Bullheaded

looked as sharp and lethal as scythes, and he knew even the protective vest couldn’t handle that kind of impact.
    As he rolled frantically to get out of the way, he barely caught a flash of red by the bull’s head, and then the animal twisted away from him, turning to chase the movement.
    He made it to his feet and ran for the fence that surrounded the arena. He leaped up on the rails just in time before the bull came back around and crashed into the steel that circled the ring, trying to crush him. He heard Johnny’s voice yelling at the bull, and then the full, roaring sound of the arena rushed back into his consciousness. They were chanting his name: “Cody! Cody!” A pretty girl in a tight tank top in the first row stood up and grabbed his face, planting a kiss on his lips. Grinning, Cody put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to return the favor before jumping down into the ring.
    Behind him, the ring announcer was practically having a verbal orgasm. “And that’s what makes Cody Grainger so exciting to watch, folks! Just under 90 points on a rank, rank bull. This season, Cody has been in the 90-point club over ten times already! If the other riders don’t take him out first, the stock contractors will have a bounty out on this man pretty soon, because he’s making their bulls look like milk cows. If he keeps riding like this, he could take the title for the second year in a row! We’ve never had a back-to-back champion before, but he’s way out ahead of the pack on points, and we’ll be seeing him in Vegas in October for sure!”
    People in the stands were grinning at him, holding their hands through the bars to congratulate him, trying to touch him because in this arena, he was somebody . Cody was a draw and he knew it. He slapped the hands of the children closest to him, gave them his famous grin, and peered up at the scoreboard.
    He was on top.
    A good place to be. Just under 90 points.
    “Not bad for a man with a concussion, Cody!” One of the bullfighters came by to toss him his rope. He caught it one-handed and started to coil it.
    “Thanks, Reese. It was just a little one.”
    “Good ride.” With a pat on the back, Reese ran off to join his team at the gate.
    Jinks the rodeo clown swung by to slap his back. The wide smile painted on his face was stretched even wider by his grin. “How’s it feel at the top?”
    “Can’t complain.” Cody grinned and bumped fists. “How’s it feel in the barrel?”
    Jinks did a little dance shuffle. “A lot safer than on the back of one of those beasts, but to each his own.”
    Cody limped to the gate where one of the medics stopped him, briskly asking, “Any dizziness? You were slow getting up. Did you black out? Any neck pain?”
    “Nope, I’m fine. It’s all good.” Cody snatched off his helmet and reached for his hat.
    He’d stand behind the rails and watch the riders yet to come in the short round to see if any of them could best his score. There were some rank bulls at this event, but he didn’t think any of them were ranker than his. However, you never knew. Bull riding was as much a game of luck as any roulette wheel in Vegas. One day you were up and the next you were down.
    The ring announcer went on. “Just a review of the NBR 101; a qualified ride is eight seconds. Bull riding is a judged sport with 50 points to the rider and 50 to the bull for a possible 100. The highest score in the history of the NBR was 96.5. We have thirty riders in the long round, but only the top ten riders will qualify to move into the short round. First two rounds are tonight, and the event will finish up tomorrow with two final rounds. Right now, Cody Grainger is top dog in the Leader of the Pack position, but there are still riders who think they can beat him. Next up is top Brazilian rider Juca Matos, who has been snapping at Cody’s heels all year. Juca is known for his consistency. He may not score big, but he scores often. You won’t see him fall off too many bulls. While he gets ready, let’s watch the screen for the replay of Cody’s exciting ride!”
    Cody looked up with everyone else at the big screen at the top of the arena as they replayed his ride. Looking at the replay, he was surprised he’d managed to hang on for the full eight. He’d even managed to get his outside leg working the spur like mad. He winced watching himself slide off and get dragged along next to the bull, and then gasped in horror when Johnny darted