Chapter 5: Waking Up

**Sorry for the late update! Had a lot of tests, and I have important violin audition coming up..so yeah…anyways it's spring break now so at least I will be able to post hopefully a couple chapters! [crosses fingers]

**Arigatou=thank you

**yakimeshi=fried rice

**onegaishimasu=formal way to say please

**gomenasai=I'm sorry

**Hontou ni arigatou gozaimasu!=Thank you very much!

Chihiro's POV

I woke up to see nothing but white. White ceiling, white room, and white curtains. Even the doctor's outfit was white. I couldn't help but cringe from the brightness. The events from my dark dream were slowly fading and I tried to prevent the last threads of the memories from slipping through my fingers.

"Hello Chihiro. I'm glad you woke up. Now there, take it easy. Would you like something to eat?" said the doctor. He looked kind and tired. That's when I saw the jet black sky outside the window.

"I'm fine arigatou. What happened to me?" I asked. I felt very stiff and sore making it hard to move. I groaned.

"You were in a coma for 3 weeks after the car crash. We revived you after your heart stopped beating half an hour ago. Your right leg is broken but it's healing now," said the doctor pointing at the nearby shock paddles and the cast on my leg. What? I almost died? Was that the jolt i felt in my dream? I slowly sank back into my pillow, exhausted and not even caring to think about my leg.

"Can I have some yakimeshi onegaishimasu?" I asked succumbing to the hunger in my stomach. I needed time to think. I wanted to believe that the dream was real and that haku was still my friend and helped me. I wanted to believe it so bad it hurt. The nurse took note of my order.

"Oh gomenasai, would you like some time to think?" asked the doctor motioning for the nurse to come with the food. A few tears dripped down my cheek and I wiped them away furiously. My stomach growled unintentionally and a slow chuckle rippled across the hospital room. The doctor stood up to leave.

"Wait! I have one more question. How are my parents?" my voice faltering slightly. The doctor looked as if he was contemplating the situation in his head and finally looked at me.

"I wish I wasn't the one who told you this, but your parents died on impact from the accident. I'm so very sorry. Please take it easy now," he said and left. I sat here trying to breathe. My dream was right. I was in a coma and my parents... I started to sob right here in front of the nurse who comforted me with tissues, yakimeshi, and a hug. In my pain, I shoved the yakimeshi down my throat just like when Haku and I were in the flower field. I wish Haku were here. I sobbed even more this time for the false hope my dream gave me.

-One week later-

I left the hospital with my aunt and on crutches. My friends visited me in the past week and brought me a small bouquet of my favorite flowers, a mix of carnations and lilies. They all accompanied me home where they threw a surprise "welcome home! Happy 15th birthday!" party. I smiled at them and enjoyed myself. The cake was delicious and I got a lot of clothes, and stuffed animals. My favorite one was a dragon that looked like haku given by akiyo-chan. she knew me so well. I nearly cried with tears of happiness. "Hontou ni arigatou gozaimasu!" I said.

They all left later on in the day, while my aunt decided to stay with me for a little bit until she figured out what to do with me. As she fell asleep in the guest bedroom, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of guilt. It was my fault the accident happened. If I didn't miss the train, they would be here now. I mentally kicked myself so many times for being in a coma and not even being able to go to their funeral. I was ashamed of myself. The guilt and sorrow hit me so hard I burst into silent sobs. My friends and family were all very supportive, but I wanted to see haku. He was the only one who knew even a little bit about how I felt. The night of my 15th birthday, I cried myself to sleep.

Within the next few weeks, I got my cast off and was able to walk to the border of the spirit world. The place was very nostalgic and I realized that the recollection of my dream was extremely accurate of this world. I continued pouring through the school work before wandering around. One time, I even saw Kamaji and the soot balls. Of course, I didn't let my presence be known to prevent the commotion of a human. Every time, the gust of wind would jerk my legs and I would run home before sunset.

One afternoon, my aunt kaede told me something so heart breaking I burst into tears letting the despair overwhelm me.

"Don't you want to go see what America would be like? It will be like a new adventure!" she said trying to make me think positively about it. I didn't, I couldn't, and I wouldn't go. All I thought about was how I would never see Haku or Lin or Kamaji ever again. I wouldn't even be able to visit the old theme park. I would never be able to tell Haku how grateful I was to have him as a friend. I would never be able to tell him about the dream where just a vision of him gave me hope. My aunt, shocked at my reaction, left me in my room to cope with the news. I knew she felt guilty for doing something like this to me 2 months after my parents' death. I buried my face in my pillow and hugged the dragon stuffed animal to me. All these thoughts raced through my mind.

"I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH!" I screamed into my pillow crying myself to sleep once more. My mind was restless even in my sleep and I woke up enveloped in anxiety. It was 2am. I went downstairs to get a drink to calm myself down. There was a note from aunt kaede. Work emergency sorry. I'll be back by 7:30am.

I dashed up the stairs and came up with a daring plan.

-8am-

Aunt Kaede walked in tired from the emergency shift she had to work. There was a note next to the one she put for Chihiro.

Aunt Kaede, I left to live at a friend's house. You can go to America on your own. I will be fine. Don't come after me. I will let you know that I'm okay. Bye and I love you. Chihiro.

Hope you liked it!

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