A couple walked home, still buzzing from an unforgettable birthday dinner.
Chloé and her husband Thomas were leaving the restaurant where they had marked her birthday. The evening had gone off without a hitch: the place was packed with family members and work colleagues. Chloé met many of them for the first time, but Thomas had insisted on inviting everyone, so it felt unavoidable.
Chloé never liked to argue with Thomas; she avoided conflict whenever possible. It was easier for her to go along with his wishes than to push her own perspective.
Chloé, are your keys buried deep in your bag? Can you grab them?
She fumbled for the keys inside her handbag. Suddenly a sharp sting made her jump, and she dropped the bag onto the floor.
Why are you yelling?
I pricked myself on something.
With all the clutter in that bag, nothing surprises me!
She didnt answer, picked up the bag and gently retrieved the keys. Back at their apartment, the incident slipped from her mind. Exhausted, her legs aching, she just wanted a quick shower before bed. The next morning she awoke with a throbbing pain in her hand; her finger was red and swollen. Remembering the night before, she rummaged through her bag to find the cause. Digging carefully, she uncovered a large, rusted needle at the bottom.
What on earth is this?
She couldnt understand how the object had ended up there. She tossed the odd find into the trash, then went to the firstaid kit to disinfect the wound. After bandaging her reddened finger, Chloé headed to work, but by lunchtime she felt feverish.
She called Thomas:
Thomas, I dont know what to do. Yesterday I think I got an infection. I have a fever, a headache, my body aches. I found a big rusted needle in my bag and thats what pricked me!
You should see a doctor; you never know, it could be serious.
Dont worry, I cleaned the wound; Ill be fine.
Hour after hour, her condition worsened. She barely finished her workday before hailing a taxi home, unable to endure public transport. Collapsing onto the couch, she fell asleep.
In her dream she saw her grandmother Marie, who had died when Chloé was very young. Though she didnt know how, she recognized her immediately. Fragile and stooped, the old womans appearance would have frightened many, yet Chloé felt her grandmother wanted to help.
Her grandmother led her through a field, showing which herbs to pick and telling her to brew an infusion to cleanse her body. She warned that someone intended her harm, but that Chloé had to stay alive to fight back. Time was running out.
Chloé awoke drenched in sweat. It felt like shed slept for ages, but only moments had passed. She heard the front door slam; Thomas had returned. She slipped off the couch and walked to the hallway. When he saw her, he was startled:
Whats happening to you? Look at yourself in the mirror!
She approached the mirror. The night before she had seen a smiling womans face; now she could barely recognize herself: dull hair, dark circles, a grayish complexion, a vacant stare.
What is going on?
Recalling the dream, she told Thomas:
I saw Grandma in a dream. She told me what to do
Chloé, get dressed, were going to the hospital.
No, I wont go anywhere. Grandma said doctors cant help me.
A fierce argument erupted. Thomas called her crazy, accusing her of hallucinating about her grandmother. For the first time they fought violently; Thomas tried to force her into a car.
If you refuse, Ill take you by the throat.
Chloé jerked away, lost her balance and hit a corner. Enraged, Thomas snatched her bag, slammed the door, and stormed out. She barely managed to message her boss, explaining she was ill and would stay home for a few days.
Thomas returned late that night, apologizing. All Chloé said was:
Take me to the village where Grandma lived tomorrow.
When she woke later, she looked more like a specter than a healthy young woman. Thomas kept pleading:
Chloé, stop this madness, lets go to the hospital. I dont want to lose you.
They set off for the village. The only thing Chloé could recall was the villages name. She hadnt been there since her parents sold her grandmothers house after her death. Throughout the journey she slept, unaware of which field to head for. As they approached the village, she woke and told Thomas:
Its right there.
She got out of the car and collapsed onto the grass, exhausted, but she knew she was where her grandmother had guided her. She found the herbs shown in the dream, returned home, and Thomas prepared the decoction exactly as she instructed. She sipped it slowly, each mouthful easing her pain a little.
She managed to shuffle to the bathroom; when she stood up, she saw her urine was black. Instead of frightening her, it confirmed her grandmothers words:
The evil leaves the body
That night she dreamed of her grandmother again, who smiled and spoke:
A curse was cast on you through that rusted needle. My remedy will give you strength, but only temporarily. You must locate the person who did this and return the malice to them. I cant see who it is, but its linked to your husband. If you hadnt thrown that needle away, I could tell you more. But
She continued: Buy a box of needles. On the largest one, recite this incantation: Night spirits, you who have lived, hear me, specters of darkness, bring truth. Surround me! Show me, help me, find my enemy. Then slip the needle into your husbands bag. The one who cursed you will be pricked, and well know who it is, so we can send the evil back to its source.
After uttering these words, her grandmother dissolved like mist.
Chloé woke still feeling very ill, yet convinced she would recover with her grandmothers aid. Thomas decided to stay home to care for her. He was surprised when she announced she needed to go to the store alone:
Chlóe, you can barely stand. Let me come with you.
Thomas, make me a soup; I have an ogres appetite after this virus.
She followed her grandmothers dream instructions to the letter. That evening, the enchanted needle was hidden in Thomass bag. Before bed, he asked:
Are you sure you can manage on your own? Maybe I should stay with you longer.
Ill be fine.
Chloé felt better, but sensed the lingering darkness inside her, mirroring what was in him. Nevertheless, the remedy shed taken for three days acted like an antidote, and whatever lived inside her seemed displeased.
She waited anxiously for Thomas to return from work. When he arrived, she greeted him with the first question:
How was your day?
It went well, why do you ask?
She began to doubt the effectiveness of her plan, but Thomas suddenly added:
Youll think Im crazy, but today Irène from the neighboring department tried to help me find my office keys in my bag while I was juggling files. She pricked herself on a needle in my bag. She stared at me with such rage I thought shed kill me with her gaze.
Thomas, whats your connection to this Irène?
Chlóe, look. Youre the only one I love, not Irène or anyone else.
He confirmed Irène had been at the birthday dinner. Chloé then understood how the rusted needle ended up in her bag. Thomas went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
That night she dreamed of her grandmother once more. The old woman showed her how to transfer the curse onto Irène. She explained that Irène, using magic, wanted to push Chloé aside and take her place beside Thomas. If a natural method failed, she would resort to sorcery, willing to go to any length.
Chloé obeyed every instruction. Soon after, Thomas told her that Irène was on sick leave, gravely ill, with doctors helpless.
Chlóe suggested they visit the cemetery of her grandmothers village the following weekend, a place she hadnt been since the funeral. She bought a bouquet, put on gloves, and cleared weeds around the grave. Finding Maries tomb was difficult, but when she arrived she saw her grandmothers photo on the stoneproof that the spirit guiding her was indeed her grandmother.
She cleaned the grave, placed the flowers in a water bottle, sat on a bench, and whispered:
Grandma, Im sorry I didnt come sooner. I thought a yearly visit from my parents was enough, but I was wrong. Ill come more often now. If you hadnt been there, I probably wouldnt be alive today.
She felt a soothing hand on her shoulder, as if her grandmother were comforting her. She turned, saw only a gentle breeze.
