“Chantal, you should go,” Mrs.B said. “Your mum would kill us if you got in trouble.”
She hesitated, then nodded. “Okay. Good luck, guys.”
June unlocked the front door and Chantal walked out, glancing back over her shoulder with an attempt at a smile.
“That’s right. Out you come, nice and easy.” Richard’s expression suggested he was enjoying this power. “Now, the rest of you have three minutes or I’m sending in the police.”
June looked at Stanley. “Just because the occupation is ending doesn’t mean we have to stop fighting,” she said. “Now that I’m in this with you, I won’t give up. We’ll find another way to protest.”
“You know as well as I do that this is over,” Stanley said. “The council haven’t once tried to negotiate with us this week—they haven’t shown any interest in hearing what we have to say. All they want is to get us out so they can shut this place down.”
“But surely it must be harder for them to close the library after all of this.”
Stanley shook his head. “I wish I had your youthful optimism, June.”
“Two minutes,” Richard’s voice blared through at them.
“God, that man is a prick,” Mrs.B said. “Stanley, I hate to admit it, but I think June is right. This occupation is over; there’s no point in getting yourself arrested for the sake of it. We have to find other ways to keep the fight going.”
“I agree; there’s no point in all of us getting arrested,” Stanley said. “You two should leave now.”
“No one’s getting arrested. Come on, let’s all get out of here.” Mrs.B walked toward the door. “It’s been a great occupation,” she said with a sigh as she stepped outside.
“One minute,” Richard’s voice boomed.
The library felt very empty now. June and Stanley looked at each other.
“You go too, my dear,” he said. “I’ll be fine on my own.”
“I’m not going anywhere without you,” June said. “We started this together and we’ll finish it together.”
“You’re more stubborn than you look.” He began walking toward the door, and June felt a rush of relief.
“Thank you,” she said, following him. “Let’s all go home and have a proper rest, and next week we can regroup and plan what to do next.”
He pulled the door open. Outside June could see Richard, the police officers, the news camera.
“Ladies first,” Stanley said, and June took a deep breath and stepped outside. As she did, she felt a breeze of wind behind her and she turned back around as Stanley pulled the door shut.
“No, Stanley!” she cried, trying to pull it open, but he’d locked it from the inside already and was heaving the returns trolley in front of the door. June looked round to Richard and the police. “Please don’t arrest him. He just cares about the library.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but the twenty-four hours is up,” one of the police officers said, giving June an apologetic shrug. “He’s now breaking the law by not complying with the eviction order.”
“But he’s an old man.”
The officer took the megaphone off Richard. “Sir, unless you vacate this property now, we will be forced to enter it and arrest you.”
On the other side of the door, Stanley shook his head.
“Sir, I’m asking you one more time. Open the door and step outside.”
Stanley didn’t move.
“For god’s sake, get this over and done with before he becomes a martyr,” Sarah muttered, nodding at Cleo, who was filming it all.
Several police officers moved toward the door.
“Everybody stand back,” one of them shouted, and June found herself being pulled backward by Mrs.B.
