Don't Shoot The Harbinger

by Ryan Green

  Megan recognizes the dagger from the ceremony that stole her innocence.

  Father grabs their hands and places them together. Both of their hands dripping in blood “You are both now forever bound to each other. If one of you were to die, you both are to die. If one of you were to leave the other you both must parish, this oath is for life.”

  Mother grabs Father by his hands and they look into each other's eyes. “You know what we must do now” Mother says to Father.

  Father hands the dagger to Megan. “Our new Harbinger, a female, must take the life of the old female.” Mother looks at Megan and nods to her, she lifts Megan's hand and she guides her hand with the dagger into her chest. Mother removes the dagger and she hands it to Blaine.

  Blaine takes the dagger and he drives it into Father's chest. Mother and Father embrace as they walk towards the open fire that is roaring in front of the assembly of people.

  “We must perish together and like our love has burned for decades, as tradition now states and since the dawn of time has stated, we must now burn as well” Mother says as she and Father parade into the open fire pit.

  “Gather everyone together now and start a broadcast to all members” Megan exclaims.

  All of the members take out their phones and begin to record and broadcast live to the other members of the order that are not in attendance.

  “Blaine and I stand before you here today as your new Harbingers. We are now the faces of the future and the hands you must turn to and depend on for leadership and guidance. They say that a new broom sweeps clean and we are that new broom. We look to completely repair and reconstruct this broken system that thrives on abuse, exploitation and fear” Megan says to the assembly.

  “As the children of the former Harbingers we were mistreated. We were sexually and physically abused. We were abducted, we were discarded, we were exploited and when we challenged these decisions we were forsaken and they attempted to reprogram us like we were machines. But here we stand now, together, ready to lead, serve and command all of you” Blaine exclaims to the assembly.

  “All that we ask of you is one thing going forward to start, we need you to listen to us and this directive very clearly. This is not going to be open for debate or discussion, this is not a suggestion, this is not an idea, this is not a recommendation. This is a clear and concise order and a failure to follow this order will result in immediate termination.” Megan says directly to the red and black cloaks in attendance.

  Megan and Blaine look at each other, they grab one another's hand and they look to the crowds of cameras and speak in unison.

  “If you or someone you know has ever sexually abused a child whether it be physically or mentally in any way it is imperative to the Order of Azoth that they must be punished, by means no lesser than execution or if you have any dignity we will allow it by self sacrifice. We must eradicate these people and this behavior from within our ranks, there will be no exceptions and any attempt to avoid compliance with this order as we previously stated will result in the execution of all parties involved for treason.”

  Everyone in attendance begins chanting “for the new Harbingers” and “for the order”. They draw daggers from their cloaks and members wearing red cloaks are all pushed to the front.

  “Who are these members in the red cloaks?” Blaine asks Megan.

  “Those in red cloaks were identified prior to the ritual by Mother and Father as sacrifices as a parting gift to us Blaine. In order for a new regime to take place all members must subscribe to the new Harbingers belief system. Any possible dissenters and anyone who contributed to pedophilia in any form were identified by their red cloaks and told they would be chosen as advisors to gain their compliance.” Megan explains to Blaine.

  “So all of these people are willingly going to die?” Blaine asks Megan.

  “Well, they are going to die, whether it be willingly or forcefully, everyone here knows that the order comes before ego and before self. If they don’t willingly accept their punishment they will die with embarrassment and shame.”

  “You step forward,” Megan points to a young woman in the crowd.

  “I want you to be the sole documentation of this, keep your camera going and make sure you get everything. Everyone else put your cameras away.”

  Nearly all of the live cameras immediately begin to go black as phones are turned off or put away.

  Megan points to the camera and the camera pans to the fire to show the scene of the bodies of the disgraced pedophiles and abusers being burned alive.

  The screams from those in the red cloaks can be heard as hundreds of disgraced members of the Order of Azoth in attendance are forced into the fire all at once. The red cloaks are given the option to march into the fire on their own and die with dignity and the promise of a place in the afterlife or be killed and burned with disgrace and marked as betrayers and be banished to an eternity of emptiness.

  The camera turns back to Megan and Blaine.

  Megan grabs Blaine’s hand and they position themselves ready to deliver parting words to everyone in attendance and everyone watching the stream.

  “Thank you for your support” Megan and Blaine say in unison to the camera as the broadcast feed closes.

  Find Dissociation: A Collection of Short Stories on Amazon.