The Airdrie Firefly

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Airdrie Rodeo

Talyn leaned on the railing of the bull chute, working her way through a bean burrito, as she watched the barrel racing event. It was the first day of the Airdrie Rodeo, her first official event as a rodeo clown, although she didn't have much to do. She was still only an apprentice, and a new one at that. She was allowed to help in a few events—the mutton busting was fun. Her duties mostly involved helping out behind the scenes.

Still, it was thrilling, or it would have been if she weren't so exhausted. The last couple of weeks, she'd spent most of her time helping Doctor Tristan, and the rest of it at clown practice. It helped keep her mind off Steven and the memory of the look in his eyes when he'd seen her in ghoul form. He'd messaged her every day since, but she couldn't bring herself to say much. She had been insanely busy, but the truth of the matter was, she desperately wanted to talk to him but was terrified of what he might say. And today was the first day of the rodeo, and the first rodeo dance; Steven was supposed to go with her. Instead of calling him, she had just turned off her phone.

It's better not knowing, Talyn thought, finding herself fighting off a sudden surge of emotion.

She hopped off the railing as she saw a bull being maneuvered into the chute. Bull riding was the last event of the day and she knew this bull. His name was Widow's Walk. From all accounts, he was an aggressive bull, but Talyn never saw it. He was from a neighboring ranch, and she would sneak him carrots occasionally. She had a few in her lunch bag; maybe she could sneak him one after the ride. She grabbed her lunch bag, sat down just outside the arena fence, and continued eating her burrito.

She took a big drink of water. It was a miracle that her clown makeup had lasted in this heat. It was in the low nineties, and her limbs felt heavy with dehydration. The temperature hadn't kept the crowds away, though; people were gathered on the hillside and along the half-wall of the beer garden. The crowd was getting larger as the day's events were coming to an end and the dance was due to start.

The chute opened and the bull launched out into the arena.

Talyn jumped to her feet and gasped amid a chorus of screams.

Oh my god! Her eyes widened with horror.

***

Steven sat with his parents and Mr. Thorne, just inside the half-wall of the beer garden that separated it from the rodeo's hillside seating. The arena was at the bottom of the short hill and their view was great. Though the beer garden kept them out of the intense sun, it didn't do much to lessen the sweltering heat.

Talyn must be dying out there, Steven thought. He took a sip of his iced tea, watered down from all the rapidly melting ice. I could really go for a butterscotch root beer.

As if on cue, Steven heard something sliding across the table in his direction. He redirected his attention to see Mr. Nessman passing a bottle of butterscotch root beer across the table to him, while Mrs. Nessman took a seat at the table. He grabbed it, and it was ice cold. He quickly twisted the cap off and took a long pull.

There was a flurry of greetings as Jonathan passed delicious, ice-cold-root-beer-relief to everyone at the table. Steven noted that Mr. Nessm—Jonathan looked very much like a cowboy, with a hat, neck bandana, and gloves. He also noticed that he would pull the bandana up over his nose, as someone might if he were robbing a bank, if anyone was coughing or sneezing nearby. The cowboy gloves served the same purpose as Jonathan's latex gloves, but didn't seem out of place. Hmm, practical fashion, Steven thought. I approve.