A Special Birthday Celebration: A Couples Memorable Dinner
Emily was returning home with her husband from the restaurant where theyd celebrated his birthday. It had been a lovely evening, with plenty of guestsrelatives, work colleagues. Many of them were strangers to Emily, but if James had chosen to invite them, it must have been important.
She wasnt the type to question her husbands decisions; she disliked arguments and drama. It was simpler to agree than to prove she was right.
“Emily, do you have the house keys? Can you grab them?”
She opened her handbag and rummaged inside when a sharp pain shot through her finger. She yanked her hand back, dropping the bag.
“Why did you shout?”
“Something stung me!”
“With all the clutter in there, Im not surprised.”
Emily didnt argue. She picked up the bag, carefully retrieved the keys, and soon forgot about the incident. Her legs ached from walking, and all she wanted was a bath and bed.
The next morning, her hand throbbedher finger red and swollen. Then she remembered the night before and emptied her bag. At the bottom lay a large, rusty needle.
“Whats this?”
She had no idea how it got there. She tossed it in the bin and treated the wound with antiseptic. But by lunchtime, fever had set in.
She called James. “I dont know whats wrong. Ive got a fever, headachemy whole body hurts. I found a rusty needle in my bag last nightthat mustve been what stung me.”
“You should see a doctor. It could be tetanus or something worse.”
“Dont overreact. I cleaned it. Ill be fine.”
Yet she only grew worse. Barely making it through the workday, she took a taxi home and collapsed on the sofa.
In her sleep, she dreamed of her grandmother, Margaret, whod died when Emily was little. Though her appearance mightve unnerved others, Emily felt only comfort.
Margaret led her through a field, pointing out herbs for a cleansing tea. Someone wished her harm, she saidbut if Emily fought, shed survive. Time was running out.
She woke drenched in sweat. Only minutes had passed. When James returned, he gasped at her reflectionpale, hollow-eyed, barely recognizable.
“I dreamed of Gran,” Emily murmured. “She told me what to do.”
“Emily, get dressed. Were going to hospital.”
“No. She said doctors wont help.”
They argued fiercelyJames called her delusional, even tried dragging her out. But Emily resisted, stumbling and falling. Frustrated, he stormed off with her bag.
He returned late, apologetic. “Take me to Grans village,” she whispered.
The next morning, she looked like death itself. James begged her to reconsider, but they set off. Exhausted, she collapsed in a fieldthe very one from her dream. She gathered the herbs, and back home, James brewed the tea. With each sip, she improved slightly.
That night, she urinated black. “The poisons leaving,” she whispered.
Margaret returned in another dream. “The needle carried a curse. The tea helps, but we must find who did this. Its tied to James. Put a new needle in his bagwhoever cursed you will prick themselves and reveal their name.”
The next day, James stayed home, concerned. But Emily insisted on going out alone. “Cook me soup,” she said. “Im starving.”
She enchanted a needle as instructed and slipped it into Jamess bag. That evening, he mentioned Sandra from workhow shed pricked herself while helping him. “She glared at me like she wanted me dead.”
“Was she at your birthday dinner?”
“Yes, but shes just a colleague.”
The puzzle clicked. Thats how the needle got into her bag.
Soon after, Sandra fell gravely ill. Doctors were baffled.
Emily visited Margarets grave, tidying it with gloved hands. “Im sorry I never came before,” she whispered. “If not for you, I wouldnt be here.”
A gentle breeze brushed her shoulderslike a comforting hand. But no one was there.
