Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9PW6u9x7S
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.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuxfbyaDMb
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.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuW0JWJZcj
'I'm bored, Bran.'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMZ1XsMlv8
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkIXtoYpbr
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhp7MnnyNMV
'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.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TbAL2MGgk
'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.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStUskqngER
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOfxxcTI7l
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65eVhPh2uR
'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?'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMPdJ2YtBE
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.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVssW4yoSi
'Crap, did you break anything?'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOYFzhhPOZ
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFSZo207Di
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EryVtsTfZ
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?744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJnQIySEJe
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?744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhXAbU0y54
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMo8KAGrOks
I sprint over, and -744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RQ6rzAJHa
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-4.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRH4wy89ZP
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAisWZgemT
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0E2kltv8Q0
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.'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9X3tw28fa
'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!'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrFPtgceg1
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhqjzI0s9x
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktunW3cO4J
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGZ1FD8i2F
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxg4P4TCUF
'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.'744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTFqM5L9tA
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8VFwGewgi
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGP9PIWlDn
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbfEGbSuUj
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEgKQ7UzfA
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4XyfXixNU
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.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZu0TulnFT
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.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3irEA6kB56
'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.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0iWLd0YLU
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnbsxbXYOd
The world spins.744Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWYhU1uTJ9
The screeching of tires.
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