It had been a long ten years. Ten years ago, before she could vote, the world had changed. No one had foreseen how quickly it would change, many predicted it would.

Lily, as she was known then, could only watch it unfold in horror as the authoritarian theocracy overtook what was once hailed as the shining beacon of democracy. The domino effect it had around the world was swift. So began Lily's activism, peacefully protesting for human rights, across the board, but particularly women.

The patriarchal boot had come down hard on women, across all demographics. Violence against women had escalated dramatically over the past decade. Every woman could tell you a personal story if they were lucky to have survived their story. Male allies, while still standing with women, had reduced in numbers as they, too, were violently dealt with.

Now she was known as Lilith. Her birth name. The origins of her name were not lost on her.

Lilith sat before thousands of screens in the warehouse, watching and waiting. Around her, countless women did the same, their silence heavy with purpose.

"Lily?"

Lily snapped her head to her left towards the woman who had addressed her. Her glare fixated on her.

"Sorry. Lilith?"

"What is it?"

"We are just wondering. When will it be time?"

"Soon." Lilith responded curtly, "We have waited a decade, and planned this for the past year. Have patience."

"Okay. What will be the signal though?"

"Everyone will know it once I utter it live."

The woman hesitated, then left the room joining the rest of the women as they waited.

Lilith checked her watch. The first anniversary was fast approaching. The anniversary of her lifelong friend's death. Sarah had died at the hands of a mob of men, incels, during the final peaceful protest they had undertaken worldwide.

The time for peaceful protests had died that day, with Sarah.

Lilith checked her watch again. The seconds drew near. She pressed the button and her image filled the screens. All the ones up on the walls, the ones women held in their hands. Countless others around the world, in every capital city.

Lilith stared into the camera. Fierce determination in her eyes.

"For the countless lives lost. Both women and men. For all the Sarah's."

Lilith paused.

"For Sarah. The only answer is arson." Her image disappeared from all the screens.

Then the screens up on the wall started showing city after city, mostly those with populations of over 150,000 people. Each city was engulfed in flames, rocked with explosion after explosion.

Lilith sat and watched it all burn.