Here's chapter 2! thanks to those who have reviewed, you guys made my day!

Hope you guys like it, and PLEASE REVIEW!

Chapter 2

Amaya felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as they made their way through the darkness, and Ruki was gripping her hand so tightly that it was starting to hurt. Her nervousness faded and was replaced with annoyance.

"Ruki, calm down…you're killing my hand!"

"But it's scary…"

Amaya sighed in exasperation. "Stop being such a scaredy-cat!"

Ruki frowned angrily. "I'm not a scaredy-cat!"

"Well you're sure acting like one…"

"I am not!"

Amaya looked away from her sister and towards the end of the tunnel. It was a faint pale light that seemed miles away, and she quickened her pace.

"C'mon, we need to hurry up before Dad comes and looks for us."

Ruki, still angry, turned her face away and didn't answer. Amaya huffed a breath and resisted the urge to grab Ruki's arm and forcibly drag her along. Instead she continued to quicken her pace until she was running down the tunnel, the other side coming closer and closer as a chill ran through the air unlike anything Amaya had ever felt before. She heard Ruki whimper in fear, and her running footsteps quickly filled the tunnel along with Amaya's.

Amaya reached the end with a smile, looking back to see Ruki struggling to catch up.

"C'mon, this place is really cool!"

They were in what looked like an abandoned train station, with light shining through delicate glass windows, making the dust that floated around transform into glittering dancers that twirled when the wind blew through the air. What was more, however, was the feeling of tranquility and ageless peace that seemed to permeate everything. Amaya almost felt like they were intruders…but something deeper made her want to explore.

Ruki bit her lip nervously. "Amaya…let's go back! There's no one here…Dad will be worried!"

Amaya snorted, nudging her playfully on the leg. "Where's your sense of adventure? He'll take forever trying to replace the tire…and who knows! Maybe people are around here somewhere."

Ruki didn't answer, and she stayed close to Amaya as they walked through the room and toward the large exit that lay opposite the southern wall. Through it, the two girls could see vivid green grass growing over a large slope and scattered with ancient stones. Amaya looked around curiously, running her hand along the wall.

"It looks like one of those old theme parks."

"What do you mean?"

"They were really popular a long time ago, I don't really remember when. I didn't know that there was one here in the forest…it seems a bit odd for it to be so far away from the town…"

Ruki frowned. "Why?"

"To gain customers, a business has to be close to the people they're trying to get money from. If a business – say a good restaurant for instance – wants to appeal to customers, they make their location in a place that people will see when they drive into town. I assume that this place went out of business and the people forgot about it when forming the town."

"Wow…" Ruki looked around; her nervousness gone for the moment as she curiously looked around. Her brown eyes were wide as she skipped across the room to poke her head out the door that led to the grass on the other side. She gasped, and waved to Amaya hurriedly.

"Look at this! It looks just like it does in Mom's story!"

Amaya frowned in confusion, and walked over to peek outside as well.

It did look like the huge meadow in their mother's story…a little too much like it in fact. It unnerved Amaya as she stared out at the large grassy meadow that gently sloped down into a hill, and at the bottom there were stones that Amaya assumed were the floor of some ancient dried out river.

The sky was almost too blue, and it gave the Amaya the strangest sense of disquiet, like the serene calm before the storm.

But she wasn't about to get all scared and wimp out…that was Ruki's thing, not Amaya's.

Ruki looked up at her sister, and smiled widely when Amaya took her hand, leading her out into to meadow. Although she never fully understood her thoughts concerning her older sister, she knew that Ayama was the big sister who wasn't afraid of anything. Amaya was the one who would protect her no matter what, the one that would hold her until she fell asleep after she had a nightmare. Though Ruki loved her entire family dearly, Amaya was different. She wasn't just Ruki's sister, she was her best friend.

. The air was cool as the two sisters chased each other across the grass, looking around them in wonder. Ruki leapt over the river with no hesitation, her ponytail whipping around her head as she looked back to see if Amaya was doing the same. The older girl looked at the river for a moment, something twisting in her gut as she stared at the sturdy rocks that formed the river bottom.

Ruki called to her, and Amaya jumped over to quickly join her, both of the girls looking in curiosity at the sight that met their eyes.

There were rows of shops whose roofs were draped over with bright red cloth, cut into strips so that when the breeze blew, flashes of the interior shop was seen before being shielded once more. They were old and dusty, and the road was paved with uneven stones that were cracked with age. Ruki looked around with a smile, sniffing the air.

"…and the girl and her family smelled the most delicious smell in the air, and her parents decided to try and find the source." Ruki quoted readily, and Amaya laughed.

"Ruki, there's no way that–"

But her sister was already running through the streets, sniffing frantically. She stopped, and pointed down the left street. "Over there!"

"Ruki!" Amaya ran after her sister, quickly catching up with her and pulling her arm to stop her. "This is silly, c'mon. No one's here…and Dad's probably getting worried."

Ruki grinned impishly at her. "C'mon Amaya…where's your sense of adventure?"

Before Amaya could answer, Ruki was running again, and the older girl rubbed her forehead with her palm.

"Dammit…"

Ruki's voice came from a farther street, high with excitement. Amaya groaned, quickly running towards her voice.

Ruki was peering into one of the shops, her mouth wide with surprise.

"Amaya, look!"

Amaya was prepared to laugh, but found that all she could manage was a choked gurgle that was forced out as she stared at the feast that was laid out on the tables. It was just like in their mother's story, and Amaya felt true fear trickling into her system as she stared at the sky, which had unexpectedly gone to the golden rays of sunset.

"This can't be possible." Amaya whispered, and Ruki gasped as something caught her eye. It was the bathhouse. Hot water trickled in the outdoor waterfall, and the rumbling of a train could be heard as they slowly walked towards the bridge.

Ruki stared up at the looming bathhouse that stood above all the rest, and both of them looked at each other in shock.

It was the exact same.

Ruki ran to the bridge, and stood on the railing, looking down at the train that glided seamlessly on the surface of the water, only faintly leaving track marks behind it as it passed. Steam billowed from the top of it, and Ruki looked at Amaya.

"Amaya…are we in the spirit world?"

Amaya shook her head. "No, but we need to get out of here."

"Remember what the boy said?"

Amaya shivered. Go! Before they light the lanterns.

The sun set with a sudden loss of light, and Ruki yelled as the lights began coming to life, and Amaya grabbed Ruki's hand and dragged her away, running down the street as fast as she could.

This couldn't be happening, it–

A dark shape suddenly appeared in front of them, with black holes for eyes and numerous ones appeared beside it, heading towards the food laid out on the tables. The lights were glowing warmly in the interiors, and yet those lights made Amaya want to run and hide, for they weren't meant to be looked upon by human eyes.

Ruki shrieked in fear as more shapes appeared, staring at them with seemingly empty expressions, their hands reaching out to intercept them. But Amaya was moving too fast, and she yanked Ruki out of their reach before they could touch her, and jumped over the stairs, pulling Ruki over them as well despite the large difference between their leg lengths. Ruki stumbled over the stairs while Amaya leapt over them with no trouble, her long legs carrying her farther and farther away from the shops with each stride.

Ruki, gasping for breath, ran as fast she could. "Amaya, we have to get to–"

"I know, I know!" Amaya yelled angrily, her hazel eyes flashing in apprehension as she ran.

You have to get across the river!

Amaya ran towards the darkened meadow, only to hear the splash of water as Ruki ran down the stairs that had once been dry. The girl quickly ran back out, shivering as Amaya stared out at the ocean like body of water that now stretched across the meadow, cutting off their chance for escape. The amusement park entrance was now miles away, glittering with bright lights that hadn't been there before.

Ruki fell to her knees, tears running down her cheeks.

"Amaya…we'll never get back now! We'll–"

Amaya pulled her to her feet, and quickly hugged her. "It'll be okay, Ruki. We'll find a way to get back. Just like the girl in the story, remember?"

"You said that it was just a story…" Ruki sobbed, and Amaya laughed.

"I know…I know I did. But look where we are, Ruki."

Amaya suddenly fell to her knees, and Ruki blinked away the tears for a moment as she knelt beside her sister.

"Amaya?"

Amaya's form was becoming translucent, her fingertips slowly disappearing. Amaya felt a limp weakness in her entire form, something so mobilizing that she couldn't even raise her head. It was like…she was slowly fading.

Ruki looked at her own arm, and for some strange reason found that she was still intact, not disappearing in the slightest. A bright purple bracelet around her wrist seemed to glint, even though there wasn't much light around the two sisters. Ruki touched it gently.

This is for you, Ruki.

It's so pretty…where'd you get it?

Ruki's mother had stared at her for a moment before answering, her eyes miles away, years away.

It was a gift given to me when I was your age. It was said to be a protection charm.

Ruki slowly took off the bracelet, and watched in shock as her skin shimmered and slowly began to fade, as it was doing with her sister. When she placed it back on, the feeling went away, and she was solid again.

An idea suddenly sprung into her mind, and she quickly took off the bracelet, which was elastic, and grabbed Amaya's hand tightly, intertwining their fingers. Then, she placed the bracelet over their joined hands, so both of their wrists were surrounded by the shimmering purple threads. Was it Ruki's imagination, or did the bracelet tighten around their wrists so it wouldn't slip off?

Amaya suddenly jolted back to being solid, and was left gasping for breath. She looked at their joined hands, and frowned.

"Ruki, what's going on?"

Amaya struggled to keep her voice calm, and Ruki shook her head, looking around in fear. They both awkwardly got to their feet, and stared at the distant entrance that was now far from their reach.

Ruki cried silently, and Amaya smiled grimly, almost painfully.

"What are we going to do, Amaya?"

Amaya turned so they were facing the bathhouse.

This was crazy. This was completely insane. But it was the only thing that Amaya had to guide her…the only thing that made some kind of sense.

"Do you remember what the boy told the little girl to do after they crossed the bridge?"

"Go to the boiler man…down the flight of stairs…" Ruki's eyes widened and Amaya smiled again, her hand tightening around Ruki's.

"Yep. And that's exactly what we're going to do."