Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYfaBlx5tT
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.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1Qhe5we5N
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.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0zHuLsaaL
'I'm bored, Bran.'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh232c3KJ6Q
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlE5JaRvGu
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFu6iqm952
'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.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡok8OQfxctY
'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.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDt4uAHdn0
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1keRmhckgY
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3cC0dSfMM
'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?'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtHNE8zZLE
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.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYPyKMpE2g
'Crap, did you break anything?'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9u4tfeihs8
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPTtP3Noth
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdBRTrpqX4
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?720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhiv79teLj7
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?720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXGdlSVTmg
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7OBKR7XF5
I sprint over, and -720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZj4HOZAvXq
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-4.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlXnGs7o1N
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNzTgUaFFP
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCObGiPiei
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.'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr76rnFdtTt
'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!'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAhsvF08v7
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU15FlIyICM
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lFMSuYfsw
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKO3YVDtwSx
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuFiiFcCOH
'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.'720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡia6SqH1zXJ
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9L0RWcfZev
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GJXgAvsni
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEvFJrp0ly
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3RtTXVl13
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdLdsz79Wo
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.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgQmGLVTAd
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.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVYXhtOjtx
'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.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrBTjiKhbk
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObBdetKR9P
The world spins.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUlW3G74wt
The screeching of tires.
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