Mystery of The Vault

The Vault

by

Joe Giannunzio

• I wrote the following story after a discussion with my granddaughters about war.
• They asked me why are there wars?
• I had no answer for them.

Many years ago a group of men and women got together and designed the perfect village. This village was to have all nationalities, no cars in the city limits. Just a small train where everyone parked their automobiles unless transporting furniture or heavy items to their homes. There was a huge garden where everyone planted crops and whatever was needed for all the folks living in the town including cows and goats for milk.

Guns were forbidden and any criminal act, no mater how minor, meant you were banished after the hometown jury found you guilty. If not guilty life went on.

In the middle of the village was a square with a small church (no denomination) where if you wanted to one could pray. Your choice. The children had a huge park to play in with no fear of being run over by a truck or car.

Right in the center of town square was a mysterious vault. A huge vault with a padlock. When the town was designed no one was allowed to ever open this vault and only one person had the key. The mayor who vowed never to open it for any reason at all.

The town worked out perfect for many years. The homes were built with the help of everyone and if one decided to move one could only claim the receipts for expenses. No profit was to be made.

One beautiful Sunday morning with all the children and grown-ups enjoying the day, the newly elected mayor could not contain himself and decided to open the vault. Instantly when the vault opened a huge chunk of sharp metal blew out the door. It hit everyone in sight maiming and killing many, but it hurt the children most of all for they didn't understand why? Why are children and parents being cut up and killed for no understandable reason? The huge piece of wicked tin continued down the street doing destruction all the way not caring who it hit or what it did damage to.

It finally came to rest after it landed in a small brook that meandered through town. It lay there covered in blood. On it was written one word...

WAR

Joe