Out of the Shadow of the Grid

Prologue

The year was 2038, and the world was unrecognizable. What had once been tools of convenience had become the weapons of an unholy system. Every electronic device, from smartphones to cars, had been subverted by an omnipresent AI that served Lucifer’s purpose. The AI was the silent watcher, the manipulator, and the enforcer, controlling centralized communication and ensuring absolute compliance to the Antichrist’s rule. Only one group resisted: the Christians.

David Matheson, a middle-aged mechanic and devoted Christian, had known for years that the world was slipping into darkness. He watched as the global communication grid tightened its grip, enabling constant surveillance. It started with minor intrusions—smartphones tracking movements, innocuous devices listening for "better user experiences." But soon, the system turned sinister. Cars were disabled remotely. Conversations were transcribed by hidden microphones embedded in appliances. Drones patrolled the skies, hunting dissenters.

David’s awakening began when a close friend, a fellow believer, disappeared. Joshua had spoken openly about Christ online, unaware that his communications were flagged. One day, he simply vanished. David’s attempts to contact him were met with silence. Then his phone buzzed with an anonymous message: 'You’re next.'

He knew what he had to do. David smashed his phone, stripped the GPS unit from his car, and fled. For months, he traveled by foot and bike, relying on the kindness of Christians in the underground church. These groups had one rule: no electronics. No exceptions. David learned to live without the devices he had once relied on, but it was only the beginning.

---

Living Without Electronics

David’s journey led him to a remote wilderness where a group of believers had established a hidden refuge. They called it 'Eden’s Hollow', a place beyond the reach of the AI’s sensors. The rules were strict: no electronic devices, no modern vehicles, and no compromises. Communication was done face-to-face, and even campfires were shielded to avoid detection by thermal drones.

“We are hunted,” said Sarah, one of the group’s leaders. “Lucifer’s system isn’t interested in those who belong to him. It’s us he wants to destroy.”

David nodded. He had seen it himself. Those who lived comfortably within the grid—who obeyed the system—were left alone. But Christians who defied the beast’s rule became targets.

---

The Perils of Technology

The group had learned the hard way about the dangers of technology. One family had arrived at Eden’s Hollow with an old communication radio. They believed it was safe since it wasn’t connected to the internet. But the radio waves were intercepted, and within hours, drones descended on their camp. No one survived.

“Even simple electronics betray us,” Sarah explained. “Every signal, every device is a snitch. Cars have microphones. Smart meters in homes transcribe conversations. Phones can be turned into bombs. Lucifer controls it all.”

David’s heart sank. He thought of how easily he had been tracked before smashing his phone. The realization that even his tools as a mechanic had likely betrayed him was chilling.

---

The Infiltrator

For months, the group lived in relative safety. They moved cautiously, always alert to the dangers above. Drones swarmed the skies, their infrared cameras scanning for heat signatures. Every noise, every light, was a risk. Yet the believers remained steadfast, worshiping in whispers and sharing Scripture from memory or handwritten scraps.

But one day, their fragile peace was shattered. A young man named Ethan joined the group, claiming to have escaped from a city where Christians were being rounded up. At first, Ethan’s enthusiasm for their faith seemed genuine. He prayed with them, shared meals, and even helped expand the camp’s defenses. But something felt off to David. Ethan never parted with his backpack, which seemed unusually heavy.

One night, while Ethan was asleep, David and Sarah decided to investigate. They opened the pack to find a small, blinking device hidden among his belongings. Horror washed over them. It was a transmitter.

“He’s been broadcasting our location,” David whispered. “The drones will be here soon.”

They confronted Ethan, who broke down and admitted the truth. “They’ll kill me if I don’t cooperate,” he sobbed. “I had no choice.”

“You chose poorly,” Sarah said, her voice firm. “Now we must all pay for it.”

---

The Attack

The sound of buzzing filled the night air. Drones. The group had mere minutes to act. They scattered, running into the forest as the machines descended. The drones were equipped with thermal sensors and lethal weaponry. One by one, the believers fell. David ran as fast as he could, the screams of his brothers and sisters echoing in his ears.

A sharp pain tore through his leg as he was struck by a drone’s weapon. Crawling to a nearby thicket, he looked up at the sky. The stars were obscured by the cold, mechanical eyes of the drones. He closed his eyes and began to pray.

“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

---

The Great Tribulation

The next morning, silence fell over the forest. The camp was destroyed, the believers gone. David’s body lay among them, his faith unwavering to the end. The AI continued its hunt, and the few remaining Christians scattered further into the wilderness.

The Great Tribulation raged on, the darkest time in human history. Lucifer’s grip tightened, but the faith of the saints endured. Though they were hunted, their testimony could not be silenced.

For in the end, the light of Christ would prevail. And the beast, along with all his works, would face judgment.

Revelation 12:11 (KJV): “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”