Akiko was sitting in the lobby, finishing her rice balls, when the other women got back from lunch.

“How was your mother?â€ Megumi asked, as they came over.

“Fine, thank you. How was lunch?â€

“It was OK, I suppose. Well, back to work.â€ Satomi and Megumi were heading for the lifts, and Akiko quickly gathered her rubbish and threw it away. As she did so, she thought she caught a glimpse of something brightly coloured, reflected in the polished stone of the walls as it moved behind her. She turned round, to see Megumi looking at her with a superior smile.

“Er, Akiko,â€ she said, “isn’t that bag last season’s?â€

“Yes, why?â€

“Why are you still using one of last season’s bags?â€ Megumi held her Louis Vuitton bag up. “This season’s are already on sale.â€ For a moment Akiko was struck with panic. There was no way she could afford to buy a new bag every season.

“Oh, Megumi, stop being a princess,â€ Satomi said. “We don’t all have wealthy fathers to buy our handbags for us.â€

“Right,â€ Akiko said, pleased to have the support. “There’s nothing wrong with last season’s bag. They’re high quality, and they last, after all.â€ Megumi pulled a face.

“That’s why you can use them every day. It’s not an excuse to carry antiques around.â€

“Oh, honestly Megumi. It’s not like it’s even last <em>year’s</em> bag.â€

“You’ve got a new one, Satomi.â€

“I’ve got a rich father as well. Leave Akiko alone.â€ For a moment, Akiko felt nothing but gratitude to Satomi. And then she felt like a little girl being protected by the big girl in the playground.

“I can defend myself, Satomi. It’s a good bag, and if I want to use it for the next five years, I will.â€

“<em>Five years?â€</em> Megumi was incredulous.

“Ignore her, Akiko. It’s good to not care what the people around you are going to think when they see you with such an old bag.â€ Akiko guessed that Satomi meant that comment to be reassuring, but it really wasn’t. She realised that she would have to pay very careful attention to make sure that she didn’t wait too long before getting a new bag.

The lift arrived, and Akiko held the door while her colleagues got on. She thought she saw someone in the mirror behind them, but when she looked over her shoulder there was no-one there. <em>I am not seeing things in the mirrors,</em> she told herself, firmly, while looking carefully at the floor.

In the busy office the idea that she might be hallucinating seemed ridiculous, and the normal routine of photocopying, fetching files, and making coffee was soothing. Once she caught a glimpse of something multi-coloured and shifting in the reflection in her computer screen, and when she turned around it was Satomi’s screen-saver. Somehow that was even more calming than the presence of other people, and the next time she thought she saw something she was able to dismiss it as nothing without even looking behind her.

As usual, she was still working as evening fell, and Tokyo’s cityscape disappeared from the windows, displaced by the reflection of the office. In spite of herself, Akiko found that she was glancing at the window every time there was some movement, which meant every time one of her colleagues walked past. Eventually, Satomi noticed.

“Eager to get home? Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll start giving up soon. It’s not as if we’re particularly busy at the moment.â€

“Ah, right. Yes, I’m sure they will.â€ Relieved that Satomi had put such a reasonable construction on her behaviour, Akiko was able to concentrate on her computer for a while longer.

Then she caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye. Telling herself it was just another of her co-workers going past, she refused to look, but the movement didn’t go past and out of sight. It kept flickering in her peripheral vision, as if goading her to look. Very deliberately, she glanced round in the other directions. No-one else seemed to be paying attention in that direction, so it obviously couldn’t be anything worth looking at.

She returned her attention to her computer, but the motion was still there, shimmering, teasing her. She couldn’t concentrate on her work; it was taking all her effort to not look at the window.

Akiko suddenly realised what she was doing. She was afraid that if she did look it would be the snake. Which was ridiculous, she told herself. If there was a snake reflected in the window, other people would be staring at it and commenting, if not screaming and running around. It would be better to look, confirm that it was something normal, and get back to work. She took a breath, and turned to the window.

The snake’s reflection rose up behind her desk, its head towering over her, sparkling as it shifted under the office lights, glowing golden eyes fixed on Akiko. Lightning was dancing over its scales, leaping from fiery red to rich leaf green, from green to amethyst purple, from purple to gold and back, taking on the colours of the skin, twisting in the air, going silver as it passed behind her, its aura shining out from behind Akiko.

Akiko was frozen for a brief moment, and then sprang up, running for the toilets. There was no snake in the room. Of course. There were no giant, multi-coloured snakes in Tokyo. Especially not invisible ones.

In the toilets she dashed into a cubicle, where she found herself throwing up. She clung onto the seat, shaking as the vomiting passed, and slowly realised that Satomi was standing behind her.

“Akiko, are you OK?â€ There was a pause. “That’s a really stupid question. Can I get you anything? Should I call an ambulance?â€ Akiko shook her head as she pushed herself to her feet and flushed the vomit away.

“Just something I ate. I do think I’ll go home, though.â€ Satomi looked concerned, but nodded.

“Text me when you get to the station, OK, and when you get home? If I don’t hear, I’ll call round looking for you.â€

“Yes, mother.â€ Akiko managed a smile, looking directly at Satomi. Any excuse not to look in the toilet mirrors. She realised that she was terrified of what she might see there.