We call them witches
I remember reading about it, a time when men ruled all. According to history, men such as myself had poise and honor, qualities severely lacking today apparently. They ruled fairly and gracefully, answering only to the one true God... now, which one was that? I digress. In the time of man's rule, a creature of sorts roamed the lands. It had the shape and voice of women, it spoke human language and even took part in social gatherings and events. Some even bore children. This creature, however, was far from being the beloved, appeasing and loyal woman that men loved. This was a witch, one who consorted with God's mistake: the devil.
The witch was a creature of darkness, created by the devil in order to corrupt the hearts of men. It brought chaos to every home, leading the defenseless yet honorable men into lascivious acts that led to the destruction of their home. As a creature of the night, the witch acted against the norms of civilization. It, not she, defied the rule of man by gathering restricted knowledge and practicing science. Witches were known to be mysterious and harmful when approached, but as their numbers grew, they became more of a threat. Eventually, they were all considered dangerous hell creatures.
Up until that day, - after all the killing, raping and pillaging - the world had agreed that men were the superior beings. However, the witches threatened the very core of this dogmatic society by daring to rise higher than their superiors. They read, they developed medicines, they used math and logic for the benefit of all. This, of course, was troublesome. After all, who could reassure men that they were special and deserving of non-earned treatment, when woman-shaped fiends could do more than them in a world that actively opposed them? This would not do. Men were righteous, according to them and their gods, and women had to be kept in check, lest they turn themselves into witches.
So, what was the solution for these troubling times? After considering carefully the future repercussions in society, and keeping an open mind to the fact that other beliefs and realities existed outside their faith and ego, the society of man turned to the best answer they could find: burn them. Yes. If men felt threatened, they had their God-given right to end the life and potential of other beings. According to history, this was the best solution men could come up with. Eventually, many witches died violently at the hands of men. Outstandingly enough, many women who had nothing to do with this were also killed by those who merely suggested they were witches. The fear of men knew no bounds.
The witches are no more, or so it seems to be. Man has driven them off, killed them for the sake of their world. We live in developed societies where wrongful accusations are perceptually seldom. Women are better off. They still don't have half the benefits or privileges of men, but they can get close to that if they work, at the very least, three times harder and longer than their male counterparts. However, they cannot be sentenced to death due to witchcraft. No, those are barbaric practices from the past, implemented by horrible men whose legacy still lives on in form of our elite leaders. But it's different now, because, even though our powerful and gallant leaders inherited their wealth and power like their ancestors, they know better... they should.
As I try my best to live in the modern world, I have found a very curious and important fact: the witches never disappeared. As a matter of fact, I see them every single day. They walk around, usually silent, with their exhaustion and anger boiling inside. I see them in all shapes: mothers, rioters, pariahs and so on. Marginalized and furious, without hope yet surviving, these are the witches around us. As they are, they pose no threat, but I can only imagine what could happen should they decide to join and bring their witchcraft to the world.
What could happen if witches chose to fight back?
