Lying on black velvet, sparkling like it had only been polished an hour earlier, was a cylinder-shaped piece of sparkling, silver jewelry. It looked delicate, the silver woven and thin wire reminded me of lattice. On its back, sticking out as if it was sitting on its surface, was a red, stone-studded scorpion.

“That looks amazing,” Arina breathed beside me.

I reached down and clasped my hand around it. After a quick check, I could see the jewelry was not fastened to the chest in any way, and I lifted it up and turned it over.

My suspicions were correct. At one end, thin gold wire had been molded to create four holes where I suspected a person’s fingers could fit. Beside them, a similar hole to the side could be for a person’s thumb. Judging by its length, it would fit over half the length of a person’s forearm along with the back of their hand.

Along the top of the inside of the metal, grey markings had been engraved into its surface. They didn’t make sense, only curves and straight lines as if someone had been determining the sharpness of a blade. There were many of them though and they curved around about two thirds of the metal.

Despite the heat, I shuddered. Curiosity coursed through my veins. Where had this bracelet come from? It must be a family heirloom, forgotten over the years.

“Can I try it on?” Arina asked.

I stopped. I wanted to place my hand into it first. It was my grandparents’, after all, but when I looked at Arina and saw her eager eyes, I nodded. I could try it on afterwards.

Her face lit up with a brilliant smile as I passed it over. She took it carefully and slid her fingers inside the loops. The rest of jewelry fitted over her forearm, but it hung loosely. When she shook her arm gently, it wiggled and the section at the top of her forearm slid to the side.

“It’s beautiful, but…” she sighed. “It’s too big for us. Maybe it’s meant to be for a man’s arm. “Here.” She slid it off her arm and fingers. “You try it on.”

I took it gently. The spidery metal looked like it would bend out of shape if it was pressed too hard. Slowly, I positioned it over my left forearm. From the way it curved, I guessed it would be too loose for me as well, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t see what it looked like against my skin. There was a pin on the inside of the wristband. I unclipped it and placed the band over my own wrist. Next, I placed my thumb inside its ring, but then quickly determined that the fingers would be better going into the rings first.

I held my arm out at a distance once it was on. The bracelet was finally covering my wrist and forearm. Arina was correct. It was far too big for me as well. Nevertheless, I marveled at its beauty, at the way the red stone sparkled even in the dim room. How could my grandmother forget that she had such an item?

A gentle warmth suddenly rushed from the top of the metal at my fingers and then spread up and across my forearm. The bracelet hummed as it vibrated, and to my amazement, the metal started to tighten. I twisted my arm. Where was the sound coming from? A loud click panged as if some kind of release had occurred. I twisted the bracelet back around to find the legs of the scorpion were moving outwards, wrapping themselves around my forearm.

“Arina,” I whispered. “Are you seeing this?”

“Yes!” she answered. “What did you press this time?”

“Nothing!” I twisted my arm again, too shocked to consider whether I should try to pull it off.

The scorpion’s tail began to lower until it lay flat on the back of my arm. The warmth continued, hotter and hotter, but it didn’t get hot enough to burn my skin. All of a sudden, another loud click reached my ears and the bracelet settled firmly and exactly to the size of my forearm and wrist.

I glanced at Arina.

“It fits you perfectly now!” she exclaimed. Slowly, she reached for my arm and examined it closely.

I pulled on the metal and studded stone. Only moments ago, when it was loose, it would have slid straight off. Now, the metal rings around my fingers and thumb had shrunk so much they would not fit over my knuckles. Snug and tight, the bracelet didn’t budge. It was not going to come off my arm.

“Come on,” Shane called from the loungeroom, and we both jumped. “What are you doing?” he asked. He walked back down the hall to where we were sitting.

I sighed. “There was a bracelet inside the box the snake catcher found. It looks like it won’t come off.”

He squatted in front of me. “That was smart,” he said. “Would have been a good idea to know how to get it off before putting it on.”

“How was I supposed to know that it was going to tighten onto my arm?”

“That’s cool,” Nate added, looking over Shane’s shoulder. I looked up. I hadn’t heard him approach. “It’s probably got some kind of catch-release. It doesn’t look like a bracelet though. It looks like a vambrace.”

“Vambrace?” Arina asked.

“Armour,” Nate said.

Arina pulled my arm close to her again. She twisted it slowly and started to press different sections. I guessed at what she was trying to do. If the box had a secret latch, maybe the bracelet did too. I didn’t want to tell them about the vibrations, heat and the way it had moved. It hadn’t appeared mechanical at all.

Shane shrugged, losing interest again. “It’s three o’clock,” he said. “We’re going to take the horses to the creek. You’ll have to call Nainai later to ask her how to get it off. That’s if they’re in range for calls.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

I gazed back down at my arm, at the vambrace as Nate had called it. Solid and strong, attached to my hand. It must have been intended to be an ornament, to be put on display. I was sure I could find a way to get it off. I didn’t want to bother my grandparents while they were out being grey nomads. For the time being, I was sure it would be sturdy enough to handle a ride on a horse. I would worry about getting it off later. There was no way I was going to miss going for a swim.

----------------------------------------

A soft, warm breeze rustled through the scrubland and over my skin, the shade of the eucalyptus tree providing a reprieve from the fierce afternoon sun. I lay on my back with my right arm thrown over my forehead. My left hand with the red scorpion vambrace lay at my side. I breathed in deeply and sighed with content. About five meters down the dusty, dirt slope of tree roots and shrubs, in the wide creek, the excited shouts of Shane, Nate and Arina carried back up to me.

A horse’s hoof stomped on the ground a short distance away. I turned my head to check on them. They were grazing peacefully, their coats drying after being in the water too. They needed a rest. It had taken an hour to make our way through the brown and dry scenery, the temperature still too high for the usually abundant wildlife. Only the noisy cicadas accompanied our party who, apparently, were never phased by how hot the scrubland could get.

“Are you going to come back in?” Nate called.

The sudden question jolted me from my thoughts. He came running up the slope to where I was lying on a towel and squatted down, sprinkling cold droplets onto my skin.

“Oi,” I cried, feigning disgust. “Watch it!”

Nate chuckled, revealing his two dimples. He pushed his wet, sandy-coloured hair off his face. His green eyes were twinkling with mischief, and he flicked his fingers sending more droplets of water over my face. I glared and wiped the cold water off my skin.

“You need to keep me company,” he stated, sitting down beside me. He tucked his legs up and rested his arms on his knees.

“Why?” I asked, catching the light frown on his forehead. I pushed myself up on my elbows and followed his gaze back down to the water.

“Those two,” he said, pointing his fingers towards Shane and Arina who were still swimming and splashing water at each other. He looked back at me. “Starting to feel like a third wheel, that’s all.”

“I know,” I said, nodding in agreement. “They’ve been inseparable since Arina got here.”

He reached over my legs and grabbed my water bottle lying on the ground. He took a big gulp and then, as an afterthought, offered it to me.

I shook my head and instead, sat up and reached for my backpack. I pulled a tube of sunscreen out.

Nate didn’t say anything else. He swatted at a fly, placed the water bottle down and leaned back on his hands. An instant later, he sat forward and grabbed his own backpack retrieving his phone from its depths. I looked away, but from the corner of my eye, I saw him scroll through his messages. He sighed and dropped his phone back into his bag.

“Everything okay?” I asked, rubbing lotion into my arms but making sure none of the cream got into the intricate stone work of the vambrace.

Nate scowled. “No.”

I watched him closely. “You’ve been off since you got here. Girl trouble?”

Nate scoffed, his gaze still on the creek. “Yeah, she dumped me.”

“What, you Nate? How could she?” I gasped. “Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll be another one before you know it. There always is.”

He didn’t respond, his forehead now set in a deep frown.

I swallowed, suddenly uncertain. I had never seen Nate this pensive before, especially over a girl.

“Well, you never know,” I said, “she might have sent you a message online and we’re too far out for you to get it yet.”

“Hmm, maybe.”

The silence dragged and then, Nate glanced down at my hand.

“Still can’t get it off?”

I looked as well and shook my head. “It’s well and truly stuck.”

He leaned over and took my arm into his hold.

“It’s so cool of your grandparents to let us all hang out here this close to Christmas,” he said as he twisted and pressed different parts. He examined the clip closely and tried pressing and pulling it, to no avail.

“Yeah, snakes and all,” I responded with a chuckle.

Laughter reached our ears, and we both looked up at Shane and Arina climbing out of the waterhole. They headed towards a rope hanging from one of the trees, its branches overhanging the water and making it an ideal place to swing and jump.

“I love coming here. It’s one of my favourite places in the whole world. It’s great to get out of Brisbane sometimes, you know? Get out on the horses. I’m surprised Shane hasn’t brought you here before.”

“You could have offered as well, you know,” Nate said, still fixated on the vambrace. “I’m too much of a city kid. I would get lost.”

I paused. “Well, now I know you like it so much,” I said, “just ask. Even if my grandparents aren’t being grey nomads and are at home, they won’t care.” He looked up at me and I cast him a friendly smile. He nodded and his upper lip twitched upwards. I took it as appreciation, but I would have much preferred to see him smile again.

A squeal came from Arina, and we both turned our heads back towards the water’s edge.

“Well, that’s a strategic place to put your hand, isn’t it?” Nate snorted.

I spied my brother’s arm resting protectively on Arina’s waist as she struggled to get a strong grip on the rope. Arina had only arrived at my grandparents’ two days ago. Shane had never shown any interest in her before, and I wondered what had changed. Without looking at Nate, I said, “I thought he would still be more interested in the older uni girls.”

“Well, Arina is a uni girl now,” he stated. “And so are you.”

“Don’t remind me,” I sighed.

“Not enjoying it?” he asked. His head lifted and met my gaze.

“No, I love it.” I shrugged. “It’s just daunting, you know. I’ve still got another six years to go before I become a completely qualified vet.”

Another squeal drew our attention back to the water to see Shane flying through the air. He let go of the rope and his body flew out horizontally before he twisted and moved his feet downwards. Water splashed in all directions as he landed. I gazed over my shoulders at our horses, but they continued to graze completely unperturbed by the noise.

I looked back down to my wrist. “Might have to get the pliers out when we get home.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” Nate said. “I think your grandmother would be most upset if it got ruined. She’ll know how to take it off.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t really break it. I’ll give her a call later.”

Satisfied, Nate let go of my wrist. “Good. It really is impressive.” He clapped his hands together. “Well, I’m going for one more swim. We’re probably going to have to head off soon. Have you seen the sky?”

I shook my head.

He pointed to behind us, and I twisted to look.

Out along the horizon, over the mountains in the west, dark, bulbous clouds were starting to form. As if on cue, a distant rumble of thunder reached my ears. It was a long way off, but summer storms could be brutal, and no one would want to get caught in one in the middle of the scrub.

Another scream came from the waterhole, and I startled back to the scene before me. Arina had finally plucked up enough courage and was in the process of swinging out over the water.

“Jump!” Shane shouted.

Arina let go of the rope and her excited scream came loud and strong. She hit the water awkwardly, but after a couple of seconds, she came up and started to laugh.

The clouds behind me rumbled in the distance again. If I was going to go for a swim, it would have to be now.

“You coming?” I asked, jumping to my feet.

“Yep,” Nate said, looking up.

“I’ll race you!” Before he could answer, I darted off down the embankment.