Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXSTx1QkKU
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.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQ8LoGlwd1
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.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbSM1H7VRA
'I'm bored, Bran.'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgqNrgv4SC
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZ2nnEMpRQ
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsBHc9OwPK
'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.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsL4vgTa5I
'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.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjVCA2h5GM
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFMVpf7sYf
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ilBubczeL
'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?'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xXs3VyFqU
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.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8zNbF5Wvn
'Crap, did you break anything?'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cxCUBL9Lb
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBktFAkzKf
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPP1FrlodU
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?752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXa9YhJMJT
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?752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtPZ1aIpkL
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzTTjalbBl
I sprint over, and -752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbLtI3WbCM
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-4.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEEwS7JJ78
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7yBHQkRnw
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FIp0qDDXZ
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.'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSO9adEDh9
'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!'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gGJsXwXIM
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1dFKotqg8
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOsuMihnNz
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcMsAdB8Rc
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJUfuq9n0e
'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.'752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFYfsUwLks
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06AyDRvWI0
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUflPA6Aqlo
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66CVZM5ecC
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbToQoWtvf
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPIIhUKEzi
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.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvo0kXTAA2u
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.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLJpF2AQji
'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.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwYVP7oPtn
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51BeD707uJ
The world spins.752Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDprE8kjncB
The screeching of tires.
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