Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #13 April 2015 | Page 119

“Changes you, doesn’t it?” Bill said, jolting Stewart
out of his daydream. “you go in as one man, you come
out another.”

swept his hand expansively around the bar, taking in
the various Greeks sitting in their local bar, although
Stewart supposed he meant the general male population of Greece, “they know it, they knew it before
“Uh, yeah.” Stewart answered, trying to catch up with anyone. Look at their stories, man. Look at Odysseus.
the conversation. He’d drifted off, looking at the string Total badass warrior, cunning fox, but he spends ten
of coloured lights hanging above the bar. What was
years trying to get back to his missus, turns down all
the guy next to him talking about?
those great ladies like Circe, Dido... you reckon he
would have done that before Penelope got her claws in
“When you’re in a long relationship like that,” said
him?”
Bill, thankfully giving Stewart a clue, “the woman
changes you.”
“Hmmm.” offered Stewart, who was pretty sure Dido
was in another story altogether, and getting tired of
“Do you think?” asked Stewart, thinking that the
Bill’s know-it-all attitude. “Look, mate, it’s late, I’m
main reason he was here on this island staving off
going to turn in. Thanks for the chat.”
loneliness by talking to expats in bars was that Sarah
had decided he hadn’t changed nearly as much as she
“No worries, see you later. I’m here most nights. Pretwould have liked.
ty much every night, really.” A look of concern came
quickly across his face. “But not tomorrow. Definitely
“Oh yeah,” said Bill, that was his name, “you and not tomorrow night. Don’t come down here then. It’s
what did you say her name was, again?”
one of the local holidays, this place’ll be all closed
up.”
“Sarah,” answered Stewart, beginning to wish he
had never started talking about the breakup that had
The next morning, Stewart kept his aching head under
bought him on this solo trip.
the sheets as long as he could, before the increasing warmth of the bright Mediterranean sun spilling
“That’s it, Sarah. Three years you say you spent with
through the slats of the window blinds forced him
her? Yeah, she was changing you, and you didn’t even from bed. His lodgings were pretty spartan, which
know it. I’m not saying she was cutting your balls off, fit the last minute cheap escape theme of the holiday
none of that nonsense, but you spend long enough
well. God, he’d spent ages last night talking to that
with someone and they rub off on you. You don’t
old drunk about Sarah. Wasn’t the reason for coming
even see it, it’s so slow, but they do, and then you’re
here to forget her? He shook his head in self-disgust,
not thinking the same way you were. These guys,” he
until his hangover reminded him that was a really

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