Third Road Incident This Month663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFjo52S65q
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.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzhJbTyh2u
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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.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TPlw34LEp
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.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLr9CMngWM
'I'm bored, Bran.'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWOwoYo5ut
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvu0lndAcC
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsSHUcZ5L4
'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.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmaH0wtkgC
'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.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoi0y5f6c3B
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBM50biTB1
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4VZkhllWB
'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?'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9e7l5QTwyH
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.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDx9HK7rqV
'Crap, did you break anything?'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyBgOlBv99
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9ZIJxCLIL
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICTBQ92aPw
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?663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdlWBr0dIo
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?663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnyi1BsNxZ
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoiXHGFcyJ
I sprint over, and -663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWHQFUPKvZ
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-4.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UdOQxW3mo
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3h37JhWeLk
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKQKs1Sien
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.'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8sh66Y2cU
'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!'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTbhGHdV6D
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLaCMOxEBx
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rYuBI9Pgs
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfNgmoKFdC
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsiZhdyTZxe
'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.'663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2zcRusuPF
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjE9zjRFiby
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIBqMqdiFB
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87t3kRdgp9
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfgLDAoj8W
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjeBuINCCg
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.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuFvfPGdbh
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.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQC0fqCEzr7
'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.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJvDOg7R28
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTAIBJAfPg
The world spins.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPWzJo7hA3
The screeching of tires.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbrKamHvNB
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