Two Wheels

After a scary crash, Cyrus is too afraid to ride again. With the neighborhood bike parade just days away, can Cyrus find the courage to get back on two wheels, one small step at a time?

Cyrus had loved his bike more than almost anything. It was blue with a silver bell that went 'bring-bring' when you flicked it, and on good days it felt like flying without leaving the ground.

That was before the fall. Three weeks ago, going too fast down Maple Hill, the front wheel hit a crack and the whole world flipped sideways. Cyrus still remembered the scrape of the road, the gasp of no air, the way his knees stung for days.

Now the bike leaned in the garage with a flat tire and a thin coat of dust. Cyrus walked past it every morning and looked away. 'Maybe later,' he told himself. 'Maybe not today.'

This morning, a bright orange flyer was taped to the garage door. The Maple Street Bike Parade. Saturday at noon. Cyrus felt his stomach do a small, nervous flip.