Third Road Incident This Month664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBoY8gynMS2
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.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHptsn6tLZ
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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.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbUFG6uNvY
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.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsrW0Qjm0l
'I'm bored, Bran.'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSV49wkb80B
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxmbfV2wWF
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbwg67Ua61
'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.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMXaofszUW
'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.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZPHyEByCc
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKCoIlaziR
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuUiYXPXdk
'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?'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcm0jTVRrO
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.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wRolrVQC6
'Crap, did you break anything?'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfPOefcPhM
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGQcVD9rau
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtVDQnASXT
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?664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCeJaT5GL4x
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?664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobXYe9vOxL
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgifSIuXe4H
I sprint over, and -664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8611spCLwn
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-4.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyV5yKUbis
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkgB64TyWu
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LDVfAM5uS
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.'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpw0fzODRB2
'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!'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8nhJZm1CM
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFqtgrtW97
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAnziJL0cs
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2yu1V0AI9
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDGAupcJC9
'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.'664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMvBk8Vetf
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZGRXht9qT
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxE2RmRmmXa
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8PhYItLEN
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFB01zcKlHa
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvuuDeAkji
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.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2A6eEbn8V8
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.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6toafe5v4
'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.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhAVPB7seW
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjBhF6MK82
The world spins.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6c0K8OchAp
The screeching of tires.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NiyrG9pCc
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