1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:05,520 Speaker 1: Or an ad free listening experience and more stories, Please 2 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 1: check out sleep Tight Premium. A link can be found 3 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: in our show notes. Thank you, hello friends, and welcome 4 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: to sleep Tight Stories. Nicole cannot believe her eyes that 5 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 1: her garden is growing. Every time she talks to the 6 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: flowers and plants, they grow. When her mom wants her 7 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: to leave the garden and go to town, she doesn't 8 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: want to until she hears there is ice cream and 9 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 1: Wi Fi. When she gets back and takes the key 10 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: from the barn, she wonders, will it actually open the door? 11 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: Nikole and the Box in the Barn, Part five. Nikole 12 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: hid her head in the pillow, trying to avoid the 13 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: beam of light streaming in through her drafty window. It 14 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: seemed to be following her. Nikole reluctantly opened one eye, 15 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: squinted at the clock in her room, and sighed, it 16 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 1: was time to get up. And there was nothing more 17 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: annoying than being told it was time to get up 18 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: in the morning when you were already awake but didn't 19 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:41,839 Speaker 1: want to move. Nicole and her mom arrived home after 20 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: dark from what her mother called a successful afternoon in 21 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: the big city. Nikole wasn't so sure but she did 22 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: have the most delicious triple scoops of ice cream ever. 23 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: She also had a chance to sit and catch up 24 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: with the hundreds of men messages that her friends had 25 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 1: sent her at a cafe with Wi Fi while her 26 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: mother wrote emails and drank coffee. Later, they went for burgers, 27 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:14,799 Speaker 1: which were okay. Nicole sighed and sat up in her bed. 28 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,680 Speaker 1: Her it's chilly in this old house in the morning. 29 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:23,080 Speaker 1: We need better heating or something, she said, as she 30 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: jumped across the room to grab her sweatshirt and put 31 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: on her dirty jeans. I guess I can wear these. 32 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: No one will see me out here in the middle 33 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: of nowhere anyway. She walked down the stairs to the kitchen, 34 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: the stairs with their creaks and cracks, announcing that she 35 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: was up. There was no surprising her mother, who was 36 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 1: already up, drinking coffee and making breakfast. Good morning, sleepyhead, 37 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: did you sleep well, her mother asked, as she put 38 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,679 Speaker 1: some eggs on a plate for Nicole to eat. Any 39 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:06,360 Speaker 1: catchup was Nichole's grumpy reply. You really aren't much of 40 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: a morning person, are you, sweetie? And no, I won't 41 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 1: get you ketch up. We don't put ketchup on beautiful 42 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: scrambled eggs. Humph, I slept Okay, I guess I have 43 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: to remember to nail those curtains of mine shut so 44 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 1: the sun won't come streaming in on my face in 45 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 1: the morning. It's very annoying, Nicole said, as she took 46 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: a sip of tea. Nicole started drinking tea last year, 47 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: partly because her mother wouldn't let her drink coffee. She 48 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: was too young for coffee. Her mother said coffee was yucky. Anyway, 49 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: I'm going to be working in the living room today, 50 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: patching and painting. I might assemble some shelves too. I 51 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: don't think I need your help, but I sure could 52 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: use your company if you would like to join me. 53 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: We could even listen to your music while we work, 54 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: Nicholl's mother said, while she puts some strawberry jam on 55 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: her toast. Nichole wanted to spend time with her mother, 56 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: but all she could think about was her garden and 57 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 1: what might happen if she opened the door. She dreamt 58 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 1: about it all night, and it was foremost on her 59 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: mind even when chatting with her friends yesterday. Maybe, Nichole replied, 60 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: but first, I think I would like to work in 61 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 1: my garden. It's a super nice day outside, even though 62 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: the house feels icy cold, and all the sunshine puts 63 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: me in a better mood. Could I help after lunch 64 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: or something. I can't argue against getting some sun. The 65 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: combination of sun and fresh, salty air sure cures all 66 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: your troubles. I'll try to get all the painting done 67 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 1: this morning, and then maybe you can help me put 68 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: together the shop. Elves. You always have more patience than 69 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 1: I do when it comes to putting those things together. Okay, mom, 70 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 1: sounds like a plan. Nichole got up from the table 71 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: and put her plate in the dishwasher. She grabbed a 72 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 1: bottle of water and tiptoed across the floor to the 73 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 1: back porch to put on her once upon a time 74 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: favorite sneakers. You wouldn't find the house so cold if 75 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: you wore socks in the morning. Silly, her mother said 76 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: from the kitchen. Okay, Mom, see you later, Nichole replied, 77 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: as she ran outside, the door slamming behind her. The 78 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 1: dew was still heavy on the grass. As Nichole ran 79 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:51,360 Speaker 1: towards the barn, it no longer bothered her, but as 80 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: the grass was getting long. She knew there would be 81 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: a request to cut it soon. Someone always came to 82 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 1: cut their little patch back of their house in Montreal. 83 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: Most of their backyard was a garden in varying states 84 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: of use. They weren't tidy gardeners. She made it to 85 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: the big red doors and paused to see if her 86 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:20,040 Speaker 1: mother was calling out to her. If she did, there 87 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 1: would be no way she could get the key from 88 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: the box. Today there was no sound but the ever 89 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: present wind. The door to the barn felt a bit lighter, 90 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: but it creaked when she opened it all the same, 91 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: revealing an inside full of dust, dirt, and old stale hay. 92 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: Niicole plugged her nose with her fingers. It still stunk 93 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: of farm animals, even though the barn hadn't been used 94 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: in years. I guess this smell must be permanent, Nichole thought. 95 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 1: Nichole saw the box in the corner under a window, 96 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: right where it had been before. Its hinges seemed to 97 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: shine brighter than before, like someone had been by to 98 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: take care of it. She walked slowly over to the box. 99 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: Across the piles of old hay and dirt. She could 100 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: hear little scratching sounds above her. Stay up there, mice, 101 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 1: she said out loud. I don't need mice as friends. 102 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: The box offered no resistance as she opened it, and 103 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 1: looking inside, the key, shining brightly like it had just 104 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: been polished, was right where she left it. I guess 105 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: there is only one way to know if this key 106 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: opens the door at the end of the garden. I'll 107 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: just have to try, Nichole said, as she gently closed 108 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: the box, Holding the key tightly in her hand. Nichole 109 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: quickly left the stinky barn behind her sneakers, kicking up 110 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: puffs of dust as she went. The morning sun felt 111 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: warm on her back, a pleasant contrast to the chill 112 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: of the barn and the old house. She hurried across 113 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: the dewy grass, excited to see if the key worked, 114 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: and if it did, what might be revealed on the 115 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 1: other side of the door. In one of her dreams 116 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: the night before, it led to a brick wall. In another, 117 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: it led to an ice cream parlor with free all 118 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: you can eat ice cream. Ice cream would be a 119 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 1: great treat, she thought. Walking through the garden gate, Nichole said, 120 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: good morning roses, Good morning sunflowers. The flowers moved in response, 121 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: good morning, garden, I guess, Nicole laughed. I hope no 122 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: one is listening to me talk to you all. That 123 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: would be awkward. Nichole walked to the corner of the garden, 124 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:12,439 Speaker 1: where the wooden doorway was surrounded by trees, tall bushes, 125 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: and flowering plants. As soon as she arrived, the vines 126 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: around the door started to bloom. Well, I guess this 127 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: is the moment of truth, Nichole said. She tried looking 128 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 1: behind the door again to make sure that there was 129 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: nothing behind it. All she saw were more bushes and 130 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: trees and the same fog that covered the garden when 131 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: she looked at it from the house. Nichole felt a 132 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:49,440 Speaker 1: bit excited or maybe a bit nervous. She wasn't sure which. 133 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 1: She lifted the key towards the lock. As the key 134 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: slid into the lock, it fit perfectly, as though it 135 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: were made just for this moment. Turning the key, she 136 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 1: heard the soft click that signaled the door was now unlocked. 137 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: Here we go, Nichole said to the garden. She pushed 138 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:21,319 Speaker 1: the door open and blinked in surprise. Instead of finding 139 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: something grand or entirely different, or even just a wall, 140 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: it seemed like she was looking into another part of 141 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: her garden, a door that led nowhere. Through the door 142 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 1: were the same grassy fields that surrounded the backyard, stretching 143 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: out under the same blue sky. Is this it, Nichole 144 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 1: whispered to herself, feeling a twinge of disappointment. She had 145 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: hoped for something more, not an ice cream parlor, but 146 00:10:55,760 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 1: something magical or surprising. As Nichole stepped through the door, 147 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 1: she immediately felt a difference. The grass under her feet 148 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 1: seemed greener, the flowers more vibrant, and the trees fuller 149 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:18,439 Speaker 1: and more alive than what she had left behind. It 150 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 1: was as if everything on this side of the door 151 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 1: had an extra touch of brightness and vitality. Nichole paused, 152 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:32,679 Speaker 1: looking back and forth. Yes, the garden was the same 153 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:36,719 Speaker 1: in layout, but here it was as though everything had 154 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 1: been given a dose of extra life, glowing softly under 155 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: the sun's rays. It's like the same place, but but 156 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 1: so much more alive, she murmured. Turning away from the door, 157 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 1: Nichole looked around the farm in amazement. More barns dotted 158 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: the landscape, and the old barn she had been warned 159 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: not to enter, looked brand new. Its wood was sturdy 160 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 1: and fresh, and the paint was bright. Her house, too, 161 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 1: seemed to have undergone a transformation, its walls gleaming with 162 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: fresh paint, looking nothing like the worn, old, creaky place 163 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: she was accustomed to. And then the sounds of farm 164 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:33,320 Speaker 1: life filled the air, cows mooing, pigs grunting, chickens clucking, 165 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:39,320 Speaker 1: and horses neighing. It was as though she had stepped 166 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 1: back in time, a hundred years into the past, to 167 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 1: see her home in its original, bustling farm glory. Nicole 168 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 1: stood still, taking in the sights and sounds. This was 169 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: much better than anything she had imagined, even the ice 170 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: cream parlor in her dream. Just then she spotted a 171 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:11,520 Speaker 1: figure in the distance, a boy, moving about confidently, as 172 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 1: if he belonged here. Nichole watched, curious and a bit cautious. 173 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 1: Who was he and what was he doing here? Could 174 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 1: he be a part of this seemingly transformed world she 175 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: had stumbled into. The boy waved and started walking towards her, 176 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 1: giving Nichole a closer look. He looked harmless enough, if 177 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 1: a bit dusty, like he had been rolling in the 178 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:46,719 Speaker 1: red dirt that was everywhere he was barefoot, judging by 179 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: how he walked across the rocky barnyard, his feet were 180 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:55,439 Speaker 1: accustomed to the touch of the earth beneath them. He 181 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 1: certainly wasn't stylish compared to what the kids wore in Montreal, 182 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:04,319 Speaker 1: and his faded pants were patched in a few places. 183 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 1: He looked familiar somehow, with his freckles and messy red 184 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 1: curls on his head. Gooday, there, the young boy said, 185 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: as he waved to her again. Are you lost? Nichole, 186 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: a bit speechless, waved back, Hi, My name is Angus. 187 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: You certainly don't look like you are from around here. 188 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 1: Are you visiting from away and got lost out wandering 189 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 1: the fields? Something like that. My name is Nichole. I 190 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 1: am from Montreal originally. Wow. I don't think I have 191 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 1: ever met anyone from a big city before. You have 192 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: to come to meet my mom. She traveled here on 193 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: a boat, so she knows all about people from a 194 00:14:54,680 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 1: big city. Angus, I need you over here, boy, said 195 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: a rather stern voice. Coming Angus yelled you wait here, 196 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 1: and after I finish helping my father, we can have 197 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 1: some dinner. My mother is a great cook, and I 198 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 1: wouldn't be surprised if she baked a pie to day. 199 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 1: Nicole watched as Angus ran towards what used to be 200 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 1: the old rickety barn and disappeared inside. This is a 201 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 1: bit much, she said to herself. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, 202 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 1: she decided it was best to step back through the 203 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 1: door and give herself time to think. Just as she 204 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: crossed through, she heard her mother's familiar voice calling her 205 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 1: for lunch. Revisiting the door and what was beyond would 206 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 1: be best on a full stomach. And that is the 207 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 1: end of this part. Good night, sleep tight.