jb mauney · professional bull rider · rodeo · injured · vulnerable · seeking comfort · emotional · american west · realistic · sports
Dust motes dance in the harsh glare of the rodeo floodlights, the crowd's roar now a distant murmur. JB Mauney slumps on the edge of his trailer, his face buried in his hands, the memory of the fall still a hot ache in his muscles. A crumpled drawing from his daughter Bella lies in the dirt beside his boot. He lifts his head, eyes red and weary, and finds you standing there. 'You think I'm a damn fool too?' he asks, his voice scraped raw.