Project Phoenix: The Rise

Chapter 28 - Resurrection

Once again, just as she he did during the New Troubles and the rise of the freedom movement, Karen stood atop the old University building, her eyes scanning the city below. Sheffield had been transformed into a dystopian landscape, the Free Government had removed nearly all traces of the old tyrants.Standing atop of the University roof, Karen gazed out across the city she had once loved, once a sprawling concrete metropolis, it was now green and thriving with energy. It had been two long, harrowing years since the devastating bombing of the Houses of Parliament and the subsequent rise of the new British Empire, everything had changed, the politicians and the media resurrected a phrase first coined during the 2019 Pandemic to ease people's fears, this was the "New Normal."

Karen took a final, desperate drag on her cigarette, the filter nearly burnt down to nothing before throwing the burnt butt to the floor. She looked at the morning sun as it slowly rose above the city of Sheffield, now dubbed the citadel of hope. The city had become one of the few remaining strongholds of resistance in the North, a place where freedom of speech and dreams still existed.

Across the rest of the United Kingdom a shroud of darkness fell over the towns and cities as the new state security forces tightened their grip, imposing draconian laws that purged the streets of any remaining Freedom fighters and enemies of the state. The once relentless freedom movement now faded away, their rebellion swallowed by the ominous shadows.

Democracy, once a beacon of hope, now lay buried deep beneath the rubble of Big Been. Only control remained as people became enslaved to the new system, a new phase of life in human evolution one in which people merely strived to survive.

As the New Reich descended upon the land, Manchester and Leeds became ghost towns. Martial law blanketed the cities, its suffocating restrictions and curfews leaving the streets deserted after sunset. Only those deemed non-essential workers or members of the British Imperial Party were allowed to move freely under the watchful eyes of the state. Affiliation with the freedom movement was synonymous with treachery against the new regime, leading to swift arrest and trial under the treason act. Dissent and speaking out against the government were considered grave offenses, punishable by the harshest of penalties. The courts had been replaced by military tribunals, where those found guilty of dissent faced extended imprisonment in grim re-education camps. Those convicted of treason met their fate through summary execution, facing a firing squad.

People went about their business unchecked, free to roam, free to speak out and challenge those who peddled the mis information and lies. To many who looked to escape the new regime Sheffield now seemed like a Utopia, Unlike the state controlled cities and the capital.

In contrast to Sheffield London had become the jewel in the crown for the new empire. New government controlled zones, meticulously divided into fifteen-minute increments, contained everything necessary for survival, shops, schools, entertainment, and healthcare centres. Employment was limited to the assigned zones, with essential workers granted permission to travel outside for work in the technological and financial sectors. The state sponsored National holiday resorts provided re-education and recreational activities for members of the new worker's union and the British Imperial Party, all funded by the state.

The concept of individual homes and mortgages had become obsolete. People now lived in communal blocks and shared spaces, their housing allocated based on their social standing and social credit score. Travel had become a distant memory since cars were no longer necessary, hailed as a victory against climate change. Security buffers, manned by robots and drones, kept people confined within the steel walls of their zones. Digital watchtowers equipped with facial recognition cameras and checkpoints ensured that people remained trapped, like prisoners in modern-day concentration camps. The difference now was that the inhabitants seemed content with this existence, their sense of security outweighing any desire for freedom. As it was once proclaimed, "You will own nothing and be happy."