This time both Akiko and Shiraishi remained sitting in the car after they had parked.

“This is silly,â€ Shiraishi complained. “How are we supposed to set up the himorogi and perform a proper ceremony?â€ Akiko nodded; she had been thinking much the same.

“Well, do we need the himorogi?â€

“We need something for the kami to inhabit.â€

“But we aren’t actually going to summon a kami, are we? We’re just trying to purify the area.â€

“True, but…â€ The priest’s voice trailed off. “Actually, you’re right. We don’t need it. It was just that I always used it for external ceremonies, but they were never pure harae.â€ She took a deep breath. “OK. That makes things a bit more practical.â€ She turned to look directly at Akiko. “You are <em>sure</em> we need to do this?â€

Akiko only hesitated a moment before nodding.

“Then let’s get on with it.â€ Shiraishi pushed her door open, and Akiko quickly followed suit. They collected the ohnusa from the boot, leaving the rest of the equipment there, and hurried over to the home, glancing around all the time to make sure that no-one was watching.

They thought that they got to the wall without being seen.

“Now what?â€ Shiraishi whispered.

“There’ll be someone on duty in the front, so we can’t go in that way,â€ Akiko whispered back. “We’ll have to go over the wall.â€ Shiraishi looked at it, her face sceptical. “Come on, Revd Shiraishi. It’s not that high.â€ It wasn’t; it didn’t even come up to Akiko’s chest. It wasn’t really designed to keep people out, just to let them know that they shouldn’t cross.

“Shinto vestments are not really designed for climbing over walls,â€ Shiraishi complained, and Akiko had to stifle a giggle. That was certainly true; there were too many layers of cloth, and the shoes were entirely the wrong sort of thing.

“Come on, let’s go a bit further round,â€ Akiko urged, and Shiraishi quickly followed her. Akiko looked around as they went, paying attention to the surrounding houses.

“Here,â€ she said, at last. “Nobody’s windows are overlooking us.â€ Shiraishi looked startled, then glanced around for herself, before nodding. “I’ll go over first,â€ Akiko continued, “then you can pass me the ohnusa and follow.â€

“OK.â€

Akiko put her hands on the wall and boosted herself up. On her first attempt to get her leg up onto the top of the wall, she got tangled up in her robes and had to drop back down. On the second attempt, she got up, but when she tried to swing her legs over to drop down onto the other side the vestments caught on something, sending her tumbling over.

She suppressed a cry as she fell onto a flower bed beyond. Her hands sank a little into the soft earth as she tried to push herself up, and she had to scrabble for footing. Shiraishi was peering at her over the wall, obviously trying to suppress giggles. Akiko gave her a stern look as she stood up and tried to brush some of the dirt from her vestments.

“Give me the ohnusa.â€ Shiraishi handed it over, and then put her own hands on the wall. It took the priest three attempts to even get a leg onto the top of the wall, and then Akiko had to catch her to stop her falling off. With a bit of support, however, Shiraishi made it down without falling over, and started brushing Akiko down.

“Revd Shiraishi! We don’t have time!â€ Akiko whispered.

“You have to be at least passably clean for a purification,â€ the priest shot back. “Hold still!â€ She brushed a bit more. “OK, that should do. Right, where should we stand?â€

Akiko switched her sight over, looking for a good vantage point. The wrappings on the building were obviously soiled bandages now, and the cockroaches seemed to be wearing nurses’ uniforms. Akiko wondered what that meant, and then shuddered at the possibilities that occurred to her.

“Over there,â€ she said, pointing at an area that seemed close to the main concentrations of pollution. Shiraishi set off immediately, crouching down, as if she was a secret agent in a movie or something. Feeling very self-conscious, Akiko followed, also crouching.

“How am I supposed to do a norito quietly?â€ Shiraishi asked as they reached the spot. It was a good question.

“Can’t you whisper?â€ Akiko asked.

“There are fixed ways to pronounce them, so that the kami will hear and understand.â€

“Oh.â€ Akiko thought about it, looking around. “You don’t have to shout, right?â€

“No.â€

“Well, I don’t think anyone will hear us. Those are obviously kitchen windows, not bedrooms, and there’s no-one there at the moment. Just say it as quietly as you can.â€

“If you say so.â€ The priest still sounded a bit sceptical, but she stood, and bowed to start the proceedings.

The norito sounded louder to Akiko than she had expected, and she looked around, nervously, searching for any sign that they had been noticed. When Shiraishi finished the prayer, apparently without attracting attention, and asked for the ohnusa, Akiko handed it over and switched to looking at the kegare.

The ohnusa was shining brightly, enough to dazzle Akiko for a moment, and the priest had already swung it once by the time her eyes recovered. She could see the light burning into the bandages, splitting them open and consuming them, as the cockroaches scattered, scuttling for cover wherever they could find it. As the priest swung the ohnusa for the third time, the kegare was burned away from that side of the building.

“Well?â€

“We’re clear here. I’m worried about the other side, though.â€

“OK, let’s go and look. Round the back, right?â€ Akiko nodded, and they set off, as quietly as they could manage, picking their way between the flower beds. Akiko noticed now that most of the plants looked diseased or dead, and that the ground underfoot, intended to be a lawn, was mostly bare earth.

As they came round the corner of the building, the bandages came into view again, with all the cockroaches massed on this side, chittering to each other. Akiko sucked her breath in sharply, and Shiraishi turned to look at her.

“We have to…â€ she began, but was cut off by a man’s voice shouting from ahead of them.

“Hey! What are you doing there!â€

“Time to go!â€ Shiraishi said, and ran for the wall. Akiko didn’t argue, coming up behind the priest and pushing her over before jumping herself, not caring that she fell down on the other side, helping the priest to her feet as they both ran for the car.

Half-done was better than nothing. She hoped.