Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
492Please respect copyright.PENANAZCIGg8s0lr
Third Road Incident This Month492Please respect copyright.PENANAS1O6NnTpWL
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.492Please respect copyright.PENANASl8ehE5umi
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.492Please respect copyright.PENANA86uJiMLUZm
'I'm bored, Bran.'492Please respect copyright.PENANA75ZyTJwBPY
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.492Please respect copyright.PENANAtnCeUFPREO
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.492Please respect copyright.PENANASENV6gjNtt
'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.492Please respect copyright.PENANAOtFB7IFWbO
'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.492Please respect copyright.PENANA00LeXYrahU
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.492Please respect copyright.PENANAqSHZood9y6
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'492Please respect copyright.PENANAjs4XoBASo7
'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?'492Please respect copyright.PENANAqYWl9nBJ5L
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.492Please respect copyright.PENANAgcNbQeVAdq
'Crap, did you break anything?'492Please respect copyright.PENANAnKs4FhuFet
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'492Please respect copyright.PENANAPSjD9dia8p
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'492Please respect copyright.PENANAxGCcuuCiYS
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?492Please respect copyright.PENANAb1smo5qOLv
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?492Please respect copyright.PENANAnqFi2sovnW
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'492Please respect copyright.PENANA4ByICSUDHL
I sprint over, and -492Please respect copyright.PENANA6CxUT2XPAE
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-4.492Please respect copyright.PENANAnSc4PxNe9Y
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.492Please respect copyright.PENANAKlyfN9saQN
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.492Please respect copyright.PENANAgyGa6H2gG0
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.'492Please respect copyright.PENANAPQNhPWeu2Y
'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!'492Please respect copyright.PENANAniz99oPLX1
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'492Please respect copyright.PENANAISTVcm2KHf
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'492Please respect copyright.PENANAGnfpQpsyjJ
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'492Please respect copyright.PENANAh884dXtYAY
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'492Please respect copyright.PENANAoI0Anxx8hY
'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.'492Please respect copyright.PENANARBik5pAPXl
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.492Please respect copyright.PENANANzCNdP2YwB
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.492Please respect copyright.PENANAYaAhXmonR9
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.492Please respect copyright.PENANAO8PUSsFhQY
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.492Please respect copyright.PENANASZUmI1cJyx
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.492Please respect copyright.PENANAEiBvePJWEz
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.492Please respect copyright.PENANA4g50B1a7b4
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.492Please respect copyright.PENANAXy6riAUK4q
'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.492Please respect copyright.PENANABSnOyWwFRD
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 492Please respect copyright.PENANAj7v0kaFxBo
The world spins.492Please respect copyright.PENANAbl7FaeJsfO
The screeching of tires.
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