"Haku?"
The cloud of misty white faded slowly, but the girl's vision was still hazed from shock. She could hardly recall anything anymore. Like, where she was, or why she was even there. Shouldn't she be at home by now? She couldn't remember anything at all, not even the sound of her own name as it was spoke sweetly out to her in a calm, sensitive voice that struck a few memories back to her.
"Sen."
"Y-Yes." She stammered in a voice so high and childish that she didn't recognize it as her own, shifting her hands through the thinning clouds. "You know my name."
"Of course I know your name. Why would I not?" Sen couldn't pin point where the boy stood, but she knew the voice. Haku. Every sense inside of her screamed out to her that it was the boy she had been searching for all along. But how had she and him gotten there in that stark white wasteland. Where were the people? Where were the noises and colors and smells she remembered so long ago?
"Nobody else can remember it. Chihiro. That's what they call me!" That high little voice again, piercing her own ears like the one of her little sister's her mom had given birth to not long ago. That little runt, always pleasing mama and taking her place.
"Why should they not?" He murmured back to her in a mysterious voice that set her teeth on edge. She really wished he would talk to her and not play these mind games.
"You're not making any sense!" She cried back, brows curling inward.
"Heh." She heard him chuckle softly in that low, boyish voice that she felt herself resisting all of a sudden. She felt the heat rise to her cheeks in a random blush, her hands flinging through the dusty air until they collided with soft flesh.
"Haku!" She shouted his name, blinking up at his bright emerald eyes. Since when did he get so tall? When did she get so short? When did she meet up with him? "I've been looking everywhere for you. You have to tell them you're real!"
"But I'm not." The boy replied, his shoulder lengthed raven colored hair bobbing as he shook his head slightly from side to side. His arms encircled her thin form, touching her bare skin, but she did not tremble with delight. She didn't feel the urge to wrap her arms around this boy, hold herself close, break down and cry from the pressure that seemed to be growing over her back.
"What are you talking about? You are real! I know you are!" She protested, thrusting her hands up to suddenly bang against his chest like a foolish child. She writhed in her mini fit, tears stinging at her eyes until his hand slipped across her cheek, settling her teary brown eyes to his.
"But I can help you find me." He offered, caressing his thumb over her skin with a mild smile to make her nod crazily.
"Yes, Yes! Anything! I'll do anything just to show them you're real! What do I have to do? Tell me! Anything!" She shouted enthusiastically, hopping frantically, hyper-like. It confused her, how she was starting to do things she would never do in public. Never, would she cling to such a handsome boy, hopping up and down and shouting at the top of her lungs. But he didn't seem to mind, simply leaned in closer.
"Wake up." He whispered, lips on her ear as clouds passed through her vision. Her brows curled inward once more, but she didn't question.
She peered down, eyes widening at the white and green, striped, short sleeved shirt and red shorts she wore. She gawked silently, thinking why she let herself be caught dead in such hideous clothing. It wasn't too long until she peered at her stubby child's hands and it all came rushing back. This was the 'her' of five years ago. This was a dream, and it was time to wake up.
Her whole body jerked violently, just a mere flinch before her clouded mind surfaced. Her trembling hands dropped from the wheel, falling into her lap. She raised her throbbing head from the horn, it's shrill shriek calling out into the night, distorted from the rain and going on for more than just a few minutes. The dark had already fallen. What could have possibly happened?
Her fingers lifted up to touch a patch of skin that felt raw on her forehead. She drew her hand back, sighing at the wisp of blood that had come along with it.
"Must've hit my head." She murmured to herself, pleased at the sound of her own, adult, voice. Much unlike the voice in her dream. She didn't bother wiping anymore of the warm liquid from her skin, merely letting it drip in a warm streak down the side of her face. She leaned back, groaning at the feel of something digging in between her shoulder blades.
She quickly reached back to toss the head of the seat that had broken off, away from her back. She worked her shoulders, getting used to the feeling of moving again as she shifted her legs beneath her, dreading the realization of what the damage on the car and herself could be.
She snatched up the two halves of her phone and slipped from the seat, easily tossing open the door to puddle out of the car on wobbling legs. She moaned loudly, already catching sight of shattered glass on the ground beneath her. Still, it was hard to see anything through the pounding rain. She soon decided she didn't want to know. Either way, she would be in neck deep trouble from her parents about taking their car in the first place. It didn't matter any way it turned on her.
Sen stumbled away from the crashed car, blinking away the rain drops that clung tightly to her long, thick lashes. She didn't know where to go. She had no lead on where Haku was and no heading on where she was now. How could she possibly wander her way back to him now? He would look different, be completely different in every way. How was she to be sure he even lived in that strange place anyway? The name escaped her. She figured it would just come limping back like the rest of her memories.
She carefully slid her phone battery back into place and tucked it into her jean pocket.
A crater of emptiness sent shrill waves of cold through her as she turned back to the horizon. It went on and on and on. So far from where she wanted to be. Where did she want to be? There. With him. With Haku. But where was she, where was he?
She backed into a tree, breathing slowly as she let her eyes slide closed. She had to think, concentrate on what she could remember of that place. She thought back to when she had mysteriously passed through the portal between the worlds. What had it been like, looked like, what direction had they been going in?
She couldn't remember. She had been but ten years old, no sense of direction or time. No way she was turning back to the black screen of the cell phone that rested in her pocket. They would try to help her in a way that only hurt her. They couldn't really help her. Not with what she really needed. She had to do this alone, without help, without them.
Her eyes shot daggers into the rain, trying to clear some space so she could actually see. When nothing came up, she just began to walk. Walk and walk and walk until she hit familiar land. Wherever the wind and rain took her, she would reside, whether her heart longed for it or not. Her journey for her freedom had gone on for too long. All five years had been torture. One year silent, four years regretting keeping back the wonders she knew of for a mere year.
---
Every inch of her body ached. Her light blue jeans were drenched to a dark blue. Hair was plastered to her cheeks and forehead, neck and shoulders, her green tank top nearly see through. Everything on her hurt, but she refused to let her legs stop moving forward. She refused to stop walking. She needed to find something, someone, anyone. The greatest thing that had passed was an empty, abandoned gas station.
Trees crept past, looming over the shivering teen. It was almost as if the things around her were moving, but not her. The trees moved, the road beneath her worn converses like a treadmill. Not even a car had passed by her, a driver to pity her and take her out from the miserable rain.
No. She had to find someone who didn't think she was insane. If she stayed a moment longer in the overprotective, paranoid world that had turned against her, she feared she might actually become insane from the pressure of it all.
"Ow- Hey!" Sen cried out as she knocked, harshly, into something tall and hard. A hand flew up to touch her throbbing nose. She held it tightly, a quiet moan of pain stretching from her lungs. She blinked up at her attacker, ready to shout a few furious words when she met an angry looking tree. It's gnarled roots stretched and curved around her feet. She had barely missed tripping over a large one right behind her foot. She sighed numbly.
"Stupid tree." She muttered, turning away from its rough bark. She ignored the pinkish tinge against her wet fingers as she drew them away from her aching nose. A few steps away, she felt something catch her shin, and topple her to the ground.
Another sharp cry of pain let out from her lips and she held to her aching leg for dear life. She could almost feel the bruise forming over her pale skin underneath her soaked jean pant leg. Her eyes, clamped shut on impact with the ground, shot up to peer over her curled up body. It was getting harder and harder to see through the heavy sheets of rain. She squinted her eyes, struggled to see what she had tripped over.
"I'm just not having any luck." Sen whispered. She slowly sat up, a hand over her shin, to squint at the foot and a half tall stone, the color of bone and moss. A small gasp tore from her lips at the familiar piece of work.
An egg shaped outline of its face shot out at her, it's bulging and blank eyes staring into hers. That round dog-looking nose and smooth pointed head. Hands were molded to clasp together in the front. And that wide, curving smile carved out so perfectly that it mocked her as she glance upon it.
How familiar...
Her head whipped around to the structure that towered over her. An excited gasp lifted through the rain as the girl's teary eyes danced along every familiar moss patch and chip in the dark tunnel she rested at the foot at. Puddles had formed inside it, filling in each crack, running like mini rivers between the cobblestones.
Sen almost screeched with joy as she flung herself into the safety of the moist walled cavern. Somehow, it seemed familiar, though she was sure she had never seen it before. She scrambled to her feet, quickly tossing herself through the freezing closed in space. She flung her arms out to toss aside the foliage that blocked her way out. She tore at the thick rubble. Branches twined with each other, and Sen played the game of red rover.
She drove her shoulder through the brush, leaves shooting from assaulted bushes as she collapsed onto the other side.
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Ah! Finally! Sorry to keep my total of about...5 or so readers waiting! Sheesh. And I have about 50 on my other. But I love you guys! Thanks for sticking with me! And enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!