Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
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Third Road Incident This Month660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3brDCJhdpa
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhrjxXQXKA
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXspjHjEGyj
'I'm bored, Bran.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYdHxrEeeM
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjXP64ABfO
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsp9zA4W2c
'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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UtrIdaT5g
'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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPf61Agf3EL
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0Pbb3TeOC
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ohixN2prx
'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?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcmfIXLAEU
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqI5Ypck9eM
'Crap, did you break anything?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSHoQ3mjGu
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OqLlQ83NT
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDm1w0uY5Cu
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?660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR68LRydHHo
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?660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEweog73LM0
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFyKzNLhc6
I sprint over, and -660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4uAdFWG57A
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-4.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zBmt3KVzA
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPw89NvEig
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQND82CqKXP
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.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3m4y0t8JB
'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!'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVZ6vPUagF
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Q5eyYMEdo
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhcgYANOzJ
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HVqgDooNb
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLpyQW5C6U
'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.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfV8fySdSdl
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJUawLLEHq
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcKMjEQPJt
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡar36YNlHIf
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDgWAMfEttI
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFE3jJq0Rj
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3v6PUkf9K
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZSbrl6oh3
'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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6vo1VcgDs
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Qx6v63Zvw
The world spins.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0pEVSVSCP
The screeching of tires.
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