Akiko hadn’t realised just how public the location was until they started getting ready to perform the purification. They could stand a little way back from the road, off the pavement, but people walking past could clearly see them, and more than a few drivers slowed, their curiosity piqued. Even before they had actually started, they had gathered a curious audience, and Akiko could hear them discussing what might be happening, even though she couldn’t follow any individual conversations in detail.

She looked at Shiraishi, and the priest frowned briefly.

“Nothing for it, I suppose. We’ll just have to rely on good manners to keep them from interfering,â€ she said, keeping her voice low. “Let’s get it done and get back to the shrine.â€ Akiko nodded in response, and, as Shiraishi composed herself to start the purification, she raised the kagurasuzu in both hands, holding it in front of her chest, and switched her vision to watch the kegare.

The worms reacted as soon as Shiraishi started to recite the norito, one swinging down, aiming at the priest. Akiko stepped forward and swept the kagurasuzu through the air, and it twisted back in the air, spraying hissing slime that vanished before it could reach them. Another worm dropped to the ground, and then reared up over them, and Akiko stepped between the priest and the creature, driving it back.

“Don’t give up the day job, love!â€

The comment shocked Akiko out of her concentration, and she lost sight of the spirits. Behind her, there was a ripple of laughter from the crowd. And then Shiraishi stumbled in her recitation, and gasped.

Akiko focussed again, and could see a worm wrapping itself around the priest, blindly probing at her robes, still held off by the faint light around her. Akiko thrust the kagurasuzu at its front, and it recoiled, losing its grip and falling off. Shiraishi picked up the norito again, and now Akiko could see light within the ohnusa.

“Stop it!â€ This time, Akiko managed to hold her concentration, as she spun round to drive back two worms approaching them from behind. But other people from the crowd took up the idea.

“Go practise your superstition elsewhere!â€

“We don’t need this sort of display in a pubic place!â€

“What do you think you are up to?â€

“Disgusting. Isn’t there a law about forcing religion on people?â€

The worms were dropping more quickly now, but the growing light within the ohnusa was apparently making them nervous, and they hung back long enough for Akiko to get to them and drive them away with the kagurasuzu. There were still enough of them to keep her running, and it was with relief that she heard Shiraishi intone the final words of the prayer.

Akiko turned to look at the priest as she raised the ohnusa, light streaming from the strips of paper, and swung it. Waves of light flowed off it, dissolving the spirits on the ground, washing around the crowd and the bases of the columns, as the worms desperately climbed higher. Shiraishi swung it again, and the light rose higher, catching more of the worms. On the third swing, there was an explosion of light, scouring the underside of the road, momentarily dazzling Akiko. As her vision returned, she could see no spirits, but there was still a faint glow around the priest. Smiling, she nodded in response to Shiraishi’s questioning look, and they turned towards their car.

The heckling crowd was already beginning to disperse, and Akiko recognised one of them as a protester from the shrine. He stared at them for a moment, then shook his head in apparent disgust and turned away.

One of the spectators, however, was standing perfectly still, looking up at the underside of the road. Akiko glanced round, but she could see nothing where she was looking. Slightly puzzled, she got into the car next to Shiraishi, suddenly realising just how tired she was.

“Let’s go home.â€