Spirited Away II: Return to the Spirit Realm

Chapter 19

Lin send one of the arrogant frog cooks a look that could have withered an oak tree. She watched aggressively as the cook sprinkled some spice into a nearby pot of hissing soup and whisked up a baking batter. How Lin did not fling a nearby glass of juice on his head but remained waiting without a single word spoken was beyond herself since patience wasn't her virtue.

Presently, the frog cook disappeared behind a table and came out, holding a bowl of noodles in one hand and a large basket of star-shaped, multicolored crackers in another. "Here," he said gruffly, unceremoniously putting them on the counter with a bang that was audible despite the background roars and shouts.

"That was TEN minutes!" Lin yelled, angrily, out-thrusting both hands at him and spreading her fingers apart. "Don't you frog have a brain in that head of yours?!"

The frog cook glowered. "Think with your brain, weasel," he snapped back, "and you'll see that we're busy! Learn to be patient!"

Lin's eyes turned a shade darker in mortal offense. "PATIENT!" she cried. "Patient - being kept ten minutes, waiting, when perhaps I have some otherthings to do? Give the food and do your work - you arrogant toad!"

Lin sent another one of her dark, withering glares at the unrepentant cook - who decided it would be best not to get in a fight with the vexed spirit before him - and, collecting the food from the counter, turned her back to the main area of the kitchen. Her withering glare turned into a sharp glower as she swept her eyes over the kitchen. She sniffed disapprovingly, inwardly praying that she would make it to the only place in the entire bathhouse unharmed.

"Just keep your cool, Lin," she reminded herself mentally, "get past them, and you'll be fine - in the boiler room, for as long as your heart desires."

Despite her previous rage at the cook for his rudeness, Lin felt a twitch of sympathy for him as well as the rest of her co-workers. She had the privilege of being excused from work and to stay inside the precious safety of the boiler room, far below harm's way. Shedid not have live the life she loathed for so long - buying out your unpunished days from the merciless witch by hard labor. Now, all she did was stay in the boiler room, either watching Kamaji and the soot balls at work absentmindedly, or read some book when she had the opportunity, or daydream in a mixture of wistfulness and gladness of her beloved human friend - undoubtedly in the safety of her own world, with her own loving parents.

In short, she was very fortunate and the others weren't.

Lin was even beginning to feel slightly guilty for snapping at the cook she did earlier when she heard a distant voice called out to her.

Lin looked around abruptly. Backs of hurried maids and running feet met her perplexed orbs. Lin frowned. Must have been my imagination, she thought grimly and slowly made her way towards the elevators.

"Lin - Lin!" gasped the voice again, more loudly.

Lin turned around and her eyes easily pinpointed the person who called out to her. If her eyes contained any facade of friendliness hence her earlier guilt for not being gentle enough with those unfortunate persons, it was gone in an instance. She glared.

"Lin!" a girl cried out, running up to Lin. "I - thought - I have - missed you - again!" she muttered in between heavy pants.

"Hello, Hikari," Lin said flatly.

Hikari looked up at Lin hopefully. "I'm so glad you stopped for me!" she breathed, happily. "May we speak? Please?"

"What for?" Lin snapped.

"Why, I - it is something I wanted to tell you for the past..." Hikari swallowed uncertainly, her voice dying out. She looked up with the eyes holding an innocence of a newborn lamb. "...Three years."