**An Unforgettable Celebration: The Return of the Restaurant**
Emily walked home with her husband, James, after celebrating her birthday at a lovely restaurant. The evening had been wonderfulfull of laughter, family, and colleagues. Many of the guests were strangers to Emily, but if James had invited them, she trusted his judgment.
Emily wasnt the sort to question her husbands decisions; she hated arguments and confrontation. It was easier to agree with him than to prove a point.
“Emily, do you have the flat keys handy? Can you fetch them?”
She rummaged through her handbag, searching for the keys. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her finger, and she jerked her hand so violently that the bag tumbled to the pavement.
“What happened?” James asked.
“Something pricked me.”
“Your bags such a messhardly surprising.”
Emily didnt argue. She picked up her bag, carefully retrieved the keys, and they stepped inside. The incident was quickly forgotten. Exhausted, her feet aching, all she wanted was a hot shower and bed.
The next morning, she woke to a throbbing, swollen fingerred and angry. Remembering the night before, she searched her bag thoroughly. At the bottom lay a large, rusted needle.
“What on earth?”
She had no idea how it got there. Shaking her head, she tossed it aside, then dug out the first aid kit to clean the wound. Bandaged up, she headed to workbut by midday, a fever had taken hold.
She rang James.
“James, I dont know whats wrong. I feel awfulfever, pounding headache, my body aches like Ive been beaten. I found a rusted needle in my bag.”
“You should see a doctor. It could be tetanusor worse.”
“Dont worry. Ive disinfected it. Ill be fine.”
But hour by hour, she worsened. Barely making it through the day, she hailed a cab, knowing the Tube was beyond her. At home, she collapsed onto the sofa and fell into a deep, fevered sleep.
She dreamed of her grandmother, Margaret, who had passed when Emily was a child. Though she barely remembered her face, she knew it was her. Despite her frail, aged appearance, Emily felt Margaret had come to help.
In the dream, her grandmother led her through a meadow, pointing out herbs to gatheringredients for a tea that would purge the darkness slowly consuming her. Margaret warned that someone wished her harm, but to face it, Emily had to survive. Time was running out.
Emily woke drenched in cold sweat. She thought shed slept for hoursyet only minutes had passed. The front door opened: James. He took one look at her and paled.
“Good God, whats happened? Look at yourself.”
Stumbling to the mirror, she barely recognized the hollow-eyed, dishevelled woman staring back.
“Whats happening to me?”
Then she remembered the dream.
“James, I dreamt of Grandma. She told me what to do”
“Emily, get dressed. Were going to hospital.”
“No. She said doctors cant help me.”
A heated argument eruptedtheir first real fight. James called her mad for trusting a dream, even grabbing her arm to drag her out.
“If you wont go willingly, Ill make you.”
She wrenched free, lost her balance, and slammed into the corner of the table. Furious, James snatched her bag, stormed out, and didnt return until midnight, full of apologies. Emily only whispered,
“Take me to Grandmas village tomorrow.”
The next morning, she looked like death warmed over. James pleaded,
“Emily, dont be daft. Lets go to hospital. I cant lose you.”
Yet they drove to the countryside. Emily slept most of the way but stirred as they neared the village, pointing weakly.
“That way.”
Stumbling from the car, she collapsed onto the grassbut she knew this was the place from her dream. Gathering the herbs, they returned home. James brewed the tea as instructed. With each sip, strength trickled back.
Dragging herself to the loo, she gaspedher urine was black. But instead of panic, she murmured,
“The darkness is leaving”
That night, Margaret returned in her dreams. The rusted needle had been a curse. The tea would buy her time, but she had to uncover whod done thisand James was involved somehow.
“Buy a box of needles,” Margaret instructed. “Recite this over the largest: *Spirits of the night, before you rest, hear meghosts, reveal the truth. Surround me, point the way, help me find my foe* Place it in Jamess bag. Whoever harmed you will prick themselves. Then, well know.”
With that, she vanished like mist.
Emily awoke weaker but determined. James, guilt-ridden, stayed home to care for her. He balked when she insisted on going to the shops alone.
“Emily, you can barely stand. Let me come.”
“Just make me some soup. Im starving after this bug.”
That night, she slipped the needle into Jamess briefcase. As they settled in bed, he asked,
“Are you sure youre alright? Should I stay?”
“Ill manage.”
She waited anxiously the next day. When James returned, she met him at the door.
“How was your day?”
“Fine. Why?”
Just as she thought the culprit hadnt revealed themselves, he added,
“Odd thingSarah from accounting tried helping me with my papers today. Reached into my bag and pricked herself on a needle. Went spare about it.”
“Whats between you and Sarah?”
“Emily, please. I love you. Sarah means nothing.”
“Was she at the restaurant?”
“Yes, but shes just a colleague.”
Then it clicked. The rusted needle in her bagSarahs doing.
As James went to fix dinner, Emily slept. Margaret returned, explaining how to reflect Sarahs malice back. The jealousy was clearSarah wanted James and would use magic to remove her rival.
Emily followed her grandmothers instructions. Days later, James mentioned Sarah was on sick leavemysteriously ill, doctors baffled.
That weekend, Emily asked James to take her to Margarets graveside in the village, a place she hadnt visited since the funeral. She bought flowers and gloves to clear the weeds. Finding the grave, she saw the same kind face from her dreamsthe woman whod saved her.
“Sorry I didnt come sooner, Gran,” she whispered, arranging the blooms. “I thought once a year was enough. I was wrong. Without you, I wouldnt be here.”
A gentle breeze brushed her shoulderslike an embrace. When she turned, no one was there.
**Lesson learned: Never underestimate the quiet onesor their grandmothers.**
