Hanging by a Thread

1st Place Winner Submitted on 0531...255 Words

Mark Miller’s knuckles were white from gripping the handle above the passenger side seat as his wife drove like a maniac down the two-lane highway.

“You can’t be serious,” he said.

“Of course I’m serious. How am I supposed to sleep tonight if I don’t do this?”

“Just close your eyes and you’ll fall asleep, that's how. The way you’re driving, we’ll both be sleeping for eternity in a few minutes.”

“But this is an emergency.”

“You don’t even know if they’re going to be open.”

“They don’t close till 8 o’clock.”

The small import slid around the corner at 65. Mark silently prayed that a police car would be parked on the side of the road ahead, but there wasn’t another car to be seen anywhere.

“Its 7:30,” Mark said looking at the clock on the dashboard. “You’re not going to make it, so just slow down and we’ll go out to eat instead.”
“You think I can eat? Don’t you understand? This is a disaster.”

Mark sighed heavily and closed his eyes. He couldn’t help but visualize a Klingon standing on his hood saying It’s a good day to die.
As Mark’s life flashed before his eyes and the small car flashed through the streets, Marilyn make a quick left and screeched to a halt in the parking lot of a small strip mall.

She threw open her door and practically ran into the fabric store with only minutes to spare to buy the spool of thread she needed to finish her quilt.