Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjs8vQEPS3S
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqvMo15s5w
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QpC8LHUFe
'I'm bored, Bran.'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rdiTLxP0b
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyQpHBuqsN
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArIw0NxtFR
'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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvT6HS4r61J
'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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkrSsSfDtA
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCt3RCpWnE
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiNYdfgbEr
'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?'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTSnNkFPjd
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1iiOf5Gx2
'Crap, did you break anything?'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZG6WFzK95C
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkjviLCGzd
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJxK7LuL6H
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?719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiv48WQh9YW
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?719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOp0FoJlAP
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OAF02V3WA
I sprint over, and -719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6A79fNTAe
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-4.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1wd7aReh2
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPP9mOOrBjo
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv03g9Ixpra
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.'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9F94Yg5uy
'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!'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uxg71ekKL
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvlT0dYaBa
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdv84LOIsBA
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfckOFuBta1
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzaiSBRQLS
'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.'719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjarz7PkXk
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPBTQPHJ5G
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5yyAT18jvy
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHO9ObvfJa
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIuBkz5Jxq
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1H6UVWBsjs
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqBIKZRreo
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiwgL9GYLH
'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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbPwdZo7Lv
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSK0OiXtz6
The world spins.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcMWj3TBsf
The screeching of tires.
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