The bike swerved,

it jagged left, and I hoped he was showing off. I raised my head to see, but through the visor of the helmet I realized with dread he wasn’t. The very trees around us were reaching out for the bike, limbs bending to go in front of him.

He rode through the gauntlet, swerving, working against the forest. I had no idea where to move, how to move; I could only cling to him, desperate not to be thrown off.

I looked down and saw, too late to warn him, the trees were only half of the attack. Deep into the park, surrounded by trees with no way to dodge, the ground rose up against us.

Like a wave of water, the soil and the plants on top of it swelled. Before I could say anything, we were airborne, the bike launched as if it had gone over a ramp. I expected him to stay with the bike, to try to land gracefully, but instead he let it go and grabbed me.

Holding me tight, we fell, plowing into the earth, his back to the ground.