Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaKY7w37b4
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.
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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.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiIe9tCZnG
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.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9uuDCvlJI
'I'm bored, Bran.'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDC54uZOzs
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAAmOD1Y0U
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqf1jBpmDOR
'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.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZkERC5KnR
'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.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcZmOXXSzV
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5k6Sfra2p
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJQmxzsrOs
'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?'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPS0WmkhRB6
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.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWQxzG1wiw
'Crap, did you break anything?'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJ7wCOLjZV
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBCqlDzisA
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVIT3W18G3
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?688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDqeR5rG34M
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?688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jg1KmCiCO
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuLrqnviKO
I sprint over, and -688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JiwaTWKR8
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-4.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRFv9DFA5v
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yTEmEkS9V
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0N0QkOOjZ
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.'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNyzBmtM9Z
'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!'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmRTUnU35F
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8WyP2MLm2
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzM25B2Ojk
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQ5M3HE2AD
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHyTf5p4ei
'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.'688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKqcmTIivu
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4DRwnEcc6
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4w77WkhMrc
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nsv5intRQ
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbFliDVGWK
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJESj6SdGao
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.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gd69EujZz
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.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoAr3gTc6J
'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.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYWOZ6Rg6i
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8qko6MMJ6
The world spins.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtVXTUWmGI
The screeching of tires.
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