Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkMK5bFjye
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.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yk7sXgaPM
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.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jklm5RdgZ
'I'm bored, Bran.'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkS2H3YSqC7
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVEbSklBsN
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbjqQDhIX9
'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.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dUCK2zX7n
'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.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqZoN0RXvM
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxyialtetv
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkXrSGNM1O
'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?'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeL2fUIe7ID
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.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfZzad023l
'Crap, did you break anything?'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3NzkrqCOb
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwm9vgi5Gxb
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsY0EGg6hen
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?559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnH9YQf97wY
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?559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gq7AKYrN3
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7diwkBtd4
I sprint over, and -559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunYhCMoOpv
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-4.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOKsOp2gIc
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDVvtf9Q7p
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSmGGJA489
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.'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdFb1qpfgl
'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!'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIK90wUkgL
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnS7lEUe7e
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbdnubEeIq
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsP04DpOhzb
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHphdiaR0zu
'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.'559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WgVuN5Umn
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2wAGWKIcR
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKO6QwZlkJN
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfeY7zmCMPO
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsc8y3RhsiB
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpSuDPDqAs
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.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF81tgCIwoo
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.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKDZPenEfu
'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.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBqqPI2xUX
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTXnOAIL7o
The world spins.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvUfvUjwIX
The screeching of tires.
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