Book of Time X

Wreckage in the woods—
Delaney and William
sat in half their car.
Startled by a flash of light,
two married hikers approached. 

The man called to them,
"Hey, half your car is missing!"
his wife corrected,
"He means, are you two okay?"
Delaney said, "I don't know."

William removed 
what was left of his seatbelt,
and the man helped him.
Delaney asked the woman,
"Tell me, is this Scarborough?"

The woman pulled off
the DeLorean's handle
from the bruised car door.
She said, "I'm sorry, but no.
You're in South Carolina."

Delaney's heart sank,
and William felt heavy
when he asked, "What year?"
The hikers traded glances
of concern at his question.

"It's twenty-thirty.”
Then the man said to his wife,
"We should call someone."
Delaney said, "There’s no need,
my wounds are not of the flesh."

William warmed up
Delaney's hands with his own,
kissing each of them.
He said, "Our children are bright.
We will find Parsley and Sage." 

The woman offered,
"Our cabin is up the road,
please come for dinner.
We always cook too much food."
So, they all went together.

Richard Auriga
Nassau County, NY