The cycling mystery
Jack, a school boy, was the son of a police inspector.
He recently met a boy named Rocky, who was the son of a policeman. Rocky had moved into this neighbourhood and was looking for new friends. Jack and Rocky instantly became good friends. They found that they shared a passion for solving mysteries.
Jack did not know how to ride a bicycle. One day Rocky went to Jack’s house and asked if they could go for a ride on their bicycles; strange that Rocky did not know that Jack did not know how to cycle! When Rocky found out he said, “Don’t worry, Jack. I’ll teach you how to cycle. Don’t feel bad about it!”
They both took their bicycles out and Rocky spent some time teaching him. After an hour, they went home. The next day Jack went to Rocky’s house with his cycle and asked Rocky to join him. Jack was able to cycle really well. He was very happy and thanked Rocky. They cycled the whole day, then went home at dinner time, ate dinner and went to bed.
The next day Jack read in the newspaper that a man who did not know how to cycle had tried to cycle and had disappeared! No one was able to trace him although many people had seen him trying to ride!
As soon as Jack read this, he went running to Rocky and told him about it. They both took their bicycles and rushed to the road where the man was supposed to have disappeared.
They spent a lot of time thinking about what could have happened. The next morning, they
went back to the spot when they heard a voice from a manhole. They peeped into the manhole and found a man clinging inside and screaming for help! Jack and Rocky pulled the man out of the manhole. They told him to be careful the next time. You guessed it: The man inside the manhole was the missing cyclist!
Jack suddenly heard someone scream, “Wake up Jack, it is time for school.” He woke up and saw that he was in his bed and had been dreaming all the time! His sister was yelling at him as he was late for school. But when he sat on his cycle, he was able to pedal with newfound confidence and ease.
After some months, Jack and Rocky solved another mystery, but this time it was not a dream. They both received an award. And they were happy friends ever after.
Pranathi Harihar,
Class VI ‘F’, SKCH (CBSE), Bangalore.
