Chasing the Eight

Ch. 5

I clench my jaw around my mouth guard, say a quick prayer, and nod my head. The ancient gate swings open wide, emitting a high-pitched squeal. Its in these milliseconds that life is really thrown into perspective. The practice bull, daisy, immediately bucks as soon as clearance was granted. My bones seem to crash into each other as his powerful hooves land on the soft arena dirt. These mere eight seconds allow me to fully feel alive, where I can fully comprehend how vulnerable life is, how special it is. Every time I nod my head I am acknowledging that this could be my very last time, the very last time for everything I know. I could very well not leave this arena alive, or I very well could leave this arena alive, alert, and a little more comprehensive. It really is an eight second tango with death, maybe we all are a little bit crazy. Nothing can replace the feeling of adrenaline when your entire body is flung in the air, holding on by a fingertip, just to make the eight. I guess that's why they say we bull riders chase, we chase the adrenaline rush, we chase the eight. The red numerals on the stop-clock read 5.6, just under three more seconds. surprisingly this ride seems to fly by, maybe because its only a practice ride. Luckily daisy has an easy seat, he jumps like a mad man, but doesn't spin wildly, or catch the rider off guard like the rest of them do. an advantage for now, but a disadvantage for the ranker bulls we would be drawing from tonight. Noticing the clock has changed to 7, I start to loosen off my rope.

SHANE POV

"I gotta admit she does look mighty fine atop that bull" My buddy Kyle laughs, intentionally aggravating me that he's playing with what should be my girl. Thanks to a few too much last night he learned all about some of my deepest things. Things that guys don't share. He gained a little bit of insight into my family history. The time I spent on a correction ranch for getting into a fight. My reasoning for that fight was warranted, ain't nobody gonna be slappin' on a lady under my watch. Sadly the judge didn't agree. To this day it still pisses me off.  And somehow Kyle had learned about the newest gal on my radar. part of me believes that I told him for the simple fact of telling him, the other says it was the spiced rum doing the talking. if it was the rum doing the talking, hell, I felt pretty damn sober. She had something special about her, she was rough and tough, could keep up with the guys, hell she was leading those guys. Yet, had a soft side, a side that would make her a great wife and Momma to some lucky man one day. did I want to be that lucky man, why yes I did, but I barely fucking knew her, and here Kyle was stirring the pot. You would never be able to tell from looking at her, she grew up dirt poor, tossed from family to family. She spent most of her time on the rodeo with her ole man, Chip stepping in as an uncle figure, being there when she needed someone the most. I wasn't really supposed to learn this information but I deemed it as only fair to the copious amount of information Kyle gained insight to. After all it pays when your buddy is Chip's son. 

The blare of a buzzer signals to me that Kyle is up next. I watch as a blonde ponytail jumps down from the back of Daisy. With grace, she walks away, keeping her back turned to the bull. Grinning my way she winks, she had scored a 93-point ride. She had all the reasons in the world to be proud. I smile back, noticing how the cage of her helmet lifted above her head she kinda looked cute. I savor this moment, taking a second to admire the soft tint of pink in her cheeks, and her dazzling blue eyes. She walked boldly, she knew her worth, and she wasn't going to settle for anything less. Maybe it was that, maybe that's why I wanted her in my life so badly. She was a challenge, a challenge that I couldn't wait to stare in the face and take on. My admiration was cut short by a feminine scream...

Kayde Pov

The next thing I see after his handsome face is dirt, dark, hard, gritty dirt. Lawdie I hate the taste of arena dirt, something I had been getting rather acquainted with lately.  I look up to make sure I was clear of the bull, the movement hurts, more than it should. Slowly my mind registers that my entire body was flung forward, and my feet went first, throwing the rest of me down after. Luckily I was able to break some of my fall with my hands. My palms have a slight dotting of blood, but nothing huge, it'll heal. Catching my breath, I relax my shoulders and let out a shaky sigh. My comfort came too soon. I was still tangled in my rope being dragged and flung around the arena like a rag doll. Fuck, not this again. There is no way this is happening again. Hey God, Why today of all days? A silky blackness overtakes my vision, Shane's smiling face swirling about.