Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ie7KMEgSY
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpggBDe3CtR
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCja1k06CQY
'I'm bored, Bran.'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhneBEG3aY0
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmnrgxItyP
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaThwhYyO36
'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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdEtoxi8Fk
'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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAy94GzFUxB
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLP6eNl8Pvq
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sHIsIQY6E
'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?'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lVSBRJjtv
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLgtntwof1
'Crap, did you break anything?'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTpdTKZey9
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3qD9NHx2u
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmj6CGm9s5I
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?597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6ivnFkgZv
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?597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhSW4uP8z4
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcZ4Bz155U
I sprint over, and -597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOY9l10bkyh
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-4.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWD2Qcalvig
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeS29w8SdZx
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58R71uLkDy
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.'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5kzUQ24Kx
'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!'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemik6ycSs9
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjXBcYNyQG
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmz8iJikU1u
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ42zpW7YMM
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSlD9wN7Oq
'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.'597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDuiaaOikg
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafUgq3kN9l
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJStiSwVOOr
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdE08hI0onW
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqVQWkFY2w
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHErNZx71V
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmaDonYsu7
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVq8Cv3w9c
'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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgJILT7yzp
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDa03IPvPK
The world spins.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJytbdi8G9D
The screeching of tires.
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