Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6klWg4fPQ
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.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJGbUaOEHN
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.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡww9Yjglo2h
'I'm bored, Bran.'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7b7tagUM00
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtRFxLeo8B
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnUM9LSpXB
'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.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQ6A1Un12T
'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.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8uq4Ki9R9
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLRkbYXp8x
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbt8jU6wP5g
'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?'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jhEbJG2MA
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.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdi4XK4yjzC
'Crap, did you break anything?'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBIbrcpyP8
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0V20EA5kUA
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqryOrzipGt
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?632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlikYzqgcpR
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?632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwczOGdcCQa
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrZ4HKDUw9
I sprint over, and -632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXE4D8kfgr
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-4.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHctTpeMGrN
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDWeDJWmle
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFr3uZEDBX
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.'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpKXIwcIOe
'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!'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjXvuoO9xB
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VasM48fLq
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWmVEuyY19
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8oIfmFVms
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKy0BCWvYqm
'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.'632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36K3vDV5Ts
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgW9YXy0JdU
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeoVdGcdYb
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuK9R8UVqQe
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegMXErKHdl
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJQYwO51Q4
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.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHU6y7FVzN
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.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonCcvwOqDY
'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.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSUlI4bgkN
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZoLgigNLWd
The world spins.632Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFFsEpGgCF
The screeching of tires.
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