Third Road Incident This Month780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUgg0afKET
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.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwW9dwuifPE
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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.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsW3FbaqFcj
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.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJDy3qpG2p
'I'm bored, Bran.'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgCMHZslHn
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNptlElVZY
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjq11XjRSw
'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.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72j6Mun2Uk
'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.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBGxjx9uk9
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDqyJSJ1OT
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2X1Uw5ynxm
'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?'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0J4zwDXVfW
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.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTExUJktZR3
'Crap, did you break anything?'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3LroNkTdk
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlIdq1h5D6
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98fw3muwDp
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?780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlitYgiBH7
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?780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6ZyiTjGXf
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51KjH3zbh5
I sprint over, and -780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7yvATR6QQ
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-4.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9IxTZ3YRd
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrIyXnE0Ca
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjECwzkM9e
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.'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXTqN53T59
'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!'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBbDzVAM4Z
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rTIOlimXd
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡighYr2QJBb
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZezr4kQ8G
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDnvYXStT5
'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.'780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70JXEFKAHZ
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7u6vymfDsj
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01OgbJOQ7K
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBf9R0dTps1
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTtkhM0IE9
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Llfy7QLvy
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.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3a3FyV0QmX
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.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOGT69ClOx
'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.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHatziKbZ4
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFp86oHxSMc
The world spins.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtxOX9er1p
The screeching of tires.780Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGeEcl6nJz
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