You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension - a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into the Mafia Zone.

Submitted for your approval, an old Godfather lying on his deathbed.  He calls for his sons and his most trusted advisors.  The five men walk in with somber faces, each knowing the end is near, each knowing they might inherit the reigns of the family.  The eldest son, Hubert walks to his father’s side with his younger brother Louis at the other side of the bed.  The youngest, Dewey, stands next to his oldest brother.  The Godfather’s lawyer Oliver, a short fat man, stands at the foot of the bed.  The consigliore Stanly, tall and skinny, stands behind the lawyer.  The old man calls his butler forward, a Mr. Wooster.

“Get the box for me, please.”

Wooster goes to a cabinet in the room, and takes a key tied around his neck, and unlocks the door and removes a large box.  The Godfather sits up in bed, and Wooster places the box on his lap.

“Gentlemen, I am dying.”

”Not Father, don’t say that!” pleaded the youngest offspring.

”No amount of wishing will change that.  Mr. Oliver, you will take this box and open it upon the reading of my will.  I want you all to leave me now.”

”It will be my honor, Godfather.”  Mr. Oliver takes the box in one arm, kneels down and kisses the Godfather’s ring and leaves the room.  Mr. Stanley does the same.  The three sons say there farewells and leave the room.

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Mr. Oliver sits behind his desk in his law office holding an envelope.  Mr. Stanley, Hubert, Louis, and Dewey sit in chairs around the desk.  The mysterious box rests on the desk.  Oliver opens the envelope and reads the letter inside.

“blah blah bah . . . sound mind and body . . . blah blah blah . . . Pardon me, gents, but this part is pure legal mumbo jumbo.  There’s a lot of it . . . it’s jumbo mumbo jumbo, haha!  Okay, here we are.”  He clears his throat.  “It says, ‘by now you have all wondered what was in the box I gave to Mr. Oliver.  You may open it now.’”  Mr. Oliver opens the case to reveal five shiny pistols.  He continues to read.  “’There is a pistol for each of you.  It matters not who gets which.  In one week, Mr. Wooster will read another letter naming the order of succession for my ‘business empire.’  In that week’s time, you will all know why I’ve chosen who I have.  Each of you will have revealed your true selves and talents.’”  Oliver looks up from the letter, grabs a gun, and puts it in his shoulder holster, having taken his old gun out and placing it in a desk drawer.  “Choose your guns, boys, and I’ll see you in a week.”  The men all grab their own pistols and solemnly walk out the door, each with one thing on their mind - how to ensure their place in the new hierarchy.

__________________________________________

Although he was a humorous man of a jovial nature, Oliver knew the Godfather wouldn’t  entrust his with his empire.  The lawyer knew the consigliore would be first in line.  So, he decided to kill Stanley.  He met him in front of his apartment.  As Stanley was getting into his car, Oliver shouted out.

“It’s a fine mess you’ve gotten us into, Stanley.”

”Me, Ollie?  What did I do?”

Oliver pulls the godfather’s gun from his holster.  Bang!  A “bang” flag comes out when the trigger is squeezed.  Stanley pulled his gun, and shot the lawyer in between the eyes.  The lawyer out of the way, Stanley has his driver take him to the family home so he can talk with the sons.  Upon entering the mansion, he finds the three sons in a Mexican stand-off.

“Gentlemen, wait!” pleads Stanley.  But, Hubert, being very impatient fires his gun at Louis.  But because Hubert is impatient and hotheaded, his gun explodes in his hand, killing him.  Dewey, being shifty and sneaky, aims for his older brother and fires.  The bullet leaves the chamber and turns around and enters Dewey’s chest, penetrates his heart and kills him.  Louis, being far colder and calculating than the oldest and youngest brother takes careful aim at Stanley.

“You won’t take this away from me!”  He fires at Stanley.  The gun, full of ambition and guile fires a bullet that goes straight through Stanley’s left eye.  Stanley falls to the floor, as a dead a door nail.  However, Stanley had always been full of self-serving deceit and lies.  His advice to the Godfather always had an ulterior motive.  As Stanley falls to the floor, his gun fires and enters Louis at the neck.  Louis falls to the ground, vainly trying to stop the flow of blood.  He bleeds out in a matter of minutes.

Mr. Wooster walks into the room, wincing at the mess he knows he’s going to have to clean.  He pulls an envelope from his breast pocket.  Knowing that all five men are dead, he decides to read the final wishes of the Godfather early.  “Dear Wooster, I knew these guns would bring out the true nature of my sons and advisors.  I know they are all dead.  The power of the family is yours.  You’ve served me faithfully and honestly through all my years as godfather.  Never once have you advised me out of greed or misguided motives.  Congratulations.”  Wooster takes the Godfather’s ring out of his pocket and places it on his finger, ready to take control.

The moral of this story is, figure out the moral of the story before you write it, in . . . The Mafia Zone!

Ari Gold stood there when Mr_Pickles released another issue of his Pickles Production

Truly marvelous Mr Pickles, I read all your works and wanted to thank you for the morals that you taught to new mobster like me.

claps his hands

Se7ven stands on the street staring at the article in his hands, his jaw hangs open for a minute until finally his lips form words.

Absolutely amazing! Your articles get better everytime I read them, well done Mr_Pickles, well done!

Se7ven then walks down the street mumbling something about drug prices being too high.

I AM FREAKING AMAZED. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT SO I AM SCREAMING IT OUT LOUD. Ok now ill talk normal. I am so happy i read that i loved that story. Ill read that a few more times before i sleep tonight.