The sun shone from a clear blue sky, its rays warm on Akiko’s back as she walked along the road. The cherry trees in the corner park were in full bloom, and the ground was covered with blue sheets, which in turn were filled with groups of people, many in kimono, enjoying the season. A few waved to Akiko as she passed, and she smiled and waved back, but she couldn’t stop.

A gentle breeze kept her cool as she began to climb the hill, and her sense of happiness kept bubbling up within her, making her smile. The people who passed her all smiled back, which merely added to her sense of well-being. The road passed through a tunnel of maple trees, their red leaves forming a ceiling above and a carpet below, and they rustled quietly under Akiko’s feet as she continued on her way.

The camellias at the base of the steps into the shrine were in full bloom, a deep, rich red against the dark green of the leaves, and the dark stone of the torii stood out starkly against the clear sky. Akiko climbed the steps, bowing as she passed under the torii and entered the shrine precincts proper. The water was cool on her hands and sweet in her mouth as she purified herself, but despite the sun she shivered slightly as she crossed the grounds, keeping to the worn stone path.

The green roof of the shrine seemed to glow in the sunlight, the weather-darkened wood of the structure somehow welcoming, peaceful. Akiko found herself smiling as she climbed the steps and grasped the bell rope, shaking it to wake the kami. The bell sounded above her…

…And darkness fell over the shrine, the air turning cold, her feet freezing in a moment. She could see nothing, although she could feel the rough wood of the shrine’s veranda under her bare feet, and feel the cold wind blowing her night dress against her body. As her eyes adjusted, the shrine came into view in the dim light that filtered in from the street. The sliding doors at the front of the shrine building were shut, the donation box locked inside. Akiko shivered again, and turned to look around the empty precincts.

<em>I’m dreaming the shrine again,</em> she thought. <em>At least there’s no snake this time.</em> She shivered again, and wrapped her arms around her as she walked along the veranda, peering into the darkness and waiting for something to happen. She remembered her other dreams, of great trees or fires or rot and decay, and marvelled a little at how mundane everything seemed. As far as she could see in the darkness, everything was just as it was at the real shrine; she could even make out Shiraishi’s house, something that normally seemed to be absent from the dreams. Her feet were going numb, and she stamped them, flapping her arms to warm up. Going back to the front of the shrine, she tapped on the doors.

“Hey, Tamao!â€ she called. “Are you going to come out?â€ There was no response, but the wind blew again, getting up inside her night dress and chilling her body. She shivered again, her teeth chattering, and thought about the warm walk to the shrine, with the unseasonable flowers. In fact, she thought, she hadn’t seen anything strange since the shrine went dark.

A car went past on the road outside, and Akiko decided to finish her prayer, bowing and clapping. She stood, and waited to see if that would provoke a reaction. It didn’t; the quiet of the night was broken only by a distant siren. She sat down on the steps to rub her cold feet, brushing the dirt off them.

<em>I’m not dreaming.</em>

The realisation hit her with the force of a physical blow, and for a moment she thought she was actually going to be sick as panic rose within her.

<em>I’m actually in the shrine, in the middle of the night, in my night dress.</em>

For long moments, she couldn’t move, frozen into place as she tried to come to terms with what had happened. She had sleepwalked all the way to the shrine. In next to nothing. No wonder she was cold.

That brought the shivering back to Akiko’s attention, and she sprang to her feet. She had to get home, quickly, before she got hypothermia or something. The wooden steps of the shrine were cool and smooth underfoot, but the stone path was abrasive and cold, so she stepped off it to run on the bare earth as far as the entrance. The steps were very cold, and slightly slippery, and as she descended she felt the first drops of rain.

By the time she reached the bottom it was raining heavily, plastering her hair to her head and sticking her night dress to her skin. She glanced down, and her underwear was clearly visible through the light material. Grimacing, Akiko looked along the street, hoping it would be clear.

It was, and she darted out, running along the road, splashing through puddles, until she reached a corner. Pressing herself against the wall, she peered round, catching sight of someone walking further down the road. She pulled her head back, breathing heavily, and hoped that she hadn’t been spotted. She waited as long as she dared, but the cold rain soaking through made it hard to endure, and when she looked back the road was clear.

Running from corner to corner, she made it home without being seen, even as the rain got heavier and heavier. Her wet night dress clutched at her legs, apparently intent on tripping her up and leaving her sprawled in a puddle, but she managed to keep her balance all the way, and when she climbed to her flat she was only wet from the rain.

The door stood open, as she had clearly left it, and she pushed it closed as she got inside. The shivering intensified, and, staggering into the bathroom, she turned the shower on full, running it over her as soon as it was warm, not bothering to take any of her clothes off.

As she warmed up, she began to sob, and sank to the floor, putting the shower in its holder to flow over her, her tears washed away in the warm stream.