Windfall by Sara Cassidy

access nutritious food. Everyone in the world should have enough money to buy food or land to grow their own. The food should also be appropriate to how people live. So if they’re vegetarian, they should be able to get vegetarian food. Food security also means that the food is raised in a safe way—safe for the environment and for people’s health.
    One day Imogen leads a bicycle tour of GRRR! and BRRR! members to a “farm” in the city. It is a house where the yard has been completely turned into garden beds. We get lessons in mixing soil and planting swiftly and secretly.
    A couple of nights later, we’re ready. After dark, Melissa, Afareen, Hayiko, Emma T., Niall and I bike through the quiet streets. We are pulling trailers of compost and plants and shovels. We use bungee cords to strap everything snugly so that nothing rattles.
    Imogen found the plants for us. She also landed us a load of free horse manure. Free poo! And she checked the site to make sure the soil was well drained and had good sun exposure.
    Niall and I drew up a schedule that breaks our mission into half minutes. We move quickly and quietly. After the planting is done, we spread wood shavings to keep the roots warm. Cars pass by, but no one slows down. We’re done in forty minutes.
    Half a block away we stop and consider our work. We’ve planted ten young apple trees. They look like humble umbrellas. It’s a sweet orchard. We planted garlic, chives and leek around the trees as companion plants. They will help the apple trees grow. Afareen painted a beautiful sign that reads:
    Apples for All
A community orchard
    A second sign explains that all are welcome to help care for and reap the rewards of this orchard, which will bear fruit in two years. It is signed GRRR! and BRRR!
    I take Niall’s hand and squeeze it. He squeezes back. Then we’re back on our bikes, whooping for joy as we pedal down the dark roads. That night, a soft rain falls on the house. I imagine the trees lapping up the fresh water.

Chapter Fifteen
    Ri-i-i-ing. Ri-i-i-ing. Ri-i-i-ing. Ri-i-i-ing. I lift my head from the pillow and think, There is something new and wonderful in the world, stretching its branches. Mom gets the phone. A second later, she’s in my room.
    â€œLiza! What have you done?”
    â€œIt’s beautiful, Mom,” I murmur sleepily. “It’s for everyone.”
    â€œMrs. Reynolds is calling it vandalism. She mentioned expulsion.”
    â€œExpulsion?”
    â€œAs in getting kicked out of school. For trespassing. Destruction of property.”
    â€œAll we did was plant fruit trees. That dirt wasn’t being used. It’s not like we broke windows or set fire to a garbage can.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you get permission?”
    I sat up. “We tried, Mom. Many times. Reynolds wouldn’t even listen. She’s been dying to expel someone since day one.”
    â€œYour fingernails are dirty.” Mom moans as if I’m a criminal with blood on my hands. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
    â€œI wanted it to be a surprise. A sudden thing. Sudden beauty.”
    â€œWhat gave you the idea?”
    I thought this over. “The earth did,” I finally say. “That patch of dirt. And—Richard.”
    Mom’s face crumples with sympathy. “Richard?” she whispers.
    I tell her about the apple Leland left on Richard’s bench. Then I talk about food banks and the non-food I found under the tree and how Richard tried to gather windfall. How apples are shipped from as far away as Mexico and Australia when we could grow all we need here. I talk about how kids who live near gardens are happier.
    â€œBut how did you? Where did you get the trees?”
    â€œWe just did,” I mumble, shrugging.
    â€œ Liza. ”
    â€œOkay. Okay. Imogen. The money came from BRRR! From Niall.” I get a thrill saying his name, and I feel in less trouble.
    â€œI have