<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Kazumi had been less than delighted to hear that her school had been purified, but she set off nevertheless, leaving soon after the morning ceremonies were complete. A near-constant stream of people was coming for harae, and the kegare they carried sickened Akiko, increasing her worry.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Kazumi was back within a couple of hours.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“No school!â€ she said as she bounded into the shrine grounds, not even trying to sound unhappy. “The fire department was called out last night, and although there was no fire they spotted some problems with the fire safety systems. They had us wait outside while the engineers looked at it, but they found cracks in the building itself. Apparently, it could fall down if we breathe on it too hard. So we were all sent home.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Breathe too hard?â€ Akiko asked.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well, OK. But it would only take a level four earthquake, they said. So no school until they have safer temporary accommodation ready.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Kegare,â€ Akiko said, half to herself, but Kazumi picked it up.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You think the kegare caused the damage?â€ Akiko nodded, and looked over at Shiraishi, who was just finishing another harae.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I think we need to act now. Go and get changed.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What? Oh, yes. Right away.â€ Kazumi dashed into the house, and Akiko walked over to Shiraishi, her jaw set.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Revd Shiraishi, we have to do something now,â€ she said, not bothering with any preamble.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What?â€ The priest was confused for a moment, but quickly put things together. “Why so urgent?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko quickly explained about the school, and the priest nodded in understanding.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“OK. Tell everyone waiting for personal harae that we’ll do a group one; then we have to do something about the city.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Half an hour later the three of them were standing in the road outside the shrine, Akiko looking out at the pollution, which was getting every heavier. She had the mask in her hands, the wood becoming slick with her sweat.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>Why am I so nervous?</em> she wondered, even as she nodded to Shiraishi to begin the initial purification.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">As the mask settled over her face again, Akiko’s nerves were swept away by the fierce exultation that filled her, a need to act that drove her a step forward, before she turned to walk over to Shiraishi, and stop before the ohnusa. The aramitama seemed to know what was happening this time, because it did not interfere as she began to recite the norito, as the light and fire built up within the ohnusa. Instead, her tension and anticipation grew ever greater, her skin tingling to the tips of her fingers as she reached out for the ohnusa, taking it from the priest and returning to face away from the shrine.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">She raised the ohnusa in front of her, and it was a great blossom of flame, the tongues of fire rising up, writhing in the air almost like a snake, almost as if they were anticipating her swinging them through the air.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>Perhaps they are,</em> she thought, as she swung the ohnusa hard.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The flames flew off it, growing as they raced away from her, merging into a wall of fire that swept through the houses, and then another as she swung it once more, and a third, scouring the kegare away, and remaining as an arc of fire, another barrier against pollution.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">A barrier that was, Akiko saw, far too close.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Again, the mask dropped from her face, and the fire vanished. As the mask touched the ground, the wood ringing clearly, the earth lurched beneath Akiko’s feet, sending her staggering to one side.</p>