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A Short Message for Grown Ups Parents We've all had those times when the whole family is off on their own screens. Wouldn't it be great to find something active and fun that everyone agrees on? Families everywhere are discovering Next Playground, an active gain system where your body powers the play. No controllers or wearables, just natural 100% motion driven fun. Fly with how to Train youn Dragon, Dance with Barbie, Pop Bubbles in Gabby's Dollhouse or Master Moves with Kung Fu Panda all from your living room. Even better, Next Playground is totally kid safe. No ads, no in app purchases and no mature content. Just good clean fun for long summer days. Want to learn more? Visit nextplayground.com that's nexplayground.com to explore active family gaming today. A short Message for Grown Ups if your little one loves Bluey, here's something new that might spark hours of joyful, imaginative play. Bluey Chatmates with just a press of the nose, these beloved characters come to life chatting with 10 fan favorite phrases, including some of the most iconic lines from the show. There's Bluey, Bingo and Muffin, plus some extra fun versions like Bingo with her scooter and helmet and Rita with her granny mobile, glasses and grabber. Each chatmate is 6 inches tall, just the right size for little hands, and comes with movable arms and legs for easy posing and storytelling. Whether they're recreating favorite scenes or dreaming up new ones, kids will love growing their own Bluey world one giggle at a time. Bluey Chatmates is available at all major retailers. Hello friends and welcome to sleept Stories. It is finally Saturday. This is the day Red and her friends are going to go and look for the cash Meridian has told them about. Red has so many worries about everything that could go wrong. The gang meets as Plain Land and heads off on their hike to see if they can find the cash. The Transfer Student, Volume 2, Part 18 Red's alarm goes off at 6am but she's already awake. She's been lying in bed for the past hour hour staring at her ceiling and running through their plan over and over again. What if they can't find the cash? What if Agent Torres followed them? What if they get lost in the woods? What if the device doesn't work? What if. Ugh. She makes herself stop worrying and gets dressed in her best hiking clothes, sturdy sneakers that can handle rough terrain, comfortable jeans without holes, and a dark green jacket with lots of pockets for supplies. The device from Meridian goes carefully into her backpack along with water bottles, granola bars, the first aid kit Charlie insisted they bring and the hand drawn map with Meridian's precise directions. Blue's already downstairs when she gets to the kitchen, which is basically a miracle since getting him out of bed on weekends usually requires a crowbar. He reserves his pranks for school days. He's wearing what he calls his adventure outfit, cargo pants with about 17 pockets and a hoodie that makes him look even younger than he actually is. Big day, huh? Their mom says, appearing with two travel mugs of hot chocolate that actually smell normal for once. No weird Martian spices or experimental Earth flavors. Just a hiking trip with friends, red says, accepting the warm mug gratefully. It's technically true, even if it's missing some pretty important details about hidden alien technology and government conspiracies. Be careful out there, their mom says, and Red can tell she means way more than just watching for loose rocks and steep trails. There's something in her voice. Worry maybe, or knowledge she's not sharing. Stick together. Don't take any unnecessary risks and call me if you need anything. Anything at all. We will, mom, blue says, gulping his hot chocolate. They grab their backpacks and head out into the crisp morning air. It's a perfect day, sunny but not too warm, with just enough breeze to make hiking comfortable. At the park near the trailhead, they meet the others right on time. Everyone looks slightly nervous but determined. Charlie's brought enough emergency supplies for a week long expedition, his backpack practically bursting at the seams. Rachel has her notebook and all their printed maps tucked safely in a waterproof folder. Alexa's got everything organized in a proper hiking backpack that makes the rest of them look like total amateurs. Kurt's bouncing slightly on her toes, looking ready for whatever comes next. Everyone ready? Red asks, shouldering her pack and trying to sound more confident than she feels. They all nod, looking at each other with that mix of excitement and terror that comes right before you do something that could change everything. The trail starts innocently enough, just a normal hiking path winding up into the hills behind town. Like any other Saturday morning adventure. They set off single file, with Red leading the way. Since she has Meridian's device to guide them for the first part of the hike, it's actually kind of fun. The trail winds through woods that smell like pine needles and damp earth, and the morning air is crisp and perfect for walking. Charlie keeps pointing out different birds and asking if they have similar ones on Mars. They don't. Rachel's taking notes about the rock formations they pass, and for a little while Red can almost pretend this is just a normal weekend adventure with friends. But as they get closer to the quarry area, everything changes. The trees get thicker and more tangled, the trail gets narrower and rockier, and there are old warning signs posted every few hundred feet. Unstable ground PRIVATE property NO TRESPASSING Abandoned MINING operations ENTER AT YOUR OWN risk. Well, that's cheerful, kurt mutters, stepping carefully over a fallen log that's blocking half the path. At least they're honest about the risks, alexa says, checking her map to make sure they're still going the right direction. About an hour into the hike, they reach the spot where they need to leave the official trail. Blue pulls out his hand drawn map and points toward what barely counts as a path, just a gap between some thick bushes that looks like maybe deer use it sometimes. That way, he says, double checking his notes. According to the old survey maps, the Quarry office building should be about half a mile through those trees. The unofficial path is way harder than the main trail. They have to duck under low branches that seem determined to knock Charlie's glasses off his face, step carefully over rocky sections that want to twist their ankles and push through patches of thick bushes that grab at their backpacks like they're trying to keep them from reaching their destination. Red's enhanced Martian senses are going completely crazy. Every snapping twig sounds like thunder, every bird call seems way too loud, and she keeps thinking she hears footsteps behind them that turns out to be nothing when she looks. You okay? Alexa asks quietly, noticing Red glancing over her shoulder for the third time in five minutes. Just being careful, red says, but she can't shake the feeling that they're being watched. It's probably just her nerves, but still. Finally, after what feels like hours of fighting through underbrush, they reach a clearing where they can see their destination. The old Quarry office building sits about 200 yards away, a small concrete structure with boarded up windows and weeds growing up around the foundation like nature is trying to reclaim it. Beyond the building, the quarry itself drops away into a deep pit filled with dark water that reflects the sky. There it is, charlie whispers, like speaking too loud might wake something up that's better. Left sleeping, Red pulls out Meridian's device. Even from this distance, it's starting to warm up in her hand and pulse with that gentle blue light. Dr. Hart definitely hid something important here. Time to find out what. Moving as quietly as they can, they approach the building, carefully, staying low and keeping to the tree line as much as possible. Red's device gets warmer with each each step they take, and by the time they reach the concrete structure, it's almost too hot to hold comfortably. The signal's definitely coming from here, she whispers to the others, trying to keep her voice down, even though they haven't seen another person for miles. The building is smaller than it looked from the distance, maybe the size of a large classroom, with thick concrete walls that are stained and cracked from decades of weather. The main entrance has a rusty metal door that's been chained shut for years, with a padlock that looks like it hasn't been touched since the quarry closed. But as they walk around the perimeter, checking for another way in, Red notices some something that makes her heart race. There, carved into the concrete near what used to be a back entrance, is exactly what they've been looking for. A circle within a circle, etched deep into the stone and filled with some kind of metal that hasn't corroded or rusted like everything else around here. Found it, blue says, running his fingers over the carved symbol. The metal feels warm under his touch, almost like it's alive. Red holds Meridian's device up to the marking, and suddenly the whole thing starts glowing with that familiar blue light. There's a soft clicking sound, like the tumblers falling in a really sophisticated lock, and then something amazing happens. A section of the wall that looked completely solid, just blank concrete like everything else, swings inward on hidden hinges. No way, charlie breathes, his eyes huge behind his glasses. Way, kurt says, grinning despite the fact that they're basically breaking into an abandoned building to search for alien technology. The opening reveals a narrow staircase leading down into darkness. Red's device is now pulsing so brightly they almost don't need their flashlights to see where they're going. Everyone stick together, alexa says, pulling out her flashlight anyway, because she's not taking any chances. And if anything feels wrong, anything at all, we get out of here immediately. Red leads the way down the stairs, the device lighting their path with its blue glow. The stairs are carved directly into the rock underneath the building, smooth and precisely cut, and they seem to go down much deeper than the small office building above would suggest. After about 20 steps, they emerge into a chamber that takes Red's breath away completely. The underground space is way bigger than any of them expected, maybe the size of their school cafeteria, with smooth walls that look like they were carved by some kind of advanced technology rather than the rough blasting and digging you'd expect from traditional mining. But what really makes Red's jaw drop are the walls themselves. They're covered in symbols, hundreds of them, carved deep into the stone and filled with the same non corroding metal as the entrance mark. Some of the symbols Red recognizes from mathematical formulas, star charts, cultural markers that any Martian kid would know. Others are completely unfamiliar, like Dr. Hart developed her own system for cataloging and organizing information. This is incredible, rachel whispers, immediately pulling out her notebook to start copying what she can see. Her hands are shaking slightly with excitement, but the symbols aren't the only thing in the chamber. Along the far wall, there are what look like storage units built directly into the rock itself, metal panels covered with more symbols, and small devices that remind Red of the one Meridian gave her, all glowing softly in different colors. Charlie approaches one of the storage units and nearly jumps out of his skin when it suddenly lights up at his touch. Uh, guys, I think I activated something. A section of the wall slides open with a soft humming sound, revealing shelves lined with what looks like data storage devices, but definitely not Earth technology. These are clearly Martian, though older and more sophisticated than anything Red has seen before. Even back home, Dr. Hart must have found these when she first discovered the chamber, red says, approaching the storage unit carefully. And then she added her own research to what was already here. Blue's exploring the other side of the chamber, running his hands along the carved walls. Red, you really need to see this, he calls softly. She follows his voice to find him standing in front of what can only be described as a control panel. It's built into the wall like everything else, but when Red approaches with Meridian's device, the whole thing comes to life. Symbols light up in sequence, displays activate with information scrolling too fast to read, and suddenly the chamber is filled with the low humming sound that seems to come from everywhere at once. Then, without any warning, a holographic projection appears in the center of the room. It's Dr. Hart again, but this recording looks different from the one they found in her box. She looks older, more tired, but also more urgent, like she knew time was running out. If you're seeing this, the hologram says, her voice echoing slightly in the stone chamber, then you've successfully accessed the primary archive. But I'm afraid you're also in more danger than you realize. Red's pulse quickened. Somehow she doesn't think Dr. Hart is talking about unstable ground or old mining equipment. Dr. Hart's holographic image flickers slightly as she continues, her expression serious. This chamber contains the cultural and technological heritage of three generations of Martian refugees, but more importantly, it contains proof of the corruption within the integration program. Red's heart skips a beat. This is way bigger than they thought. The individuals responsible for exploiting Refugee families have been planning this for years, Dr. Hart's image explains, gesturing toward the glowing storage units around them. They've identified key families, tracked settlement patterns, and developed systems to control rather than assist new arrivals. The evidence is all financial records, communication logs, facility blueprints. The hologram turns to look directly at them, which is really weird since it's just a recording. Download everything you can to portable devices. Share it with the honest agents, with refugee families, with anyone who can help expose what's happening. But be very careful. They have ways of tracking access to these archives. That's when Charlie, who's been keeping watch at the staircase entrance like a good lookout, makes a sound that gets everyone's attention immediately. Guys, he says quietly but urgently. I think I hear cars up top. Everyone freezes. Even the hum of the chamber seems louder in the silence. The sound drifts down the staircase, car doors closing, adult voices, footsteps on gravel. Red's enhanced hearing picks up words that makes her pulse quickening. Unauthorized access. Someone's been here. Check the perimeter. Red's pulse leaps. They know we have to leave, alexa says, already moving toward her backpack with that take charge attitude that makes her such a good leader right now. But we can't leave empty handed, red insists, fumbling with Meridian's device. She presses it to the glowing panel to download as much data as she can to its internal storage. Streams of light pour into the device like water filling a glass. Come on, come on, come on, she whispers. Blue and Rachel are copying symbols from the walls into Rachel's notebook as fast as they can write. Charlie's carefully placing small archive devices into his backpack. The voices outside are getting closer, and they sound like they're spreading out to search the area. There has to be another way out, kurt says, scanning the walls. Places like this always have back exits, right? That's when Red notices something on the control panel she activated. It's showing a diagram of the chamber, and there's definitely a second passage marked on the opposite wall from where they came in. There. She points, feeling relieved. Behind that storage unit they scramble over. A narrow crack has opened, the same blue glow spilling out. The tunnel beyond looks endless, carved smooth into the stone. Go, go, go. Alexa urges, shoving them through one by one just as Red slips inside. Footsteps thunder onto the stairs above. Voices echo down. Check below. The tunnel stretches ahead of them, carved from the same smooth stone as the chamber. Red's device provides a gentle blue glow to light their path as they move quickly but carefully through the underground passage. They've got the evidence they've got each other and they've got a safe way out. Now they just need to follow the tunnel and see where it leads. And that is the end of this part. Good night. Sleep tight.
Podcast: Sleep Tight Stories – Bedtime Stories for Kids
Episode Title: The Transfer Student Vol.2. P.18 👽
Date: September 18, 2025
Host: Sleep Tight Media / Starglow Media
This episode continues the serialized adventure of Red, a courageous (and slightly anxious) Martian transfer student, and her group of friends. The story centers on their daring weekend quest to uncover a hidden cache of alien technology and secret evidence about a corrupt integration program for Martian refugees. The narrative balances relatable anxieties with suspense and friendship, transporting young listeners into a mysterious underground chamber filled with ancient Martian history and urgent warnings. The calm, cozy tone offers wonder and gentle excitement, making for a perfect bedtime listen.
Notable Quote:
“Just a hiking trip with friends,” Red says, accepting the warm mug gratefully. (03:07)
Notable Quote:
“Everyone looks slightly nervous but determined.” (04:50)
Notable Quote:
“Every snapping twig sounds like thunder, every bird call seems way too loud…” (07:30)
Memorable Moment:
“A section of the wall that looked completely solid… swings inward on hidden hinges.” (10:40)
Charlie: “No way.”
Kurt: “Way.” (10:45)
Excited Whisper:
Rachel: "This is incredible." (13:20)
Notable Quote:
Dr. Hart hologram:
“This chamber contains… the cultural and technological heritage of three generations of Martian refugees, but more importantly, it contains proof of the corruption within the integration program...” (14:42)
Memorable Moment:
Alexa: “Go, go, go.” (18:45)
“They’ve got the evidence, they’ve got each other, and they’ve got a safe way out. Now they just need to follow the tunnel and see where it leads.” (19:05)
Red (on her nerves):
“What if they can’t find the cache? What if Agent Torres followed them? What if the device doesn’t work? What if. Ugh.” (02:35)
Red (on the hiking cover story):
“Just a hiking trip with friends.” (03:07)
Red’s Martian senses description:
“Every snapping twig sounds like thunder, every bird call seems way too loud, and she keeps thinking she hears footsteps…” (07:30)
Dr. Hart’s Warning:
“If you’re seeing this, then you’ve successfully accessed the primary archive. But I’m afraid you’re also in more danger than you realize.” (14:33)
Dr. Hart on what’s at stake:
“This chamber contains the cultural and technological heritage of three generations of Martian refugees, but more importantly, it contains proof of the corruption within the integration program.” (14:42)
Escape urgency:
Charlie (urgent): “Guys, I think I hear cars up top.” (16:21)
Alexa: “Go, go, go.” (18:45)
Ending narration:
“They’ve got the evidence, they’ve got each other, and they’ve got a safe way out. Now they just need to follow the tunnel and see where it leads.” (19:05)
This episode ends on a cliffhanger as Red and her friends escape underground with crucial evidence. The balance of mystery, teamwork, and real-world emotion ensures a reassuring bedtime journey, while hinting at more thrilling discoveries to come.
Good night. Sleep tight.