This story is the result of a prompt from http://fivedotoh.com/2022/05/31/fandangos-story-starter-48/ to write a story with the following sentence to inspire.

WHEN THE TAXI DRIVER SUDDENLY TURNED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, I ASKED HIM WHAT HE WAS DOING. HE TURNED AROUND, HAD A NASTY GRIN ON HIS FACE, AND TOLD ME THAT HE…

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When the taxi driver suddenly turned in the wrong direction, I asked him what he was doing. He turned around, had a nasty grin on his face, and told me that he wasn’t a taxi driver at all, but a terrorist. He said he had a bomb in the trunk, and it was going to go off in five minutes.

I had become his hostage – his insurance policy to get the job done. Within seconds my life passed before me. After a long life of eighty years, I knew my time was limited, so I only hit the high points. I realized my only hope was to break out of the cab and put a stop to his treachery.

Fortunately, I had my trusty sidearm in my purse. I grabbed it and placed it up against the back of his head. Little did he know, the gun wasn’t loaded. His body stiffened but he continued driving. and I could tell he was scared, but not nearly as frightened as I was. My hands were sweaty, my knees were knocking, and my blood pressure was rising to infinity and beyond.

He pulled over to the curb. I escorted him to the trunk of the cab and told him to open it. He obliged. The trunk lifted with ease, but there was no bomb. Instead, I came face to face with my husband, who handed me a dozen roses and a birthday cake. He jumped out and yelled, “Surprise!”