Little Dove Community Centre Demolition Day
Sophie Reese POV
Brad Evans, the CEO of Happy Dollar Store, stared at me from across the road.
He straightened his smart pinstriped suit and raised his megaphone to his mouth.
"Miss. Reese, this is your final warning. Remove yourself from that railing immediately. Otherwise, I will call the police, and you will be arrested for trespassing!"
He could call the police, but I didn't care. This community centre meant the world to me, and I was not going to let this sleaze bag knock it down just so he could build another cheap dollar store and parking lot that this town didn't want.
I held up my placard and defiantly yelled, "Save Little Dove's Community Center!"
Brad shakes his head disapprovingly and yells at his PA to call the police. Behind him, I see the faces of a dozen bored demolition workers sitting in their machinery, waiting for me, the crazy protestor, to be removed.
"This is a waste of your time and mine, Miss. Reese," Brad spat down the megaphone impatiently. "The police are coming to arrest you, and once that has happened, this building will be pulled down."
"Over my dead body!"
I glance down at the chains around my waist, arms and legs. Brad can call the police, and the police can come. Still, without super-strength bolt cutters, no one would remove me from the railing of the community centre.
At least ten chains were wrapped around my body. Each chain was held together with multiple padlock locks. It made me feel almost sorry for the poor asshole that would get me out of these chains.
"Look, I understand you have some sentimental attachment to the building. You and your late grandparents were volunteers here and did great work for the community, but there is a bigger picture here. The building has been condemned, and it's no longer safe for you and others to use."
"But we can afford the repairs now!"
"It's too late, Miss Reese. You were unable to raise the necessary funds to save the centre, and now the building and land it sits on have been legally brought by my company."
"That doesn't matter to me. I'm not going to let you or the police drag me away from this building without a fight."
And I meant it. This building might not mean a lot to Brad and his demolition crew, but it meant the world to the people of this community and me. When this centre was open, it ran all kinds of services. There was a food bank for families hit hard by the recession. We ran a soup kitchen for the homeless that served hot meals seven days a week. I helped local organisations run support groups that offered counselling and support to recovering drug addicts.
This centre has been a lighthouse of hope for every vulnerable community member. Still, after building inspection found the centre to be 'unsafe', it was forced to shut down.
Brad Evans had swooped down on the chance to buy, like an opportunistic vulture, for this tacky dollar store chain. Since he brought it, I have been fighting tooth, nail and claw to get it back. But after two years of campaigning, I have finally ended up here - chained to the railing like a lunatic.
A sane person would have given up, but it was hard to let go when I knew my grandparents had worked hard to build and maintain this place. I couldn't kick back and let this man and his shitty company destroy it. Although, I was starting to feel like only divine intervention could save this centre now.
I hear the sound of an approaching car and look up, half expecting to see a patrol car on its way to arrest me. Instead, to my surprise, a sleek, blacked-out SUV rolls up and parks in front of the demolition crew.
The passenger door of the SUV opens, and a man in a black suit steps out. I don't know why, but I immediately think of Mafia when I see him. Maybe it was the black suit or the air of dangerous sophistication that surrounded him, but I suddenly felt very uncomfortable.
The man approaches Brad, and they start to talk. Perhaps this guy is Brad's lawyer, and he has come to talk about how he will drag me through court and sue me for everything I'm worth.
Both men talk for a few minutes and then shake hands. By the end of the conversation, Brad is smiling from ear to ear. He then shouts something to the head of the demolition crew, and to my surprise, the demolition crew start to pack up.
I watch in confusion until I notice the man in the black suit is looking at me. He strides across the road and removes his sunglasses.
"Good morning, Miss. Reese. My name is Nico, and I have been sent here to help you and your cause."
I stare at him like an idiot and echo, "My cause?"
"Yes, your 'save the little dove community centre' cause. I am here representing a friend who was very moved by the work done at the centre by yourself and your late grandparents."
"Er...thank you. It is nice to know your friend thinks highly of our work, but I don't understand what is happening."
"When my friend found out that Mr Evans intended to demolish the centre, he asked me to come down here, on his behalf, and make an offer that would save the centre from demolition."
"What kind an offer?"
"An offer would save the centre and see it returned to its community ... and to you. Thankfully, Mr Evans accepted the offer, and the centre will now be returned to you with full financial backing from my friend."
"What," I gasped.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Had this man's friend really saved my centre?
"Wait, this isn't a trick. You're not doing this, so I unchain myself? If you are, then you should know I have thrown the keys away,"
He shook his head, "No. This is real, although it is now apparent you need some help unchaining yourself. Please, allow me."
He pulled a straightened paper clip from his pocket and began to pick at the first lock around my waist. There was a loud metallic click as an opened padlock hit the concrete sidewalk below.
I looked down in surprise and watched him move to the next lock. He picked the second lock in a few seconds, then threw it to the ground and moved to the next lock.
In less than a minute, the chains had fallen to the floor.
"That's some talent you have there," I said, stepping away from the railing.
Looking down at the locks scattered across the floor, I wondered who this guy was. No one could pick locks like that unless they were an escape artist or a crook.
Shit, this guy and his friend were probably Mafia. I bet his friend wanted to use my community centre to launder dirty money.
"Miss. Reese, are you okay?"
"Please call me Sophie, and I'm fine... although I'm starting to wonder if there is a catch... Your friend must want something from me in return for this good deed."
"There is something - "
"Look, I need to be clear with you. I will not accept your friend's help if this is anything illegal."
"Please be assured that this is nothing illegal. My friend only requests the pleasure of your company for dinner tonight with him."
"Your friend wants dinner with me? And just dinner?"
"Yes, he would like dinner with you, and 'just dinner'. He has booked a table at Kuro's restaurant for 7pm. Would you accept his invitation?"
I chewed it over in my head.
Yes, it was a fantastic offer, but my gut instinct told me something wasn't right. There had to be more to this than Nico was telling me...
"Okay, I'll go to dinner. But I want to be clear, if your friend tries anything funny, he will end up with a face full of pepper spray."
He smiled, "I will be sure to warn him."
I didn't like this, but the only way I could find out why this man had helped me was by asking him myself.
"Okay, I will meet him at 7pm at Kuro's."
"Good. If you excuse me, I will tell him the happy news. I know he has been very anxious to meet you."
But not anxious enough to come here and meet me himself...
"Before you go, what is your friend's name? It is just so I know who to ask for when I get to Kuro's."
"His name is Casper."
Casper didn't sound like a Mafia boss's name. It sounded more like the name of a kindly old millionaire that wanted to bail out my community centre (or at least I hoped).
"Well, please let Casper know I look forward to meeting him."
"I will let him know. Now you must please pardon me. I must return back to Casper. It has been a pleasure meeting you, Sophie. I hope to see much more of you in the future," he replied cryptically.
"I'll see you around," I said awkwardly.
He turned and walked back to the fancy SUV and climbed in. I watched the car roll away and wondered what had just happened?
I dropped down onto the sidewalk and took in a few deep breaths. This didn't feel real. Had a mystery man named Casper saved my centre, or was this some kind of hoax or scheme?
Looking over my shoulder at the building, I closed my eyes and whispered a prayer, "Mom, Grandpa, and Grandma - if you're listening, please watch out for me... I don't know if this man is a mafia boss or a pervert, but he might be the only person who can help save our centre. So please let him be a good person... If you could have a word with God, or Jesus or whoever the hell is in charge, I'd be grateful. Thanks."
I opened my eyes and got up onto my feet. I quickly gathered my stuff and returned home to prepare for my big date tonight with the mystery man, Casper.