Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHEyc8LBIc
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.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQ7RxalD2P
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.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcRgt38LxX
'I'm bored, Bran.'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2b74XXXy6
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsC2FwSBUO
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVdrlhpIvd
'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.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYlZP4Y6lf
'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.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1xbjKms4I
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYt65o2iAHY
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPfra2WDBs
'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?'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMSTR3klvk
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.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUI0FaDyGSb
'Crap, did you break anything?'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlc0ebo879z
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNl0Mv1pmnT
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qokiKhiGl
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?691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsK4u9W6hP
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?691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEXg8Lb9H3
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Rk1EpZ57N
I sprint over, and -691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPg3R4jhTV
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-4.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldk79URBU6
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkBTjNqW0n
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04bcihcV2K
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.'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGd2EIunk7x
'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!'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOokaej2OQ
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aSejGe2ST
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDTD95Q14X
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFRx6HXz6W
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3E8AzhCCkM
'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.'691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UOSjkLCsy
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FawwnMK8p
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14rVeHrJI0
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwzHynQjgX
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSEnZVhE790
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRkPBpueGI
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.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXwMGRVc0I
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.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7bZQ7hKjD
'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.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RdydFsHZt
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXNnj6RWEW
The world spins.691Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyzy7MWz2d
The screeching of tires.
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