Sadie, Enchanted

Chapter One

"If we let this park be destroyed, what will they do next? Do you think our government will stop there? No! Next will be the local farms...the libraries...the schools!" Sadie Abrams yelled to a gathering crowd. She had tied herself with a rope to the bars of the gates of her favorite park-the one she grew up going to as a child.

"Ma'am, you need to move. Otherwise you will be arrested." An annoyed voice spoke up. It came from the construction manager. He had come to destroy the park, to make room for a new office building.

"Then arrest me! I will not move! Save the park! Come on everyone, chant with me! Save the park! Save the park! Save the-" Sadie was cut off by the sound of a police siren and her shoulders drooped when an officer pulled up and got out of his car. She knew what would happen next. She would be taken into the police station, scolded, and then sent home to her parents. This wasn't enough to warrant her an overnight stay in jail. The time she messed with an expensive bulldozer, however...

Sadie watched, disappointed, as the officer came up to her and eyed the rope. She sighed and nodded toward where the knot was tied. The officer fumbled with the knot for a moment before it loosened and the rope dropped from Sadie's body and onto the ground. She held out her hands to the officer. "Hello Gary," She mumbled as he led her to the car. Officer Gary Reed rolled his eyes. Sadie glanced at the small crowd that had formed as she passed. Unfortunately, they had not formed with the intent of protesting alongside Sadie. The town was well aware of Sadie's antics and enjoyed the 'show' they felt she performed while protesting different injustices. They simply came today to watch her get arrested.

"Sadie, how many times are we gonna go through this, huh?" Officer Reed asked, opening the back door for her.

"As many as it takes," She replied firmly. He sighed heavily and pushed her gently into the seat, shutting the door after her. "If I believe in something, I'm not just going to back down because I get taken to the station a couple times." Sadie continued after the officer climbed into the front seat and started the car. "I am very stubborn."

"Stubborn, and stupid." Officer Reed retorted, pulling away from the park. Sadie watched in dismay as the construction manager got to work setting up the equipment to demolish the park. "Sadie, this is all fun and games for you now, but what happens when you try to get a job when you're older and no one will hire you because of your constant public disturbances and jail visits? You're only 18. You have a bigger record than most of the men I arrest these days."

"That's not true." Sadie said, frowning.

"It's pretty close." He shrugged. Sadie sat back in her seat and sighed. He was right, of course. She really was messing up her future, but she shouldn't have to give up on something she believed in. It wasn't fair. She couldn't control everything life threw at her, but she could control this. She needed to.

After an hour in the police station, her parents arrived to pick her up. They shook their heads at their daughter half-heartedly. After so much of Sadie's extreme behavior, they had just come to accept that their daughter would not back down without a fight. So, they took her home without a word. The three ate a peaceful dinner (organic food only, of course), watched a documentary on whales ("I have to do something about that," Sadie had said about their mentioned impending extinction), and got ready for bed.

That night, Sadie sat in her bed, scribbling in her journal when her dad walked in. She looked at him lovingly, noticing his eyes looked more tired every day. Mr. Abrams grinned at Sadie as he sat down on the edge of her bed.

"How are you feeling, dad?" Sadie asked. Mr. Abrams shrugged.

"Same as always, I suppose. Really tired. But enough about me, what am I going to do with you?" He asked, nudging her foot. Sadie sighed.