Third Road Incident This Month778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOwVmz2PmQ
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.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvoDWZgbOK
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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.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbxb9g1BL6
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.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFUNYzRrce
'I'm bored, Bran.'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwtCEGh2oW
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbx7fStmThx
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWqThIVyx3
'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.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRttwS2RVuX
'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.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmSJABssUs
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GnLfRl8Ry
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCq62KrDrdP
'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?'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX05XcTmlCO
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.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuVGuEvK5V
'Crap, did you break anything?'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2M5Afutoh
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3tsi35x4a
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWj06Fs3vL
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?778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzjJrfqJ25
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?778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOF9Pyqswgd
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGFibucD5X
I sprint over, and -778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUjED7EJ8L
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-4.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0O4Cxu3bq9
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXl0BJwp2K
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzzEbTLxB0
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.'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKm5EoMonKy
'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!'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcixjChkWe1
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARSpeY4LY0
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHv9qn8uATA
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtFnzUkfmA
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcONqGQJ2N
'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.'778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBPHriC7fO
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6zEuATl9o
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9MytuslAj
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzpykzFJto
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5tArIQOtX
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GPczTU6xC
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.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPeWeSnyYR
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.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAABVU0SOTN
'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.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMEy4DwbtY
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXZDHwbGeb
The world spins.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26GbXEa1Tr
The screeching of tires.778Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWTCgyxUwL
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