**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 wonderful evening, filled with friends, relatives, and colleaguesmany of whom shed never met before. But if Edward had chosen to invite them, she trusted his judgment.
Emily wasnt one to argue with her husband. She disliked drama and confrontation, finding it easier to go along with his decisions than to insist she was right.
“Emily, do you have the flat keys handy? Can you grab them?”
She rummaged through her handbag and winced as a sharp pain shot through her finger. She yanked her hand back, dropping the bag.
“Whats wrong?” Edward asked.
“Something stung me.”
“With all the rubbish you keep in there, Im not surprised.”
Emily said nothing, picking up the bag and carefully fishing out the keys. By the time they got inside, shed forgotten about it. Her legs ached from the long evening, and all she wanted was a hot shower and bed.
The next morning, her finger was swollen and red. She remembered the sting and emptied her bag, finding a large, rusted needle at the bottom.
“What on earth?”
She couldnt imagine how it had gotten there. Shaking her head, she tossed it in the bin and dressed the wound with the first-aid kit. By lunchtime, though, she was burning up with fever.
She called Edward. “I dont feel right. I think Ive caught something. Fever, headachemy whole body hurts. And that needle I found? It was rusty. What if its infected?”
“You should see a doctor. It could be tetanus.”
“Dont be dramatic. I cleaned it. Ill be fine.”
But she only got worse. By evening, she could barely stand, calling a cab home instead of struggling with the Tube. She collapsed on the sofa, drifting into an uneasy sleep.
In her dream, she saw her grandmother, Margaret, whod passed away when Emily was little. She didnt know how she recognised her, but she did. Though Margarets appearance might have frightened others, Emily felt only comfort.
Her grandmother led her through a field, pointing out herbs she needed to gather. “Make a tea with these,” she said. “Someone wishes you harm. But you must fight it. Time is running out.”
Emily woke drenched in sweat. Only minutes had passed. Hearing the door open, she staggered to the hallway. Edward took one look at her and paled.
“Good Lordlook at yourself!”
The mirror showed a strangerpale, hollow-eyed, hair wild.
“I dreamed of Grandma,” Emily whispered. “She told me what to do.”
“Emily, get dressed. Were going to the hospital.”
“No. She said doctors wont help.”
They argued fiercely. Edward accused her of delirium, even grabbing her arm to drag her out. She resisted, stumbling and falling. Furious, he snatched her bag, slammed the door, and left.
He returned near midnight, apologising. But Emily only said, “Take me to Grandmas village.”
The next morning, she looked like death. Edward begged her to go to the hospital, but she refused.
They drove to the villagesomewhere Emily hadnt visited since her parents sold Margarets cottage. She dozed until they arrived, then weakly pointed. “That way.”
Exhausted, she collapsed in the grass. But she knew this was the place from her dream. She found the herbs Margaret had shown her.
Back home, Edward brewed the tea. With every sip, Emily felt strongerthough later, her urine turned black. “The poisons leaving,” she murmured.
That night, Margaret returned in another dream. “You were cursed through that needle. The tea will help, but not forever. We must find who did this. Its tied to Edward.”
She gave Emily instructions: buy needles, chant a spell over the largest, then place it in Edwards bag. “Whoever cursed you will prick themselvesthen well know.”
Emily followed the plan. That evening, Edward mentioned Sandra, a colleague whod reached into his bag and been pricked. “She glared at me like she wanted me dead!”
“Was she at your birthday dinner?”
“Yes, but shes just a coworker.”
The pieces clicked. Now Emily understood.
She dreamed of Margaret again, who revealed Sandras plan: using dark magic to take Emilys place.
Following her grandmothers guidance, Emily reversed the curse. Soon, Edward mentioned Sandra was on sick leave, baffling doctors.
That weekend, they visited Margarets grave. Emily tidied the plot, placing fresh flowers in a vase.
“Grandma, Im sorry I never came before. If not for you, I wouldnt be here.”
A gentle breeze brushed her shoulderslike a reassuring hand.
