Hello, friends, and welcome to Sleep Tight Stories.

Nicole has decided that she is just going to take a quick peek at what is behind the door. She can go in and be back before her mother even notices.

She takes a deep breath and turns the handle to open the door and see what happens next.

Nicole and the Box in the Barn, Part 17.

Nicole took a deep breath, gripped the handle, and opened the door.

The familiar shimmer washed over her, tingling against her skin as she stepped through.

She clutched the compass in her pocket, its warmth grounding her as her surroundings changed instantly. A bright light forced her to squint, and a rush of

humid, sweltering heat hit her like a wave. It was nothing like the cool, crisp air of the island.

Nicole blinked a few times, adjusting to the light,

and took in the scene around her.

She was standing just outside what looked like the bustling market she had seen in the book.

It was noisy. The buzz of scooters weaving through narrow alleys, blended with the clatter of

cooking and the loud voices of vendors calling out to customers. The noise was overwhelming,

and Nicole felt her chest tighten

as the intensity of the scene hit her all at once.

This certainly isn't the island, she whispered,

taking a shaky step forward.

Looking back, she was relieved to see the door still there.

It looked like the entrance to an old abandoned shack

attached to the back of a gray concrete building.

For a moment, she considered stepping back through, retreating to the familiarity of home.

The heat, the smells of spices and grilled meat, and the sheer volume of the market were all so intense.

...