Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVL0XuWBiG
Third Road Incident This Month659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbSBW6qYXM
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.
-
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.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7m0gMxkJK
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.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qFOd0Gg3s
'I'm bored, Bran.'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMR1LdrHCqD
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZUVSWG02M
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FjSYYBgAd
'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.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZa6egAh9Bd
'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.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNQWGHNLbl
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTuoWQ5kGn
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgPebORrdy
'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?'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXITYgBAPSH
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.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWNfjNmOpM
'Crap, did you break anything?'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8tSezeBkO
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLaLghbWnz
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTfm3SGm5G
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?659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dfZ2mFbqb
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?659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUJB6WZAjb
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nYLuZ2d0g
I sprint over, and -659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBKF33awMH
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-4.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOaY6vNZg8B
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GTNXg6qz1
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmf1uRRs0Ow
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.'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzDKdrBelC
'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!'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTAJIwkH5l
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1A5hOECyv
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUntVqT2Ln
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCdGUz2ktH
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3hUC7kjQc
'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.'659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45j3b2M1Ys
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWreBsZoHhx
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4wwiJx7kx
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYpZ05srFC
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprtF94mbux
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWPFShmJR5
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.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIoDYuipen
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.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1nkZjj5Bk
'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.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t72ynjnqB
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbi7n7KdN4
The world spins.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2J1eMqxGG
The screeching of tires.
-
ns3.142.242.51da2
