Coming Home from the Birthday Dinner: Memories of a Lovely Evening
Emily returned with her husband from the restaurant where they had celebrated his birthday. Theyd had a wonderful timeplenty of people, friends, family, and colleagues. Most were strangers to Emily, but if Daniel had invited them, she trusted his judgment.
She wasnt one to argue with her husbands choices. Conflict and confrontation werent in her nature. It was easier to agree than to insist on being right.
“Emily, where are your keys? Can you find them?”
She opened her handbag, fingers brushing blindly for the keyring. A sudden, sharp pain shot through her hand. She yelped, dropping the bag to the floor.
“Whats all the shouting about?”
“Ive pricked myself on something.”
“Its chaos in thereno wonder,” Daniel muttered.
Emily didnt argue. She picked up the bag, carefully fishing out the keys. Inside, she forgot about the incident entirely. Exhausted, her feet ached. A shower and bed were all she wanted.
The next morning, she woke to a throbbing pain in her handher finger swollen and red. Then she remembered the night before. She grabbed the handbag, searching inside. Tugging carefully through the clutter, she found a large, rusted needle at the bottom.
“What on earth?”
She had no idea how it got there. With a shudder, she tossed it into the bin, then cleaned the wound with antiseptic before heading to work. By lunch, she was burning with fever.
She called Daniel.
“I dont know whats wrong. I mustve caught something. Fever, headache, my whole body aches. Daniel, listenI found a rusted needle in my bag last night. Thats what I pricked myself on.”
“Maybe you should see a doctor. Could be an infection or worse.”
“Dont worry. I cleaned it. Ill be fine.”
But she wasnt. Hour by hour, she worsened. By the end of the workday, she could barely stand. She called a taxi, knowing the bus was impossible. At home, she collapsed on the sofa and fell into a deep sleep.
She dreamed of Granny Rose, whod died when Emily was very young. She didnt know how she recognized her, but she did. The old woman was bent with age, her appearance eerie, yet Emily felt no fearonly comfort.
Granny Rose led her through a field, showing her which herbs to gather. “Make a tea,” she urged. “It will cleanse you of the poison inside. Someone wishes you harm. But to fight it, you must stay alive. Time is short.”
Emily woke drenched in sweat. It felt like shed slept for hours, but the clock showed mere minutes. The front door clickedDaniel was home. She stumbled into the hallway.
His face twisted in shock.
“Look at yourself!”
She turned to the mirror. Yesterday, shed seen a vibrant young woman. Now, her reflection was unrecognizablehair lank, skin grey, eyes hollow.
“Whats happening?”
Then she remembered the dream.
“Granny Rose told me what to do”
“Emily, get dressed. Were going to the hospital.”
“Im not going. She said the doctors cant help.”
A row erupted. Daniel called her delusional, even tried dragging her out. She pulled free, collapsing against the corner.
“Fine. Stay here. But I wont watch you die.”
He stormed out, slamming the door.
Emily texted her boss, claiming a flu.
Daniel returned near midnight, apologetic. She barely spoke, only saying:
“Take me to the village where Granny Rose lived.”
By morning, she resembled a ghost more than a living woman. Daniel begged her to go to the hospital, but they drove to the village instead.
She barely remembered the way, sleeping most of the journey. As they neared, she woke suddenly.
“Go there.”
She staggered from the car, collapsing onto the grass. But she knewthis was the field from her dream. She found the herbs, gathered them, and they returned home.
Daniel brewed the tea as instructed. Sipping it slowly, Emily felt relief with each swallow.
Later, she saw her urine had turned blacka horror that oddly reassured her.
“Its leaving,” she whispered.
That night, Granny Rose returned in her dreams, smiling.
“The curse came through the rusted needle. My tea will restore you, but not forever. Find who did thisreturn their malice to them. Its tied to your husband. If you hadnt thrown the needle away, I could tell you more.”
She faded into mist.
The next day, Emily insisted on going out alone.
“Let me make you soup,” Daniel pleaded.
“Im starvingthis flus given me an appetite.”
She followed Grannys instructions: bought needles, whispered an incantation over the largest, and slipped it into Daniels briefcase.
“Whoever cursed you will prick themselves on it.”
By evening, the needle lay untouched.
“How was your day?” she asked as Daniel returned.
“Fine. Why?”
She thought the plan had faileduntil he added:
“Eve from the office tried helping me with my keys today. Stuck her hand in my bag and got pricked. No idea where the needle came from. She glared like she wanted to kill me.”
“Was she at your birthday dinner?”
“Yes. Just a colleague, nothing more.”
The pieces fell into place.
Granny Rose appeared again that night, revealing Eves jealousyher magic meant to remove Emily and take her place.
Emily acted swiftly. Days later, Daniel mentioned Eve had fallen gravely illdoctors baffled.
On a weekend visit to Granny Roses grave, Emily knelt, arranging flowers.
“Forgive me for staying away,” she whispered.
A gentle breeze brushed her shoulders.
Only the wind.
