False Freedom

It became so much worse than we could have ever imagined. Democracy had crumbled to dust and the world itself was split into two. A new alliance between the democratic countries was formed while the Freedom Fighters banded together in an attempt to liberate the rest of the world of their manipulative governments. The Freedom Fighters could not see the damage that was being done, they refused to see their loved ones dying as a consequence of their ignorance and instead vehemently pinned it on government spies and corruption. But that was a time long gone, a time when many fell ill to the virus.

Somehow, we still acknowledged them as Freedom Fighters. They had almost completely conquered my own country, laying waste to important government buildings and facilities and publicly executing chief candidates of the government departments. Rage and fire coursed through my body the same way their destruction surged across the world. My frustration was desperate for release and became fixated on the notion of becoming violent against the Freedom Fighters I sat amongst. A wolf in sheep’s clothing was all I was allowed to be in this world, for they only accepted their own. I had to pretend to believe in their cause and I had to pretend to be joyous when I discovered their crimes.

We were on the verge of capturing the country. Only one city left – the capital. Everyone who still believed in collectively stopping the pandemic had moved closer to the government building for protection back in the early phases of the Freedom Fighters inauguration. Bombers and pyrotechnicians had already infiltrated the sewers beneath the city. I felt sorry for the death that was about to come for all those trying to carry on living within.

“You know what I miss most about the pandemic?” Screw said with an evil glint in his eye.

“What?” I replied, dreading the answer.

“Having an extra ally killing the idiots.”

Screw was the kind of person that got off on crime and killing. A sociopath, if you will, but they were all getting off on it. Few people knew the pandemic had been successfully contained because the stress and fear of the Freedom Fighters were causing similar symptoms across the population. The Freedom Fighters used it to spread lies and make claims that the government had lied about it being contained at all. Many joined them after that, but there were still plenty who didn’t.

“Yo, Wire, throw me another can?” Screw beckoned, clapping his hands like a seal. Wire pegged a beer can his way and cracked one for himself.

“You want one too, Locker?” Wire asked. I enthusiastically obliged and acted like a child enthused by a new present when it landed in my hands. Fitting in was surviving, there was no other option. Wire was very quiet but trustworthy. Whenever anyone questioned the cause or felt conflicted, Wire was always able to remind them of the importance of their work with personal anecdotes. Whether he was also pretending or not was hard to tell for his stories were well constructed.

“Righto, Locker, my boy, you’re up,” a deep voice boomed. I peered up to see the captain standing proudly at the edge of the perimeter. The captain clapped me on the back as I came to his side.

“What’s the issue?” I beckoned.

“We need someone to crack the door to the embassy…quietly,” he instructed, pointing along the ground, “You’ll have to go through the sewers to get in unnoticed, oh, and uh watch your step.”

For the cause. I thought in my head as I climbed down into the dank, dark metal pipe. For the cause of survival.

The smell made my hair stand on end and the notion of breathing fresh air quickly became a foreign concept. Brown sludge made disgusting noises as my boots tracked along the pipe. I would need a new pair. As I finally emerged on the other side, a wave of disgust overcame my body forcing me to puke my insides clean.  

“Woah, Locker, easy there,” Ride called, patting me on the shoulder.

“I’m fine, where’s the door?” I mumbled, wiping my mouth on some spare rag before throwing it into an old garden bed. Ride walked me to the edge of the government building wall and quietly pointed out three armed guards.

“We’ve got Beat and Blade on the move as we speak. Once the guards are down you need to move quickly. Pop that door open and get out of the way...no doubt there’s more inside,” Ride instructed.

I shuffled quietly to the entrance and began fiddling with the handle. After switching between a few key instruments from the toolbelt the door gave way.

“Done,” I confirmed. Ride seemed impressed. I slipped away behind the wall once more and watched as Blade and Beat eradicated the unsuspecting guards. We had acquired two new guns, one of which would be entrusted to me.

“Here,” Blade called, making her way towards me, “It’s long-range, maybe you can cover me?”

I didn’t know the first thing about guns, “I’ll try….”

Through comms, Pyro confirmed that all bombs were in place. Ride rallied up the group and did a headcount, “We’re clear up here, bombs away.”

A feeling of deep sadness weighed heavily in my gut. I knew in the next few minutes one of the last cities remaining that fought against the Freedom Fighters would be extinguished and the people living within would either be dead or wish they were.

“Mmm cannot wait to see what lucky prisoners we find,” Ride said, smiling at the others, “Hopefully a couple of cute ones.”

A few of the others laughed, some said nothing at all. I wondered if they were all truly committed to the cause, or if anyone else was hiding their true feelings beneath disgusting comments and crimes. Was it all a front and were they just as scared as I was of being found out? I wondered if it was worth all the trouble just to survive. I had lost too much time in my contemplation and missed the chance to die with the last of the real heroes. It was time to pillage the city.