Chapter 4: The Anonymous
Shannon's POV
I am donning a pair of black pants topped with a white long sleeves shirt and a broad face cover to avoid facial recognition by countless security scanners within the area. Along with that ensemble, I am also wearing a yellow construction helmet, a pair of goggles, and a gas mask. This is what all of us are wearing right now, so that we can clearly identify who's among us and who's not.
I know that any time soon, the minions— the police will obstruct and prevent us from continuing this movement. I heard that they don't care whether they need to use force and hurt someone as long as they break us off. They won't hesitate to shoot rubber bullets and throw tear gases just to shove us away, that's why we are equipped with such toggery to be ready for the upcoming uproar that will occur.
I am in the crowd in the middle of central park, joining the biggest political protest of our country after a decade. We are strongly opposing the pending bill in the council that is aiming to clearly set dividers among different social statuses in Huxley.
They are imposing the CDRID or Citizen Division Restriction ID which will result in having restrictions in different areas. Each Messier can only be accessed by certain individuals, who either have rankings, or classified as Elites or Eriles. The President can access all of the Messiers, while the Council can only access Messier Eleven to Seventy-Five. The lower the ranking, the lesser the places that are accessible. So far, commoners like me can only access Messiers Sixty to Seventy-Five. The people of the lowest rankings, the paupers and peasants, will be left in the outer Messiers with no choice. They will have less food and facilities.
That's why we're raging with anger because the newly published bill has already passed its third and final reading, and is now only waiting for the President's signature. The Council only gave the President thirty days to sign the bill but whether he signs it or not, the bill will become an official law after the deadline. The bill has been pending on the President's table for twenty-eight days now. And by my observations, it looks like the President wants the bill to become official but doesn't want to get his hands dirty, since he's neither signing it nor vetoing it.
"STOP CLASSISM! STOP DIVIDING SOCIAL CLASSES!" we all collectively shout.
I don't usually join rallies, but today is different. The administration is getting too much, too cruel, too inhumane! I can't just sit inside my home, draw, and hope that someone will look at my art and join the rally for me.
"STOP CLASSISM! JUNK CDRID!"
Even before the bill was published, we are already experiencing different bias treatments and restrictions just because of our social classes. Now that they are legitimizing the prejudice that is blocking our freedom and rights for years, how can we stay silent?
"The police are coming! Get ready!" one of the leaders of the protest announces with his microphone.
We position ourselves in our designated areas. Before going here, we carefully planned out everything. We have to be prepared and vigilant because any lack of information or carelessness, one, two or maybe all of us can die. That's how cruel they are.
I positioned myself on the far upper left corner and ready my black flag and white paint. In this rally, my role as a warning flag bearer is to communicate with our co-activist at home who's hacking the system and stealing information about the police's command that will warn our associates within the battleground.
"They are about to arrive in Ballsy Village in Messier 62 now, 15 minutes before they arrive in the central park," one of the teasers from our team informs.
I write 15T on the flag and raise it for the people on the lower level to see. The shielders immediately sees my warning and makes a barricade with the use of wood boards and iron steel shields.
I use my advanced binoculars to see the empty distance from the entrance of the park and the barricade that our group made. I glance at my watch, then look through my glasses again.
60 seconds...
I write down another sign then quickly raise up my flag, which the fire setters immediately react to. I see how they nod at each other before pressing the remote. After a second, we hear a loud bang in front of the gated park, fusing with the police's deafening sirens.
We hear the first police mobile playing the 3rd degree level of warning. This siren is to warn us that they are considering our movement as a rebellion, thus everyone who takes part in this protest will be considered offenders. Once they capture someone, they will imprison him and consider him as a criminal without getting a proper court trial.
I see how the group of soldiers walks in full gear towards our direction. They are walking behind the first police mobile that is leading their march. There's also a group of police on standby at the far right corner with their rubber and shock bullet guns aiming at the leading protestors.
Once the army stops in front of the shielders, a minute of silence envelopes the entire central park. It is like the calm before the storm, the peace before the chaos.
An uproarious voice panics the civilians, causing the crowd to become riotous in the middle of the protest. One of the innocent bystanders, who's wearing the same outfit as ours, was shot by the authorities with a rubber bullet. The girl is crying helplessly with her butt on the ground as her forehead bleeds continuously. The man, who is with the girl, lunges towards the instigator but is stopped by the sudden electric shock caused by a shock bullet gun.
The scene gave rise to another chaos, the officer who shot the man aggravated the situation further. Everything escalated very fast, the bystanders who were watching silently, are now fighting hand in hand with us.
"STOP CLASSISM! STOP DIVIDING SOCIAL CLASSES!"
After a minute, the police suddenly attacked us by throwing tear gas. The bold attack of the authorities signals and awakens the erupting war. The group of firemen abruptly extinguishes the tear gases.
Everyone does their part. The shielders being the first layer of protection for the protestors in the middle, who are continuously yelling our cry of opposition while waving the banners we made.
It's upsetting how the once clean pavement, where people stroll and fill their heads with relaxing thoughts, is now dirtied with blood and filled with cries ranging from…
"HELP ME!"
"STOP CLASSISM! STOP THE RUTHLESS REGIME!"
"WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN!"
I see how all of us, peasants, paupers, commoners, and some eriles and elites who's supporting and calling for a just society unite for this fight. The scenery I am witnessing right now is scary yet a satisfying sight. It is like I am in the middle of the line of sublime beauty and utter destruction.
It's funny how other countries think that Huxley is the best. Little did they know that we are also fighting for our rights, for our lives, and for our freedom, just like them.
We are fighting just like how the Gaera is fighting for racism, like how Smerus fought against racial inequity. We will fight like how the Aglar fought with solidarity for their rights against violence and poverty, like how the Mucril wants the Gioglas to stop imposing the National Security Legislation in their country. They want their freedom, just like us.
We will never back down until we get the treatment that everyone deserves, until everyone will have food to feed their families, and until we all have the freedom to say what we want and do what we please. Even if it means war, we will gladly put our lives on the line for the sake of the future of this country.
In the midst of the havoc, someone catches my attention. There's this man who's suspiciously looking at every corner, as if finding something. He's wearing a black hooded jacket and mask that covers his whole face. My associates below are busy fighting the authorities and no one seems to notice this iffy man in the middle.
I look around to see if he's with someone, or part of some group, but there's no one other than him who's wearing the same color of jacket that he's wearing. I attentively watch his movements, following the gaze of his eyes as it wanders around every building within the area. Are his comrades hiding within those buildings?
"Hey, Oliver! Can you shoulder my end for a minute?" I ask my co-warning flag bearer.
He doesn't ask me for my reason, he just nods and focuses his eyes on the surroundings so he could do his part.
When I made sure that I can now go freely, I went downstairs to follow the suspicious man. Still not averting my eyes from him, I casually walk near him, so that he won't notice my presence.
I was nearing his spot when he quickly looked in my direction. I halt because of his movement but sigh in relief when I realize that he is not eyeing me, but the huge tower behind me. He stares at it for a couple of minutes. I curiously look too, to see what's so interesting in that tower.
My eyes widen as I hear a loud squealing sound, the warning tone that everyone is so familiar with.
The riot suddenly stops and everyone mirrors the same expression of each other, shocked and confused. The loud noise is followed by the famous glitching sound, then the huge LCD screen on the tower that the suspicious man was staring at a while ago suddenly lights up.
My heart starts to beat wildly as a notable man in a well known mask appears on the screen. I can't help but to smile, finally they are here.
"The world believes that this is a perfect country, filled with nothing but freedom and prosperity. A good country in the eyes of others, but Good is Not Good when Better is Needed. We are The Anonymous."
That short message gives a huge impact to all of us. That is not just a simple note, that is a caution, a warning.
After the short clip played, the authorities quickly called off their mission. Everyone collectively expresses their triumph by ceaselessly yelling and waving their banners.
When I finally remember my previous endeavor, I turn around to look for the mysterious man, but he's no longer where he stood a while ago. I scan around the area to find him. I think he's related to The Anonymous. He knew that there would be an announcement, that is why he's finding the tower where the screen will flash the clip.
Wait, I think that's him! I see him running to the opposite area, where the exit of the park is located. I passed the crowded center to run after him, but when I finally exited the central park, I could no longer see him. There's no one around this area, everyone is inside the largest central park in the country that is located in the middle of Messier 75, the last Messier of Huxley.
I stay there for a while, trying to find any movement from every direction that can hint me to where he could've possibly went, but the muffled clamors inside the park is the only audible sound I can hear.
"Argh!" I groan in regret while standing at the front gate of the central park.
I think I lost my chance to meet a member of The Anonymous.