Third Road Incident This Month667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFB0hcDlzK
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.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcj13O9MkWo
-
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.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFPcgP6Vff
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.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQQHeQZrJE
'I'm bored, Bran.'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOwwguyS15
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllfsuu3HhX
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRbx6kY7SG
'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.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9i9tF2k18k
'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.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KNApE0t3J
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllxDnwTcmp
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNPQi8q2Aa
'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?'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeICfGJC5Y
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.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxU4nLHlbIY
'Crap, did you break anything?'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BNv2ATY9w
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHoP6T7yvl
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uqziGGIj9
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?667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptbGf5Az5A
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?667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVKadQXMlh
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSehGH9nza
I sprint over, and -667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88MLyYjP9H
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-4.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKydkBQHLT
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tojQrapGu
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVqlppDbSA
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.'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOwu8lPKP8
'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!'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttelXt8ZQs
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YQHnt4g4P
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWBeq7XFzc
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMu1ay1ROy
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcP1BFC4Di
'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.'667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7niQAklYZh
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtstdwHysx
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXaTzTxsBl
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BUXxIEa9F
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRCsKjsHxW
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECiUpqVLMp
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.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmNLW3kjrt
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.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4v0NpBrMbQ
'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.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PdCxzVfCf
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRCJEXaT2F
The world spins.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhorSvC2Vd
The screeching of tires.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGsIHpLQ60
-667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJ3uBVEKSP
