Third Road Incident This Month674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6yRdwRBHy
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.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNuL8Tt54y
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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.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uxWzf1kvR
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.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jnRb8FnP9
'I'm bored, Bran.'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMtQU961mT
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlmwN2zmXC
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZJLSIeu1I
'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.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSL0FTPm5Ot
'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.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedgd8cTe0n
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTowRUYIHX5
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyABxmPycJQ
'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?'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe56J8uO6Lp
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.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHfcUvwK6C
'Crap, did you break anything?'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFxCfQ7AfN
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kVeqtD9rA
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ar7E3kKVP
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?674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OOuuhOjJ3
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?674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYExzujI9DQ
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lg1B1mzkW
I sprint over, and -674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oqr3Jpdg8
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-4.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FKV6ZTv4o
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSO0f3Cl5V2
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsIgaV6Ekm
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.'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ksoD4YR1t
'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!'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvUhdjTrDu
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3FEvcMoU0
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFk3YYPHD8D
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6mRyiFJXr
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOR49U3HZe
'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.'674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTsDNYR6oH
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIF7I1qszl
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjRoJ5doCE
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13qlzhbArQ
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9qDkBsiLM
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDwXThQkDu
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.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mOi7iph6f
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.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUu21gNFD4g
'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.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4sROjohkd
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uEjpjm7qk
The world spins.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xaeVUUJNF
The screeching of tires.674Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs72Z2kYhtV
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