Returning from the Birthday Dinner: Memories of a Lovely Evening
Emily returned home with her husband from the restaurant where theyd celebrated his birthday. Theyd had a wonderful timelots of people, family, and colleagues from work. Emily hadnt met most of them before, but if Daniel had invited them, she trusted his judgment.
She wasnt one to argue with her husbands decisions. She disliked conflict and avoided unnecessary disputes. It was easier to agree with Daniel than to insist on being right.
“Emily, how far are your keys? Can you find them?”
She opened her handbag, fumbling for the keys, when a sharp pain shot through her finger. She flinched so violently that the bag slipped from her grasp and hit the floor.
“What are you shouting about?”
“I pricked myself on something.”
“Your bags a messno wonder you got hurt.”
Emily didnt argue. She picked up the bag, carefully retrieved the keys, and stepped inside. The incident was quickly forgotten as exhaustion took over. Her legs ached, and all she wanted was a shower and bed.
The next morning, she woke to a throbbing pain in her hand. Her finger was red and swollen. Then she remembered last night. She grabbed her bag, emptying its contents onto the table, and there, at the bottom, lay a large, rusted needle.
“What on earth is this?”
She couldnt imagine how it had gotten there. Shaking her head, she tossed it into the bin, treated the wound, and left for work. But by lunchtime, a fever took hold.
She called Daniel.
“Daniel, I dont know whats wrong. I must have caught something. Im burning upmy head hurts, my whole body aches. Last night, I found a rusty needle in my bagthats what pricked me.”
“Maybe you should see a doctor. It could be an infection.”
“Dont worry, I cleaned the wound. Ill be fine.”
But she wasnt fine. Hour by hour, she grew worse. Somehow, she dragged herself through the workday before calling a taxi. The bus would have been impossible.
At home, she collapsed onto the sofa and fell into a deep sleep.
In her dream, she saw her grandmother, Rose, who had passed away when Emily was little. She didnt know how she recognized her, but she was certainthis was her. The old woman had a kind, if slightly eerie, presence.
Grandmother Rose led her through a field, showing her which herbs to gather. She explained how to brew a tea to cleanse her body of the darkness eating away at her. Someone wished her harm. But to fight back, she had to stay alive. Time was running out.
Emily woke in a cold sweat. It felt like shed slept for hours, but the clock showed only minutes had passed. The front door clickedDaniel was home.
Struggling to her feet, she stumbled into the hallway. His eyes widened.
“What happened to you? Look at yourself.”
She turned to the mirror. Yesterday, shed seen a bright, smiling woman. Now, her reflection was pale, hollow-eyed, her hair tangled.
“Whats happening to me?”
Then she remembered the dream.
“I saw Grandmother. She told me what to do.”
“Emily, get dressed. Were going to the hospital.”
“Im not going. She said doctors wont help.”
An argument eruptedthe worst theyd ever had. Daniel called her delusional, even tried to drag her out by force.
“Youre coming, whether you like it or not!”
She tore her arm free, lost her balance, and crashed into the wall. Enraged, Daniel grabbed her bag, slammed the door, and left.
All Emily could do was text her boss, claiming shed caught a virus.
Daniel returned near midnight, apologetic. She barely responded.
“Take me to the village tomorrowwhere Grandmother Rose lived.”
By morning, she looked more like a ghost than a woman. Daniel pleaded with her.
“Emily, this is madness. Lets go to the hospital.”
But they drove to the village. Emily only remembered the nameshe hadnt been there since her parents sold the house after Roses death.
She dozed most of the way, waking only as they neared the village.
“Over there.”
Weakly, she stepped out, collapsing onto the grass. But she knew this was the field from her dream. She found the herbs Grandmother had shown her.
Back home, Daniel brewed the tea as instructed. Emily sipped it slowly, feeling a little better with each sip.
Later, in the bathroom, she noticed something shockingher urine was black. But instead of fear, she remembered Grandmothers words:
“The darkness is leaving.”
That night, Rose appeared again in her dreams, smiling.
“Someone cursed you through that needle. My tea will restore your strength, but not for long. You must find who did this and return their malice. I dont know whobut its tied to your husband. If you hadnt thrown the needle away, I could tell you more.”
She gave Emily instructionsbuy a pack of needles, recite an incantation over the largest one, and slip it into Daniels bag.
“The one who cursed you will prick themselves on it. Then well know their name.”
Emily woke, still weak but determined.
Daniel stayed home to care for her, but she insisted on going out alone.
“Daniel, make some soup. Im starving now that the fevers breaking.”
She followed Grandmothers instructions exactly. By evening, the enchanted needle lay in Daniels bag.
Before bed, he asked, “Are you sure youre alright alone?”
“Ill manage.”
She was improving, but the darkness still lurked inside hera poison the tea fought against.
When Daniel returned from work, she greeted him.
“How was your day?”
“Fine. Why?”
Just as she thought nothing had happened, he added:
“Emma from the next department tried to help me todaygrabbed my keys from my bag. She pricked her finger on a needle. Whered that come from? She looked at me like Id tried to kill her.”
“Was she at your birthday dinner?”
“Emily, stop. I only love you. Emmas just a colleague.”
The pieces clicked. Now she knew how the needle had gotten into her bag.
That night, Grandmother Rose explained everything. Emma had used magic to eliminate her rival. If that failed, shed try again.
Emily followed Roses instructions. Soon, Daniel mentioned Emma had been hospitalizeddoctors couldnt explain her sudden illness.
The next weekend, Emily visited the village cemetery for the first time since the funeral. Weeds had overtaken Roses grave. She cleaned it, placed fresh flowers in a vase, and sat on the bench.
“Grandmother, forgive me for not coming sooner. I thought visiting once a year was enough. But I was wrong. Ill come more often now. If not for you, I wouldnt be here.”
A soft breeze brushed her shoulderslike a gentle hand. She turned, but no one was there. Just the wind.
