Spirited Away Fan Fiction ❯ Without You ❯ Nightmares ( Chapter 16 )

As Chihiro walked down the long hall to her room a haunting sound caught her attention. It was a woman singing a song that she knew she had heard before, she knew it had once been important to her but knew not what it meant. It came from a room near her own room, one that to she wasn't aware was occupied, she had never noticed anyone in the room before, but the song drew her closer to the closed door near hers. The song that had drawn her in ended as she reached out for the closed door. Realizing what she was about to do she quickly drew her hand back and continued on to her room.

She continued on to her room but could not put the melody from her head. She was certain that she had heard that song before; it stirred feelings in her that were long since forgotten. She lay down on her bed to think and relax but soon found her eyelids growing heavy. Sleep flooded her senses as the world around her faded and her dreams became her reality. Frightening figures appeared but she wasn't afraid for some reason. In fact, she somehow felt more powerful, she felt a new strength and it didn't feel like a dream at all. She began to walk toward these creatures when suddenly a sharp pain shot through her back. As suddenly as the pain came did it dull down. Her hands reached behind her only to make contact with feathers that somehow felt part of her. Just as possibilities began to race through her head she was woken by a soft rapping at her door.

Haku returned to Chihiro's room to make sure she was okay after all they had been through today. When she didn't answer he cracked open the door only to be greeted by Chihiro sitting in a daze in her bed with huge white wings coming from her back. Stunned by the sight before him, he stood motionless. Chihiro began to shake out of her daze and looked questioningly into Haku's eyes.

“Umm, Chihiro, what's going on?” Haku asked in concern and even a little fear.

“What do you mean? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Not knowing how to tell her that she somehow had wings now he took her hand and lead her to a mirror in her room. When she saw her reflection in the mirror her legs gave out and she collapsed into Haku's arms.

“I had a dream that they shot out of my back, I thought it was just a dream when I woke up but it felt so real. How can I have wings? I'm just an ordinary human; there is nothing special about me!”

“But you are special Chihiro, not many humans could have made it into and out of this place safely, yet you did, and you saved your parents. Then you found a way to come back.” Haku said tenderly as he reached out to stroke her cheek, hating the way she could honestly believe she wasn't special in any way at all. “And even if you hadn't done all those things you would still be just as special to me.”

Chihiro blushed slightly at his words. How could she ever possibly go back to a normal life after this? She wasn't even sure that her family was enough to bring her back to her world.

“Why don't you lay back down and rest some more, rest without any nightmares, and when you wake up we'll talk about this,” he gestured to her wings. “And we have another guest at the bathhouse, she came this morning while we were gone, I think she might be able to help us. She's a wind spirit, and coincidently has wings just like yours.”

“Okay, but could you stay with me till I wake up? I don't want to be alone right now.”

“Of course I will.” He said as he smiled at her and led her to her bed and tucked her into the blankets. Then he sat on the other side of the bed and pulled her into his arms. Her head resting on his chest peacefully as she fell into a dreamless sleep.