Third Road Incident This Month628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTxADkuAWT
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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmFIzdGrV7
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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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfvFLTWd7u
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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7bcxFDGj6
'I'm bored, Bran.'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyjo0tI1o7
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmW9IuxRF5
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDe0zkIZ2F
'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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXClaWCvpN
'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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX77gbbxLYy
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAdkcHnhjq
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokewPd5SCN
'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?'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXqMLyqIz5
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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSqfbFrLkW
'Crap, did you break anything?'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2i6e7HsLDd
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAt2NSq8iCK
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxHY9KFTHd
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?628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSVuFok9Jy
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?628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdnBI2IbEp
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoU8dZAP1i
I sprint over, and -628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnA2K9llL9z
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-4.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmseun3cjFl
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCbjmdlqWJ
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEl8hn4b0yQ
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.'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFiCFey8di
'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!'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDd3g1WVGr
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45Ki0TzcIS
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITgixXFfcH
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlLw9ToRf7
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9l6cUN72G
'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.'628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzlfZBM3QU
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDjOo2qR8Z
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZJncxNgQX
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7Ou4Bk2tI
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUqzsyWzf7
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbUmG1OESy
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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9hOsQqObc
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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKHN6dV6bX
'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.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTjPo50WCU
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPT9HKaHgoK
The world spins.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlH7rlAOE51
The screeching of tires.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlNiJfTZeg
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