5November2025 Diary
This morning I awoke to the sound of Emily coughing, her voice hoarse as if shed spent the night in the cold. Just a day before, shed been at the old churchyard on the outskirts of York, sweeping away the leaves at the foot of her husband Andrews grandmothers grave. While Andrew was searching for the exact plot, Emily noticed a flock of crows perched on a rusted fence. A sudden shiver ran down her spine as she stared at the tarnished headstone. The blackandwhite photograph inset on it showed an elderly lady wrapped in a shawl.
Out of nowhere a stern male voice cut through the silence:
What are you staring at? Get on with it!
Startled, Emily began clearing the foreign grave. That was only the first oddity. When Andrew finally located his grandmothers burial spot, the headstone that should have been the weatherworn slab was now a pristine marble monument. The photograph had changed too instead of the frail old woman, a young lady with a bright smile gazed back.
I dont understand a thing! Andrew stammered. Who could have done this? There are no living relatives left; everyones buried here.
I have no idea how it happened Emily muttered, her hands aching.
***
Emilys arms throbbed with an unbearable pain, and she kept asking herself who had swapped the stone for Andrews dear grandmother.
Could it be a hallucination or some sort of witchcraft? she asked Andrew.
See a doctor, she said Michael, Andrews brother, suggested. As for the headstone, Im at a loss myself.
At the hospital, Emilys ordeal turned into a fullblown drama. The surgeon recommended joint injections, which she refused. Xrays revealed nothing, and the doctor sent her home with a prescription for ointment and painkillers. Along with the arm pain came fatigue and a drop in blood pressure. It felt as though every organ in her body had turned traitor. This went on for several days; the medics found nothing, and the young woman began to brace herself for death.
When our neighbour, Mrs. Brown, popped in for a pinch of salt, she barely recognised Emily:
Love, whats happened to you? she asked, eyebrows knitted. You look dreadful.
Emily recounted the inexplicable voice that had ordered her to tidy a strangers grave and the sudden metamorphosis of the monument.
A voice, you say? The stone and the photograph changed? the old lady mused. That sounds like the caretaker of the cemetery taking on someone elses curse. Perhaps he felt sorry, perhaps he was paid off.
How? Emily hiccupped.
Black magic, Id wager! the neighbour blurted. You need to get to church.
Even the church offered no solace. The mysterious affliction clung to Emily for a year. She had to quit her job, and moving around the flat became a chore. After Easter, on the day of remembrance, Andrew suggested she pay a visit to the departed relatives:
Think you can do it?
Ill try, she replied.
Youre the keeper of this cemetery! Emily sobbed, her voice hoarse with pain. Take my gift! I dont want to die! I have children, a husband! Take these foreign illnesses back!
She broke down in tears, feeling the gaze of countless souls upon her frail form. In the photograph, a flicker of sympathy crossed Andrews eyes.
Take the money! a whispered wind seemed to rustle in Emilys ears. Go with God! The one who summoned you will feel the backlash.
Why are you crying at a strangers grave? Andrews voice rang out, urgent. Lets go!
The headstone returned to its original state. The photograph now showed the grandmother with a mournful expression.
My word! Andrew shrieked in horror.
I want to live! Emily wailed again. Keeper, protect me!
***
The following morning Emily woke up completely healthy. Thoughts of the previous day whirled in my mind. I began to suspect who among the living had wrought the evil. It turned out that Andrews sister, whod never liked Emily from the moment they met, fell ill shortly after and died. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but it taught me a harsh truth: grudges left to fester can poison more than just hearts; they can reach out to the dead and the living alike.
Lesson learned: guard your thoughts and treat others with kindness, for unseen forces may act on the bitterness we sow.
