Prompt: A picture of a bicycle in a tree
493Please respect copyright.PENANA2KbICKG21H
Third Road Incident This Month493Please respect copyright.PENANAYAweM97wF3
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.493Please respect copyright.PENANAxzH3raFvlU
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.493Please respect copyright.PENANAtLmqKvS1Sq
'I'm bored, Bran.'493Please respect copyright.PENANAYD5azl0xJw
'Shut up. Read your book.' Everyone laughs at my sister, but only momentarily - we paid her little attention.493Please respect copyright.PENANAKhlfJcfKYN
We'd all waited six months to get our RX-4s, and I wasn't going to let Charlotte ruin this day of celebration.493Please respect copyright.PENANAkoFYh4lU5j
'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.493Please respect copyright.PENANArpa8FIG7K8
'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.493Please respect copyright.PENANA7uJWrIgJFS
Not to be outdone, Liam does the same, but claps once, twice, again, three times! And lands it with a whoop.493Please respect copyright.PENANAiUcvLdxPzp
Charlotte wails in consternation. 'Bran, mom said that you should be careful.'493Please respect copyright.PENANA3vpb7yJkhU
'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?'493Please respect copyright.PENANAdh3HsT8cyk
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.493Please respect copyright.PENANAnf5uMtojqR
'Crap, did you break anything?'493Please respect copyright.PENANA4UyTz3gn8B
Jake props himself up on our shoulders as he rises with a groan. 'Nah, it'll be fine. Where's the bike?'493Please respect copyright.PENANAx9pXJrSUXx
It wasn't on the road. 'It... it must have tumbled out somewhere. Charlotte, did you see it?'493Please respect copyright.PENANAkQaZEXwEMD
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?493Please respect copyright.PENANANDZUi5fHkP
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?493Please respect copyright.PENANAI69yoURBCi
'Bloody hell, guys, take a look at this.'493Please respect copyright.PENANAPQrrE4ckft
I sprint over, and -493Please respect copyright.PENANAg7qDj7VKyY
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-4.493Please respect copyright.PENANAz86jNxAeGo
'Get away from it.' Liam was staring at the tree. 'I don't like this...' I back off. It was making me uneasy.493Please respect copyright.PENANATqi6mjSfn7
We head back to the track. Jake looks up at us.493Please respect copyright.PENANAPPtEw5L7i0
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.'493Please respect copyright.PENANAwtSSlYW9FW
'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!'493Please respect copyright.PENANAY0G9pMoMW0
'We'll come back tomorrow to find it.' I manage. 'It'll be somewhere.'493Please respect copyright.PENANAlxU1w5zFV8
Jake stares at us in disbelief. 'You guys are crazy. That's my bike.'493Please respect copyright.PENANAGfnbW00jOO
Liam is pale. 'You can search if you want. Bran and I are going.'493Please respect copyright.PENANAUn26rAnCcX
'Charlotte, come on, we're going.' Pause. 'Charlotte?' Crap. 'Jake, where the fuck did she go?'493Please respect copyright.PENANAVihDD8pjyK
'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.'493Please respect copyright.PENANAgAzHWhQ3IY
'Jake, you can't just go off and - Jake! Come back.' He disappears into the thicket.493Please respect copyright.PENANAfdhuYoSQmY
Liam tugs at my arm. 'Let's just go, Bran, I don't - ' His voice trails off.493Please respect copyright.PENANAv6kFH7VoEk
I pause. Shout out for Jake once more. Shout out for Charlotte. Nothing. I nod.493Please respect copyright.PENANAmXf8dNhlRJ
We get onto our bikes and go as fast as we can back to Liam's place, breathless and dragged down by drenched clothes.493Please respect copyright.PENANAY7vfpil8JS
'They're gonna be okay, aren't they?' Liam asks.493Please respect copyright.PENANArRfW9DSYuA
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.493Please respect copyright.PENANAjzJVFR2V0w
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.493Please respect copyright.PENANAK6pAe9jI1l
'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.493Please respect copyright.PENANAJud3imhfKG
She raises a hand - but it's not in greeting. Flick - 493Please respect copyright.PENANAHldTmO8OsS
The world spins.493Please respect copyright.PENANAZEQbZWW3kE
The screeching of tires.
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