Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GRphyO8xk
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.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkJGcUjhF1
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.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MwvIT53x7
'I'm bored, Bran.'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbqecbXq6U
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnHQpJ2OwP
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxwrpI49PB
'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.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAAZKQvJxM
'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.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0UrOUYWMu
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmzyfTg4K2
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5LhksQuv1
'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?'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bnQHrofLg
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.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqv7CPEXDQ
'Crap, did you break anything?'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcCEi1XRwNh
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7ooaymDkj
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbMkQ3HBwW
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?762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6gU1M0H4V
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?762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVq7RtotaQP
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeDlnBV0Hd
I sprint over, and -762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhd9xeG2d4
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-4.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LljODysYW
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BS4ZqVyC1
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOMO2Y8t5s
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.'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT70vDiOtVV
'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!'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEPlUOxtNo
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSDVF58ttS
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVq0uaN0rRy
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IIOeSKHu4
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUQCjRF4fj
'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.'762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgN5MI3tte
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppCnYv30ou
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tposPRrom
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyvQNVrL8T
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZ6F2hjXmE
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH61gPWqHQa
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.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLwZiLbuv1
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.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJm6slnVQeg
'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.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qQDIqNfVt
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1AwDiVwCc
The world spins.762Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡws5kKx3UW0
The screeching of tires.
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