Free Erotic Refugees by Paddy Kelly

wooden path came to an end. Eoin made to turn back
but Rob stopped him.
    “ Wait up, where ye goin'?
The best part's left!”
    Eoin looked surprised but
followed as Rob led the way off-road, through some bushes and up a
rocky slope. After a few breathless minutes they scrambled over a
lip of granite and emerged into the open on a great slab of rock
that was speckled white and brown like the back of an enormous
whale. A fat mast was embedded in the rock, and the remains of many
drunken picnics lay scattered around.
    They walked to the edge and
before them lay the wide curve of the city, more spectacular than
before, with the pastel-coloured houses of the Old Town catching
the evening light. Rob nodded in satisfaction as Eoin came up and
stood beside him. Eoin looked a bit shocked.
    “ You know, I've been here
a dozen times, but I've never come this far. Jenny always turned
back where the path ended, and I always followed her. I didn't know
I just had to climb over the rocks to see this. Stupid, isn't
it?”
    Rob planted his hands on his
hips and smiled as a breeze ruffled his hair. “Yeah, that Jenny
doesn't sound like the most adventurous bird in the world.” He
glanced at Eoin and considered making a comment about how
adventurous she was in the sack, but decided against it. Eoin
probably wouldn’t have appreciated that.
    Now Kajsa, on the other hand,
would surely have known about this place. She definitely had no
problem trying out new things, and regarding being adventurous in
the sack, well…
    He shook his head, dispelling
those thoughts. Thinking about Kajsa would only lead to guilt, and
guilt wouldn't help anybody, would it? He pondered the view instead
and it took a whole minute for him to grow bored with it and light
a cigarette.
    “ Well, that's enough of
that then,” he announced. “Now I think we should pass that idea of
yours by the jury. Andy and some other lads will be at the Bishop’s
Arms in an hour. Ye want to go there for a bit?”
    “ Well,” Eoin said. “I
can’t really go out tonight, but I suppose I can keep you company
until they turn up. So you won't have to sit in the bar by
yourself.”
    Rob looked confused. “What's
wrong with that? You've never sat at a bar by yerself? Really? Just
took it easy with a beer and watched the female scenery?”
    Eoin shook his head
emphatically. “Well no. It’s a bit sad isn’t it? I mean, I know
it’s more common in Ireland, but I wouldn’t do it there either. And
the Swedes would think you were some sad alcoholic who had no
friends. No, it’s not for me.”
    Rob still didn’t get it. He
patted Eoin on the shoulder. “Well, lucky I’ll be there to keep ye
company tonight, eh?” He started down the other side of the slope
at a jog and shouted back over his shoulder. “And I promise I won’t
leave ye alone for a second. I’ll even come along to the toilet and
hold yer dick!”
    Rob reached the path that led
back down to street level, where he turned to watch Eoin picking
his way daintily down the slope. “Come on then, lift those feet.
There's fortunes to be made and lost on Hornsgatan tonight!”
    “ Right,” Eoin said with
an amused look as he stepped off the rock and onto the pavement.
“Well let's get started then. Lead on, Mr. Gates!”

Chapter
11
     
    Friend one was already sitting
in the bar. He was a bearded, bald-headed American with a sharp
miss-nothing gaze. Eoin offered his hand. The man shook it.
    “ Pleased to meet you,” he
said. “I'm Andy.”
    Eoin nodded then looked around.
It was two-deep at the bar. “I suppose we can order from here.” A
waitress passed by, and he waved and made very definite eye contact
with her. But before he could open his mouth, she'd passed by.
    “ Not that one,” Andy
said. “She can't see anybody at this table.”
    “ What?” Eoin said.
Clearly this was some pub game he didn't get.
    “ Never mind her, she's
just pissed at me,” Rob said. “I might have … dumped her a bit at
some