Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIenCwGNnD
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.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRWyViDi4A
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.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtbQ5O8z7S
'I'm bored, Bran.'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvnUEF19rL
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunvYi43KfW
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZQ0hE3wQ8
'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.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq41o5YiaNr
'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.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuKaYAze7J
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaymxuzO8xg
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRp9I74TB1
'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?'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzEXfuqkst
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.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7dIyekDAV
'Crap, did you break anything?'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8n8t5gRZkG
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk09DTrb9el
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmhVX3pdEy
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?704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSjUBhIbQr
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?704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTnsmXnStc
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1lhywlfjA
I sprint over, and -704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMMI06KiNQ
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-4.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29FNwBUEfr
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GMsaztG0c
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJRYIXyTnF
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.'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAB73M1zWXT
'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!'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaK8YG2rHOe
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3gjelQGRr
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVGDJnuUk0
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9APYRTylQ
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNo2XFCVrI
'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.'704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuyENDVNT1
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUDpeNggcK
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnowgt1gaw
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVDzlnjzYw
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeMmQtUkB1
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoFj3a9jEv
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.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1ppMQT87D
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.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoYhOqhdnR
'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.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTzh5AAYsR
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQEsMY7Qh1
The world spins.704Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8V7kI0QiYi
The screeching of tires.
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