Chapter 1: Carrie enters the well.
"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" I pulled the phone away from my ear, one eye closed as I rubbed my abused ear. I switched my cell phone to the other side of my head, feeling my friend's fury seeping through the phone line.
"Umm . . . I got . . . a little . . . lost," I said uneasily, looking back and forth at the unfamiliar street signs.
"Lost? LOST? AGAIN? Carrie, I thought Amanda and Kurt gave you directions! It is not good to get lost in freaking JAPAN!"
I sweatdropped, bowing my head in shame. "I know . . . I'm sorry . . . can you come get me? I'm kinda scared," I knew adding the little 'I'm scared' would help. My friend Ashleigh might sound like a bit of a bitch, but she was protective and a total softie.
Ashleigh sighed. She was quiet a moment. ". . . fine. Where the heck are you?"
"Uh," I looked back and forth around at the street signs. "Near Higurashi Shrine,"
Again, there was silence. "Ash?"
"DARN IT THAT'S HALFWAY ACROSS THE CITY! HOW THE HELL DID YOU END UP THERE?"
"Eardrum," I muttered, rubbing the abused appendage.
"Don't care. Go toward the shrine, we'll meet you there."
"Okay. Oh, and Ash?"
"Mmm?" Irritation was creeping into her voice. She didn't like long phone conversations.
"Can you hurry up? People are starting to stare at me funny."
"WHAT? I SWEAR, IF YOU DO ANYTHING STUPID I'LL—"
"Bye, Ash!" I hung up. She was going to hurt me. I turned away from the busy street corner and put my light blue cell phone back into my bag. I sighed, brushing blond hair out of my blue eyes. Great. I was lost, cold, hungry, and Ashleigh was gonna kill me when she got here. I was screwed either way. Too bad she was immune to the puppy dog pout. Maybe if I found an Edward Elric plushie she'd forgive me?
Carrie and Ash
Eventually, I found a bench and I sat down heavily. I tossed my bag from my shoulder and let it thud to the ground.
"Bored, bored, bored," I sighed, setting my chin into my hand. I stared out into the street, watching cars and people go back and forth.
This was supposed to be a fun. 'confidence-building' trip, or so my evil vice principal said. But all I managed to do this whole trip was get lost, and get Ashleigh pissed at me. Yay Carrie. This had to have been the fourth or fifth time in two days that I've gotten lost. I almost get lost as much as Ashleigh falls on her face. (And that was saying something.)
A soft wind blew by suddenly, blowing my hair over my shoulder. The sound tickled my ear like a whispered prayer, and I quickly looked over my shoulder. Towering above me was the immense Higurashi Shrine, the seemingly endless stairs going up and up and up . . .
Slowly, like a puppet, I stood from the bench. I had enough sense left in my trance-like state to grab my bag and let it drag across the ground. I took the first step, then the next, and the next. Time seemed to stand still as I climbed, higher and higher, toward the clouds. Maybe the stairs never ended? Maybe I'd just keep climbing and climbing, and never stop. I'd grow old, still climbing, and never make it to the top—
"OOMPH!"
I blinked, staring at the flat ground in front of me. I picked my head up, looking around the old buildings. An old man was standing beside me, looking down with a confused look on his face. He said something in Japanese, but at my blank face switched to near-perfect English. Thank god.
"Miss? Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine thanks. But who are you?"
"I am the priest of this shrine."
"Wow…well…it has lots of stairs."
"Come, come look around, there are many stories behind this shrine…"
After he finally stopped talking, I decided to look around a bit longer. Finally, I went outside and saw a beautiful tree. I walked closer towards the tree to get a better look and saw a sad looking girl with dark hair and big brown eyes sitting down by the tree in the grass. She saw me and for a moment we just stood there awkwardly staring at each other.
"Um…Hi." I said awkwardly.
"Oh hi." the girl said, she strained a smile.
"So you live here at Higurashi shrine?"
"Yes I do. I've lived here my whole life. I am Kagome Higurashi. Do you live nearby?
"Actually, I am here on a school trip with some of my friends. I got lost and they are on their way to come get me. I am just trying to pass the time and I'm Carrie by the way."
She just gave me another strange smile. We stared awkwardly for a few more moments.
"So why are you so upset. What's wrong? You can tell me." I smiled
"I don't know if you'd believe me." She frowned and stared at the dirt ground.
"Trust me I believe almost anything." I smiled.
Kagome sighed. "Well…"
"Umm…" I was speechless. One word PSYCHO I thought to myself.
"I knew you wouldn't believe me!" Kagome cried.
"I want to believe you it's just umm… the story is kind of unbelieveable."
For a moment we sat there in silence then she stood up.
"Fine if you won't believe me I will just have to show you."
I stood up awkwardly and followed Kagome back towards the shrine. She opened a door into a dark room with a short staircase and an old well.
"I am guessing this is the well you mentioned earlier?" I asked.
She hesitated, looked down, and finally replied: "Yes this is the well."
Although I still did not believe Kagome's story, I gazed at the well in awe. This well had to be at least a thousand years old. As usual, I let my curiosity get the better of me and I slowly walked down the staircase to get a closer look at the well. (I trip) Ash…
Suddenly, I am in midair surrounded by blue and pink swirls. For a moment I felt as if I was flying and then it all went black.