Pedal Spin

One crack of the heavy front door was all I needed to make a break for it! I slipped through the gap, pattered down the stone steps, and darted across the asphalt into the courtyard. Right by the fence sat a parked bicycle. Its grooved pedal hung right at eye level. Naturally, I sprinted and leaped, planting both feet onto the rubber grip. I shoved down hard—and whoosh! The crank spun backwards in a wild whirl. My feet kicked empty air before I tumbled backwards into a pile of dry maple leaves with a soft crunch. Wipeout? Nah, just an unexpected dismount! I popped right back up.