The room was filling up slowly but surely, in true fashion the bride’s party had been twiddling their thumbs for half an hour, waiting for the groom’s party to arrive. This wasn’t atypical for them, as the groom was known to run on island time for everything though the bride hoped this day would be an exception. The photographer had captured the hors doeuvres and florals ten times over and was considering a nap in the church garden. He walked out into the garden to capture the pergola for the fifteenth time.
The clouds were despicably cumulous and the sun was shining at just the right angles to capture a wedding party. If only there were a wedding party in sight. In desperation to pass time the bridal party decided to resort to mimosas and gossip.
“I heard she hasn’t left her apartment since it happened”
“I wouldn’t either! Imagine waking up to your slaughtered cat in your bathtub”
“Choked to death with his own collar”
“That stupid skull print collar”
“I heard her boyfriend did it”
“I don’t care who did it or that her ballsack looking cat is dead, she better show up each plate was $150”
Not one for gossip, the bride shifted the attention to the wind picking up outside. In less than an hour’s time the picture perfect garden was starting to look like a scene from The Shining.
“Accuweather says it’s supposed to clear right back up”
The bridal party continued trying to cheer up their Bride to no avail. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the ends of her veil, never taking her eyes off the window, she was sure her soon-to-be-husband would drive up any second. A loud rapping on the suite’s door startled her out of her intent gaze. It was the photographer, ghost white and stiff as a board. In her mimosa haze she didn’t seem to notice he was scared stiff, she wanted to know if he’d seen the Groom. Speechless, he fell into a chaise lounge sitting by the door.
Disoriented from too many mimosas, the Bridal party stumbled out of the room to see what might have happened. As they turned the corner into the church they were all relieved to see the Groom’s back sitting in the first pew.
“Oh my God, you’re here! Why didn’t you call? Why didn’t you come get us in the suite?”
She kept calling to him as she walked up the aisle. He wasn’t moving or turning his head. Her heart began to beat out of her chest as she neared the front pew. It wasn’t like him to ignore her, especially on a day like this. Ten steps ahead of the bridal party, she reached the front pew and felt the floor shatter beneath her. The Groom sat motionless, with his eyes glazed over and a trickle of blood dripping onto his crisp white shirt collar.
A bloodcurdling scream followed, reverberating through the walls of the empty church.
There were no wedding bells, confetti, or bubbles as the bridal party sat in the lush church garden. Which was yet again, picture perfect — not a cloud in the sky. Replacing the sound of bells were ear piercing sirens, nearing the church driveway. With the chaos of tears, police, and paramedics no one noticed a small addition to their company. Walking out of the church garden and onto the church driveway was a small hairless cat with a stupid skull collar.
5. Write a dramatic scene that takes place in a church.
