Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlFeDiUGhA
Third Road Incident This Month727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93J4FiZRAe
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.
-
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.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFX9zNxzLTw
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.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNm1KDUIJLL
'I'm bored, Bran.'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHrw4cBhrK
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1woTphSAM
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPFjJGsjOV
'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.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaV9IZNgREo
'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.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIYCVA7vsB
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiWU2Z9Xf6
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pJT66Euit
'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?'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLb20xoOHBQ
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.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0tbFLWq4s
'Crap, did you break anything?'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqtJ6Rva7Y
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqKhkR7wP1
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLvMbGAIcD
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?727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjM1Trx3syD
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?727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqtRE4nRi5
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAqAFdw12h
I sprint over, and -727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRqCIiQvmx
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-4.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7J9PXzleIQ
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIT4fAUtpkJ
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1NJ4aPCXC
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.'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRd6LN8rfCe
'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!'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWCIKNvU4q
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODTkjEUJ1Q
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0EMq51HFtr
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡok8Z1IkGb8
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMPUoi6gvj
'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.'727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SnKrtfkFh
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWSrf3W4nt
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdFYpPa84J
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYczb7Zels
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqv0bXD7Br2
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzs9b363uXF
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.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAQr1eMPTE
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.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RMWvNfhzV
'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.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRx5MUJUNb
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4LCKS4tYK
The world spins.727Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYL5hGYzFq
The screeching of tires.
-
ns216.73.216.224da2
and then Add to home screen.