Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3qZn5T2Vn
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.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgzJuzpYlJ
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.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxk3NC7MXyW
'I'm bored, Bran.'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjPPRSSqK6
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojuoF4llQV
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatVU0He00e
'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.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGpfA51n6c
'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.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxnsONUuJK
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUm93Mt1OZi
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTh1S8wGU9f
'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?'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCJdghPxOE
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.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3du7Xloe7k
'Crap, did you break anything?'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJTeEKq4ht
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Uq5KAZr30
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66gvnt2GxC
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?657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImKL3GMmXX
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?657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxqpqrgdBL
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTEBqj10w7
I sprint over, and -657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTYg5TzqCM
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-4.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwneHeUa4Tk
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfhiliTxY6
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlwFaMH6hM
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.'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JqTWZBMph
'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!'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWcLweqAmm
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjsNLWQC7L
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTriBJ6lAX
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvWDz9tEKn
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0gVE0IVRI
'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.'657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Nz64yEezC
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CgpPQuZxX
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpc5QnTdwRG
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2cTLOmhd1
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCrksGDrKo
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvWKUTLKxN
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.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFt3LltUfTt
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.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwqLXyKo3r
'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.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzj2LWaAyTq
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKY2Drxsfbv
The world spins.657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktVTUevUdi
The screeching of tires.
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