Episode 6: Calum's Duel

By Leigh Barker

Clan: Season 2, Episode 6. Calum’s Duel

A Bitesize 1-hour Read.

The shaman’s son, Catahecassa, has joined Calum and John as they race to catch up with the French battalion that has ransacked the fort and dragged away the men, women and children who called it home.

Metzger watches them thunder away from the fort in the stolen mail coach and smiles. He would soon be going home. Once the fat French colonel has hanged them all.

Others have tried to hang Calum and John, and they’re still alive and causing mayhem for the French army.

This time it’s different; this time they’re facing Colonel Dutronc and his ruthlessness borders on insanity.

M’be Calum’s luck has finally run out. And with it, the lives of his friends.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leigh Barker
• Release date: May 22, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310568954

Leigh Barker

Leigh was born in Dudley in the middle of England. He has been a merchant seaman, a (useless) electronics salesman, a programmer, and a business analyst. And now he is a full-time writer, but that doesn't make him a bad person.He is presently writing 4 series:Clan, following the adventures of Calum Maclean as he tries to avoid the Bonnie Prince but still protect his beloved Highlands.The Hellfire Legacy Series follows US Marine Master Sergeant Ethan Gill and his team as they take on the jobs too hot for other special forces. They go where they're sent; South America, Middle East, Korea, but their most dangerous missions are on US soil.Volume #1: A Whisper of ArmageddonVolume #2: The Hellfire LegacyVolume #3: The Orpheus DirectiveEden, a three-volume series -Trinity is at war with Lucid, the son of Lucifer, and he will do whatever it takes to win. The Archangel Gabriel has an army but he needs more. He needs heroes, but they are few and far between. Which is why he gets Dylan and co. Not too much luck in Heaven then.Volume #1: Eden's Last HeroVolume #2: WinterwoodVolume #3: Requiem for Eden.Soldiers is set in 1914 and follows John Regret and his 12-man squad on their suicidal mission to find and destroy the German howitzer nicknamed Big Bertha. Find it before it drops it's thousand-pound shells on the allied army retreating across France. A seemingly hopeless mission that just cannot fail.Other occasional series include:Anarchy, the 'completely true' stories of men doing what men do when there's nobody to keep them in check. Create mayhem and behave like monkeys on speed.Coffee Break Reads - each issue has 5 stories short enough to read while taking a break from life. A mix of adventure, love, disaster, and fun. All with one thing in common; for a moment they transport the reader to another world.Episode 1 of each Season is free and can be picked up with other free books at:https://leighwbarker.com/my-library/Just copy the link above and paste it into your browser and you're there...

Book preview

Clan

(Season 2)

(Episode 6)

Calum's Duel

Copyright 2015 Leigh Barker

Published by Leigh Barker at Smashwords

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ISBN: 9781310568954

Calum’s Duel

Calum leaned across the coach seat and shouted into John’s ear to be heard over the noise of the team of four pounding the road just a few feet away. Can we go any faster?

John gave him a quick look. You could m’be get down and push!

Calum decided it was probably better to let him concentrate on driving the coach.

Inside the coach, Magdalene leaned across the space between the seats towards Catahecassa being thrown around on the rear-facing seat. Why— She wanted to say more, but was suddenly slammed back as the coach bounced over a rock.

Catahecassa closed his eyes. His tanned face was showing a distinct yellow tinge. Why… what? He put his hand over his mouth and closed his eyes again.

Magdalene felt sorry for getting the poor man into this. Whatever this was, all she knew was it wasn’t a good this. She tried to take his mind off feeling like hell. Why help us?

He opened his eyes, closed them, and opened them more slowly. Beneath the sickness, she could see he was trying to understand her question. They hit another rock or a hole. The result was the same.

When he recovered, he frowned at her as he finally understood the question. Because I said I would.

That was it. It seemed to be all he needed to say.

He was riding in a stolen coach, about to throw up, and racing towards a thousand French troops with people he didn’t know, because he’d said he would. Her admiration for the man took a giant leap.

Do you have a wife? she asked, still trying to take his mind off the rolling and bucking coach.

He nodded. Yes.

That seemed to be all he was going to say on that too. Which meant he didn’t say much, or there wasn’t much to say. Either way she felt she should respect his silence. Perhaps it was the way with the Shawnee people. It was right that she didn’t put him in an uncomfortable position.

Don’t you like her?

So much for respecting his tradition.

He was silent for a while. Thinking it through or wondering why she was interested, she couldn’t tell. At least he wasn’t thinking about the hellish ride.

She is the mother of my children.

The poor man had no idea what he’d just opened.

Her eyes widened and she leaned forward again. You have children?

This is what I just said, is it not?

How many?

He frowned again. How many what?

Children. How many children do you have?

He thought about it,