Radiant - By Christina Daley Page 0,55

vests and tan leather gloves. Then, there was a loud crash! Mary looked in the direction of the noise and saw handlers coaxing a monster of a bull into the narrow bucking chute. A guy who looked young enough to still be in high school climbed up the iron bars of the chute and mounted the bull, gripping the braided rope handle as tightly as he could. Sweat gathered on his brow just under the rim of his hat.

The crowds cheered as the announcer said the rider's name. Seconds later, the air horn blew, and the chute swung open. The bull leapt out into the rink, leaping and bucking into the air while kicking up storms of dirt. The rider was whipped about like he was a rag doll. He had to stay on for at least eight seconds. And the longer the young cowboy rode, the louder the cheers came.

The seconds on the timer ticked down.

But the cowboy was slipping from the bull's back, and with a few seconds still to spare, the bull threw him off like a fly. The young man landed with a loud and painful thud on the dirt.

Rodeo clowns jumped out into the rink, and their calls and saggy clothes got the bovine's attention. The bull looked at one particularly annoying clown, pawed the ground once, and charged.

"Watch out!" Mary cried. But she wasn't heard over the cheers as the clown jumped the fence just as the bull ran past him and out the gate. The audience whooped again as the rider got back to his feet and walked off the field.

"That was brilliant!" Phos said. "You know though, I think he might have been able to hold on just a little longer if he…Mary? Mary, are you all right?"

Mary had buried her face in her hands. "No."

"You're shaking," he said. "Are you cold?"

"No, I'm not cold!" she snapped. "I'm terrified!"

"Terrified?" he asked. "Of what?"

"Of this!" She pointed at the next rider and bull as they took their positions. "That beast could've killed that guy. And people are cheering!"

Phos looked at the audience. Then at her. "It's a sport to them. It's what they do for fun."

"It's a stupid sport!" she said, looking at all the hospital sponsor signs again. "People can get really hurt here. I don't want to see anymore. Take me home."

The air horn sounded, and the new battle began. Mary wasn't sure, but this bull looked bigger than the first.

"But Mary, this isn't any more dangerous than driving a car," Phos reasoned.

The cowboy was in the air and on the ground in a couple seconds. Clowns came to get the bull's attention, but he didn't seem to care about them. He already had his eyes set on the downed rider. And with a powerful snort from his massive nostrils, he charged.

Mary heard a disgusting snap! as the bull's head collided with the rider's rear. The cowboy flew at a perfect arc across the field. The bull pawed the ground again, but a bunch of clowns managed to get his attention this time, and they got him back through the gate. A couple a medics rushed out to the field to see to the rider. After a few tense seconds, they were able to get him up and awkwardly out of the rink. The crowds cheered again.

"At least a car won't come and break your butt after you've gotten out of it," she said. "Please. Let's go."

"Hey kid!" A bubble-bellied cowboy from the prep area pointed at Phos. "You're up next. Come on!"

Mary looked at Phos. "You're in this?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Surprise?"

She didn't return the smile.

"Come on! We ain't got all night!" the cowboy shouted.

Phos stood. "I'll be right back."

He walked towards the prep area, where the handlers were getting a gray bull ready. This animal had to be bigger than the first two by at least a billion pounds.

Mary jumped to her feet and ran after Phos, catching him by the arm. "Phos, don't! This is stupid."

"It'll be all right, Mary," he assured her.

"No it won't!" she cried. "Look, I know you find our human recreational activities fascinating. But you'll get killed!"

"Killed?" he asked. Then he chuckled. "Mary, I can't be killed. I'm not made like that." He took her hands. "I'll be fine. You'll see."

She tried to argue more, but he was already walking into the restricted area. A couple of clowns told her she needed to go back to the stands. Mary told them where they could go