The greatest sacrifice

This was supposed to be the happiest day of our  lives, where did it go so wrong? The room was in chaos, people running to the exits, the crackling of fire and the breath-quenching smoke filling the air. The crowd pushed and shoved until finally I exited the building. As I gasped for clean air, I turned to ask Ally if she was okay and realized she was no longer behind me.  Fear surged through me and I began pushing back into the church to try and save my beloved.  Let me start at the beginning, it was our wedding day. The day we had been planning for months, the day I got to marry my best friend.  From the moment I woke up I couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was going to happen.It stuck with me while I was working out. The biggest NCAA game was coming up. I have to stay in shape, I am the NY Giants quarterback. This might be the last chance I have of winning the super bowl. It stuck with me while I took a shower, it stuck with me while I got my suit on, it was still with me while I was talking to all my friends that were in the bridal party. As the time wore on I was on pins and needles, not just because it was my wedding day. When the time came my best man and best friend, Trevor, brought all the guys in to pray in a circle around me. When I walked up the aisle, to take my seat, I realized how beautiful the church looked. There were white ribbens decorating the pews, there were golden beads on them.  The photographer snapped a photo as I bowed at the altar and stood at my seat. The bridal party all came, then I saw Ally, my eyes filled with tears. She was dressed in her beautiful ball gown style white dress. Her vail was long and was trailing behind her. She had her hair down and curled. Her makeup was done, nothing overly  fancy, but it was beautiful and brought out her blue eyes. Her bouquet was made of white roses with little golden beads in between the flowers.

She came to her seat beside me and mass began. I found it hard to pay attention, I kept sneaking glances at her. There were only a few short minutes until we were united through marriage.  Finally the priest called us forward, the bridal party all came up too. Trevor patted me on the shoulder while giving me an encouraging look. The priest read off something,  but I wasn't listening. I must confess. I was staring at my wife-to-be, she was paying attention carefully. Then she looked at me, she smiled, then nodded her head toward the priest and mouthed the words, ‘pay attention’. I blushed and turned back to the priest. “Jake and Alexis, have you come here to enter into Marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly? Are you prepared, as you follow the path of Marriage, to love and honor each other for as long as you both shall live? Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from God and to bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?” I looked at Ally and nodded, “I am” She blushed and said the same. Then it came time to recite the vows, the priest told us what to say. Then the most important moment in my life took place. I cleared my throat and began. “I, Jake, take you, Ally, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.” Then Ally began, “I, Alexis, take you, Jake, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.” The priest said a blessing over us, "What God joins together, let no one put asunder", then blessed the rings. I took Ally’s wedding ring and her hand, (placing the wedding ring on Ally's Ring finger): Alexis,  receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”  Ally then took my hand and the ring  (placing the wedding ring on my ring finger): Jake, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The priest then pronounced us man and wife. I kissed Ally and we walked to our pew together. Just as we reached the seat a stained glass window shattered overtop us showering us in glass shards. A stone landed near the aisle. Then a lit torch was thrown in. It landed on the cushioned pew in front of us and immediately lit up. I pulled Ally back and pulled her to the aisle. We began to run to the nearest exit but Ally's veil got caught on the pew. I tried to pull it free but it wouldn't come off. So, I had to rip it off her head. Tears filled her eyes as I threw it back towards the lit up pew. This was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives, where did it go so wrong? The room was in chaos, people running to the exits, the crackling of fire and the breath-quenching smoke filling the air. The crowd pushed and shoved until finally I exited the building as I gasped for clean air, I turned to ask Ally if she was okay and realized she was no longer behind me.  Fear surged through me and I began pushing back into the church to try and save my beloved. Trevor stopped me as I tried to get back in. “What are you doing bro?! The rafters are about to give in!” I shoved him off me, “Ally’s in there, I have to go get her.” He looked at me with saddened eyes  and nodded.  I rushed into the building, it was an inferno inside. It was boiling hot and the smoke crowded my lungs. I yelled, “Ally! Ally?!” My heart pounded in my chest and I frantically yelled again, “Ally! Ally?!” A rafter fell from overhead, I ducked out of instinct, the rafter hit the ground in front of me. Then I saw her, she was helping the priest get the communion. I was so proud, she had such a kind heart. She had remembered the priest and no one else had.  The priest took the communion and got out of the church. Ally followed but tripped over something. I grabbed her arm and picked her up. The roof was creaking. I knew it was only a matter of minutes before the roof completely caved in. I ran for the exit, I was just to the door when, with a final creak, the roof fell. I dove for the door and slammed through it just as the roof came cascading l. The burning rafters landed on my legs, I yelled in pain. Travis and Scott, my other buddy, yanked me out. I was rushed to the hospital, they said the third degree burns might cause paralysis in my legs. They tried to save them but it was too late, I lost the use of my legs the day after my wedding.  Ally came into my hospital room crying that day, she apologized. She thought she ruined my life, but I told her it was worth it. I would rather lose my legs than lose her. I guess everything was put into perspective in that church.  I never did get to play in the super bowl, but Travis, Doug, and the other guys carried our team to victory. Ally and I cheered them on from the sidelines, together.

                                     The end