Chapter 2

Chihiro awoke with the clatter of dishes coming from downstairs. The smell of rice and miso soup wafted into her bedroom. She followed the smell into the kitchen where her mother stood behind the counter serving the food.

"Oh! Chihiro. You're finally up. Have a seat, breakfast is ready." Chihiro sat beside her father and sorted through the mail on the table.

"Bill, bill, junk mail, bill, junk mail, Mom, Mom, Dad, Mom, Dad, …" She stopped when she took the last letter from the bottom of the stack. Nothing for me again, as usual… She pushed the remaining mail away and focused on the food her mom had set in front of her.

Since today was a holiday and a weekend, Chihiro had three days off work. She decided to put on a pair of jogging pants and go jogging outside for a while. She packed a lunch, which consisted of three Onigiri, put on her blue and orange running shoes, grabbed a light jacket, and ran out the door.

Dark clouds covered the usually bright summer sky. It began to sprinkle lightly as Chihiro neared the forest several blocks behind her house. She passed by the small, house-looking shrines, and the strange, moss-covered statue that lurked in the trees and shrubs. Chihiro smiled to herself as she fondly recalled these from her childhood. Again flashes of faces appeared in her mind, but she paid no heed to them.

She stopped outside the red, plaster entryway and stared intently into the dark tunnel. The light breeze seemed to be pulling her into the darkness as it had seven years ago. She went forward into the dark and finally appeared on the other side. It was a cement building full of cement columns and wooden benches. The floor was positively filthy. It was apparent to Chihiro that no one had been here since the last time she and her parents had come through.

The knolls and hills beyond the monochromatic building were as green and lively as ever. The field was simply gorgeous. It was here that Chihiro sat down and ate her lunch. Even though the sky was overcast, Chihiro still felt warmth, as if something wonderful was going to happen. She set her cheap, plastic and now empty bento box on the rock she had been sitting on and resolved to go exploring across the small stream for a bit.

She wandered through the empty, weather-beaten restaurants. Something seemed oddly familiar about this place. Chihiro shrugged off the notion and continued down the deserted streets when she came upon a large wooden bridge with red railings. She ran her hand across it, flaking off bits of paint as she did so. A large, worn bathhouse stood before her.

"Wow…" She whispered to herself taking a few tentative steps towards the old building.

"You shouldn't be here!" A loud, angry sounding voice made Chihiro gasp and spin around. A man with green hair, who looked only a few years older than her, stood several feet behind her.

"What?" Chihiro asked in confusion.

"You have to leave, it's almost night!" Chihiro stopped. She had definitely heard that somewhere before.

"… Kohaku?" She whispered almost inaudibly.

"What did you say?" He asked uncertainly.

"Kohaku… for some reason… that name comes to mind." She answered quietly. The man's eyes got rather wide as a sudden realization came to him.

"Chihiro?" He asked, "Is it really you?" She nodded.

"Who are you?" She inquired of the man. "Why do I know you?" The man chuckled.

"I guess you wouldn't remember me. It has been a long time." He moved so he was only inches away from her, "I guess it all started with a pink shoe." He added quietly. A flash appeared in Chihiro's mind. Her shoe was floating away, she fell in, she was clutching to the horns of a white dragon…

"Kohaku…" Chihiro's face lit up, "I remember you! You saved me from drowning when I was five!" She lunged forward and hugged him tightly. Kohaku smiled and wrapped his arms tightly around the girl clinging to his neck.

"It's been a long time, Chihiro." She released him. Suddenly, as if a can of soda had been shaken and opened, more memories came flooding back to her in a giant tidal wave. She suddenly got very dizzy.

"Unnng…" She groaned and collapsed into Kohaku.

"Chihiro!" Kohaku caught her effortlessly and picked her up bride-style into his arms. It was then that he carried her off down a long flight of stairs to the boiler room, where Kamaji sat grinding herbs for the baths.

"Haku, what are you doing down here," His eyes went wide when he laid them on Chihiro, "and with a human nonetheless."

"It's Chihiro, she's returned. My suppressing her memories didn't work nearly as well as I had hoped and the seal I put on them shattered. She's fainted from the weight its put on her senses." He laid her down on the cool, hardwood floor. "Help me with her."

Kamaji made a small bed for her in the corner and Kohaku set her down gently into the blankets. He rocked back on his heels and brushed the hair out of Chihiro's eyes.

"Do you think she'll be alright?" Kamaji asked looking over at the young woman. Kohaku shrugged.

"I don't know, Kamaji. I just don't know…"