The man was running late.
Running and late for his anniversary. He loved his wife, spare her temper. He was so sure his wife would have his head for being late. Making sure to stop by the flower boutique on his way, he only hoped it would make his sentence lighter. The door chimed as he was welcomed with different flowers. He would have stayed to observe longer, but today he had no leisure time. He cleaned his mud splattered shoes with the rug as he walked around. As he rummaged through the flowers, he struggled to remember her favorite flower. This was it, he thought. This was his end. If only he had paid better attention to the small details like the vase of flowers his wife always kept at the door entrance. He only hoped all of his family would attend his funeral. Auntie Jackie, Uncle Rick, that other dude. And only as if an angel had spoken to him, he remembered. Lilacs, it said. Lilacs, and he was saved. He never really liked Auntie Jackie anyway. As he looked around he saw flowers of all kinds, but lilacs, none.
With time so scarce, panic started to settle in. He began to search in all corners of the tiny flower shop, but lilacs, none. Would he be able to keep his head on his shoulders if he brought tulips instead? What about sunflowers? The odds of survival to death were too great to ignore. It seems Auntie Jackie would be coming to his funeral after all. He had to find the flowers, and as if the world had heard him, he saw said flowers. The last bouquet of lilacs, there, on the top rack. As he stretched out to reach them, another pair of hands had taken them. Just like that, his coffin had been shut close. His life had flashed before his eyes. His wife would have no mercy.
Another man held the last bouquet of lilacs. We stared at each other. This man seemed to be sleep deprived, hinted by the dark circles under his opaque eyes. He had overgrown hair and hadn't gone to the barber in a long time. A young, disturbed man. No wrinkles, thin lips. Silence prevailed and thickened as this young man refused to cede the bouquet. I felt my eyebrows crease as I felt something cold against my shirt. I hadn't realized we were so close. I look down to see a gun. I look back at the disturbed young man in alarm. I would have begged him in question to reconsider.
BANG.
