Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
491Please respect copyright.PENANAAJnnFRH02w
Third Road Incident This Month491Please respect copyright.PENANActVZmd37Nz
The busy streets of Maytown have claimed their third life last Sunday. A 17 year old boy (who has been requested by his family to not be identified) was run over while crossing Hampton St. The driver of the vehicle stated that it was like the boy 'simply appeared from nowhere'. Pedestrians are encouraged to cross streets with the utmost of care.
-
First Sunday of the summer holidays. Down at the old dirt track in the forest, with that age old mindset of the world being ours, jumping on bikes like we'd never fall.491Please respect copyright.PENANA9amErLRePH
I had to bring Charlotte along too - had to look after her, my parents said, but they should know that I wouldn't give a damn about what she did or didn't want to do.491Please respect copyright.PENANAWhhCKUroAB
'I'm bored, Bran.'491Please respect copyright.PENANAEbN1SOV6OA
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.491Please respect copyright.PENANAM4VQ88u6NS
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.491Please respect copyright.PENANA8NCnDJBlNF
'Oy, Brandon, watch this sick flip.' Jake flashes a smile, jumps the bike over a large rock, turning clockwise in a full revolution while airborne.491Please respect copyright.PENANAYtoe2JBkDx
'Yeah?' I start grinding the pedals of my RX towards the lift in the road. Propelled into the air, I take my hands of the bike - clap once, clap twice, oh shit - I land it just in time, absorbing the shock of the ground with a forward lean at the last second.491Please respect copyright.PENANA1c6uqkeotl
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.491Please respect copyright.PENANAvOtpQ8aYjS
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'491Please respect copyright.PENANAU0P7uPquQG
'I told you to shut up!' I take the jump again with 4 claps, and pump my fists at Liam and Jake. 'Who's the man?'491Please respect copyright.PENANAx3INb35ZzV
Jake sneers playfully, and goes down the track a bit to build speed - when he's in the air, he gets one, two, three, four, five, six - shit! He hits the ground with an elegant thud, and, swearing loudly (with some admonishments from Charlotte), we rush over to him.491Please respect copyright.PENANARpf5uO96cZ
'Crap, did you break anything?'491Please respect copyright.PENANAo3LRt27vip
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'491Please respect copyright.PENANAmcF9mFyTNx
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'491Please respect copyright.PENANACLZkiK7hFQ
She let out a 'hmmph' noise in response. I sigh. 'Just sit down here. Liam 'n' I will see if we can find it. It won't be far.' Even as I speak the words, confusion begins to pass over our faces - how did we not see the bike?491Please respect copyright.PENANAVdIZsqU9nd
Jake settles down on the track and inspects his injuries as Liam and I trek a little bit into the trees. Where could it have gone?491Please respect copyright.PENANAFFXxiufuPO
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'491Please respect copyright.PENANA4Kp0KQwrA0
I sprint over, and -491Please respect copyright.PENANADOdlLySqrT
A bike, in the middle of a tree trunk, rusted and bent, frozen in the clutches of the tree. 'Holy shit.' I grab a stick to scrape off the rust. Just visible, almost entirely worn away, is the engraving RX-4.491Please respect copyright.PENANAB8uHwSSbQt
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.491Please respect copyright.PENANAfA7XV7JngZ
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.491Please respect copyright.PENANA99XWT1yKcQ
Liam is the first to speak. 'We couldn't find it.' I give him a quick glance of surprise. He swallows. 'I dunno where it's gone.'491Please respect copyright.PENANAWHD1HzqUHO
'Whaaaat? That's my frigging bike!' Jake attempts to stand in shock but collapses on his still unstable legs. 'It can't just have disappeared!'491Please respect copyright.PENANAPMeteBuVoa
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'491Please respect copyright.PENANA8fP8zsNxnL
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'491Please respect copyright.PENANAklZqxjW7UZ
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'491Please respect copyright.PENANAf08i46v1am
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'491Please respect copyright.PENANAjqgR7AcjDi
'I don't give a bloody damn!' He stumbled off into the trees. 'I'm going to find what's mine, you find what's yours.'491Please respect copyright.PENANAqddJagbgFj
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.491Please respect copyright.PENANAASFpoVPlsI
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.491Please respect copyright.PENANAbiIiOUPzNs
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.491Please respect copyright.PENANAMfeVpQGaph
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.491Please respect copyright.PENANAAfP7PdcWSf
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.491Please respect copyright.PENANAPehyW7s4nw
I don't know. I really don't. 'They'll be fine.' He heads into his house, and, calmer now, I cycle slowly back home.491Please respect copyright.PENANAJgF9RzWygO
From across the street, I can see Charlotte sitting on the front porch. How did she get back so fast? It doesn't matter - at least mom isn't going to kill me now. I get off my bike and wait on the curb.491Please respect copyright.PENANAxzaaRp3UjC
'Charlotte! Why the fuck did you go?' She doesn't answer. 'CHARLOTTE!' Bloody hell. Hopeless girl. She'd better be ready for another beating after the next car passes.491Please respect copyright.PENANAN6k9nrJ3sc
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 491Please respect copyright.PENANAIbSyvPlXcd
The world spins.491Please respect copyright.PENANAgWGJtlukpY
The screeching of tires.
-
ns 172.70.178.140da2