Woke Madness: The Resistance Awakens E-Book

Tobias Voss

• Herausgeber: epubli
• Kategorie: Abenteuer, Thriller, Horror
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 108

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

"Woke Madness: The Resistance Awakens" In a society in which freedom and individuality are suppressed, resistance is formed. Patrick and Susi fight for a better future, while the brutal government does everything it can to crush the rebellion. As dark secrets come to light, resistance grows stronger - but the price for freedom is high. Will hope for a better world triumph over darkness?

Leseprobe

Title:Woke Madness:

The Resistance Awakens

Author: Tobias Voss

Biography:

Tobias Voss was born in Berlin in 1985 and grew up in a world that was increasingly shaped by technology and social upheaval. At a young age, he developed a passion for stories that raised questions about the future and society. After completing an apprenticeship in IT and communications, he worked in the digital industry for several years. But his true passion has always been writing. Tobias Voss began to develop his ideas into novels and short stories, often dealing with dystopian themes and the question of how modern societies might develop under extreme political and social conditions. Away from writing, he lives in a small town in northern Germany, where he appreciates the peace and quiet of nature and enjoys reading historical novels and pursuing creative projects in his free time.

prolog

The city lay under a grey blanket of clouds that could barely be broken by the artificial glow of the propaganda screens. The same slogans flickered everywhere, monotonous and soporific:“Protecting feelings – our highest duty!” and “Vegan is life, meat is death!”The empty streets and the clinical silence seemed like an eternal nightmare from which no one seemed to emerge. Patrick pulled his head deeper into the hood of his worn jacket and instinctively avoided the nearest security camera. The camera's metal arm hummed softly as he adjusted its focus, always on the lookout for a movement, a deviation, a sign of "unlawful feelings." He knew all too well how it would end if it was discovered.

Not even a year ago, his life had taken a turn that he could never have imagined. Back then, he had been just a small cog in the big system, invisible and inconspicuous, as the regime demanded. But when he met Susi,– rebellious, full of life and with a secret that put them both in mortal danger – the safe gray of his existence had gone up in flames. Patrick remembered the forbidden parties, the laughter, the meat, the cigarettes, the music so loud that it drowned out the monotonous hum of the city. But the joy was short-lived. The raid had changed everything. Friends had disappeared, been arrested, taken to a labor camp that no one would ever leave again. Susi - strong and vulnerable at the same time- had confided the truth to him: she was pregnant. A child in a world where life itself had become a rebellion. Together they had fought for their friends, infiltrated a secret camp and seen the true face of the regime there. They had freed people, only to lose others. Lukas was dead. Lea had disappeared. The message she had sent to the population had been little more than a spark – a brief moment of truth ina sea of lies. But the spark was not enough to ignite a fire. The government had struck back, harder and more relentlessly than before. Now Patrick was a fugitive, a man without a home, without security. Susi was at his side, and their daughter Hope was the only light in the darkness. But the light alone was not enough. Patrick knew that she could not give up. Not now.

He clenched his fists as he moved through the shadows of the city. The fight was far from over. The first step had been taken, but the truth she had revealed was only the beginning. This time, the regime would not just be scratched - it would burn.

Chapter 1: Aftermath of the Message The cellar stank of old beer, mold, and sweat from fear. Patrick pulled the wet hood from his forehead and glanced at Susi, who was sitting on an old sofa, nursing her daughter Hope. The name was a damn joke in this crappy world. Hope, ugh. She was only three months old, and she had already been through more than many an old fart out there. Patrick snorted, pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, then remembered that smoking had long been banned. Not because of health reasons, but because the smoke could offend the feelings of those who were "sensitive to air." "What a load of crap," he muttered, and put the cigarette away again. "You look like you puked on a bus," Susi said without looking up. Her voice was quiet but sharp. "It'll get better when you get off your ass and finally make a plan."

Patrick stood still, his fists on his hips. "What should I do, hm? Just walk up to the government and say:'Hey, you bums, leave us all alone?'" He sank down on a pile of old beer crates. The boards creaked in protest. "They're looking for us. We're so screwed, Susi."

"Oh, shut up." Susi stood up, pushed the blanket aside and put Hope in a makeshift basket. She had dark circles under her eyes and her blonde hair was tied in a messy bun. Still, there was something unyielding about her attitude. "You were the big rebel, weren't you?" The guy who put out the message? 'The truth about the government' and all that bullshit? And now you're sitting here crying like a teenager whose vodka has been taken away."

“At least I still have balls,” Patrick snapped back.

Susi stepped closer, so close that he could feel her breath on his skin. "Balls won't get us out of here, Patrick. Brains would come in handy." At that moment the old cellar door burst open and a man stumbled inside. His facewas dirty, his jacket torn. "Close the damn door, otherwise we'll be standing in front of the next drone!" he yelled and stumbled down the steps. It was Timo, a former ally who hadn't been seen for weeks.

"Timo, you miserable bastard," Patrick growled and jumped up. "Where the hell were you?"

"Survival, you idiot!" And believe me, it's not a picnic out there." Timo dropped heavily onto a rusty chair and wiped the dirt from his face. "They've got something new. A surveillance thing. It's called the 'Oathkeeper'. It'll find you no matter where you are. And when the thing has you, you're as good as dead."

"Oathkeeper?" Susi crossed her arms. "Sounds like a damn fairy tale."

"It's not a fairy tale, sweetheart," Timo panted. "I've seen how those things work. Silently, quickly and precisely. They don't even go straight for you. They just mark you and then the guards come."

“Shit,” Patrick muttered, running his hand through his hair. “How do we get this thingbroken?"

"Not at all," said Timo and laughed humorlessly. "That thing will get you before you even know it's there. You started the mess, now live with it."

"Stop talking, Timo," snapped Susi. "If you don't have anything useful to contribute, you can just leave."

"Oh, piss off, Susi. You're only here because you need somewhere warm to lie down!" Timo grinned, but the grin froze when Patrick punched him.

"If you say another comment like that about Susi, I'll rip your damn head off," growled Patrick, while Timo held his bleeding lip. "Great," said Susi dryly. "Now you've released enough testosterone. Maybe we can now think about how to survive this shit?"

"We need a safe place to hide," Patrick said, taking a deep breath. "Somewhere where the drones can't find us."

“Are you sure? “You mean sure?” Timo scoffed."Welcome to the new age, buddy. There's no safe place anymore." Patrick stepped up to the wand and hit it with his fist. The plaster fell. He was right. There was no safe place anymore. But that doesn't mean he's giving up. Not now. Not while he's still breathing.

"Then let's make one," he finally said and turned to Susi. "You take care of Hope. I'll clarify the situation."

“And how exactly do you want to do that?” With your charm?” Susi raised an eyebrow. Patrick grinned crookedly. "Nah. With a damn plan."

Chapter 2: The Burning Cities The air in the city was heavy with smoke and despair. The sky was an unnatural mixture of grey and orange, streaked with the dark silhouettes of surveillance drones circling silently. Patrick, Susi and Timo were huddled together in a narrow side alley while screams and the deafening roar of water cannons filled the streets.

"Shit, they really went for it," Timo muttered, carefully peeking around the corner. His face was tense, his eyes flickering nervously. "Shut up," Patrick hissed, pulling him back into the shadows. "Do you want the drones to scan us?"

Susi leaned against the wall and cradled her daughter in her arms. Hope was surprisingly calm, despite the chaos around her. "What are we even doing here?" she asked quietly. "We should have stayed in the basement." “We would have died in the basement,” Patrick retorted, as he crossed the streetobserved. "They're searching systematically. And if they don't find us, they'll just blow everything up. We hardly have a chance out here."

A deafening bang made everyone jump. A

Molotov cocktail had hit a police vehicle, which was now ablaze. Patrick could see the figures of rebels running towards heavily armed police. Most of them had little else but metal pipes and stones.

“Idiots,” Timo muttered. “They can’t compete with them.”

"They fight," Patrick said. "That's more than most of us do." Suddenly, a piercing scream rang out, and Patrick saw a youth, no more than 16 years old, being beaten to the ground by one of the paramilitary guards. The soldiers wore the distinctive black armor of the Emotional Guards, complete with glowing masks that obscured their faces. “Leave him there,” whispered Timo. “He is adead man."

"How about you shut up for once?" Patrick didn't hesitate for a second, ran out of cover and hit the first guard in the back with a rusty metal pipe. The man gasped, staggered, but before he could turn around, Patrick had given him another blow to the helmet. The guard collapsed.

"You're crazy!" Susi called after him, but Patrick was already with the boy. He pulled him up while the other guards came towards him. "Run!" Patrick shouted at the boy and pushed him towards the alley. The youth staggered, his face covered in blood, but he obeyed. Patrick tried to follow him, but a guard grabbed his arm and yanked him around. The man was tall, a massive behemoth, and his grip was like a vice. "Violation of the law of the peace. Death penalty!" boomed the mechanical voice from the mask. “Death penalty? How original,” growled Patrick and kicked the man with all his strength in theKnee. The guard groaned, let go of him, and Patrick took the opportunity to throw himself into the alley. "Run!" he shouted to Susi and Timo, who didn't hesitate for long. Together they sprinted through the winding streets, while behind them the roar of the drones grew ever closer.

Eventually she found refuge in an old warehouse, hastily locking the doors behind her. The boy Patrick had rescued climbed up the wall, gasping. He was thin, with messy brown hair and a bloody wound across his forehead.

"Thank you," he mumbled as he tried to catch his breath. "I thought I was dead."

"Not yet," said Patrick, sinking against a box. "What's your name?"

"Max," said the boy, wiping the blood from his face. "I am... or was... with a small group of rebels. They surprised us this morning. I'm the only one who made it out." “Why did they attack you?” asked Susi, sitting down carefully next to him.

Max swallowed hard. "We found out that they are manipulating the water treatment plants. They mix something into the drinking water to make people happy."

“That’s nonsense,” Timo interjected. “They do it with fear and surveillance, not with chemicals.”

"It's not bullshit," Max insisted. "I've seen the documents. And... my uncle worked for the government. He told me it's an experiment. They call it 'Project Unity'. They want people to stop questioning. Just obey." Patrick rubbed his chin. "Shit. That explains a lot. The people outside... it's like they're not really awake anymore. They're scared, but they're not really fighting."

“Was that the case?” asked Susi. “We can’t stay here forever.” Patrick stands up, his hands clenched into fists. "We're going out and finding the truth." If Max is right, we have to stop this damn manipulation. And if not... then at least we'll tear down asome of those bastards down with us."

Timo laughed bitterly. "Great plan, boss. But there are four of us against an entire government."

"Wrong," said Patrick, pointing at Max. "There aren't four of us anymore. Max knows other groups. We'll get allies. And then we'll show those bastards that we won't give up." Max nodded slowly. "I can take you to them. But it will be dangerous."

"Our new home is dangerous," said Patrick with a crooked grin. "Now go. Pack your things."