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David McLeod

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  1. David McLeod
    The Shaman had departed. Phillip and his uncle stood beside the truck. “The Shaman knows a lot about the Hispanglos’ religion, doesn’t he?” Phillip observed. His uncle nodded. “It isn’t common knowledge, but he read religion at the Anglican University in Oxford, and has a doctorate in comparative theology.” He gripped Phillip’s forearms in farewell, and got into the truck. On the other side, Argon hugged Phillip’s aunt. “Walk in harmony,” the boy said in accented, but understandable Athaba
  2. David McLeod
    Phillip regained consciousness. He blinked his eyes. Argon, who has holding Phillip’s hand, sighed with relief. Phillip sat up. “You knew about me and Johnny Two-Horses?” he demanded of the Shaman. “How could I not? He is my nephew and apprentice,” the Shaman replied. “You’ve heard that skinwalkers surround his hogan?” Phillip nodded, and the Shaman continued. “Who do you think started those stories? And why? It was to ensure that only those who were invited went to Johnny’s place. “The
  3. David McLeod
    “The Grand Lodge will meet,” the Shaman repeated, “but not immediately. A great deal of preparation is required, and the time must be correct. The boy is here?” Phillip led the Shaman to Argon, who had waited impatiently in the darkness outside the Shaman’s hogan. When Phillip approached, Argon ran to him and hugged him. “I was afraid,” he said. “I’m sorry, Argon,” Phillip said. “I will not leave you alone, again. Now, we must listen to this man. He is a great man; he is the one
  4. David McLeod
    “What are you doing?” Argon asked. “Writing a note to let Johnny know it was I who was here and that I’ll repay him for the food we’re going to eat,” Phillip replied. “He is a scholar, like you?” Argon wondered. Phillip laughed. “No,” he said. “Johnny’s anything but a scholar. He works with his hands and has little use for anything more modern than what his great-great grandfather had.” Except for his electric kiln, Phillip thought briefly, and the other stuff in his shop. “If he
  5. David McLeod

    Escape

    David McLeod posted new chapter in The Translator

    The rattling of a cart in the hallway was enough to waken Phillip, who quickly jumped from the bunk in which he and Argon had fallen asleep. Stuffing his legs into the prison denims, he hurried to the door and cracked it open. “Argon’s not yet dressed,” he said. “Lazy bones, both of you, from the look of your hair,” Sergeant Kimmel said. “Here, you take the cart through the door. Call me when you’re finished.” “Fortiamus,” Phillip said, when breakfast had been eaten and cleared. “And pu
  6. David McLeod
    “I’ll put your breakfast on the table, here,” the desk sergeant said. Her nametag, which Phillip had not been able to read before, said Kimmel. “Look, if you’re going to be here for a while…maybe you’d like some of these.” She opened a big locker in which hung plain blue jeans and light blue work shirts. “Some of these ought to fit you two. Socks and underwear are in the other locker,” she added. After breakfast, Phillip and Argon sat comfortably. Thet were still in the day room. The report o
  7. David McLeod
    Phillip tried to appear confident as he approached the desk sergeant. The woman sat behind bulletproof glass. Her spectacles were nearly as thick as the window. Together, the two layers of glass completely obscured her eyes. “Well, speak up,” she said. Her voice came from a speaker in the ceiling above the glass. Phillip looked up involuntarily. “The microphone’s here,” the woman continued, pointing to a chrome box on the ledge directly in front of Phillip. The face of the box was perforated.
  8. David McLeod
    In which a teen of the First Peoples of the North American continent learns that he is to be a Dragonrider, and is reunited with the Elven boy who has been his companion and amici for aeons.
  9. David McLeod
    “The Dwarves who live in and under Arcadia will return to their homes, and guard this country during the fight for Elvenhold,” Belisarius said. “Darkness still holds pockets of Arcadia. We cannot leave enemies at our backs.” Belisarius turned to Prince Richard. “I and a few of my closest companions will accompany you, both as companions and as ambassadors to the Dwarves of Elvenhold, if you will have us.” Prince Richard readily agreed. “Thank you, my very good friend,” he said. “My fath
  10. David McLeod
    “Who can we count on for support, and who will be our greatest opposition?” Lawsonius asked, and then turned the question into a statement. “We need to know who will support us and who will oppose us.” “The warlords, their armies; they will be our opposition,” Morgan suggested. “More broadly than that,” Lawsonius said, “the opposition will include all those who have prospered under a warlord. His closest associates, the leaders of his armies. Even guildsmen and tradesmen who have prospered
  11. David McLeod
    Jon sat in the library with James and the Senior. Across the room, Richard read under the stern tutelage of Severus, while the others of Jon’s companions sat, watching. They knew something was about to happen. “James, Jon,” the Senior began. “I must once again ask you to leave the protection of the monastery, and face the unknown dangers of the outside world. “I was wrong to say that the fulcrum was at Algoropolis,” he added. Jon nodded. He remembered that the Senior had encouraged him to
  12. David McLeod
    Tyler visited the Elven boy’s sickroom as often as Jon would allow. Within a tenday, the boy’s healing was complete. Tyler no longer had a reason to visit, but found enough to do at the Temple. Besides helping the healers, James insisted they all continue weapons training. The horses needed to be exercised. Herbs had to be gathered. The plague of leprosy had taken more than a hundred lives, and would have taken more except for the work of the healers. After six months, the number of patients wit
  13. David McLeod
    The flip-flop of sandaled feet broke Jon’s concentration and he looked up from the book he was reading. The feet were those of Lawsonius, the Boy-Healer who had brought Tyler aspirin upon his arrival at the monastery. Immediately after that, the tween had made opportunities to interact with Jon. In less than a year he’d moved in with the companions; now, three years later, the boy was Jon’s student in fact if not by formal assignment. The boy sat at the table opposite Jon. Jon smiled. “H
  14. David McLeod
    “Press gangs?” Tyler said. “Like the War of 1812?” “Sounds like it,” Jon replied. Seeing Morgan’s puzzled expression, Jon continued. “Our country once fought a war because a foreign navy was raiding our ports and merchant ships, and impressing sailors into service. At least, that’s the excuse that was used. Like most wars, this one was fought for economic reasons. The weavers of our country didn’t want to have to compete with the weavers of the other country, and wanted to have exclusive righ
  15. David McLeod
    Tyler put his hand on Alfred’s shoulder and pushed gently. “Your wound is not completely healed. You must lie still while I bandage it, and until I say you can move.” “You’re not my healer,” Alfred began. “You’re just a boy…” “If Jon says I am, then I am,” Tyler replied. “That’s what deal with it means?” Alfred asked. “Yeah,” Tyler said. No one else would have understood. When Jon says “deal with it” he isn’t abandoning me. He means I’m to use my judgment and he will back me 100 perc
  16. David McLeod
    The next morning—their second day on this world, crackers from the dead man’s saddlebags and water from a stream made a rude breakfast. Jon saddled the horse, and asked Tyler, “Ever ridden a horse?” “Pony rides at carnivals is all,” Tyler answered. “You?” “English saddle and some formal dressage when I was a kid,” Jon replied. “And camels in the desert. On the other hand, I can wear his boots; you can’t. And, those hospital scuffs are about worn out.” Both Jon and Tyler had been wearing is
  17. David McLeod
    Jon and Tyler followed the traces of the old road until mid-afternoon. The path ended in a thicket. Jon pushed aside the branches to reveal a wide road, paved with stone blocks. He looked left and right; there was no one in sight. Jon gestured for Tyler to follow, and stepped from the concealment of the thicket onto the road. “This road is ancient,” Jon said. “But it’s still being used.” “How can you tell?” Tyler asked. “What do you see?” Jon countered. Tyler looked at the road. “The
  18. David McLeod
    “Tyler?” Jon mumbled. The boy’s face swam dimly in the darkness. I’m on my back, Jon thought. What happened? “Oh, Jon, you’re okay!” the boy said. His tears condensed the faint light into stars that rolled down his cheeks. “You were quiet for so long…Where are we?” Jon sat up and looked around. Light shone through a series of narrow windows high on one wall. Bands of bright light illuminated the opposite wall. The wall appeared to be made of large blocks of stone. Jon carefully ran his han
  19. David McLeod
    Jon held his wrist in front of the scanner. The machine beeped, his photo flashed on a screen, and the door to the physical therapy center opened. Tyler’s eyes widened. “You’re in greens…and the screen…” he pointed to his monitor which displayed a new photo. “You’re staff?” “Yep,” Jon said. “Discharged yesterday morning and hired yesterday afternoon. Seems they’re short of surgeons, and the Chief of Surgery liked the way I dealt with a couple of his people…” Jon stopped speaking, realizing he
  20. David McLeod
    Jon held his wrist to the scanner. The machine beeped, his photo flashed on a screen, and the door to the sports medicine center opened. That patient armband is a drag, Jon thought.The hospital administration uses them to keep the patients in their place more than for identification. They try to make us into second-class citizens. That’s an unlikely status considering how much this is costing the Veterans Administration and me. The armband does get me in here, though. Better workout facilities
  21. David McLeod

    The Paladin

    David McLeod posted a story in Fiction

    In which a young medical student and his mentor—an Army Ranger turned surgeon—fall into a world where medicine and magic are intertwined, and where their love for one another is…well, an essential part of the story.
  22. David McLeod
    The companions’ departure from Agium was quiet. The baron and his family had said their goodbyes after the public audience several days before. Daniel and Ceti had visited the previous afternoon, and Michael said good-by when he left the room early that morning. Their horses were saddled with saddlebags in place, when the five reached the stable after breakfast. Alan tipped the stable boys, and the companions walked their horses through the street to the gate. Alan and Thom were in the lead,
  23. David McLeod
    The companions sat around the table in their room at the Crown-in-Shield. “There’s no question…we have to explore the swamp. We need a guide and a boat,” James said. “The baron’s not going to be able to help, not if we’re going to keep our mission secret.” “I don’t think he could find a boat and a guide, anyway…he’s just too powerful to be able to do something simple like that…and interesting conundrum,” Patrick mused. As the tweens pondered the situation, acutely aware of the unspoken dea
  24. David McLeod
    The dying sun cast a ruddy glow into the common room of the Wooden Troll. Patrick and Alan sat with Thom at a table they thought of as their own. Albert, the publican, had set out a buffet supper. The stable boy came in, wiping his hands on the farrier’s apron he wore. “Two guests. They said they’d put their horses up, and then be in. Nice horses. I’ve set out the lantern and closed the gate. Supper ready?” The publican nodded. The stable boy hung his apron on a nail by the door, picked up
  25. David McLeod
    Durber seemed especially dour when he arrived at the Wooden Troll for his morning mug of ale, and surprised the publican when he asked for tea, instead. He took the mug to the table where Patrick and Alan were sitting with Thom, finishing a late breakfast. Last night had been a particularly rocky one. Thom had cried most of the night, and neither Alan nor Patrick had slept well. “Something’s bothering you, I think,” Alan said when Durber sat down. Durber looked around, started to whisper
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