Before the wedding, my future husband’s grandmother gave me a small vial filled with a green liquid and, with a strange expression on her face, said:

— Drink this before your first wedding night. If you don’t, you will never have a single happy day in your life.

I was confused, not knowing whether she was joking or being serious. My fiancé laughed, hugged his grandmother, and told her not to scare the bride with her “old family customs.”

But there was something in the old woman’s eyes that unsettled me — like a warning.

The wedding went perfectly; I was happy and didn’t think about the vial again until I was alone in the bedroom that night. On the nightstand, beside the bouquet, stood that very same bottle. The cap was slightly open, and inside, a thick green liquid shimmered — almost as if it were alive.

Curiosity got the better of me. I remembered the grandmother’s words and thought maybe it was just symbolic — like a sip of champagne for good luck.

I opened the bottle and carefully tasted a few drops. The liquid was icy cold, almost freezing, with a bitter, metallic taste.

After a while, something strange began to happen to me And only then did I realize what was really inside that bottle — and I was horrified. Continued in the first comment

A minute later, my body felt as if it had turned to stone. I could feel everything — the sheets against my skin, the cold air, even my heartbeat — but I couldn’t move. Panic took over; I wanted to call my husband, but my tongue was paralyzed.

I tried to scream, but no sound came out — my voice was gone, as if invisible fingers were gripping my throat. Flashes of light danced before my eyes, and then everything went dark.

I don’t remember how the night passed. I only remember that in the morning, when the sunlight filled the room, I was able to move my fingers again and, with great effort, get out of bed.

I went to the grandmother and asked her why she had given me that potion. She replied calmly, as if speaking about something completely ordinary:

— In our family, it’s tradition. To ensure the first wedding night goes smoothly, the bride must drink this herbal mixture. It temporarily shuts down the body, preventing any sensation. It’s important.

Her words hit me like a blast of cold wind. I didn’t know what to say. I was truly terrified, because I realized this family lived by strange, ancient, and perhaps dangerous rules.

And I… was now meant to become part of them.