Fares Please

• Madelyn Luck, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2011

Fares Please
“Fares Please!” announced the conductor, in a rather loud voice. Billy rumbled through his bag in hesitation. Confusion surrounded his blank mind. Never would he have left his ticket on the kitchen table. Minutes later Billy found himself covered by the conductor’s deep, dark shadow.

Sprinting and puffing, Billy rushed to the other side of the ferry like a speeding bullet. Large crowds blocked his path as he continued to scramble side to side of the ferry like a shocked crab.

“Excuse me!” yelled Billy impatiently. A tall man was right in the middle of his travel.
“Stop right there!” commanded the man, as he looked down at Billy as if he was a minute mouse.

“Let me guess, you’ve lost your parents.........No, you’ve forgotten your luggage....No that’s not it, ahhh ha, you’ve lost your ticket haven’t you?” questioned the man waiting for an answer.

Billy glanced at the man’s shoes and slowly tilted his head all the way up to his jacket pocket. Out popped the man’s ticket with no name or date on it. Billy reached out and pinched the ticket without the man noticing.
“Hello, did you not hear me? Have you lost your ticket?” repeated the man.
“No it’s right here.” Billy held the ticket in the air and proved to the man with a cheeky grin on his face. “Gee thanks!” thought Billy.

“Fares please!” announced the conductor several times. In a rush, Billy quickly gave the conductor his ticket and before Billy knew it, the ferry had reached land. Racing straight off the ferry Billy went and strolled down a short, dirt path to his apartment.

“Who dares to give me their ticket with no name or date?” grumbled the conductor.

Billy froze like a horse in shock and sunk into his chair with regret. “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”