Opportunity Knocks

Written for the Daily Flash Fiction Challenge with a word limit of 300.

The prompts: This story must contain the words thunderstorm, rainbow and flower

Opportunity Knocks

Roscoe the Enforcer set a rose on the casket and then joined the rest of the “family” as the coffin was lowered slowly into the ground. At a nod from Father Murphy, everyone lined up to take turns tossing in a symbolic shovel full of dirt. For some reason, the flower remained unsoiled. It’s bright red color contrasted with the dirt in a way that reminded Roscoe of the blood blossom on his patron’s shirt as he lay dying on the floor of the warehouse over on the west end of town.

A rumbling from the dark clouds above generated a synchronized skyward glace from the goth-clad mourners. The thunderstorm opened up moments later. Its drenching served as an appropriate bit of punctuation to a day of tears and fears; tears for the loss and fears about the gangland war that was certain to follow.

An eye for an eye was the way these types of issues were settled. Someone would have to pay for the hit on the dearly departed. After that, a second round of retaliation would depend on the mood of the families. If one thought they had an advantage over the other, there could be a lot more family gatherings like this in the future.

Roscoe played his role well. To the family, he was the loyal servant mourning dutifully at the passing of his employer. Earlier, he feigned restrained anger at the attack on the family, loudly swearing revenge. Some came to calm him saying there would be time for that later.

Roscoe hid well the smile that came to the corners of his mouth. In spite of the current downpour, he knew there was a rainbow heading his way. Two more rounds of assassinations and it would be his turn at the top.