Jesse Owens | Teen Ink

Jesse Owens

January 14, 2014
By Meriweather SILVER, Indianapolis, Indiana
Meriweather SILVER, Indianapolis, Indiana
6 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Be the change you want to see in the world.&quot;<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> -Gandi


“Make a move, ‘Shortie.’” She was a red haired, blue- eyed, she-devil with a hand like lightning and an itchy trigger finger. Her name was Jesse. The man before her was Sam ‘Shortie’ McMillan. He was a head smaller than most of the other men in the saloon. His balding head was covered with a patched up old hat. Sam’s mouth was full of rotten, crooked teeth.

“I ain’t gonna shoot no woman.” Sam said with an almost mocking grin. As if to prove a point; Jesse moved her gun the slightest inch and shot at the wall. It missed Sam’s head by a few centimeters. Sam gulped as he turned away from the wall and back towards his opponent.
“Is that so, Mr. McMillan? I heard you done gone and bought yourself a mighty fine new coach. I guess you wouldn’t mind if me and my friends take a little bit of a ride?”
Jesse smiled at Sam, cocking her head innocently. Sam looked at the ragged band of handsome young men behind Jesse. All of whom were laughing at Jesse’s proposal of a buggy burglary. Sam weighed the options. Be killed and lose your buggy, or give up your coach and live.
“Oh, and you wouldn’t mind if we borrowed your horses as well? You see ours are a little tired from the ride over here from Boonsville.” Sam exhaled violently and put up his hands.
“Fine! Take the darn thing, but leave me alone.”
“Let me think about it.” Before Sam could even cry out, the bullet was already behind him. Bloody and lodged into the wall. “No. Come on boys. Let’s leave this cheat to finish his poker game.” The young men whooped and yelled. The rag-tag group jostled out of the swinging doors and grabbed the reins to their steeds.
“Now wait just a minute young woman!” the pudgy bartender raced after Jesse. Jesse turned around in her leather saddle to face the man. His mustache looked ridiculous on his fat, red face.
“Make this quick, I’ve gotta get outta here before that no good sheriff comes around and acts like he know what he doing.” She said impatiently.
“Why’d you shoot the man? He gave up the carriage.” Jesse looked down at the bartender.
“I guess you didn’t notice. He done been stealing money from everybody. You, the mayor, the sheriff;” Jesse mumbled the last name. “He got that carriage because he a cheat and a no good dirty rotten thief! Take the carriage, it isn’t what we want. Just the horses.” She turned back around in her saddle and clucked to the horse. ”Give everyone their money back.” She yelled over her shoulder. The bartender just stood there in the middle of the road. As the dust whipped around on the Ohio road, a bartender tried to figure out if Jesse Owens was a criminal or just an estranged young woman.


The author's comments:
A quick short story I wrote after watching Tombstone with my dad.

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