My mother-in-law came to visit, and after she left, the dog started growling and scratching at the ground. So I dug where he was barkingand found something horrifying.
My husband and I live in the quiet countrysidepicture rolling hills, a cosy cottage, and not a neighbour for miles. He works on a farm, and I take care of the garden and the house. My mother-in-law lives in London with her youngest son, and lets just say weve never exactly been best mates. From day one, shes given me the side-eye and snide remarks. But I put up with it. For my husbands sake. Plus, the distance meant we rarely saw her.
Then out of the blue, she announced she fancied escaping the city madness and rocked up for a week-long stay. Said shed missed us. I had a bad feeling, but my husband insisted.
Right from the off, she criticised everything. The soup was too bland, the curtains were creased, and apparently, I was raising our five-year-old daughter all wrong. She stirred the pot constantly, and before long, shed even managed to start a row between me and my husband. That night, I crackedsobbing into my tea. I just wanted her gone.
When she finally left, I breathed a sigh of relief. But the next day, something odd happened.
Our dog, Winstonusually the gentlest, cleverest border collie youd ever meetstarted acting strange. Hed growl at nothing in the garden, run in circles, then scratch at the dirt near the vegetable patch, barking like mad. I tried shooing him away, but he just stared at me and kept at it.
Next day, same thing. I couldnt take itI grabbed a spade. My heart raced. Dogs dont act like that for no reason. Something had spooked him. So I dug where hed been barking.
Thenthe earth gave way. I froze. Sticking out of the ground was
a black bin bag. Tied tight. Hands shaking, I yanked it out.
Insidea foul stench and a nightmare collection: clumps of hair, an old childs dress (not my daughters!), a doll with its head snapped off, and a bundle of photos of me, my husband, and our little girl with the eyes scratched out.
A chill shot through me. This wasnt just nastyit felt like something occult. A curse. But who would do such a thing?
Only one answer: my mother-in-law. Shed been the only one here, the only one who couldve dug that hole while I was busy in the kitchen or with the kids.
I didnt know what to do. I took the bag to the vicar. He took one look and said, Thats a curse meant to break a family apart.
Now, Im not one for superstitions, but between Winstons freak-out and everything shed said and done that week it all added up to something terrifying.
Ive banned her from the house since. Told my husband everything. At first, he didnt believe meuntil he saw the photos and the bag Id kept as proof. He went dead quiet.
And now? Winston sleeps by the door every night, like hes standing guard.
Ill never know what she really wanted. But one things certainshes never setting foot in our home again.
Am I overreacting? Or is there something even darker behind all this?
