I'm new to posting here, but I felt a bit compelled to add a couple of cents.
I've been reading "Surreality" after just discovering it a few days ago. I have a bad habit of finding good stories to read here and then making a marathon of reading chapters. I've fallen for this story---hook, line, and sinker!
While Chapter 26 seems to be a bit shorter than some others, it certainly packs some action. I had a sense of foreboding when the motorcycle first came up as a topic.
It's just about a critical plot point to have a major tragedy occur to one of the primary characters--it helps draw you even further into that world. You gain an emotional involvement that makes sure you hang in there till the bitter end.
I often hear motorcycle riders called "organ donors," usually for good reason. I had some idiot on a bike pass me on the interstate a couple weeks ago--I was doing 70MPH+ and he passed me, popping a wheelie, before leaving me in the dust. But, we would hope that Jacob, being the (usually) sensible guy he is, would know better than to misbehave on the bike. Oh, geez, we were wrong!
At any rate, I doubt Steve will stick us with a quadriplegic hero (kinda makes those steamy sex scenes impossible). Jacob could lose a leg (but even that's not the end of the world--look at all our wounded Iraq vets who prove otherwise daily), but I'm guessing that maybe he'll have a broken bone or two and some flesh wounds.
Whatever the result, I'll sit back and let Steve do the driving (just so long as he promises us that he'll not crash the car!). I'm enjoying the ride so far!!
Thanks for allowing me to contribute.
Jay