A Special Birthday Celebration: The Couples Unforgettable Dinner
Elizabeth was walking home from the pub with her husband after celebrating his birthday. It had been a wonderful evening. So many people were therefamily, friends, even colleagues from his office. It was the first time Elizabeth had met most of them, but if James had decided to invite them, then she supposed they must matter.
Elizabeth wasnt one to challenge her husbands choices; she disliked arguments and public scenes. It was simply easier to agree with James rather than try to insist she was right.
Elizabeth, do you have the flat keys handy? Could you get them out?
She opened her handbag and began searching for the keys. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her finger and she jerked her hand out violently, causing the bag to tumble to the ground.
Why did you shout?
Ive been pricked by something.
Theres so much junk in your handbag, it doesnt surprise me, James replied dryly.
Elizabeth didnt argue. She retrieved her bag and gingerly dug out the keys. Once inside their flat, the incident was soon forgotten. Exhausted after the festivities, she craved nothing more than a hot shower and her bed.
The next morning she woke to a throbbing pain in her finger. It was red and swollen, the memory of last night suddenly clear. She rummaged through her handbag, sorting through lipstick, receipts and bits of paper, until she found a big, rusty needle lurking at the bottom.
What on earth is this?
She couldnt fathom how it ended up with her possessions. Disgusted, she tossed the mysterious object into the bin and fetched the first aid kit. After disinfecting and bandaging her sore finger, Elizabeth headed off to work, thinking little more of it.
But by lunchtime, she realised shed developed a fever.
She called James at the office.
James, Im not sure what to do. I think I picked up some kind of infection. My temperatures up, my head is pounding, and I ache all over. You won’t believe itI found a rusty needle in my bag. Thats what pricked me last night.
Sounds nasty. You should see the GP, Elizabeth. We cant take risksit could be tetanus or something more serious.
Dont exaggerate, James. Ive cleaned the wound, Im sure itll be fine.
But the hours dragged on and Elizabeth deteriorated rapidly. She barely made it to the end of her shift before finally hailing a cab, certain she couldnt manage the train ride home. The moment she arrived, she collapsed on the sofa and fell into a deep sleep.
She dreamt of her late Granny Margaret, who died when Elizabeth was still young. Though it was hard to explain, she knew it was her grandmother. While Grannys appearance might have frightened others, Elizabeth felt only comfort and protection.
In the dream, Granny guided her across a meadow, pointing out certain herbs she must gather, instructing her to brew a tea to cleanse her body. Someone, Granny explained, wished her harm; but to fight back, she had to surviveher time was running out.
Elizabeth woke drenched in cold sweat, convinced shed slept for hours, but the clock showed only minutes had passed. She heard the front door; James was home. She dragged herself from the sofa to greet him.
What happened to you? Look at yourselfgo check the mirror!
Elizabeth obeyed. Only yesterday, shed been a vibrant, smiling young woman. Now her reflection was pale, hollow-eyed, hair in tangles, drained of any spark.
Whats going on?
Then she remembered her dream.
I saw my granny. She told me what to do
Elizabeth, get dressed, were going to hospital.
No, Im not leaving. Granny said the doctors wouldnt help.
A proper row erupted, harsher than any theyd ever had. James called her mad, certain shed lost the plot, dreaming of some ancient old woman shed hardly known. For the first time, their argument was ugly. James even tried to drag her out the door by force.
If you wont go willingly, Ill carry you to the hospital.
But Elizabeth fought back, stumbling and hurting herself in the struggle. Frustrated, James snatched up the bag, slammed the door, and left. The only thing Elizabeth managed was to message her boss: shed caught some nasty bug and would need a few days off.
James returned close to midnight and apologised for his temper. All Elizabeth said was,
Take me to the village where Granny lived.
By morning, Elizabeth looked ghostly, almost more corpse than living woman. James begged her,
Elizabeth, please dont be stubbornwe need to get you to A&E. I dont want to lose you.
But instead, they drove out to the old village. Elizabeth remembered only the name; she hadnt been back since her parents sold Grannys cottage. She slept all the way. Waking near the village, she pointed,
Go down that lane.
She could hardly stand, collapsing on the grass in the spot her granny had brought her to in the dream. She found the herbs exactly as instructed. When they returned home, James brewed the tea as Elizabeth described. She sipped it, feeling slowly better with each mouthful.
She staggered to the bathroom, and was startled to see her urine was black. But rather than panic, she recalled her grannys words:
The evil is leaving
That night, Elizabeth dreamed of Granny Margaret once again. This time, her granny smiled as she spoke:
Youve been cursed using that rusty needle. The tea is giving you strength, but it wont last. We must find out who did thisand turn the curse back. I cant tell exactly whoits something to do with your husband. If you hadnt thrown out the needle, I could have seen more. But heres what we can do
She explained: Go to the shop, buy a pack of sewing needles. Take the largest and say this charm over it: Spirits of the night, lost and found! Hear me, shadows around, show me, guide me, reveal the foe Slip that needle into Jamess bag. Whoever cursed you will one day prick their hand and well know who it was. Then the evil will rebound upon them.
With that, Granny Margaret dissolved into mist. Elizabeth awoke believing she would recover, certain her granny was watching over her.
James stayed home the next day, fussing over Elizabeth. He was bewildered when she insisted she had to pop to the shops alone.
Elizabeth, youre barely on your feet. Let me come with you.
James, do me a favourjust make some soup. Im absolutely starving after this wretched bug.
Following her granny’s instructions, Elizabeth prepared everything. That evening, she slipped the enchanted needle into Jamess bag. Before bedtime, he asked,
Are you sure youll be alright alone? Perhaps I should stay a bit longer?
Ill be fine.
The evil still lingered within her, poisoning her body. Yet after three days of herbal tea, it now felt like she was fighting it off, holding it at bay.
Elizabeth waited for James to return from work, anxious, and greeted him at the door.
How was your day?
Fine why do you ask?
She thought nothing had happened until he added,
Youll never guess, Sandra from the next office offered to help me fetch my keys from my bag. My hands were full of folders, so she reached in and pricked her finger on a needle. She glared at me like Id deliberately set a trap.
Is there something going on with Sandra?
Elizabeth, please. I love only you. Theres no Sandra or anyone else.
Was she at your birthday dinner?
Yes, she’s a colleague, that’s all.
Suddenly everything clicked for Elizabeththe mystery of the rusty needle was solved.
James went to make dinner while Elizabeth, utterly spent, drifted off and dreamed once more of Granny Margaret, who explained how to return the curse to Sandra, who wished to harm Elizabeth. Granny revealed everything: Sandra craved a place beside James. Failing to capture him honestly, Sandra had resorted to dark arts and wouldnt stop for anything.
Elizabeth followed grannys every word. Not long after, James mentioned Sandra was now signed off sick, in a dreadful state, baffling the doctors with her symptoms.
That weekend, Elizabeth convinced James to drive her out to the village, this time to the old graveyard. She hadnt visited since Grannys funeral. She bought a bouquet, donned gloves, and cleaned the stone, removing weeds from Granny Margarets resting place. She put the flowers in water, sat on the bench beside the grave and said:
Granny, Im sorry I left it so long. I thought my parents yearly visits were enough, but I was wrong. Ill come every year now. If it hadnt been for you, I might not be here.
At that moment, Elizabeth felt as if granny pressed her warm hands on Elizabeths shoulders. She turned, but no one was therejust a gentle English breeze…
A Night to Remember: An Extraordinary Couple’s Birthday Dinner and the Mysterious Curse at the Heart of Their Celebration
