Third Road Incident This Month666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLSXJOdtog
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.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZJx6qvguj
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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.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMIXVjk5Hi
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.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhab3xKc0eh
'I'm bored, Bran.'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0elyUS3wgP
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhuoWq5Vzo
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlZekEzd4y
'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.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYDmVTtoln
'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.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZ38ZXSF0T
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRviiJciEb
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHUO81L8yK
'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?'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQYOhqMaNN
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.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGr8fdbHDi
'Crap, did you break anything?'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpaiNVOxJA7
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWLSCLeV8i
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipwPFsbnoN
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?666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1mgLzMBfL
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?666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0txAx3tZi
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRrW4L10tx
I sprint over, and -666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ339neAZKKI
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-4.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUElmx0FO5w
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NN58fWRjQ
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5ZAEsagSz
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.'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzSjJisR5J
'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!'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrzg4NmUc8
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4P7IJEbu9
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9em4MJ3sIc
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm76YOH7KFX
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gLazhnLIt
'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.'666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQ5bDbql7c
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4hBOoyKrj
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORi5ES4PZ6
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGWuFrtXwN
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtpQbhmKiC
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4XfOdlPQn
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.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLKwkYbY9V
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.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ97bexmxPq
'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.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0FFoV1RT6
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpqmO7DhBi
The world spins.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPUsLQYsOP
The screeching of tires.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApLuL27JNt
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