End of Women: Part Two

Shailene

'Prop that one up just there.'

The streets were mostly empty. A few cars slid back and forth between the crossroads. Some drivers poked their heads out a little, vaguely interested in the small gathering of women on the sidewalk.

Shailene shivered, clutching her woollen jacket a little tighter around her shoulders. Her online campaign had gotten so many upvotes and signatures, she had expected an army of female protesters. Instead they would be lucky to break one hundred, and half of those held their signs and chanted with muted tones, darting eyes around feverishly for fear of police or Bluenorth thugs. 

'We are here to get noticed!' Shailene moaned angrily to her daughter, Ellie, who had taken shelter under the picket stand on a deckchair, hands tucked deep into the warm pockets of her duffle coat, 'if they don't want to be seen, we might as well not be here!'

Ellie said nothing in reply, staring off into the mid-distance as her breath misted on the air. She looked so much like Shailene, black hair and pale skin with those fiercely green eyes, that it pained Shailene to see her so apathetic about women's issues. She had had to almost force her daughter to get up for the protest, and by the looks of it would have to pin her down just to keep her out of the house.

Another car drove past slowly and Shailene led the chants.

'Free our girls!' She yelled, and the small gathering gradually picked up the call, 'Close the compounds! Free our girls! Close the compounds!'

The chanting died off as soon as the car was out of sight. Shailene shook her head, dropping into the seat beside Ellie.

'Maybe today wasn't the day.' She sighed and poured herself a coffee from an urn.

'Maybe no day is the day.' Ellie made a snorting noise and began playing with her TabPhone. Shailene snatched it off her.

'What does that mean, young lady?'

'Its all over nothing, mom. The only women who get caught are the ones who make noise.'

'So, we just stay silent about everything? Just let it all happen?'

'No, mom, they don't lock women up for no reason. Only the troublemakers, you know. Women who do this.'

'I don't believe you,' Shailene's voice shook as she spoke, 'you sound like one of them.'

'Yah, mom, everyone is against you, that's what you're about. I can't even speak my mind when I'm around you.' Ellie huffed and got to her feet, storming off to a side-alley.

'Hey, young lady, don't go too far! You have to be careful!'

She flipped her off just before disappearing. Shailene's heart sank. Teenagers, she thought bitterly. What part of this made her daughter resent her? She was trying to ensure her freedom, for God's sake!

Noise building nearby distracted Shailene's attention. There were voices, lots of them, from a few streets over. She jumped up, certain that this was the real crowd she had been promised online, and they would make a real stand. 

'Everyone, signs up so they know where we are! Here come our sisters-in-arms!'

But what emerged around the corner made her step back in horror. A throng, ten times the size of their protest, made up of men carrying signs that read 'Get back where you belong!' and 'Age of Man!' emerged from two separate streets, bearing down on them. They were faces full of rage, their chants loud and their passion terrifying. Shailene turned to look at her girls, many of whom were screaming. A few had already started to run, dropping their signs and throwing their sashes on the ground.