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Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. I'd like

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Speaker 1: to say thank you to Flynn for contributing to this story.

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Speaker 1: This is a story about a girl named Rachel who

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Speaker 1: loves to read books. She spends all her time reading

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Speaker 1: and has a great imagination. Her friends have told her

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Speaker 1: about the haunted house on her street, but this day,

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Speaker 1: as she walks by it to go to the store,

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Speaker 1: it looks especially scary. Rachel is sure her imagination is

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Speaker 1: just playing tricks on her. Let's see what she finds out.

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Speaker 1: Rachel meets the forest which Rachel loved. Her room, which

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Speaker 1: was a direct reflection of her full of pillows, books

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Speaker 1: and everything related to the fantasy books she loved to

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Speaker 1: read over and over again. She even had a collection

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Speaker 1: of magic wands on the wall that her uncle made

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Speaker 1: for her in his workshop. Her new house and city

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Speaker 1: were growing on her. She loved the trees and the

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Speaker 1: green grass, and of course she loved all her new friends.

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Speaker 1: They just moved here a few years ago and were

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Speaker 1: still referred to as crumb Away, but that didn't bother

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Speaker 1: Rachel much. Her new friends were all from away too.

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Speaker 1: Her mother and father said they moved here to downsize

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Speaker 1: and enjoy a better quality of life, but they seemed

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Speaker 1: to have just as much stuff and were as busy

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Speaker 1: as they ever were. Today was not a busy day

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Speaker 1: like so many others. Her parents were planning on sitting

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Speaker 1: out in their backyard for most of the day, while

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Speaker 1: Rachel was going to spend the morning in her room

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Speaker 1: reading another series of books about mythical heroes saving people

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Speaker 1: from evil monsters. Then she was meeting friends at the library.

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Speaker 1: Rachel her mother called from downstairs. Can you come down

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Speaker 1: and do me a favor please? Okay, Mom, I'll be

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Speaker 1: right down, Rachel yelled as she got up from her

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Speaker 1: bean bags. After arriving in the kitchen, Rachel asked, what's up.

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Speaker 1: Your father and I would like to barbecue today, but

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Speaker 1: we need a few items that we forgot when we

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Speaker 1: went for groceries. Can you walk over to the grocery

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Speaker 1: store and get a few things. I was just getting

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Speaker 1: into the good part of the story, mom, and then

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Speaker 1: I know, Rachel's mom said, interrupting. If you are quick,

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Speaker 1: you can still have time to read before you meet

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Speaker 1: your friends, and I might make an ice cream treat. Okay,

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Speaker 1: if you put it that way, Rachel said with a laugh.

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Speaker 1: Rachel lived just a short walk from the grocery store,

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Speaker 1: which she thought was one of the reasons why her

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Speaker 1: parents loved living in this neighborhood. They could send her

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Speaker 1: to the store for whenever they forgot something for dinner.

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Speaker 1: Walking quickly down the tree lined street, Rachel passed the

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Speaker 1: infamous house that was set off from the sidewalk and

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Speaker 1: behind a bunch of trees. Rachel picked up her pace

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Speaker 1: whenever she went past, as all her friends told her

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Speaker 1: stories about how the house was haunted or full of

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Speaker 1: witches and flying broomsticks. Just like the stories she read,

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Speaker 1: the house looked the part, and she often wondered why

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Speaker 1: it was allowed to stay in such a state. The

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Speaker 1: yard looked overgrown, and the paint on the house was

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Speaker 1: faded and the corners full of cobwebs. There was even

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Speaker 1: a black cat on the verandah this day. As she

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Speaker 1: walked by, she swore she could see the forest witch,

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Speaker 1: as everyone called her, looking out one of the windows

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Speaker 1: on the top floor of the house. Rachel walked a

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Speaker 1: bit faster. She made it to the grocery store without

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Speaker 1: being cast with a spell, and zipped through the store

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Speaker 1: collecting all the items her mother asked for. Even a

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Speaker 1: tub of her favorite ice cream, cookies and cream. She

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Speaker 1: said thank you to the cashier, a friend's older brother,

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Speaker 1: and walked toward the exit. As she was walking out

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Speaker 1: of the grocery store, she noticed an elderly lady struggling

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Speaker 1: with carrying her groceries. She walked over and asked, can

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Speaker 1: I help you with your groceries? I could help you

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Speaker 1: carry your bag to your car if you like. Oh, why,

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Speaker 1: thank you, dear, the elderly lady said, but I don't

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Speaker 1: own one of those things. I prefer to walk. It's

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Speaker 1: better for my legs and better for the trees. Oh

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Speaker 1: do you live nearby? I am walking down Longworth and

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Speaker 1: would be happy to help you, Rachel asked, remembering to

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Speaker 1: talk a bit louder so she could be clearly heard. Oh,

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Speaker 1: that would be so kind. I live on Longworth. Are

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Speaker 1: you sure it won't be too much of an inconvenience,

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Speaker 1: she asked. It's not too much trouble at all, Rachel said,

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Speaker 1: taking her bag of groceries. After letting out a sigh,

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Speaker 1: the elderly lady said, my body doesn't work as well

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Speaker 1: as it used to. I'm afraid. As they started walking

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Speaker 1: down the street, the elderly lady asked, what is your name, dear? Oh,

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Speaker 1: my name is Rachel. That's a nice name. Dear, my

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Speaker 1: name is Esther. What school do you go to? I

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Speaker 1: just finished my final year at Birchwood and we'll be

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Speaker 1: attending Rural in the fall. Rachel said, with a hint

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Speaker 1: of excitement. That's nice. I used to teach at Birchwood,

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Speaker 1: but I'm afraid that was many, many years ago. Esther said, well,

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Speaker 1: I don't think it has changed at all since then.

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Speaker 1: Rachel said with a laugh. Yes, I've heard the school

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Speaker 1: could use some upgrades, you know, miss Esther, Just Esther? Dear, Okay,

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Speaker 1: you know, Esther. You can order groceries via an app

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Speaker 1: and have it delivered, and then you don't have to

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Speaker 1: walk and carry your groceries anymore. Is that right? Well,

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Speaker 1: such modern conveniences, but I never did bother learning how

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Speaker 1: to use those fancy what are they called iPhones or smartphones.

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Speaker 1: I've always walked to get my groceries, and despite all

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Speaker 1: the creaks and cracks of this old body, I don't

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Speaker 1: see any reason to change. Besides, I need an excuse

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Speaker 1: to get out and meet nice young people like yourself,

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Speaker 1: not all modern conveniences are necessary. You and my mother

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Speaker 1: would get along very well. She always sends me to

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Speaker 1: the grocery store instead of ordering via her phone. Rachel said,

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Speaker 1: with a smile. There are too many cars around anyway,

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Speaker 1: Esther said, too much traffic and noise. You best watch

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Speaker 1: out for the cars, dear. They are so much bigger

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Speaker 1: than when I was a young lady, and everyone seems

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Speaker 1: to be in such a rush, like they have to

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Speaker 1: be somewhere important. I will How much farther is your house,

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Speaker 1: Rachel asked, Just up ahead. I really appreciate your help.

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Speaker 1: Esther'son said, it's no problem, Rachel said, as they walked

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Speaker 1: slowly on the sidewalk. Well, here we are. This is

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Speaker 1: my house, said Esther. Rachel was shocked and her face

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Speaker 1: started to turn pale. The house that they stopped in

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Speaker 1: front of was the haunted house, the house that everyone

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Speaker 1: said an evil witch lived in. What's wrong, dear, You

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Speaker 1: look like you have seen a ghost. Nothing. This is

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Speaker 1: where you live, asked Rachel quietly. It certainly is. I've

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Speaker 1: lived here for over fifty years. Now. I can take

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Speaker 1: my groceries from here. You don't need to carry them

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Speaker 1: to the door. Esther said as she looked with sparkling

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Speaker 1: eyes at Rachel. No, that's okay, I really don't mind.

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Speaker 1: Rachel said, okay, just follow me. Then, Esther said, as

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Speaker 1: she opened the gate that guarded the entrance to the

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Speaker 1: walkway of her front door. The gate opened with an

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Speaker 1: incredibly squeaky sound. I must get that gate fixed, Esther mumbled.

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Speaker 1: Rachel followed Esther down the short walkway, through the trees,

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Speaker 1: which served as a home for a group of crows,

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Speaker 1: by the lawn ornaments covered in spider webs, and up

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Speaker 1: her creaky steps to the front door. There. Now, we

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Speaker 1: made it in one piece, said Esther with a sigh. Now, Rachel,

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Speaker 1: Esther said, as she opened her purse. Would you accept

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Speaker 1: a bit of money for your efforts? No, no, that's

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Speaker 1: not necessary. It's my pleasure to help. Well, how about

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Speaker 1: a drink. It's hard work carrying two grocery bags and

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Speaker 1: you could probably use some refreshment. Have a seat here

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Speaker 1: on the verandah, I won't take no for an answer.

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Speaker 1: I'll be right back with some milk and some cookies

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Speaker 1: I baked earlier today. Rachel nervously took a seat as

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Speaker 1: Esther took her bag of groceries in through the front door,

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Speaker 1: which closed behind her with a loud bang that caused

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Speaker 1: Rachel to jump as she was sitting there. The black

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Speaker 1: cat she saw earlier slowly walked towards her. Uh oh,

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Speaker 1: Rachel thought. Sensing Rachel's hesitation, the cat immediately jumped on

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Speaker 1: her lap and started purring, just as Esther returned with

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Speaker 1: some milk and cookies. Oh, I see you have made

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Speaker 1: friends with soots, Esther said, setting the tray down on

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Speaker 1: the small table by Rachel's chair. She doesn't get to

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Speaker 1: meet too many young people these days, as Rachel took

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Speaker 1: a drink of milk, said, there you go, dear, you

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Speaker 1: look better already from the look on your face earlier,

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Speaker 1: I thought I might have worn you out. Thank you

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Speaker 1: for the milk, Rachel said, with a big milk mustache.

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Speaker 1: I was just a little bit. Let me guess you

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Speaker 1: thought I might have been the forest witch or broomstick

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Speaker 1: Esther or whatever they are calling me these days. Well maybe,

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Speaker 1: Rachel hesitated to say, Well, you are right, I am

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Speaker 1: I am the witch, said Esther. Sensing Rachel's growing alarm,

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Speaker 1: she continued, Oh, dear, you do have a wonderful imagination.

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Speaker 1: I've been the witch ever since Halloween over twenty years ago.

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Speaker 1: That year, I dressed up as a witch and decorated

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Speaker 1: the house, scared all the older kids, and told stories

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Speaker 1: to all the younger ones. It was great fun. We

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Speaker 1: did that for a number of years, but after my

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Speaker 1: Ralph moved on, I have been alone and just haven't

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Speaker 1: had the energy to continue. But I guess well, we

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Speaker 1: weren't the best at keeping the lawn cut anyway, and

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Speaker 1: the house just sort of started looking the part without

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Speaker 1: any decorations, and well, you know how kids like to

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Speaker 1: make up stories. Esther continued. Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't

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Speaker 1: mean to. Don't be silly, dear. I never took offense

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Speaker 1: at the imaginations of kids. Maybe this year, my creaky

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Speaker 1: bone's willing, I'll restart the tradition. How are the cookies,

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Speaker 1: Estra asked, They are perfect. It's just about time for lunch,

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Speaker 1: and I am sure you have many things you would

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Speaker 1: like to do, so I won't keep you any longer.

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Speaker 1: Esther said, Okay, it was nice meeting you, Esther. Nice

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Speaker 1: meeting you too, Rachel, and drop by for a visit.

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Speaker 1: Bring your mother next time. As you said, we might

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Speaker 1: just have a great deal in common. I will bye,

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Speaker 1: said Rachel as she walked down the walkway towards the

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Speaker 1: sidewalk and her home. And that's the end of our story.

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Speaker 1: Good night, Leap Tight