“We need to call Akira Takenaka now!â€ If it wasn’t a dream, Akiko was even more confident that the vision was accurate, but Shiraishi didn’t seem to share her urgency.

“It’s not six am yet! We can’t call him in the middle of the night!â€

“People will die.â€ Akiko said it slowly and clearly, as if talking to a rather slow child. “Hideo Takenaka is going to drop a hill on someone’s house.â€

“You don’t even know who.â€

“But Akira might! That’s why we have to call him!â€

“Calm down! You said that Tamao was controlling Takenaka. There’s no need to panic.â€

“I’m not panicking.â€ Akiko wasn’t entirely sure that was true, but she wasn’t going to admit to it. “This is an emergency. Who knows how long Tamao will be able to hold Takenaka in check? Do you? Do you understand the kami that well? We have to call Akira <em>now.</em>â€

“OK, OK. But you have to calm down.â€

“This is an emergency! How can I calm down!â€

“You have to be able to tell Akira everything that might help him identify the targeted family. And you can’t do that while you’re ranting.â€

“I am <em>not</em> ranting!â€ Shiraishi said nothing, and Akiko abruptly closed her mouth. She was ranting. And the priest was right; she didn’t have a name so she had to be able to explain things clearly to Akira. Closing her eyes, she clenched her fists by her sides and breathed deeply, relaxing her fists as she calmed down a little.

“All right.â€ Akiko opened her eyes again. “Let’s do this calmly.â€ Shiraishi nodded.

“Good. Now, what did Takenaka actually say?â€

“He said that the warnings were over, because no-one was taking him seriously. ‘Earth this time.’ He said he was going to bury them, because they dug the foundations. The, er, yes, the hill would swallow them.â€ Shiraishi frowned.

“Anything else?â€ Akiko racked her brains.

“He said ‘his home will vanish into the ground’. And that no one was afraid. Oh, yes, he was talking about everyone ignoring and abandoning him before that, but I don’t think that helps with the identification.â€ Shiraishi shook her head.

“No, I don’t think it does, but it is interesting…â€ She stared into space for a few moments, before shaking herself and looking back at Akiko. “And that’s it? He didn’t say anything else?â€ Akiko shook her head, and Shiraishi sighed. “It isn’t a lot to go on. Someone involved in making foundations, who lives in a house on or near a hill. Assuming he’s local, that second point won’t narrow it down much.â€

Akiko sat down, suddenly exhausted. Shiraishi was right. The information was very vague.

“Isn’t the fever very localised?â€ she asked, looking up. Shiraishi nodded. “Well then, maybe Takenaka only has power within that area. So it’s someone who has his home within that area.â€

“That’s a good point.â€ The priest glanced at a clock, and nodded.

“OK, I think you should call Akira now. I need to check some things about tatarigami.â€

Both women hurried to their tasks.