A Gangster With Roses • Tommy Shelby

in the bleak midwinter

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SNOW ANGELS

"FOR OUR SOULS do not belong on this earth, they do not even belong to us. For the Lord has made us in His perfection, and it is Him that calls us back home. Little Elliot has gone to be with the Lord again. There, he will feel no pain, there he will never be sick, there he will never know sadness."

The sky was bleak.

Thunder was coming.

You could tell as the silvery grey clouds swirled back and forth. They were all gathered outside. The wind had formed a ghostly choir, moaning continuously, rustling leaves on trees as Jeremiah spoke.

"And he waits for his loved ones to join him when the time is right. We will honour little Elliot for as long as we live, his life was a light to many in days of darkness, his warm presence shall never be forgotten, his gentle spirit and laughter will always be with us."

Rose stood there, in all black, a veil covering her face. She was numb. Not a thought behind those eyes.

"Even though he was taken from us so quickly under cruel circumstances, we find comfort knowing that he now rests in the Lords arms forevermore." Jeremiah closes his Bible.

You could hear family members sobbing softly.

It was truly a tragic day.

"And now, by the wishes of the family, little Elliot will follow gypsy tradition and be put to rest in the wagon. His father will light the flame." Jeremiah says. "And as we burn his coffin and body, we burn any evil spirits around him and send him peacefully to the afterlife."

The wind brushes past, leaving a frost biting chill.

Everyone watches as Rose walks up to Elliot's coffin, she wanted to say goodbye before they put him in the wagon.

Her hand shakes uncontrollably as she places it on the object that now held her son in it. The coffin was so small, a coffin should never be that small.

He was just a baby— her baby.

Now she will never hug, or kiss, or see her son again.

This was all she had left. This, and the memories of him.

She bends down and kisses the coffin, staying there for a couple seconds. Hot tears stream down her face as she realises she went from kissing his forehead goodnight, to kissing him like this.

He was really gone.

"Come here." Renie whispers as Rose walks back. She pulls her niece into a warm embrace, there was anger and sadness in Renie's heart. The death of Elliot only strengthened her dislike for Tommy more, she blamed him for it.

Tommy hadn't looked up for the whole service, his head hung low with his peaky cap shading his face.

He just stood there, completely broken.

Polly puts her hand on his back. "Thomas, would you like to say a couple words before they put him in there?"

Tommy wipes his face. He had to be strong for his family. Without a word, he walks up to his son's coffin, facing everyone. There was silence. A haunting silence.

He was meant to protect them, to protect his son, he failed. His gaze lands on Rose, and for the first time in days they lock eyes.

He failed everyone.

"I chose to do this here, by the canal, because my little boy loved the way the river flowed. He loved to dip his fingers in the water and spot goldfish." A deep pain rested in his voice. "He loved to feel the breeze of the outdoors, to see the horses run down the hills."