The creek seduced us with its inviting rock pool, while cicadas deafened us, screeching from the eucalypts. Water levels were low, because, besides a few storms, we hadn't had proper rain in months. The country to the south was burning, for over a thousand kilometres, all the way down Australia's south-east coast, the forests of the Great Divide combusting in an apocalyptic hellscape. Scary times.
Fortunately the bush north of home was unburnt, where Gabriela and I frolicked and splashed in the cool waterhole. We'd met at a mutual friend's New Year's party several days previously, where she'd held everyone's attention, telling us about her home country of Brazil, and later she introduced me to sexy Brazilian Zouk dancing. Naturally I offered to show her around my neck of the woods.
"This place is magic," she said, floating on her back.
"My favourite secret waterhole," I replied, relaxing in the plunge pool under the not-so raging waterfall, reduced to an unprecedented low trickle over my head. "Just watch out for giant eels."
She rolled, cocking her head just above the water's surface and smiled. "You boys always overestimating the size of your eels."
"Eels in this this pool are big, fat ones."
"Really?"
"Yep, and they're hungry. They especially like beautiful South American girls."
She swam closer, through the deeper water of the plunge pool. "He'll find more meat on you than me."
"They generally nibble your feet first." I reached out and grasped her toe.
She thrashed swiftly, kicking my hand away, squealing, and when I laughed she frowned, muttering something like, "Seu desgraΓ§ado."
I grinned. "That'll learn ya for entering the eel's territory."
That's when Gabriela tried to drown me, pushing me underwater. I flailed, grabbing at her, and my feet found the slimy, leafy bottom, and I pushed up towards the light, broaching the surface. She swam away, giggling, but I took hold of her foot, pulling her back.