Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0EcNoXZuiA
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.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DzYpJDOTQ
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.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxxIcAYeXX
'I'm bored, Bran.'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFsXQGfH8s
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlqiAPyz4d
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJtzlEkmKP
'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.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97KmWLTT8G
'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.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVv46wGw9G
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iqIRBfiVl
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRmuhAVIfy
'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?'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtp4sHMs0SY
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.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7XD7x7Xqt
'Crap, did you break anything?'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHn7mNvqihy
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuo2XNMVZqZ
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSqfBv2uZ4
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?736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cEcacRctI
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?736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0AZeRlsLZ
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4979cpwIby
I sprint over, and -736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4kDbwqU34
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-4.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYe30PsUcb7
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3g0sp6FPi
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYdM3lZH4C
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.'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsow11ReHTW
'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!'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHfm7vT0Ow
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2TE5POqH5
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnof8tqaXx
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgEfyyoPx1
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEhLxgr3rB
'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.'736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVTShkFqYD
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2GogPnTLH
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RS5qDM45J
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuTmjNvVXr
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZ3nM41BgK
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cy37gDa6r
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.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHfexKhgHn
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.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYuAABy093
'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.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFFvrssU5r
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ye6kJYp0r
The world spins.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBulWlAyead
The screeching of tires.
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