Mystery Unveiled

Mystery

This morning Emily woke up feeling rotten. Just a day before shed been at the old churchyard down in Yorkshire. Her husband, James, asked her to tidy up his late grandmothers grave. While he was digging around, Charlotte spotted a flock of crows perched on some rusty fence. As if someone was watching her, the woman glared at the metal headstone. The blackandwhite photo on it showed an old lady wrapped in a scarf. Suddenly a stern male voice echoed in Emilys head:

What are you staring at? Get moving!

Without really knowing why, Charlotte started cleaning the strangers grave. And that wasnt the end of the oddities. When James finally found his grandmas plot, it seemed the old stone had been swapped for a fresh marble one and the picture had changed too. Instead of the frail grandmother, a young woman with a bright smile stared back.

I have no idea whats happening! James stammered. Who could have done this? Theres no family left. Everyones already buried.

Im as clueless as you are Emily winced.

***

Charlottes hands were throbbing mercilessly, but what haunted her most was whod replaced the memorial for Jamess beloved granny.

Could it be a hallucination or some sort of witchcraft? she asked James.

See a doctor, she suggested Stan chimed in. Im baffled about the headstone myself.

At the clinic Emilys ordeal turned into a whole saga. The surgeon ordered joint injections, which she flatout refused. An Xray showed nothing, so they gave her a prescription for ointments and painkillers. On top of the hand pain she felt sluggish, her blood pressure dropped, and she swore every organ in her body was failing. This dragged on for days. The medics found nothing, and the young woman started bracing herself for death. Her flatshare neighbour, Mara, popped in for a pinch of salt and didnt recognise Emily at all:

Love, whats happened to you? Mara asked, eyebrows knitted. You look awful.

Emily rattled off the story about the disembodied male voice ordering her to clean a foreign grave and the sudden switch of the headstone and photo.

A voice, you say? The stone and the lady in the picture changed? the old neighbour murmured thoughtfully. Sounds like the keeper of the cemetery forced you to take on someone elses ailment. Maybe he had a soft spot for someone, or perhaps he was paid off.

How does that work? Emily sobbed.

Black magic! Mara gasped. You need to go to church.

The church didnt help Emily either. She suffered from that unknown malady for a whole year, had to quit her job, and struggled to move around her flat. After Easter, on the day of remembrance, James suggested she pay a visit to the departed relatives:

Think you can do it?

Ill try, she replied.

Youre the keeper of the cemetery! the ailing Emily wailed. Take my gift! I dont want to die! Ive got kids, a husband! Take those foreign illnesses back!

Emily burst into tears. It felt as if every ghost in the graveyard was watching the thin, miserable woman. In the photograph, Jamess eyes flashed a brief hint of compassion.

Take the money! a whisper rustled in Emilys ears. Go with God! Whoever sent you will get a fitting blow.

Why are you crying at someone elses grave? Jamess voice sounded agitated nearby. Lets go!

The grandmothers headstone returned to its original state. The photo now showed the old lady with a sorrowful expression.

Oh my God! James shrieked, horrified.

I want to live! Charlotte howled again. Keeper, protect me!

***

The next morning Emily woke up completely fine. Her mind kept replaying yesterdays weirdness. She guessed which relative had caused the trouble. Jamess sisterinlaw, whod never liked her from the start, fell ill shortly after and then passed away. It was hard to believe any of it, but thats the story as it unfolded.