Third Road Incident This Month601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1DGhxcyMA
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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyI5eggDRh
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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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXENTLowYdh
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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo9K2g16DiP
'I'm bored, Bran.'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuM9GD2eZu
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPy1jRsePA
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwagoS6Ym7
'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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyt1iRDLTHs
'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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEVCKpmVJj
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUU7S77Iju
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYnAI3Zmwa
'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?'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2JjLsWVm6
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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyP35tJObb
'Crap, did you break anything?'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHdS2fX6JD
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqYs35pgxv
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3ujfUXZz7
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?601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCqJlZyNXY
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?601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDm2MOUkEpp
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkfZ349rtk
I sprint over, and -601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoY1bV9wFgn
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-4.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdjNcopCMJ
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmGQWlQDpF
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7UxgXIp7c
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.'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuisCbtBqO
'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!'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRJAhgipHl
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkWPOQQYuE
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXY3tMGZ1W
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9nNWb9QEY
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw77JonDQyw
'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.'601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JdHnRoQ3I
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBuz8fcG9EV
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRaoPJbOygT
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsC23kiOik
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXOy3XuIws
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92Ct18xjmZ
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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XgDvsw9No
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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ExYLP5Q9T
'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.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6Cd8TntPc
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnKm7foiOv
The world spins.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemmdoMLCIG
The screeching of tires.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdKHtblpMR
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