air as she waited for the right
moment. The bull moved a few steps closer, and she waited. Missing
at this close range would be dangerous.
"Let me get another rope then. We need to grab him from two
directions so he doesn't trample you." Rick ran off toward the barn.
Allie wasn't worried. Animals usually tried to pull away from the
rope, not run toward it. The bull's head jerked toward Rick as he
jogged toward the barn. He snorted and pawed the ground, then
charged toward Rick. Allie shouted a warning. Rick put on a spurt of
speed and dived through the barn door, and the bull followed.
"Oh no,"Allie whispered. She darted toward the barn as the beast
erupted from the door. Skidding to a halt, she began to back away from the snorting animal. At least the bull hadn't been inside long
enough to do much damage to Rick.
The bull's head swung away from her, and she spared a glance to
her right to see what had attracted its attention.
Betsy.
Betsy was in the paddock, walking toward the animal with flowers
in her hands. She seemed oblivious to the danger.
Allie's muscles felt rusty and slow as she tried to run toward her
daughter. Time slowed as Allie saw Betsy's dark curls bounce with
each step. The sunlight gleamed on the little girl's hair, and she wore
a serene smile.
"Betsy, run!" Allie had lost the loop on her rope. Coiling it again,
she screamed and shouted at the bull, but the animal fixated on her
daughter. Her best chance was to rope the creature before it got any
closer. She'd never be able to get to Betsy before the bull did.
The beast snorted and pawed the ground, but Betsy stood still
with her eyes wide. The fear cleared from her face.
Allie became aware of a faint humming sound and realized it was
coming from her child. Whipping the rope around her head, Allie
tossed it through the air toward the bull. In her agitation, her aim was
off, and the loop fell to the ground.
The animal ignored the rope and began to trot toward Betsy.
"No!" Allie jerked the rope back toward her and began to run
toward her daughter. She was too far. Her mind noticed every detail
of the way Roscoe was moving, the way he tossed his horns, the way
his tail switched along his back.
Betsy looked so small and defenseless. The bull would get to her
first. Allie had to try the rope again.
She stopped and twirled the rope over her head. Please Lord, make my aim true. She barely breathed as the rope sang through the air. It
didn't even touch the animal's ears as it settled over his head. She dug
her boot heels into the dirt and prepared for the animal to charge away.
Then another rope dropped over the bull's neck from the other
direction, and Allie saw Rick winding the rope around his palms. The
animal stopped but didn't try to get away. It did nothing but stand and
breathe heavily.
Still humming, Betsy put her hand out toward the beast.
"Betsy, stay away!" Allie's gaze locked with Rick's. "Help," she
mouthed.
He glanced behind him at the barn door, then stepped to it and
looped the rope through the door handle. "Betsy, turn and walk
toward me," he said in a deep, authoritative voice.
Betsy seemed lost in her own world. Her blue eyes stayed locked
on the bull's. Rick was running toward her, and her steps quickened
toward the animal.
Before Rick could grab her, Betsy was directly in front of Roscoe.
The animal snuffled into her small, outstretched hand. She rubbed her
fingers along its head.
Then Rick had her little girl in his arms. The rope burned into
Allie's palms with the force of her grip. She was afraid to relax her
hold on the big bull, though it seemed to have no inclination to attack
the two, who were still within reach of the sharp horns.
Holding Betsy against his chest, Rick turned and raced away.
Only when they were far enough away that Roscoe couldn't reach
them did Allie relax her death grip on the rope. She let it fall into
the red dirt and ran toward her daughter. All she
moment. The bull moved a few steps closer, and she waited. Missing
at this close range would be dangerous.
"Let me get another rope then. We need to grab him from two
directions so he doesn't trample you." Rick ran off toward the barn.
Allie wasn't worried. Animals usually tried to pull away from the
rope, not run toward it. The bull's head jerked toward Rick as he
jogged toward the barn. He snorted and pawed the ground, then
charged toward Rick. Allie shouted a warning. Rick put on a spurt of
speed and dived through the barn door, and the bull followed.
"Oh no,"Allie whispered. She darted toward the barn as the beast
erupted from the door. Skidding to a halt, she began to back away from the snorting animal. At least the bull hadn't been inside long
enough to do much damage to Rick.
The bull's head swung away from her, and she spared a glance to
her right to see what had attracted its attention.
Betsy.
Betsy was in the paddock, walking toward the animal with flowers
in her hands. She seemed oblivious to the danger.
Allie's muscles felt rusty and slow as she tried to run toward her
daughter. Time slowed as Allie saw Betsy's dark curls bounce with
each step. The sunlight gleamed on the little girl's hair, and she wore
a serene smile.
"Betsy, run!" Allie had lost the loop on her rope. Coiling it again,
she screamed and shouted at the bull, but the animal fixated on her
daughter. Her best chance was to rope the creature before it got any
closer. She'd never be able to get to Betsy before the bull did.
The beast snorted and pawed the ground, but Betsy stood still
with her eyes wide. The fear cleared from her face.
Allie became aware of a faint humming sound and realized it was
coming from her child. Whipping the rope around her head, Allie
tossed it through the air toward the bull. In her agitation, her aim was
off, and the loop fell to the ground.
The animal ignored the rope and began to trot toward Betsy.
"No!" Allie jerked the rope back toward her and began to run
toward her daughter. She was too far. Her mind noticed every detail
of the way Roscoe was moving, the way he tossed his horns, the way
his tail switched along his back.
Betsy looked so small and defenseless. The bull would get to her
first. Allie had to try the rope again.
She stopped and twirled the rope over her head. Please Lord, make my aim true. She barely breathed as the rope sang through the air. It
didn't even touch the animal's ears as it settled over his head. She dug
her boot heels into the dirt and prepared for the animal to charge away.
Then another rope dropped over the bull's neck from the other
direction, and Allie saw Rick winding the rope around his palms. The
animal stopped but didn't try to get away. It did nothing but stand and
breathe heavily.
Still humming, Betsy put her hand out toward the beast.
"Betsy, stay away!" Allie's gaze locked with Rick's. "Help," she
mouthed.
He glanced behind him at the barn door, then stepped to it and
looped the rope through the door handle. "Betsy, turn and walk
toward me," he said in a deep, authoritative voice.
Betsy seemed lost in her own world. Her blue eyes stayed locked
on the bull's. Rick was running toward her, and her steps quickened
toward the animal.
Before Rick could grab her, Betsy was directly in front of Roscoe.
The animal snuffled into her small, outstretched hand. She rubbed her
fingers along its head.
Then Rick had her little girl in his arms. The rope burned into
Allie's palms with the force of her grip. She was afraid to relax her
hold on the big bull, though it seemed to have no inclination to attack
the two, who were still within reach of the sharp horns.
Holding Betsy against his chest, Rick turned and raced away.
Only when they were far enough away that Roscoe couldn't reach
them did Allie relax her death grip on the rope. She let it fall into
the red dirt and ran toward her daughter. All she
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