<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Mr Fujimura didn’t press his point, leaving with, Akiko thought, fairly good grace. It was, however, clear that the guards would not be participating in the festival; she wasn’t sure that that was any loss.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">In any case, Akiko didn’t have long to dwell on the issue, because she and Shiraishi were supposed to be spending the whole day doing harae at different homes in the area. Shiraishi had even prepared proper boxed lunches for them, so that they could fit a last-minute request in.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We’re really sorry about asking you to come at lunchtime,â€ the mother said, as she showed them in, “but it’s the only time we can all get away from work or school; my husband works evenings.â€ There were two children in the family, and Akiko guessed both were at high school. The boy kept glancing at her, and blushing, which puzzled her for a little while, before she realised what was going on.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>I’m going to take out adverts denying that rumour,</em> she told herself. The house looked like it could do with a clean, and the family all looked like they needed a good night’s sleep, but when Akiko switched to look at the kegare she had a great deal of trouble keeping her face calm.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The kegare appeared to be a giant octopus, or possibly squid, its tentacles weaving through the rooms of the house, out of the windows and over the roof. She could not see the body, but some of the suckers on the tentacles contained eyes, others round mouths lined with needle-like teeth. In unison, the mouths opened and began to scream.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko switched her awareness back, and the house was quiet again. She nodded briefly to Shiraishi, and they set up in the living room to perform the ceremony.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">As Shiraishi began swinging the ohnusa, Akiko switched her vision back. The tentacles recoiled from the light, drawing back, then probing forward again, then pulling back sharply, disappearing from view as the light grew stronger and spread. Akiko heard a scrabbling sound from above, and then it was gone.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Gone, but probably not destroyed. Akiko frowned, and then quickly nodded as Shiraishi looked to her for guidance. They had purified this house, but Akiko was worried that her vision really did mean that the pollution had merely moved.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The family were noticeably more cheerful as the ceremony finished.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well, we’re all planning to be at the festival,â€ the mother said, smiling. “Although,â€ and she looked at her children, “we are still debating whether anyone will help carry the mikoshi.â€ Both of them blushed; if anything Akiko thought that the boy looked more embarrassed than the girl.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh, <em>mum.â€</em> It was the girl who responded though. “Why don’t you offer to help?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh no, I’m <em>much</em> too old.â€ She actually sounded a little smug as she said that.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh, don’t worry about that.â€ Akiko couldn’t help herself. “There’s no age limit, as long as you’re healthy.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Hey, darling, why don’t you help?â€ Now it was the mother’s turn to blush bright red, although her husband looked quite keen on the idea. “I’ll do it if you do.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh, stop it,â€ she said, and then, visibly trying to compose herself, turned back to Akiko and Shiraishi.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“In any case, thank you very much for the purification.â€ She picked up an envelope from a table, and handed it over. “We will certainly attend the festival, in any case.â€</p>