Free Footprints by Robert Rayner

building,” says Harper. “That’s pretty extreme. Who’d do something like that?”
    Drumgold shrugs. “That guy at the meeting – that Garrett Needle – he was pretty wound up, talking about raining fire and destruction and stuff. It could be someone like him.”
    â€œHe’s just nuts,” says Harper.
    â€œYou’d have to be nuts to try and blow up a building,” says Al.
    The door jangles open, revealing Isora and Lully.
    Isora announces, “Look who I found. He just got back.”
    â€œWhere were you this time, Dex?” Al asks.
    â€œCounselling a young offender up north. I’ve seen him before. He’s up for stealing – again. The poor kid’s been in trouble all his life.”
    â€œWhat do you say to a kid like that?” says Al.
    â€œNot much. Just let him know someone’s listening to him, and trying to help.”
    Al, shaking her head and muttering, “Kids today,” retreats to the kitchen.
    Lully says, “So, what have you guys been up to?”
    They tell him about their failed attempt to see Andersonand the formation of BARF, at which Lully smiles and says, “Cool,” and the plans for the march and the petitions being taken down.
    â€œI guess people don’t care about the beach,” Harper concludes.
    â€œOr they don’t want to risk offending Mr. Anderson,” says Lully. “He’s done a lot for the town, you know.”
    â€œWhose side are you on?” says Drumgold.
    â€œI’m not taking sides,” says Lully. “I’m talking facts. Your own school wouldn’t have its computer lab or its basketball team without his support. So of course people don’t want to upset him, especially when they’re hoping he’s going to go ahead with his plans for the mill.”
    â€œIt’s like he’s holding the town to ransom,” says Drumgold.
    â€œThe petitions were a waste of time,” Isora complains.
    â€œThat’s the way it is with political action,” says Lully. “It’s why you have to accept it’s a slow process.”
    Drumgold leans forward on the counter. “Why don’t we get straight into the third wave now?”
    â€œGive it a while,” Lully says quickly. “Direct action is your last resort, and even then – for young people like you – I’d advise against it.”
    Drumgold bristles. “Why? Think we can’t handle it?”
    Lully reflects for a few seconds. “It’s not that. But you have to remember that with direct action, innocent people can get hurt – unintentionally, of course. De la Cruz describes it as the lamentable but ineluctable collateral damage of dissent. Protesters resorting to the third wave have to be very sure their cause justifies it and that they can cope with the guilt they’ll feel at causing innocent people grief.”
    â€œIt’d be like us getting ploughed by that maniac who drove into Eastern Oil,” says Harper. “We’d have been – what d’yousay? – lamentable but ineluctable collateral damage.”
    Lully nods and goes on, “De la Cruz advises that before dissenters undertake direct action, they deliver an ultimatum to their opponent warning that if their demands aren’t met by a certain time, they’ll be forced, reluctantly, to take further action, and they won’t be responsible for the consequences. So it’s serious stuff. My advice – for what it’s worth – is to stay with the second wave, with things like your demonstration and your petition.”
    When Lully leaves, the friends sit in a corner of Al’s to make a new set of posters for the demonstration, which they decide will be the following Saturday. By the time they finish the posters, it’s dark and they put them around town on their way home, taking care not to be seen. The marchers are to meet with the members of