He watched all the alternative media and followed it religiously. He even ordered a Guy Fawkes mask online and planned to wear it to an upcoming Freedom Rally he came across online.
Darren had closed his Facebook and social media accounts after being attacked by his friends, fact checked and made to look stupid. The last straw was when Stewart Fucking Atkins called him a flat earther with a load of laughing smiley emojis.
Now he wanted to become anonymous. He had watched the demos online and saw thousands of people marching even though the lamestream media hardly covered it which made him very angry. So when his mask arrived he decided to go and get involved on the streets.
He ducked out of the house early that Saturday and drove his car into the West End. Parking in Soho he then headed for Trafalgar square. As he neared the square he got caught up with a bunch of people and as he joined them he put on his mask.
With his fist pumping he shouted 'Freedooooom!' and everyone around him joined in. He was elated , his heart was pounding. These were his people. That day was the best day of his life. He even danced through the crowd and he never danced. When he chanted loads of people joined in. It gave him hope and his heart sang.
The March ended in Hyde Park and he headed down Oxford Street dipping in behind H&M he took his mask off, feeling a bit like a super hero, and put it back in his rucksack. He made his way back to his car his face red and sweaty from wearing the mask all day.
He drove home exhilarated and felt alive for the first time in months. He was bursting to tell someone and thought he would tell Emma that night and try to get her involved. He was worried about her although he didn't know exactly why.
As he drove home he sang aloud: 'We are the ninety-nine percent, We are the ninety-nine percent. We are the ninety, together we are mighty, We are the ninety-nine percent '
He pulled in to the pub and quietly parked his car. He saw the lights on in the pub and saw his fathers silhouette through the frosted window. He heard some 90's pop music playing as he quietly made his way to the back door.
Once he was in his bedroom he turned on his pc and went on YouTube to see some footage of the march. He had to really search to find anything as it was mostly shadow banned but he knew that people were there recording it all. Eventually he found it and relived the day, he even saw himself in the crowd several times and laughed rather hysterically when he saw himself dancing around. He couldn't wait to show Emma and tell her all about it.
Getting up and taking his laptop with him he muted it and went to knock on her door. She didn't answer so he went in. They were okay with that and often went into each others rooms. Her room was an absolute mess. Clothes and make up everywhere and curled up on her unmade bed was Spice their golden Cocker Spaniel.
Spice loved Emma and was waiting for her. She rolled on her back when she saw Darren and he went over and sat beside her. He noticed she had lost weight but that was a good thing as she was the greediest dog ever.
Growing up in a pub the regulars all spoiled her rotten and she loved a bag of crisps, Hoola Hoops being her favourite. She would go from table to table resting her head on someone's knee looking up at them with those soft brown eyes. She really knew how to work people.
Jesus, you could lay a table for two on her back it had got so wide and the Vet had been quite angry and rightly so but it wasn't all their fault as she was also a scavenger. You couldn't take her anywhere without her sniffing out some old takeaway or tipping over a dustbin. She had an eating disorder of some sort they had decided she also had a terrible temper and a really strong will. They had even caught her in the kitchen one night with her head in a bag of flour, eating it and covered in the stuff. When they had tried to get it off her she had nearly taken Andy's hand off. She had also run off with the Christmas cake one year and had managed to eat the whole thing. That dog was a law unto herself. Still they all loved her to bits.
Darren wondered where Emma was and just as he was about to leave she stumbled in.
'Hey Emmy' he said.
She was a bit startled not expecting to find anyone in her room. 'Hey Daz' she replied, 'What you up to?'
The overhead lighting casting a very unfavourable light on both of them.
'Emm are you ok?' he said as Emma climbed over Spice and sat down on the bed.
'I'm just tired' she said.
'Tired of what?' thought Darren.
Then Emma unexpectedly burst into tears.
'I'm tired of it all and I'm bored out of my mind. What's happening Darren? I'm scared, everything's so messed up.'
He put his arm around her and said 'It's alright don't be scared. Be strong, come on I want to show you something.'
Spice had suddenly farted loudly and both of them laughed. He showed her the footage from the demo and she was suitably impressed. 'Wow Darren I can't believe you went. That's you in the mask! That's brilliant wow,' She repeated.
She was proud of her big brother. It cheered her up and they talked for a few hours about different ideas as to what was going on. Emma was pretty switched on but really didn't want to dwell too much on it so as Darren was talking she smoked some weed to take the edge off.
She fell asleep listening to Darren and he quietly left her and went back to his own room. Still wired from the events of the day he watched the footage over and over again.