Only half the man he used to be -- but maybe that’s enough The Taliban may have taken both Chris’s legs, but he came back from Afghanistan with his sense of humour and his lust for life firmly intact. The one thing that can shake his confidence is meeting Josh, the one-night stand from before his tour of duty he hasn’t been able to forget. It turns out Josh hasn’t forgotten Chris, either. He spent the time they were apart fearing the worst every time a soldier was reported killed in action -- and wishing Chris would use the number Josh gave him, and call. Josh’s delight on seeing Chris again quickly turns to shock on seeing his injuries. With Chris such a changed man, can they still have a future?

Permanently Legless

Except, of course, there won’t be any pretty boys asking me to dance tonight. Or for anything else, come to that.


I can’t help it, all right? I don’t mean to do it, but it’s like my eyes have a homing instinct or something. Not that I mean to say where they end up looking is, well, home, but you know what I…Fuck it. I look over at Josh, okay?


He’s looking straight at me, and when I meet his eyes, I can’t look away. Missiles locked. Target about to be destroyed. Or something.


Grey-haired bloody granddad’s got an arm around Josh’s waist, but Josh gently disengages it, says something in his ear and then walks over to me.


He’s got a kind of grace when he walks. Big blokes like me, we sort of lumber, like we’ve only just learned to walk on our hind legs—waste of bloody time in my case, as it turned out. Malcy, he’s got this fake little wiggle, like he wishes he was wearing high heels. But Josh…he’s like a dancer, light on his feet without even trying.


Chapter 5