- Prologue-
For relative equilibrium in the world - the suffering of some must be sacrificed for the stability of society. As women's rights indirectly threatened the western system, the frustration of men led them to seek freedom from their own inadequacies and loss of roles. Underground groups were formed, thousands joining each week. Whispers of a revolution spread throughout global powers, such as the United States and Great Britain. For the first time in global history, multi religious faiths agreed that the status of man had to be restored. Too much had been lost.
Regressing back to traditional ways, the population of men turned their backs on the Media, free love and sex, divorce and passivity. Deliberating the consequence of their manifesto for their own selves, majority opinion heralded a new era of traditionalism. Women were taking over, this was an undeniable fact for years, however, though some suspected, many women loathed to think that men resented the current post modern era.
Men realised were stronger and faster and had physical strength to take back the power they believed to be their's, the women could not stand in the way of force, women's accounts were frozen, women held by force, if necessary in their home. Young and unmarried women were rounded up. Piece by piece the hearts of men and their purpose were returned and lives that held no meaning or gratification came to life. Within a week, half of the western world and their women were submit to the new era.
A new traditionalism.
Shadowing along the wall of a once, busy city, Nicole searched silently for any movement of the Mascula Army (as they liked to call themselves). She could hear her breathing, the breeze was icy and stung the tops of your lungs if inhaled sharply. Glancing behind, she looked at the concentrated faces of her comrades, Shanice and Emma, who eagerly awaited instruction. It had been several days since they had laid eyes on another female. They were disappearing at an alarming rate. Since the revolution, the girls had suffered different tales of woe and hadn't seen their parents or families for months now. It was hard to travel, the beady eyes of the Mascula were sharp and sought them out vigorously. More than likely, if found, they would face the boys and the men they once knew, making escape from the city and keeping their identity under wraps near impossible. The Mascula had formed a strong bond between each other and their capture would be flagged and responded to within the day.
If only the men were this organised in the back-days.
"It's clear, but its a long way. It's about 200 feet to the other side. Without cover." Nicole instructed doubtfully to the other girls.
"We can't stay here." Emma stated. glancing between Nicole and Shanice. In the back days, Emma would have been sociable and relatively popular, starting university or college with a safety net of her parents throughout her life. Since Mascula take-over, Nicole presumed that her escape from the family home and the eyes of the Mascula had changed her into a hesitant and anxious girl with wide eyes and tousled, ordinary looks.
" This is the last hurdle, to get to better safety and resources." She continued sensibly.
"Ok, we have to risk it," Shanice added, always eager to keep moving. Nicole thought that she had run for longer than the revolution of the Mascula.
"Ok girls." Nicole smiled. Each moment counted as possibly the last of their freedom. Nicole turned back around facing the gulf that was the dual carriageway. So close.
"And... GO" Nicole hissed, sucking in an icy breath that constricted her lungs and shot pain through her torso. Pumping faster, the girls equally ran their pace.
An explosion ripped the road in front of them. The icy air reeked of hot tarmac. Emma screeched and Shanice ducked, grabbing her loose jacket, Nicole skidded to a stop , slipping on the road and landing harshly. She turned to run sideways. Adrenaline surged through them all, the air crackled with tension. They had gotten away before, but a sharpness in the air made the reality of capture brutal and fierce.
"RUN!" Emma squealed, men of the Mascula army, in their strange uniforms pursued them. As if in slow motion, gas-masked men ran from their spot to the side of them, for the second time, Nicole skidded to a halt, her blonde curls whipping her in the face. The Mascula's footfalls vibrated beneath her as they approached.
"Gas!" She screamed, behind her, Emma shouted something incoherent, Nicole wrapped her arm around her face and turned to run back. The hiss of spray echoed, dragging Nicole's footsteps slower and slower. It was difficult to breathe, the icy air and the gas swallowed her lungs, looking at the gas swamped sky, she saw a spot of blue as her head smacked the concrete. In the back-days, she would have thought she was going to die if she had swallowed bouts of this, but in the back of her mind, Nicole knew that as young women in their early twenties, they would be kept for more productive and sinister reasons.
She swallowed down her hysteria as heavy footsteps of unidentifiable men came closer. Head to toe in combat gear and protection, she gazed at the figure above her. He paused, his masked face seemingly to look at her, though she couldn't tell. Before her eyes dropped shut, she saw his leather gloved hand reach toward her and she silently prayed that Emma and Shanice had either escaped or were unharmed.