avatarEva MacInnes

Summary

In the town of Alabama, an elderly man known as The Harbinger is both revered and feared for his prophetic abilities, which include predicting significant events and changes.

Abstract

The narrative "The Harbinger" revolves around an ancient figure in an Alabama town, who is recognized by various names, including The Cashier and Old Man Guthrie. Despite his many aliases, the townspeople rarely utter his true name, as he is the foreteller of major events, such as a long drought, eternal rains, a great fire, and even the passing of a local woman named Muriel Townsend. Although he is cherished by some, his presence is a source of fear for most, as he embodies both destruction and the promise of new beginnings that follow. This character did not choose his role as a harbinger but accepts his fate as a symbol of the cycle of life. The story is part of the "100 Story Challenge" and was inspired by the prompt "A Drabble a Day 3: 3-D" from The Fiction Writer's Den, with the word of the day being "CASHIER."

Opinions

  • The author portrays the character of The Harbinger as a figure of duality, respected for his prophetic gifts but also a source of trepidation due to his association with impending doom.
  • The townspeople's reluctance to speak his true name suggests a mix of reverence and fear, implying a superstitious belief in the power of names.
  • The Harbinger is not depicted as a malevolent force but rather as an integral part of the natural cycle of destruction and renewal.
  • The story reflects on the inevitability of change and the human tendency to both revere and fear what we cannot control or fully understand.
  • The author invites reader engagement by expressing a desire to hear

FICTION | FLASH FICTION | 100 STORY CHALLENGE | DRABBLE | THE FICTION WRITER’S DEN

The Harbinger

He is known by many names, but his true name is rarely spoken…

Photo by Evergreens & Dandelions on Unsplash

Somewhere down in Alabama, an impossibly old man sits behind a register. He goes by many names. The Cashier, Old Man Guthrie and Grandpa Joe are just a few.

But he has a true name, a name that the townspeople dare not speak. For it is he that warned of the long drought, the eternal rains and the great fire. It is he that predicted Muriel Townsend’s passing.

He is beloved by many, but feared by most. He didn’t choose this life, but nonetheless, he is The Harbinger of destruction and the new life that springs forth in its wake.

This prompt A Drabble a Day 3: 3-D is by Grim Flandango in The Fiction Writer’s Den. The word today is CASHIER.

This 73rd drabble is written as part of the “100 Story Challenge” by Zane Dickens the Instigator.

Thank you for reading my drabble. I’d love to hear your responses.

You can check out some more of my writing and follow me here. (She, Her) I am a writer, an artist and a freelance editor. I write a little bit of everything, whatever is on my mind at the moment. Get an email when I publish a new story. And you could buy me an iced latte if the mood strikes.

Fiction
Flash Fiction
100 Story Challenge
Drabble
The Fiction Writers Den
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