If You Read This...

But Not As Crazy

"Theo! Be careful!" Nia insisted as I pointed the lighter at a bible we found on a shelf.

"Careful?! We're lighting a goddamn fire!" I rolled my eyes and pushed my finger against the lever. Our eyes where glued to the bible as the flames bloomed from the paper like a rose in the beginning of spring.

"We are so going to hell for this," Ivy whispered, a chuckle underlying her voice.

"We are so going to jail for this!" Nia declared as the fire danced onto the wooden floor.

"Not if we don't get caught. Nia, go back to the service, get 'help.' Meet Ivy and I behind the building." I proposed. Neither of them seemed very fund of my idea, but the floor we where standing on was literally on fire, so they didn't have much of a choice.

Nia bolted down the hall screaming for help, while Ivy and I scrambled for the back door. When we where finally settled down, panting, with our backs against the wall, Ivy said,
"you know they'll send firefighters in after us, right?"

"Yeah..." I reluctantly admitted. 

"You know you have no place to put a body right?"

"Yeah..."

"You know this whole plan was crazy, right?"

"Yeah..."

She sighed.

"We'll be okay," I put my arm on her shoulder.

"How do you know? I mean, we literally just lit a building on fire. That's gotta be like- a long time in prison."

"Or just a trip to a mental institution. Listen, whatever happens to me, I can handle it. As long as I get Rory back." The smoke started to trickle in our noses. My stomach sunk, wondering if Rory's body would survive the burns.

We sat in silence until sirens rang in the distance and Nia met us outside. Then, we gave each other a nod, and started for the door.

The place was a disaster, everything catching fire, smoke filing the air. Our lungs broke out in coughs the second we walked in.

"Come on!" Ivy yelled, running through a small opening in the flames. We could barely hear each other over the crackling; we could barely see each other over the blinding light surrounding us. Nia and I followed, trying to hold in our coughs.

We ran to the main building where the funeral was held, dogging the fire as best as we could.

"It's still here!" Ivy called to Nia and me, who where struggling to keep up. I would've sighed with relief if I could actually breathe.

I was almost to the main room when I heard a scream, then a crash coming from behind me.

"Nia!" I screamed, throwing my head around. I searched for her, but she was hidden in the smoke. I could hear her cough.

"Is she okay?!" Ivy yelled.

"I can't find her!"

I could here her coughing, as if she was struggling to speak.

"I'll get her. Go to Rory!" Ivy insisted. I sprinted through the fire and into the main room. It wasn't as bad in there. There wasn't much fire, and the smoke wasn't as heavy.

"I've got you, Rory. I've got you," I mumbled, opening the bottom portion of the casket. I froze at the sight of his body. Lifeless.

I grabbed his hand. It was cold to the touch, but it was his hand. I knew I had to act quickly, we didn't have much time to get his body out. But I couldn't stop myself from holding his hand tightly in mine.