Chihiro picked up the bag of groceries and carried them for what seemed miles. This was her punishment for wandering off.

Yuugo (her mom) had already called the police by the time Chihiro got back from her "little" hike.

Chihiro started her day with all the chores she missed yesterday, all the ones she had to do that day, and extra stuff her mom wanted to get done.

"Well…you really surprise me Chihiro. Running off into he woods like that, you know better." Said Yuugo with a stern look on her face.

"Sorry mom. I just wanted a little exercise since you've always been saying how lazy I am. Maybe I was too tired half way in the forest. I dozed off I guess. I had breakfast though." Chihiro said, trying to find a good excuse.

"Honey, you have to eat more than that. You can't just get some exercise with out any energy left in you. Besides, you can get lots of exercise by just helping me, you know. Now scrub harder; I want that tub sparkling by the time I get back! Understood?"

Chihiro gave a faint salute with one hand and said, "Yes ma'am." As soon as her mom left, Chihiro finished the tub and moved on to the toilet. Her thoughts then began to fly.

Exercise? Yeah right…I just want to enjoy my summer by doing nothing. I hate scrubbing this nasty toilet. Nasty…little…And her thoughts kept flying about.

She worked hard until she reached the last thing on her list: the fridge.

"Well, I guess that's the last thing. Now all I got to do is take a shower…hmmm? What's this?"

Chihiro found a note on the fridge.

Dear Chihiro,

After you are done with the fridge, just hang out for a while. DO NOT LEAVE the house, okay? I'm expecting a package. Also, work will probably take longer than I thought. I would tell you myself but I wanted to make sure you would remember. If I'm not back by seven, then you can just go to bed. The latest I'll be back is ten.

Love, mom

Ps. don't slack off!

"YES! The whole house to myself! Pah-tay! Who can I call?" Chihiro exclaimed, getting ideas in her head.

"Oh, that's right, most of my friends are not even here…darn…I guess I'll just take a shower and watch TV until mom gets home."

Chihiro did just that. She took a shower.

The steam fogged up the mirror. Chihiro usually wasted all the hot water.

"Hmmm…this feels good." Chihiro started humming and singing some tunes as she splashed her face with water and cleansed her body.

Screeeech…

"Hmm, what was that? Oh well…must be the wind."

As soon as she finished the hot water and turned it off, she heard a screech again. She felt something on her back and screamed. She turned around but realized it was water dripping down.

Feeling stupid, she dried off, got dressed as fast as she could, and ran down the stairs.

"Mom, are you there?"

Chihiro looked all over the house to find her mom or whatever was making the sound but couldn't find anything.

"I guess I'll just watch some TV…I wonder…nah, it couldn't be. Hope not…" She thought maybe it was 'him' again but just tried to forget about it.

After ten minutes of a re-run she had seen so many times she felt 'him' again. While Chihiro sat on the love seat (sofa with two seats) she felt it creeping up and started to get uncomfortable.

She moved her butt to the middle of the love seat and her eyes searched. Left and right.

Nothing.

But then she felt it directly behind her so she turned her head slowly.

Nothing again.

It was as if her mind was playing more tricks. She turned her attention to the TV once more but felt something on her back riding down to her waist.

That has gotta be my imagination. My back is against the sofa! Who can touch it unless…they're a ghost!

Chihiro turned around and didn't see anything once more, although she heard a noise.

The TV suddenly turned off. Chihiro quickly turned around to look at it. The fear in her heart grew. She trembled and tears started to roll down her eyes.

Chihiro suddenly felt her back being grabbed by claws. She struggled to lose grip and she tried to jump off the couch. She flipped over backwards with the attacker and he lost his grip.

"Ahhhhhh! Get the heck out of my house! You little! AHHHHHHH!"

As she screamed as hard as she could as the attacker left. She turned around quickly and only saw the leg escape out the door following the rest of the body, which was already outside.

Chihiro grabbed a knife from the kitchen. She sat on a safe corner in the living room as she cried. Her heart trembled faster by the minute.

Soon she fell asleep until the doorbell rang.

"Six thirty? How long have I been asleep?"

She got up with the knife in hand and opened the door (she looked outside of course to make sure it wasn't that creep again).

"Package for a Miss Yuugo Asoto." Said a very worn-out mailman.

"Oh, that's right. Mom told me about a package in her note. Let me sign it for her."

"Here you go."

She signed in her name and received a small box.

"Good night miss."

"Good night Sir. Thank you."

"Just doin' my job. I don't think a knife is necessary for greeting a mailman, though. Just a thought."

As he left, a sigh of relief came out as she closed the door.

But she didn't see the thick black worm peeking out through a hole in the back of his jacket. It had jutted out its head. It was more of a snake really.

"What a day…" Chihiro sighed once more. "Mom please get here already." Chihiro sat on the floor with her back against the door.

"I am too freaked out to even think about a walk in the woods. School was a lot safer. Not that 'Miss Yat-breath of evil' wasn't scary enough but…" As Chihiro talked to herself, something licked her ear.

She grabbed it and felt its sliminess. She quickly scrambled away from the door.

She stood up off the floor and saw it squirming. It was trying to go through the door but couldn't bite the whole way so it sucked itself back out. Surprisingly, no hole was in the door.

Chihiro looked at it in disbelief. She held the knife in a tighter grasp. All was silent for but a moment.

The snake creature jumped out from the window and glass spread everywhere. Pieces scrambled everywhere and many stray pieces headed for her face. She screamed out in pain as one piece reached her eye.

She covered her face just in time but it left a scar on her right eye. Blood spilt on the floor. Her tears poured out on her blood-covered hand.

She closed her right eye tightly, for the pain was unbearable.

She could see the creature with her left eye growing taller and taller, as if to reach its full form. It popped out black wings and screeched like before.

Chihiro felt its evil aura. Its deadly snake eyes looked at its prey.

Chihiro got her knife ready and stepped back. She suddenly bumped into something. Behind her she felt a comforting, safe aura. She turned around and saw a huge black orb with white markings moving across its surface.

She stepped back but was immediately lashed by the snake's tail. Her back was marked.

She fell to the floor, weeping in pain. With her hands and knees against the floor, she breathed deeply and thought it'd be the end.

Quickly, she stood up to face the creature but felt hands grab her and pull her into the orb. In confusion and fatigue, she closed her eyes and felt herself falling off into darkness.