**An Unforgettable Celebration: The Restaurant Return**
Emily was heading back with her husband, James, from a lovely restaurant where theyd celebrated her birthday. The evening had been perfectfilled with friends, family, and coworkers. Emily hadnt met some of them before, but if James had invited them, there mustve been a good reason.
She wasnt the type to question her husbands choices. Arguments made her uncomfortable, and shed rather go along with things than pick a fight.
*»Em, do you have the flat keys handy? Can you grab them?»*
Emily rummaged through her handbag, searching for the keys. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain and jerked her hand so violently that her bag tumbled to the ground.
*»Whats wrong?»* James asked.
*»Something just pricked me.»*
*»Honestly, your bags such a messno surprise there.»*
Emily didnt argue. She just picked up her bag, carefully pulled out the keys, and they stepped inside. By then, shed already forgotten the little prickshe was exhausted, her feet ached, and all she wanted was a shower and bed.
The next morning, she woke up with her finger throbbing, red and swollen. Thats when she remembered last nights incident and decided to check her bag properly. Deep inside, she found a large, rusty needle.
*»How on earth did this get in here?»*
Confused, she tossed it away, then dug out the first-aid kit to clean the wound. After bandaging her finger, she headed to workbut by lunchtime, she was burning up with fever.
She called James.
*»James, I dont know whats wrong. I feel awfulfever, headache, my whole body aches. And I found this rusty needle in my bag last night.»*
*»You should see a doctorit could be tetanus, or worse.»*
*»Dont worry, I disinfected it. Ill be fine.»*
But she wasnt fine. She got worse by the hour. By the end of the workday, she could barely stand. She called a cabno way she could manage the Tube like this. The moment she got home, she collapsed onto the sofa and fell asleep instantly.
In her dream, she saw her grandmother, Margaret, whod passed away when Emily was little. Even though she barely remembered her, she just *knew* it was her. Despite her frail, elderly appearance, Emily sensed she was there to help.
Margaret led her through a field, pointing out herbs she needed to brew a remedysomething to purge the darkness creeping through her body. She warned Emily that someone wished her harm, but to face them, she had to survive. Time was running out.
Emily woke up in a cold sweat. She thought shed slept for hours, but only minutes had passed. Then she heard the doorJames was home. The moment he saw her, he paled.
*»Em, whats happened to you? Look at yourself.»*
She staggered to the mirror. Yesterday, shed seen a bright, smiling woman. Now, staring back was a hollow-faced stranger with tangled hair and dark circles under her eyes.
*»Whats going on?»*
Then the dream came rushing back.
*»I saw Nan. She told me what to do»*
*»Emily, get dressed. Were going to the hospital.»*
*»No. Nan said the doctors cant help me.»*
A massive row broke out. James called her *mad* for trusting a dream, even tried forcing her into the car, gripping her arm.
*»If you wont go willingly, Ill make you.»*
She yanked free, lost her balance, and slammed into the corner of a table. James stormed out, grabbing her bag on the way. Emily barely managed to text her boss*sick, need a few days off.*
James returned near midnight, full of apologies, but Emily only said:
*»Take me to Nans village tomorrow.»*
The next morning, Emily looked more ghost than woman. James begged her:
*»Love, dont be daft. Lets go to the hospital. I cant lose you.»*
But they drove to the village. Emily only remembered the nameshe hadnt been back since her parents sold Nans cottage. She dozed the whole way but woke just in time to point:
*»That way.»*
Stumbling out of the car, she collapsed onto the grassbut she *knew* this was the place from her dream. She found the herbs, and they returned home. James brewed the remedy as she instructed. With each sip, she felt a little stronger.
Later, in the bathroom, her urine was black. Instead of panicking, she whispered Nans words:
*»The darkness is leaving»*
That night, Margaret returned in her dream. This time, she explainedsomeone had cursed Emily with that rusty needle. The remedy would buy her time, but she had to find out whod done it and return their malice.
*»James is involved somehow,»* Margaret admitted. *»If you hadnt thrown the needle away, I couldve told you more.»*
She gave Emily instructions: buy sewing needles, chant a spell over the largest one (*»Spirits of night, before you rest, hear meghosts, reveal the truth. Surround me, point the way, help me find my enemy»*), then slip it into Jamess bag. Whoever hurt her would prick themselves, exposing their guilt.
Emily woke up weak but determined. James stayed home to care for her, stunned when she insisted on going to the shops alone.
*»Em, you can barely stand. Let me come.»*
*»Just make me some soup, love. Im starving after this bug.»*
That night, she placed the needle in Jamess bag. Before bed, he asked:
*»Sure youll be okay? Want me to stay?»*
*»Ill be fine.»*
She *was* betterbut the darkness still lingered inside, like an unwelcome lodger. The remedy helped keep it at bay.
When James came home from work the next day, she met him at the door.
*»How was your day?»*
*»Finewhy?»*
Just as she thought the culprit hadnt revealed themselves, he added:
*»Youll never believe itIrina from the next department tried helping me fish out my keys because my hands were full. She pricked herself on a *needle* in my bag. Went absolutely spare.»*
Emily froze. *»Whats between you and Irina?»*
*»Em, come on. Theres *nothing*. I love *you*.»*
*»Was she at the restaurant for my birthday?»*
*»Yeah, shes a colleague. Thats all.»*
Suddenly, it all made sense. *Thats* how the needle ended up in her bag.
James headed to the kitchen for dinner. That night, Margaret returned, explaining how to turn Irinas malice back on her. Shed tried eliminating her rivalfirst through nature, then through darker means.
Emily followed her instructions. Days later, James mentioned Irina was off sick*»Doctors dont know whats wrong.»*
Soon after, Emily asked James to take her to the village cemetery, where Nan was buried. She hadnt been back since the funeral. She bought flowers and gardening gloves to clear the grave.
It took a while to find Margarets headstonebut when she did, the photograph matched the woman from her dreams, the one whod saved her life.
Emily cleaned the grave, laid the flowers, and whispered:
*»Sorry I didnt visit sooner, Nan. Thought Mum and Dad coming once a year was enoughI was wrong. Ill be back. If it werent for you, I wouldnt be here.»*
For a second, she felt a light touch on her shoulderslike a hug. When she turned, no one was there. Just a soft breeze.
