it was covered in grass and bushes and flowers. It was sometimes hard for me to pick out where the road was and I wandered in a few circles until I was able to find the path again.

As I made my way I notices small things about the area, like how there no animals. Normally you would at least hear a bird off somewhere but there was nothing. The only sound was that made my by feet as the crunched the grass and twigs. Another thing I noticed was how dark the forest was here. It seemed as if the canopy of the trees completely blocked off the light, which made me wish I had at least brought a flashlight with me.

After noticing the silence, it became nerve-racking. A few times I was fully willing to turn back and go home, because this place was scaring me so much. Finally after twenty more minutes, I started to see a glimpse of the red building through the trees.

The second my eye caught it I froze. Did I really want to go there? Was it safe? I backed up a step, now actually trying to turn around and leave, when the wind came up behind me. It blew me forward, urging me on. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and started to move forward again.

The small road curved a bit and then I was there, standing before the red building once again. I remember how old it looked when I was younger but now it was ancient. I was surprised that there was still any paint left on it at all.

I sat down on the ground to rest and gather my thoughts. It was a long walk, a mile or two into the forest. I remembered that nobody knew I was here. My parents thought I was out with friends, so I couldn't stay long. I needed to be home before it became dark out or else I would be in trouble.

I drank some water from the bottle I had carried with me before putting it back in my small back. I hadn't brought much with me. Only water, a small lunch, and a blanket. I wasn't sure why I would need a blanket but I had taken it anyways. Just in case, I thought.

After a little while I pushed myself back up onto my legs and started toward the tunnel's entrance. I was scared to go in but I had a feeling like I had to. Plus every time I tried to turn away the wind started to push be back, so my choices were limited; stay here or go in and see what was there.

The tunnel was long, very long. So long that when in the middle you couldn't even see because it was so dark. I really wished I had brought that flashlight. A few times I tripped over a rock or stone or sometimes my own foot. I walked with my hands on the wall, following it.When I saw the light at the other side I sped up and ran, wanting to get out of the darkness.

I came out into the field. The sun was sighing brightly overhead and the long grass was flowing around me in the wind so that it resembled the sway of the ocean. I continued forward along an old path that led up a hill. Once up top a shocking sight greeted me.

Before me lay the dry river.

I looked around a bit, trying to see if there was anything else I could recognize, when the wind decided I was being to slow and pushed me forward once more. "All right, all right! I'm going." I yelled to it and it stopped, almost as if it had heard me.

The river was easy enough to cross, just jumping from rock to rock until you hit the other side. I looked behind me and could just see the top of the red tower behind me, hidden by the hill. Turning forward I was suppose to go up even more, so I started up the stone steps.

I hiked into a city like area. Actually it looked more like a festival. Everything was decorated colorfully. The buildings were covered in brightly colored paints and fabrics and lights. What struck me as odd, though, was that they all looked closed.

Passing shop after shop, I realized that none of them were open. Every few times I would stop and yell out for somebody, seeing if anyone was around. Five minutes of this proved pointless and so I just continued on my way, following the wind as it led me through the streets until it suddenly stopped.

I looked around confused until my eyes settled on a glimpse of shining gold. I set off toward it and was slowly closed in by a thick fog. "Just like in my dreams..." I walked forward and soon heard the sound of my footsteps on wood. The fog was so thick that it was hard to even see my hand in front of my face.

I continued on forward until I was off of the bridge and on the stone pathway. I had never passed this point in my dreams. I moved a bit more along the path when the wind hit my side hard and pushed me over. I tumbled and tried to grab out at something when my hand found some sort of rail. I held on tightly as the wind continued to blow. My hat almost blew off but was still caught with my ponytail in it. Gradually, I noticed, the fog was being blown away and my vision becoming more and more clear even thought the wind was making it hard to see.

The wind then started to die down with a low moaning sound. All the fog, except for the few wisps still at my feet, was gone. Facing me now was a large building. It looked many stories tall and covered with windows everywhere. The bridge's path lead straight to the front doors, which were huge and made of wonderfully, polished wood.

"What is this place?" I thought out loud, not expecting an answer from anyone.

"It's a bath house, for the spirits."

I turned around sharply at the voice. He was behind me, not far away but still on the bridge. I recognized him immediately as the boy in my dreams, the one who had called for me to come here. He was smiling slightly at me before letting out a small laugh. "Hello again, Chihiro."