AnYi 安亦

Find a cliché you absolutely hate. Rewrite it while keeping the intended meaning intact.

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‘How come the queue’s getting longer?’ Jojo wiped his glasses with the edge of his sleeve, folding up another page of the register. ‘I’m sure we never told so many tickets.’

‘These are chaotic times. Everyone wants a way out.’ said River, holding out an arm to help an old woman climb up. ‘Have a good trip, madam.’

The old woman sighed. ‘How can it be a good trip? We’re all doomed. Doomed!’ Several passengers in the queue sighed with her, and children started to cry somewhere in the crowd. The majority of the crowd at the port shared that dusty, ragged look, grievance and fear clearly written on their hollowing faces. They were pushing hard against each other, all trying to gain a place on the ship. A skinny young woman carrying a child on her back approached Jojo with a slip of paper, so torn and stained that it was almost impossible to read the printed text.

‘Let us board, please.’ The woman pleaded. ‘We’ve got tickets!’

Jojo frowned in dismay. ‘I’m sorry, but this is just a single ticket, and it’s difficult to read the dates on this…’

She grabbed Jojo’s wrist with a supressed sob. ‘Please, sir, we already lost our house in the fire; our family died in the second bombing…’

‘Ah, it’s you, madam!’ River interrupted, with that warm smile that he prepared for everyone. ‘It’s all right, Jojo, I remember selling the tickets to this lady. You can board now. Take care of the baby!’

The woman looked blank for a second, and then nodded fervently in gratitude, before hurrying towards the ship. River and Jojo went back to checking in other passengers. Jojo did not hide his admiration for River, whose professionalism and gentle tone were able to soothe even the most hysterical of passengers. They had been working for almost fifteen hours, and Jojo had muttered several times how his brain was melting away; but River was still standing straight and tall, his smile never wavering as he addressed people. The ticket holders swam towards the portal like they were all escaping from some unforgettable nightmare, but River always managed to put a little bit of peace back into their minds.

‘I don’t know how you do it.’ said Jojo for the fifty-second time, as the horns started blowing. River was still waving at the remaining crowd, explaining there were no more places on the ship, before he turned around and smiled at Jojo. ‘Well, let’s just say I had the longest training period.’

Jojo recalled that River had been in the Royal Guard before ending up here. He was about to ask something when a young man appeared with a briefcase. Unlike the rest of the passengers, he looked clean, even exquisite, with an air of effortless ease. In pre-war days he would have certainly been a spotlight figure on the street. Jojo’s eyes brightened – it was pleasing to the eye just to look at the stranger for a change – as he walked towards them with a polite smile, face hidden behind sunglasses.

‘Is there still time to board?’

Jojo was about to answer ‘no’, until he realised the stranger was addressing River, who, to Jojo’ s surprise, looked a bit lost.

‘Is there still time to board?’ the stranger asked again, his voice low and soft, almost like a whisper. His gaze was glued to River, who looked down and cleared his throat.

‘They’ll let you in, sir.’ River pointed towards the closing entrance, still staring at the ground. ‘I don’t see why they wouldn’t make a little leniency for you.’

‘You make that sound like I’m in the habit of abusing my power.’ The stranger chuckled softly, but his face looked sad. River glanced at him again, a most uncharacteristic smirk around his lips.

‘How would I know you’re not?’ said River, in a barely audible voice. The two of them shared a gaze for a minute, and River shook his head, his grin turning into something bitter.

The stranger frowned, sighing deeply, and finally handed him a ticket. ‘Are you not wondering why I’m heading North in the middle of the war, River? You know, I was hoping maybe –’

River tore off the edge just a little too forcibly and returned the ticekt to the stranger. ‘Have a nice trip.’ He said, in the same tone one might say ‘I won’t care if you die right under my nose.’ The stranger looked as if he had something to say, but instead just shrugged and strode away to get on board. Just as River had predicted, all closed doors opened to him without further ado, and soon he was not to be seen anymore.

‘Wow.’ said Jojo, gaping. ‘What –’

‘I’m going home.’ interrupted River. ‘Sorry Jojo, but I’m not feeling very well. Will you take these files back to the office for me?’

The setting sun cast deep shadows on River’s face. For a moment, Jojo was surprised to find his usually tireless friend look exhausted, as if someone had just taken his bones.

It was not until two days later that Jojo saw River again. They were in the company headquarters for the emergency meeting when the news came on the radio. Jojo felt a clammy hand grasp his forearm, with such force that he almost yelped. He turned around to find River white as a sheet, standing so still that Jojo almost believed he was petrified.

‘River?’

River didn’t answer. Jojo looked around for a chair, wondering whether it would be a better idea to sit River down, but River kept the firm grasp on his arm, making it difficult for him to move. Other people in the room started murmuring, mostly shocked by the news they had just heard.

‘It’s just so sad…he’s still unmarried!’

‘I think it’s a really heroic thing that he did, for man and country, you know!’

‘Still, I don’t see how it was necessary why he should’ve gone himself…’

‘River?’ The hand grasping his arm started to tremble, and Jojo moved a little closer to support his friend. ‘River, it was Prince Jacky that came onboard that day, wasn’t it?’

For the first time in years, River began to weep.