Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxgJqrzYdn
Third Road Incident This Month731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF45QzvzG5I
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.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwVDBPs6zu
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.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8e9ajRqlGA
'I'm bored, Bran.'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfZPm3Lvcy
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVq2edB5zF
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnClrUy3j2
'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.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSS2IRNXeB
'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.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqWE9hIWC0
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJ8KtTjQOA
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIAFrEyL4m
'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?'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfsdPYlx6g
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.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡniFonuGSOD
'Crap, did you break anything?'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1RDVAojzQ
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEafGU9sRt9
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcghk8cYlK
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?731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP49Wz96e3O
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?731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuc1WKmAGJ
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLlD5UtHhr
I sprint over, and -731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozhvbX905C
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-4.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbLipjNLBa
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CLuzCcSvI
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3TBxg1bHm
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.'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6X7bvhuuF3
'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!'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBurU9ykHT
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hho2S4D5Q
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0hMWLqpoJ
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjA6LjWQquj
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYjaAQ4XeN
'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.'731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFYEnjRP9d
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvEwm33mhk
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKGTw0uZkg
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvsleQC9nm
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDq5WaiqKOX
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3H0nWO4Vs
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.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGxT7SQhIq
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.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfmb1X8UgR
'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.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZttvhAhsK
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7PFhmddFF
The world spins.731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSwqeIxpzL
The screeching of tires.
-
ns216.73.216.176da2
