Seven letters to Ophelea

Captain Jaice was very happy returning home to his fiancée in bandages and on a wheel chair after six months of being in a coma and two months of trying to make the doctors allow him go so that he could meet not with his family who had cried their hearts and eyes out over the no return of their only hope, A military personnel whose base was attacked at night, Jaice was eager to see his love Ophelea who meant the world and everything to him. Lea as he fondly calls her was the world the Jaice because she was his first crush and love and even his first and they had planned to get married on his return from his recent assignment out of town which was almost a year ago. On this fateful day of his return he was barely meters away from Lea’s House when Jaice and his team of soldiers began to hear sounds of joy and echoes of laughter, He said to himself maybe these sounds where coming from Lea’s neighbor or from the next street but as they came close to the apartment the sounds were evidently coming from Leas family apartment, Fear mixed with a tiny felling of hope and joy span through his vein sending chills through his body, At this point he was of the opinion that one of his team members had given the message of his return to Leas family who in turn were happy and they prepared a feast to welcome him but things grew out of his control and out of his imagination when they finally arrived and met themselves with wedding ceremony ongoing with the bride and groom already taking their marriage vows, it was first the groom who said “I DO” and there was a loud echo of joy alongside whispers and cheers to the groom, As they approached the centre of this eventful ceremony He was began to fantasize how himself and Lea would be so happy to tie the knot, what a day it would be with the love of his life, from that stance he gave an order to one of his men“ SEND A BOUQUE OF ROSES AND A CHEQUE TO THE COUPLE” My day would be here soon. The officiating priest turned to the bride and called her to take her vows.It was at mention of the bride’s name Jaice knew that something had gone wrong and shouted “WHATS GOING ON?” This sent a strong signal of disapproval and betrayal into the air making everyone present guests, family, friends and even well wishers including the bride and groom turning in direction of the loud and hurtful sounding voice. At first glance when the bride turned Jaice was almost fainting because it took every nerve, fiber and vein in him to be able to withstand, process and understand who he had just seen as the bride to be, His fiancée Ophelea in a wedding dress ready to declare her marital vows to another, On seeing the man whose voice had disrupted her most anticipated moment with Tim who was not just her Tech expert but also her knight in shining armor made her to lose breathe and weakened her knees making her to collapse sending even more confusion and fear into the air as family and friends swung into action trying to first prevent Ophelea from falling to the ground while trying to resuscitate her, the groom tensed charged towards the lame man in the wheel chair who was looking like a pile of useless bandage but Tim could not get his hands on Jaice because of his team who accompanied him as one of the soldiers reacted almost immediately taking hold of Tim’s elbow and twisted it backwards sending him to the ground with a loud cry of excruciating pains as he could not rise, More confusion and fear griped every one as another soldier brought out his side arm and let go of some bullets into the air, Those who had the space to evade the imminent danger ran for their dear lives while those who could not stood still and held their positions with their hands to their heads as if it was an armed robbery attack or a military hostile rake over from a democratic government, Toby the bride’s mother beckoned for help in a loud frantic voice she could no longer hold on to Ophelea’s lives less body which was becoming heavy for her to bare along as her siblings were all lying face down on the floor hands to their heads in fear and despair thinking some of Tim’s enemies or foes where bent on ending their lives on this auspicious day. Alex Tim’s father thinking it was an assassination ploy to take Tim out due to his newly signed contract rose up in courage demanding why men in military uniforms would want to wreck havoc on a special day as this but his question met with silence, More confusion, fear and this time with a stench of death looming in the air. Jaice roared in his military voice “ENOUGH” This is not how I pictured my return to Ophelea, How did all this happen, He cried and tried to reach out to Ophelea’s lifeless body but was refused access then he removed his sun glasses and face cap so Toby could see his face properly. Jaice, Alex shouted and walked towards him grabbing him like he was his lost and found son oh my… Your father and family thought you died in that attack on your base