Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMP2qG3xP9z
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.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh58HNOp3sW
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.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGTXB0kp0W
'I'm bored, Bran.'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFLMEzBUdx
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFDYidclge
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjtXEYrewh
'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.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tSBDy8Ira
'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.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVtAamPpbz
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvqqzLD4kr
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkO7JT4kUQ6
'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?'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiA6txqfFF5
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.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGu2YoeLMI
'Crap, did you break anything?'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRm0xxlcL48
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmg3i1WMKq
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEiNt3r91y
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?581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWyybolHqz
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?581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6CydHwe5z
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNioIzp8np
I sprint over, and -581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAU46AKPxp
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-4.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5muOZdHz8
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cwviLqx23
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQvfu1aPhP
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.'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSCsWAMUfe
'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!'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhuhZLTjtn
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFheJLueob6
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1akivt9b7O
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWyawN5bmu
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXC6gb1eWq
'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.'581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTphq00HzJ
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIvqRPnuUU
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSI490g0P5p
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOjPWEVvkU
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡts2e2RGEaa
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LNlPKP8pv
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.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiupiduMIK2
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.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANdJHtUQ3k
'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.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCrtZJDqMk
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07EzCPXyTD
The world spins.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsvQBWUUvZ
The screeching of tires.
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