Third Road Incident This Month672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqNxBHWCWD
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.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMd7zWXGwJq
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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.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBHv63fj5X
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.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0fSpK07Zu
'I'm bored, Bran.'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1lkXA1GNM
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRaxhXJpl5h
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrbTrwMYHV
'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.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJQsaf67rp
'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.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNPHow3V6o
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2061nV1RA3
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cq3xQaNzR
'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?'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdHIF3dClk
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.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdL4aoClM8b
'Crap, did you break anything?'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCz8lxFvDTw
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XU17e9Nr4
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0P28SqOr09
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?672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP99ZMG9ggR
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?672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JFCxpCEMn
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIRWYbzj1e
I sprint over, and -672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOb0J7kQ8d
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-4.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLu9GdHj0VB
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EcpKtPjzM
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQVreW87KA
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.'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTtZN9hlME
'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!'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pNZyQ1ivG
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKR0bIwGzVY
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfGlPOUKzc
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoAxVzEi7t
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuISphnjbb2
'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.'672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHoni6K4Mmc
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0pXkMSXs0
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmQBKK9JuD
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpRz7shopx
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgvPNfhBiq
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nMLG3K1zt
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.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCWqnaSQhZ
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.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwSeqMECrE
'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.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLV0igGBrLz
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0p8Qm7hhc
The world spins.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLa6CcoaTn
The screeching of tires.672Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH254FL3ONo
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