Queuing for Eternity: The Departed's Line

In the heart of a bustling city, there was a queue that no one could understand or escape. It was a queue that seemed to stretch endlessly, with no beginning or end in sight. The line was formed by people of all ages, all walks of life, all with one thing in common: they were waiting to cross over to the afterlife.

Among them was Li, a man who had lived a life filled with regrets. He had spent years working in the underworld, a man who had always believed that his actions would not have consequences. But now, as he stood in the queue, he realized that he had been wrong. His life was about to change, and it all began with a man named Mr. White.

Mr. White was a figure that everyone in the queue spoke about in hushed tones. He was the one who had been waiting the longest, and it was said that he had a special place in the afterlife reserved for him. Li had heard the whispers, the stories of how Mr. White had once been a powerful man in the underworld, a man who had done things that no one else could. Now, he was here, waiting, and Li felt a strange connection to him.

The queue was silent, save for the occasional rustle of clothing and the distant sound of cars. Li found himself thinking about his own life, about the choices he had made, the mistakes he had committed. He thought about his family, about the love he had lost, and he realized that he wanted to make amends. He wanted to find Mr. White and ask for forgiveness, to ask if there was any way he could change his fate.

As the days passed, Li noticed that Mr. White seemed to be watching him. There was a sense of familiarity in the old man's eyes, as if he had known Li all his life. One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a reddish hue over the queue, Mr. White approached Li.

"Li," he said, his voice deep and resonant. "I have been waiting for you."

Li's heart raced. "For me? But why?"

Mr. White smiled, a smile that held a hint of mischief. "Because you are the one who can help me cross over. You see, I have been here for a very long time, and I have a special task for you."

Li felt a shiver run down his spine. "What task?"

Mr. White took a deep breath. "You must go back to the world of the living and find the one person who can change your fate. The one person who can free you from this queue."

Li's eyes widened. "But who is it?"

Mr. White's eyes met his. "It is your past self. You must go back in time and change the decisions you made, the choices you took. Only then can you be free."

Li was confused, but he felt a strange sense of determination. "How can I go back in time? I don't even know how to use a time machine."

Mr. White chuckled. "You don't need a time machine, Li. You just need to be brave and face your past."

Li nodded, feeling a newfound resolve. "Alright, I'll do it. But what if I fail?"

Mr. White's expression grew serious. "Then you will stay here, waiting, for as long as it takes. But I believe in you, Li. You can change your fate."

And with that, Li stepped out of the queue, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and excitement. He knew that his journey would be difficult, that he would face many challenges. But he also knew that it was his only chance to escape the queue and find peace.

Li returned to the world of the living, a world that seemed so different now that he had returned. He met his past self, a younger man who was on the cusp of making decisions that would shape his future. Li knew that he had to act quickly, that he had to guide his past self away from the path that had led him to the queue.

As he watched his past self make choices, Li felt a strange sense of power. He could see the consequences of each decision, the path that it would lead to. And he knew that he had to be careful, that he had to ensure that his past self made the right choices.

Days turned into weeks, and Li continued to guide his past self. He saw the mistakes that had led him to the queue, the choices that had brought him to this point. And with each decision, he felt a sense of hope, a belief that he was making the right choices.

Finally, the day came when Li's past self made the right choice. He saw the path that had been chosen, the path that would lead him away from the queue, away from the afterlife. And with a sense of relief, Li watched as his past self walked away, his fate changed forever.

Li returned to the queue, his mission complete. He found Mr. White, who was waiting for him with a smile.

"You did it, Li," he said. "You changed your fate."

Li nodded, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "Thank you, Mr. White. I couldn't have done it without you."

Mr. White's smile widened. "You did it all on your own, Li. You just needed a little help to see the path."

And with that, Li felt the queue around him begin to fade. He opened his eyes to find himself in a field, the sun shining brightly overhead. He was free, free from the queue, free from the afterlife.

Li looked around, taking in the beauty of the world around him. He realized that he had a second chance, a chance to make different choices, to live a different life. And he knew that he would take it, that he would make the most of it.

And so, Li walked away from the queue, his heart filled with hope and determination. He had faced his past, he had changed his fate, and he was ready to face the future.

The queue remained, silent and empty, as if it had never been. And Li, with his new beginning, walked into the sunset, a free man at last.