A Lace Armband

Your hand drifts over to a lace armband, and hold it up to the light. There's something nice about the simplicity of it, not for yourself of course, but it's still nice. While your eyes focus in on the strange material. It's strangely oily, yet when you run your finger across it it leaves no residue. The fabric feels almost liquid, and in spite of yourself slip it onto your arm to see how it fits.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/08/f8/b6/08f8b60411dcafa4af386c68cbc1bb19.jpg

A gasp interrupts your thoughts and with a start you look up to meet the gaze of the old lady once again. "Oh~ dear. You really shouldn't have put that on." She waltzes over to you and swats your hand still hanging useless in the air, then shuts the lid of the case tightly. "Didn't you ever think these were behind glass for a reason." Her hand goes to her hips and she shakes her head. "That one wasn't even meant for selling."

You hold your hands up defensively and shake your head. "S-sorry about that. I was just curious. Here, just take it. I didn't mean to mess with your things."

She chuckles mirthfully. "Silly thing. If you can give it back, I'll accept, but if you can't, you better have the money to pay."

A knot swells in your throat as your hand quickly goes to the little band wrapped around your forearm... Only, you don't feel any band anymore. You look at your arm with surprise. The lacy number is still there, and you reach for it again, only to have your hand brush right over it. All you feel is skin. You scratch at the edge of it, and once again, feel nothing but skin.

"Starting to get the idea now are you?" She chuckles again.

"It's stuck." You retort.

"No, it's a tattoo, which means you better have the money." She holds up a finger and eyes you intensely.

You stammer your response. "O-of course. how much?"

"56." She replies sharply.

"56... asses?"

"Aures." She eyes you intensely.

That's half a years wages! You realize as your blood runs cold. That's absurd, she has to be spiking the prices... If nothing else, surely you'll be able to negotiate some arrangement... Or maybe you should just run for it?