Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome back to Sleepy Stories. I'm your host, Lucy,
and my friends and I will be reading you a
sleepy bedtime story every week to relax you and to
help you to drift off into a RESTful sleep. From
time to time, we will also read you a relaxing,
peaceful meditation that will take you somewhere beautiful and calming.
Once we have read the stories, we will then read
them a second time, but this time they will be
read even slower. This will help you to relax even more.
Before we begin, I would like you to close your
eyes and breathe in and out nice and deeply. Take
a few seconds to inhale, and then hold your breath
for a few seconds more and then release and breathe out.
Do this a few times if you need to. While
you listen to the music and you listen to my voice,
give yourself time to let your body relax and your
mind settle. It's important that we allow time for us
to feel safe, cozy, and completely at ease. And now
it's time for this week's story, The staircase that climbed
the sky. Nobody knew where the staircase came from. On
Monday evening, The square in the middle of Bellweather Town
contained only the usual things, a sleepy fountain, a crooked
clock tower, three pigeons with criminal intentions, and mister Pindle
selling chestnuts. No one entirely trusted. But on Tuesday morning,
stretching up from the cobblestones and vanishing into the clouds,
stood a staircase. Not an ordinary staircase. This staircase twisted
like a ribbon through the sky. Its steps shimmered silver
blue in the dawn light, and tiny lanterns floated beside it,
glowing softly despite the morning sun. At the bottom stood
a sign. It read one person at a time, no running, absolutely,
no bananas.
Speaker 2: Naturally. The entire town gathered immediately. Magic whispered the baker.
Nonsense muttered the mayor, though he took three nervous steps backwards.
Tourist opportunity, said mister Pindle. Children pointed upward, dogs bark
at the clouds. Old missus Wren claimed she'd seen a
staircase exactly like it once before, though everyone ignored her
because she also claimed her brother had married a ghost.
Only one person said nothing. Twelve year old Eli O
Bell stood at the edge of the crowd, with his
hands in his coat pockets, staring upward. Eleio loved impossible things.
He collected unusual keys, read books with missing pages, and
once spent an entire summer trying to teach his goldfish
to recognize poetry. The goldfish had not cooperated, Elio said
his older sister, Clara, grabbing his sleeve. Don't even think
about it. I wasn't you get that look when you're
about to do something ridiculous? I always looked like this.
That's the problem. A bell rang from somewhere high above
the clouds. Not loud, not frightening, just curious, as though
the staircase itself was wondering who might climb it first.
The crowd shuffled nervously, nobody moved. The mare cleared his throat.
As acting leader of Bellwether Town, I strongly advise against
climbing mysterious sky staircases. Very sensible, said mister Pindall. Quite right, agreed,
the baker, absolutely, said Clara. Elio took one step forward.
Clara groaned, oh no, you heard the bell, Yes, it
sounded lonely. That is not a reason to climb into
the heavens. But Elio was already moving. The crowd parted
as he approached the first step. The staircase glowed faintly
beneath his shoes. Above him, the clouds shifted. The lanterns
bobbed gently, as if pleased. Clara folded her arms. If
you fall out of the sky, I'm telling mother, it
was your fault. Eleo grinned. Then he climbed. The staircase
was strangely warm beneath his feet. Higher and higher he
went until bell Weather Town shrank below him like a
toy village. Chimneys puffed smoke no bigger than threads. The
people became dog The wind smelled different up there, like
rain and fireworks. After perhaps two hundred steps, or maybe
two thousand, because sky staircases are difficult to measure, Eleo
noticed something odd. The staircase was humming, not loudly, just
softly beneath the wind oo it sounded suspiciously cheerful. Hello,
said Elio. The staircase hummed louder. You can hear me.
The staircase gave a please little wobble, Well, said Elyo.
Speaker 3: That's new.
Speaker 2: A voice spoke behind him. It doesn't talk much. Mostly
it sings leoh, spun around. Sitting on the railer was
a girl about his age, wearing a coat stitched entirely
from patches of different colors. She had dark curls, muddy boots,
and an umbrella hanging across her back like a sword.
You nearly gave me a heart attack, said Elio. You
climbed a staircase into the clouds. She replied, I think
your heart accepted danger some time ago. She hopped down
and offered a hand. I'm Lyra. There was another, only one,
terrible whistler. Before Elio could ask more, the staircase suddenly
lurched sideways. Whoa, The cloud split apart. The staircase curved
sharply upward, carrying them toward a floating island. Hanging in
the sky. It was enormous, gardens spilled over its edges,
windmills turned lazily in the breeze, tiny houses balanced atop
giant tree roots, and circling above it. All were whales,
Not ordinary whales, sky whales, massive silver creatures drifting through
the air as gently as balloons. Elio stopped dead. There
are flying whales, yes, said Lyra. Try not to stare.
They find it rude. One whale floated close enough for
Elio to see glowing patterns across its skin. It sneezed.
The resulting gust nearly threw him off the staircase. Bless you,
said Lyra. The wail honked proudly and drifted away. The
staircase delivered them onto the floating island with a soft clink.
At once, a tiny man in a purple waistcoat marched
toward them, carrying a clipboard. Names. He barked, elioh Lyra,
purpose of visit? Elio hesitated curiosity. The man scribbled furiously,
very dangerous. Reason, most common type of traveler. Any forbidden items?
I have a sandwich? What filling cheese? Acceptable? He leaned closer.
No bananas? Why does everyone keep mentioning bananas? The man shuddered.
Speaker 3: Violence.
Speaker 2: We don't discuss the banana incident. He hurried away. Elio
turned to Lyra. What is this place? The aisles above?
She said, Bits of the world that forgot to stay
on the ground. That can happen, Oh, yes, usually after
too much magic or poor planning. They wandered through winding
streets lined with crooked shops. One sold bottled thunder, another
repaired broken shadows, a third specialized entirely in left handed teacups.
Outside a bakery, a sign read today's special cloud pie
warning may float away. Everything felt impossible and yet oddly normal.
As though so impossible, things happened here every day. Who
built the staircase, Eleo asked. Lyra's expression changed slightly. No
one knows. That's not true. It's the truest answer there is.
They stopped beside a fountain where water flowed upward into
the sky instead of down. At its center stood a
statue of an old woman holding a lantern. Written beneath
were the words for those who climb when others fear
to Eleo stared at it. Do you live here? Lyra
shook her head. I climb. That's not an answer, it's
the only one I've got. Before Eleo could reply, bells
rang across the island. The cheerful noise suddenly shifted. People
froze the sky, Whales changed direction. Far above them, dark
clouds rolled across the blue sky. Lyra swore under her breath,
that's early. What is the storm? The wind howled? A
voice boomed from somewhere unseen. All climbers report to the
clock harbor. Everyone began running. Eloh followed Lyra through twisting
streets until they reached the edge of the island. There,
hanging over open sky, was the strangest harbor Elleo had
ever seen. Boats floated in the air, tied to silver docks.
Some had sails stitched from starlight. Others had propellers that
fun without touching anything. And at the center stood an
enormous clock, taller than a house. Its hands moved wildly backwards.
A tall woman in a long navy coat stood beneath it,
shouting orders. Tighten the moorings, secure the lanterns. Someone find
Captain Brindle before he accidentally declares war on the weather again.
She spotted Elyo, new climber, Yes, said Elio. Can he
tie knots?
Speaker 3: No?
Speaker 2: Said Lyra? Can he panic quietly? Probably good enough? She
thrust a rope into his hands. Storms coming. Elio looked upward.
The clouds were wrong. They moved too fast. Shapes flickered
inside them, faces, buildings, entire streets, as though the storm
carried fragments of lost places within it. The tempest whispered Lyra,
what is it a storm that steals things? Lightning flashed
for one terrible moment, Elio saw another staircase inside the
clouds broken, falling. The great clock at the harbor began
striking wildly. Dong dong, dong. The wind screamed. Then the
storm arrived. Chaos exploded across the harbor. Skyboats slammed against
their ropes, lanterns burst, rain fell upward and sideways. At
the same time, Eleo clung to the dock. A sky
whale cried out somewhere in the darkness. Then came a
horrible cracking sound. The giant clock tower split down the middle,
its top half tilted toward the edge of the island.
People screamed. If the clock falls, shouted Lyra, the harbor
loses time. That sentence makes no sense. Nothing up here does.
The tower leaned farther. Without thinking, Eleo ran elee oh
Lyra shouted. He grabbed one of the swinging support ropes
and climbed the collapsing clock tower as rain lashed his
face below him. The barber spun dizzyingly far beneath the clouds. This,
yelled Eleo to nobody in particular, was a terrible plan.
The tower groaned at the top, enormous gears spun wildly.
One had broken loose. Eleo scrambled across the frame, boots
slipping on wet metal. The gear shifted again. If it fell,
the entire clock would collapse, And somehow Eleo knew new,
in the strange, deep way impossible places tell you things,
that the staircase itself depended on this clock. Without it,
nobody would find their way home. The storm roared louder.
Eleo braced himself against the gear with all his strength,
which unfortunately was not very much strength. Oh brilliant, he muttered.
Then another pair of hands grabbed the gear beside him. Lyra,
you came back. You look like you were about to
die in an extremely annoying way. Together they shoved the
gear creaked back into place below them. The clock hands
steadied slightly, but not enough. It still won't hold, shouted Lyra.
The tower lurched again. Then something enormous emerged from the
storm clouds. The silver sky whil, the same one from before.
It floated beside the tower, close enough for Elio to touch.
The wail lowered its head. Lyra stared, I think, she said, carefully,
it wants help. Wrapped around one of its fins was
a snapped chain attached to a massive bronze anchor. The
anchor swung dangerously through the storm. Elio understood instantly the anchor.
Together they pulled the chain free and looped it through
the broken clock supports. The whil gave a mighty cry
and pulled upward with impossible strength. The clock tower steadied.
The harbor. Lights flared back to life, and across the
floating island, every bell began ringing at once. The storm
screamed one final angry howl. Then it broke apart. Clouds
scat uttered, rain vanished. Silence fell across the harbor. Slowly
people emerged from hiding. The tall woman in the navy
coat looked up at Elio and Lyra standing atop the
tower beside the whale.
Speaker 3: Well.
Speaker 2: She called, that was either very brave or very stupid?
Can it be both? Shouted Elio. Usually. The crowd burst
into cheers. The whale gave a proud honk. Then one
by one, the lanterns around the harbor began glowing gold.
The staircase far below shimmered in answer. Lyra smiled softly.
It likes you, the staircase. It only appears for people
who stop ill believe climbing is worth it. Eleo looked
down through the clouds toward Bellweather Town, tiny and distant below.
For what it's worth, he said, I almost turned around
at the first hundred steps. That's normal. You weren't scared.
Lyra laughed. I'm terrified constantly, Eleo blinked. But you seem fearless.
That's because fearless people are idiots. The great clock rang midnight.
The staircase hummed again softly, warmly, as if proud. The
tall woman approached them, carrying two small silver pins shaped
like staircases for climbers, she said. Lyra accepted her as
caly Eleo held his carefully. What happens now, the woman smiled,
Now you go home, Elyo hesitated. Part of him wanted
to stay forever, to sail skyboats and feed cloud Pie
to whales, and wander impossible islands above the world. But
another part remembered warm kitchens, Clara shouting his name from downstairs,
and belwether Town beneath the evening lamps. Lyra seemed to understand.
They always think adventure means leaving home forever. She said, quietly,
What does it really mean coming back different. The staircase
glowed brighter far below. Dawn was beginning. Elio took a breath. Well,
he said, I suppose I should climb down before my
sister murders me. Wise, They walked together to the staircase entrance.
Eleo paused, will I see you again? Lyra shrugged, depends
on what whether the staircase thinks you still need climbing,
And before Eleo could answer, she stepped backward into the
morning mist and vanished. The staircase carried Eleo gently downward
through the clouds, lower and lower until bellwether Town returned
beneath him. People filled the square, waiting anxiously. When Eleo
reached the final step, the crowd irrupted. Clara sprinted forward
first and hugged him so hard his ribs squeaked you
absolute disaster, she shouted, You vanished for an entire night.
I brought back a staircase pin. She stared at him.
I'm still angry, but that is rather impressive. The mayor
hurried over, what's up there? Elio looked skyward. The staircase
was already fading into the dawn light. He thought of
sky whales, storm clocks, impossible, harbors, a girl with an umbrella, sword,
and a staircase that hummed like it new secrets. Finally,
he smiled everything he said, the staircase vanished. Only the
sign remained behind. Someone picked it up and read aloud,
thank you for climbing. The sky appreciates the company. And
far above the waking town, hidden somewhere beyond the clouds,
a staircase quietly continued climbing forever. The staircase not an
ordinary staircase. This staircase twisted like a ribbon through the sky.
Its steps shimmered silver blue in the dawn light, and
tiny lanterns floated beside it, glowing softly despite the morning sun.
At the bottom stood a sign. It read one person
at a time, no running, absolutely no bananas. Naturally. The
entire town gathered immediately. Magic whispered the baker. Nonsense muttered
the mayor, though he took three nervous steps backwards. Tourist opportunity,
said mister Pindall. Children pointed upward, dogs barked at the clouds.
Old missus Wren claimed she'd seen a staircase exactly like
it once before, though everyone ignored her because she also
claimed her brother had married a ghost. Only one person
said nothing. Twelve year old Elio Bell stood at the
edge of the crowd, with his hands in his coat pockets,
staring upward. Elio loved impossible things. He collected unusual keys,
read books with missing pages, and once spent an entire
summer trying to teach his goldfish to recognize poetry. The
goldfish had not cooperated. Elioh said his older sister Clara,
grabbing his sleeve. Don't even think about it. I wasn't
you get that look when you're about to do something ridiculous.
I always look like this. That's the problem. A bell
rang from somewhere high above the clouds. Not loud, not frightening,
just curious, as though the staircase itself was wondering who
might climb it first. The crowd shuffled nervously. Nobody moved.
The mare cleared his throat. As acting leader of bellwether Town,
I strongly advise against climbing mysterious sky staircases. Very sensible,
said mister Pindall. Quite right, agreed, the baker, absolutely, said Clara.
Eleio took one step forward. Clara groaned, oh no, you
heard the bell. Yes, it sounded lonely. That is not
a reason to climb into the heavens. But Eleio was
already moving. The crowd parted as he approached the first step.
The staircase glowed faintly beneath his shoes. Above him, the
clouds shifted. The lanterns bobbed gently, as if pleased. Clara
folded her arms. If you fall out of the sky,
I'm telling mother, it was your fault. Eleo grinned. Then
he climbed. The staircase was strangely warm beneath his feet.
Higher and higher he went until bell Weather Town shrank
below him like a toy village. Chimneys puffed smoke no
bigger than threads. The people became dots. The wind smelled
different up there, like rain and fireworks. After perhaps two
hundred steps, or maybe two thousand, because sky staircases are
difficult to measure, Eleo noticed something odd. The staircase was humming,
not loudly, just softly beneath the wind oo It sounded
suspiciously cheerful. Hello, said Elyo. The staircase hummed louder, you
can hear me. The staircase gave a pleased. Little wobble, well,
said Elio. That's new. A voice spoke behind him. It
doesn't talk much. Mostly it sings. Elio spun around. Sitting
on the railing was a girl about his age, wearing
a coat stitched entirely from patches of different colors.
Speaker 3: She had dark.
Speaker 2: Curls, muddy boots, and an umbrella hanging across her back
like a sword. You nearly gave me a heart attack,
said Elyo. You climbed a staircase into the clouds, She replied,
I think your heart accepted danger summed time ago. She
hopped down and offered a hand. I'm Lyra. There was another,
only one terrible whistler. Before Elio could ask more, the
staircase suddenly lurched sideways. Whoa, The clouds split apart. The
staircase curved sharply upward, carrying them toward a floating island.
Hanging in the sky. It was enormous, gardens spilled over
its edges, windmills turned lazily in the breeze, tiny houses
balanced atop giant tree roots, and circling above it. All
were whales, not ordinary whales, sky whales, massive silver creatures
drifting through the air as gently as balloons. Elio stopped dead.
There are flying whales, yes, said Lyra. Try not to stare.
They find it rude. One whale floated close enough for
Elio to see glowing patterns across its skin. It sneezed.
The resulting gust nearly threw him off the staircase. Bless you,
said Lyra. The whale honked proudly and drifted away. The
staircase delivered them onto the floating island with a soft clink.
At once, a tiny man in a purple waistcoat marched
toward them, carrying a clipboard. Names. He barked, Eleo, Lyra,
purpose a visit. Eleo has a curiosity, The man scribbled furiously,
very dangerous. Reason most common type of traveler. Any forbidden items?
I have a sandwich? What filling cheese? Acceptable? He leaned closer.
No bananas. Why does everyone keep mentioning bananas? The man
shuddered violently. We don't discuss the banana incident. He hurried away.
Elliot turned to Lyra. What is this place? The aisles above?
She said, Bits of the world that forgot to stay
on the ground, That can happen. Oh, yes, usually after
too much magic or poor planning. They wandered through wine
streets lined with crooked shops. One sold bottled thunder, another
repaired broken shadows. A third specialized entirely in left handed teacups.
Outside a bakery, a sign read today's special cloud pie,
warning may float away. Everything felt impossible and yet oddly normal,
as though impossible things happened here every day. Who built
the staircase, Elio asked. Lyra's expression changed slightly. No one knows.
That's not true. It's the truest answer there is. They
stopped beside a fountain where water flowed upward into the
sky instead of down. At its center stood a statue
of an an old woman holding a lantern. Written beneath
were the words for those who climb when others fear
to Eleo stared at it. Do you live here? Lyra
shook her head. I climb. That's not an answer, it's
the only one I've got. Before Elio could reply, bells
rang across the island. The cheerful noise suddenly shifted. People
froze the sky, Whales changed direction. Far above them, dark
clouds rolled across the blue sky. Lyra swore under her breath,
that's early. What is the storm? The wind?
Speaker 3: Howled?
Speaker 2: A voice boomed from somewhere unseen. All climbers port to
the clock harbor. Everyone began running. Elio followed Lyra through
twisting streets until they reached the edge of the island. There,
hanging over open sky, was the strangest harbor Elio had
ever seen. Boats floated in the air, tied to silver docks.
Some had sails stitched from starlight. Others had propellers that
spun without touching anything. And at the center stood an
enormous clock, taller than a house. Its hands moved wildly backwards.
A tall woman in a long navy coat stood beneath it,
shouting orders. Tighten the moorings, secure the lanterns. Someone find
Captain Brindle before he accidentally did Claire's War on the
weather again. She spotted Elyo, new climber, Yes, said Elyo.
Can he tie knots? No? Said Lyra? Can he panic quietly?
Probably good enough? She thrust a rope into his hands.
Storms coming. Elo looked upward. The clouds were wrong. They
moved too fast. Shapes flickered inside them, faces, buildings, entire streets,
as though the storm carried fragments of lost places within it.
The tempest whispered Lyra, what is it a storm that
steals things? Lightning flashed For one terrible moment, Elio saw
another staircase inside the clouds broken falling. The great clock
at the harbor began striking wildly. Dong dong dong. The
wind screamed. Then the storm arrived. Chaos exploded across the harbor.
Skyboats slammed against their ropes, lanterns burst, rain fell upward
and sidewise. At the same time, Elio clung.
Speaker 3: To the dock.
Speaker 2: A sky whil cried out somewhere in the darkness. Then
came a horrible cracking sound. The giant clock tower split
down the middle, its top half tilted toward the edge
of the island. People screamed. If the clock falls, shouted Lyra,
the harbor loses time. That sentence makes no sense. Nothing
up here does. The tower leaned farther. Without thinking, Eleo
ran elee oh, Lyra shouted. He grabbed one of the
swinging support ropes and climbed the collapsing clock tower as
rain lashed his face below him. The harbor spun dizzyingly
far beneath the clouds. This, yelled Eleo to nobody in particular,
was a terrible plan. The tower groaned at the top.
Enormous gears spun wildly. One had broken loose. Eleo scrambled
across the frame, boots slipping on wet metal. The gear
shifted again. If it fell, the entire clock would collapse.
And somehow Eleo knew new, in the strange, deep way
impossible places tell you things, that the staircase itself depended
on this clock. Without it, nobody would find their way home.
The storm roared louder. Eleo braced himself against the gear
with all his strength, which unfortunately was not very much strength.
Oh brilliant, he muttered. Then another pair of hands grabbed
the gear beside him. Lyra, you came back. You look
like you were about to die in an extremely annoying way.
Together they shoved the gear creaked back into place below them.
The clock hands steadied slightly, but not enough. It still
won't hold, shouted Lyra. The tower lurched again. Then something
enormous emerged from the storm clouds. The silver sky whale,
the same one from before it floated beside the tower,
close enough for Elio to touch. The whale lowered its head.
Lyra stared, I think, she said, carefully, it wants help.
Wrapped around one of its fins was a snapped chain
attached to a massive bronze anchor. The anchor swung dangerously
through the storm. Elio understood instantly the anchor. Together they
pulled the chain free and looped it through the broken
clock supports. The whale gave a mighty cry and pulled
upward with impossible strength. The clock tower steadied. The harbor.
Lights flared back to life, and across the floating island,
every bell began ringing at once. The storm screamed one
final angry howl. Then it broke apart. Clouds scattered, rain vanished.
Silence fell across the harbor. Slowly people emerged from hiding.
The tall woman in the navy coat looked up at
Elio and Lyra standing atop the tower beside the whale. Well,
she called, that was either very brave or very stupid?
Can it be both? Shouted Elyo.
Speaker 3: Usually.
Speaker 2: The crowd burst into cheers. The whale gave a proud honk, Then,
one by one, the lanterns around the harbor began glowing gold.
The staircase far below shimmered in answer. Lyra smiled softly.
It likes you, the staircase. It only appears for people
who still believe climbing is worth it. Eleo looked down
through the clouds toward bellwether Town, tiny and distant below.
For what it's worth, he said, I almost turned around
at the first hundred steps. That's normal. You weren't scared.
Lyra laughed, I'm terrified constantly. Eleo blinked. But you seem fearless.
That's because fearless people are idiots. The great clock rang midnight.
The staircase hummed again, softly, warmly, as if proud. The
tall woman approached them, carrying two small silver pins, shaped
like staircases for climbers, She said. Lyra accepted hers casually.
Eloh held his carefully. What happens now, the woman smiled,
Now you go home. Elio hesitated. Part of him wanted
to stay forever, to sail sky boats and feed cloud
Pie to whales, and wander impossible islands above the world.
But another part remembers warm kitchens, Clara shouting his name
from downstairs, and belwether Town beneath the evening lamps. Lyra
seemed to understand. They always think adventure means leaving home forever.
She said, quietly, what does it really mean? Coming back? Different?
The staircase glowed brighter far below, dawn was beginning. Elio
took a deep breath. Well, he said, I suppose I
should climb down before my sister murders me. Whyse They
walked together to the staircase entrance. Eleo paused, will I
see you again? Lyra shrugged, depends on what whether the
staircase thinks you still needed climbing, And before Eleo could answer,
she stepped backward into the morning mist and vanished. The
staircase carried Eleo gently downward through the clouds, lower and lower,
until bellweather Town returned beneath him. People filled the square,
waiting anxiously. When Elio reached the final step, the crowd irrupted.
Clara sprinted forward first and hugged him so hard his
ribs squeaked you absolute disaster, she shouted, You've vanished for
an entire night. I brought back a staircase pin. She
stared at him. I'm still angry, but that is rather impressive.
The mayor hurried over, what's up there? Elio looked skyward.
The staircase was already fading into the dawn light. He
thought of sky, whales, storm clocks, impossible harbors, a girl
with an umbrella, sword, and a staircase that hummed like
it new secrets. Finally, he smiled. Everything he said, the
staircase vanished. Only the sign remained behind. Someone picked it
up and read aloud, thank you for climbing. The sky
appreciates the company. And far above the waking town, hidden
somewhere beyond the clouds, a staircase quietly continued climbing forever.
The staircase not an ordinary staircase. This staircase twisted like
a ribbon through the sky. Its steps shimmered silver blue
in the dawn light, and tiny lanterns floated beside it,
glowing softly despite the morning sun. At the bottom stood
a sign. It read one person at a time, no running, absolutely,
no bananas. Naturally. The entire town gathered immediately. Magic whispered
the baker. Nonsense muttered the mayor, though he took three
nervous steps backwards. Tourist opportunity, said mister pindle. Children pointed upward.
Dogs barked at the clouds. Old missus Wren claimed she'd
seen a staircase exactly like it once before, though everyone
ignored her because she also claimed her brother had married
a ghost. Only one person said nothing. Twelve year old
eli O Bell stood at the edge of the crowd
with his hands in his coat pockets, staring upward. Eleo
loved impossible things. He collected unusual keys, read books with
missing pages, and once spent an entire summer trying to
teach his goldfish to recognize poetry. The goldfish had not
co operated, Eleioh, said his older sister Clara, grabbing his sleeve.
Don't even think about it.
Speaker 3: I wasn't.
Speaker 2: You get that look when you're about to do something ridiculous.
I always look like this. That's the problem. A bell
rang from somewhere high above the clouds. Not loud, not frightening,
just curious, as though the staircase itself was wondering who
might climb it first. The crowd shuffled nervously, nobody moved.
The mare cleared his throat. As acting leader of bell
Weather Town, I strongly advise against climbing mysterious sky staircases.
Very sensible, said mister Pindall. Quite right, agreed, the baker, absolutely,
said Clara. Elio took one step forward. Clara groaned, oh, no,
you heard the bell. Yes, it sounded lonely. That is
not a reason to climb into the heavens. But elioh
was already moving. The crowd parted as he approached the
first step. The staircase glowed faintly beneath his shoes. Above him,
the clouds shifted. The lanterns bobbed gently, as if pleased.
Clara folded her arms. If you fall out of the sky,
I'm telling mother, it was your fault. Eleo grinned. Then
he climbed. The staircase was strangely warm beneath his feet.
Higher and higher he went, until bell Weather Town shrank
below him like a toy village. Chimneys puffed smoke no
bigger than threads. The people became dots. The wind smelled
different up there, like rain and fireworks. After perhaps two
hundred steps, or maybe two thousand, because sky staircases are
difficult to measure, Eleo noticed something odd. The staircase was humming,
not loudly, just softly. Beneath the wind. Oo It sounded
suspiciously cheerful. Hello, said Elio. The staircase hummed louder. You
can hear me. The staircase gave a please little wobble, well,
said Eleo.
Speaker 3: That's new.
Speaker 2: A voice spoke behind him. It doesn't talk much. Mostly
it sings. Eleo spun around. Sitting on the railing was
a girl hull about his age, wearing a coat stitched
entirely from patches of different colors. She had dark curls,
muddy boots, and an umbrella hanging across her back like
a sword. You nearly gave me a heart attack, said Elio.
You climbed a staircase into the clouds, she replied, I
think your heart accepted danger some time ago. She hopped
down and offered a hand. I'm lyra. There was another,
only one, terrible whistler. Before Eleo could ask more, the
staircase suddenly lurched sideways. Whoa, The clouds split apart. The
staircase curved sharply upward, carrying them toward a floating island
hanging in the sky. It was enormous. Gardens spilled over
its edges, windmills turned lazily in the breeze, tiny houses
balanced atop giant tree roots, and circling above it. All
were whales, Not ordinary whales, sky whales, massive silver creatures,
drifting through the air as gently as balloons. Elio stopped dead.
There are flying whales, yes, said Lyra. Try not to stare.
They find it rude. One whale floated close enough for
Elio to see glowing patterns across its skin. It sneezed.
The resulting gust nearly threw him off the staircase. Bless you,
said Lyra. The whale honked proudly and drifted away. The
staircase delivered them onto the floating island with a soft clink.
At once, a tiny man in a purple waistcoat marched
toward them, carrying a clipboard. Names. He barked, elioh Lyra.
Purpose of visit Elio hesitated curiosity. The man scribbled furiously,
Very dangerous. Reason most common type of traveler. Any forbidden items?
I have a sandwich? What filling cheese? Acceptable? He leaned closer.
No bananas? Why does everyone keep mentioning bananas? The man
shuddered violently. We don't discuss the banana incident. He hurried away.
Eliot turned to Lyra, What is this place? The aisles above?
She said, bits of the world that forgot to stay
on the ground, that can happen. Oh, yes, usually after
too much magic or poor planning. They wandered through winding
streets lined with crooked shops. One sold bottled thunder, another
repaired broken shadows. A third specialized entirely in left handed teacups.
Outside a bakery, a sign read today's special cloud pie,
warning may float away. Everything felt impossible and yet oddly normal,
as though impossible things happened here every day. Who built
the staircase? Eleo asked. Lyra's expression changed slightly. No one knows.
That's not true. It's the truest answer there is. They
stopped beside a fountain where water flowed upward into the
sky instead of down. At its center stood a statue
of an old woman holding a lantern. Written beneath were
the words for those who climb when others fear to.
Eleo stared at it. Do you live here? Lyra shook
her head. I climb. That's not an answer, it's the
only one I've got. Before Eleo could reply, bells rang
across the island. The cheerful noise suddenly shifted. People froze
the sky, Whales changed direction. Far above them, dark clouds
rolled across the blue sky. Lyra swore under her breath,
that's early. What is the storm? The wind howled? A
voice boomed from somewhere unseen. All climbers, report to the
clock harbor. Everyone began running. Elio followed Lyra through twisting
streets until they reached the edge of the island. There,
hanging over open sky, was the strangest harbor Elio had
ever seen. Boats floated in the air, tied to silver docks.
Some had sails stitched from starlight. Others had propellers that
spun without touching anything. And at the center stood an
enormous clock, taller than a house. Its hands moved wildly backwards.
A tall woman in a long navy coat stood beneath it,
shouting orders. Tighten the moorings, secure the lanterns. Someone find
Captain Brindle before he accidentally declares war on the weather again.
She spotted Elyo, new climber, Yes, said Elio, Can he
tie knots?
Speaker 3: No?
Speaker 2: Said Lyra? Can he panic quietly? Probably good enough? She
thrust a rope into his hands. Storms coming. Elio looked upward.
The clouds were wrong, They moved too far. Last shapes
flickered inside them, faces, buildings, entire streets, as though the
storm carried fragments of lost places within it. The tempest
whispered Lyra, what is it a storm that steals things?
Lightning flashed. For one terrible moment, Elio saw another staircase inside.
The clouds broken, falling. The great clock at the harbor
began striking wildly. Dong dong, dong. The wind screamed. Then
the storm arrived. Chaos exploded across the harbor. Skyboats slammed
against their ropes, lanterns burst, rain fell well upward and sidewise.
At the same time, Eleo clung to the dock. A
sky whale cried out somewhere in the darkness. Then came
a horrible cracking sound. The giant clock tower split down
the middle, its top half tilted toward the edge of
the island. People screamed. If the clock falls, shouted Lyra,
the harbor loses time. That sentence makes no sense. Nothing
up here does. The tower leaned farther without thinking, Eleo
ran elle oh Lyra shouted he grabbed one of the
swinging support ropes and climbed the collapsing clock tower As
rain lashed his face. Below him, the harbor spun did
far beneath the clouds. This, yelled Eleo to nobody in particular,
was a terrible plan. The tower groaned at the top.
Enormous gears spun wildly. One had broken loose. Eleo scrambled
across the frame, boots slipping on wet metal. The gear
shifted again. If it fell, the entire clock would collapse,
And somehow Eleo knew new, in the strange deep way
impossible places tell you things, that the staircase itself depended
on this clock. Without it, nobody would find their way home.
The storm roared louder. Eleo braced himself against the gear
with all his strength, which unfortunately was not very much strength.
Oh brilliant, he muttered. Then another pair of hands grabbed
the gear beside him. Lyra, you came back. You looked
like you were about to die in an extremely annoying way.
Together they shoved the gear creaked back into place below them.
The clock hands steadied slightly, but not enough. It still
won't hold, shouted Lyra. The tower lurched again. Then something
enormous emerged from the storm clouds. The silver sky whale,
the same one from before. It floated beside the tower,
close enough for Elio to touch. The whale lowered its head.
Lyra stared, I think, she said, carefully, it wants help.
Wrapped around one of its fins was a snapped chain
attached to a massive bronze anchor. The anchor swung dangerously
through the storm. Elio understood instantly the anchor. Together they
pulled the chain free and looped it through the broken
clock supports. The wail gave a mighty cry and pulled
upward with impossible strength. The clock tower steadied. The harbor.
Lights flared back to life, and across the floating island,
every bell began ringing at once. The storm screamed one
final angry howl. Then it broke apart. Clouds scattered, rain vanished,
Silence fell across the harbor. Slowly people emerged from hiding.
The tall woman in the navy coat looked up at
Elio and Lyra standing atop the tower beside the whale. Well,
she called, that was either very brave or very stupid.
Can it be both? Shouted Elio. Usually, the crowd burst
into cheers. The whale gave a proud honk. Then one
by one, the lanterns around the harbor began glowing gold.
The staircase far below shimmered in answer. Lyra smiled softly.
It likes you, the staircase. It only appears for people
who still believe is worth it. Eleo looked down through
the clouds toward Bellweather Town, tiny and distant below. For
what it's worth, he said, I almost turned around at
the first hundred steps. That's normal. You weren't scared. Lyra laughed.
I'm terrified constantly. Eleo blinked. But you seem fearless. That's
because fearless people are idiots. The great clock rang midnight.
The staircase hummed again, softly, warmly, as if proud. The
tall woman approached them, carrying two small silver pins, shaped
like staircases for climbers. She said. Lyra accepted hers casually,
Elio held his carefully. What happens now, the woman smiled,
Now you go home. Elyo hesitated. Part of him wanted
to stay forever, to sail sky boats and feed cloud
pie to whales, and wander impossible islands above the world,
but another part remembered warm kitchens, Clara shouting his name
from downstairs, and Belwether Town beneath the evening lamps. Lyra
seemed to understand. They always think adventure means leaving home forever.
She said, quietly, what does it really mean coming back different?
The staircase glowed brighter far below, dawn was beginning. Elio
took a deep breath. Well, he said, I suppose I
should climb down before my sister murders me. Wise, They
walked together to the staircase entrance. Eleo paused, will I
see you again? Lyra shrugged, depends on what whether the
staircase thinks you still need climbing, And before Eleo could answer,
she stepped backward into the morning mist and vanished. The
staircase carried Eleo gently downward through the clouds, lower and lower,
until bellweather Town returned beneath him. People filled the square,
waiting anxiously. When Eleo reached the final step, the crowd irrupted.
Clara sprinted forward first and hugged him so hard his
ribs squeaked you absolute disaster, she shouted. You vanished for
an entire night. I brought back a staircase pin. She
stared at him. I'm still angry, but that is rather impressive.
The mayor hurried over, what's up there? Elio looked skyward.
The staircase was already fading into the dawn light. He
thought of sky whales, storm clocks, impossible harbors, a girl
with an umbrella, sword, and a staircase that hummed like
it new secrets. Finally, he smiled. Everything he said, the
staircase vanished. Only the s remained behind. Someone picked it
up and read aloud, thank you for climbing. The sky
appreciates the company, And far above the waking town, hidden
somewhere beyond the clouds, a staircase quietly continued climbing.
Speaker 3: Forever Think a