Diane had spent much of her time hunting down antique shops since we had arrived in England. In the four years I’ve known my wife, she has always collected strange bits and pieces from all over the place. She wasn’t about to stop simply because we were on vacation. “So what did you get this time?” I asked her.
“Have a look,” she said with a smile.
I opened her bag and took out several small metal animal figures and an odd-looking bracelet. I picked up the bracelet and tried to make sense of the carvings on the side of it. “What is it?”
She shrugged. “I don’t have a clue. It got me so intrigued, I had to buy it.”
The bracelet was two half-circles of what looked like brass, hinged at one end. There was no catch to hold the bracelet in place, and there was no indication that there had ever been one. “How’s it supposed to stay on?”
Diane leaned over and took the bracelet. “Don’t know. When we get back home I’m really going to have a fun time finding out all about it’s history.” She placed the bracelet around her wrist and held it closed.
I’ll always remember what happened next. The bracelet began to glow a bright blue. Diane jerked her hand back in surprise, but the bracelet stayed on her wrist. She turned to me. “David! What’s happening?”