The Empty Room

Leah worked above a small café. Every morning, she passed an empty room beside the stairs. It had two large windows and an old wooden table, but nobody used it.

One Monday, she asked the café owner, Sam, about the room. “It used to be an office,” he said. “I would like to use it again, but I do not have much time.”

Leah thought about her neighbours. Some wanted a quiet place to read. Others wanted to practise English together. The nearest library closed before many of them finished work.

“What about a small evening reading room?” she asked. Sam liked the idea, but there were practical questions. Who would open it? Where would the books come from? Leah took out her notebook. First, she needed a team.