Fiscally responsible, financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Because Progressive offers discounts for paying in full, owning a home, and more. Plus, you can count on their great customer service to help when you need it, so your dollar goes a long way. Visit Progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations. Luke and Nora stood very still in their backyard, staring at the penguin. The penguin stared back. For a long moment, no one said a word. Nora looked back at the note and noticed that the note was written in very polite handwriting. Suddenly, the penguin bowed and then, unbelievably, it took off its scarf, cleared its throat, and it started to speak. Please don't scream, it said politely. And so Luke screamed anyway. Nora covered his mouth with both hands. Sorry, she said quickly. He does that sometimes when he's surprised. And the penguin nodded as if this made perfect sense. My name isn't important, the penguin continued, but you can think of me as a watcher. A watcher? Of what? Luke asked. Of the world, the penguin said. Of places that need guarding and of children who are special enough to notice things that no one else does. It picked up its wing and gently pointed toward the envelope that Nora was still holding. The igloo wasn't an accident, the penguin said, and neither was the tunnel. Luke and Nora leaned closer. Some children can open what we call cold doors. They don't appear very often, only when the temperature is just right, and only when the builders work together, and only when no one is trying to make magic on purpose. Nora thought back to that snowy day. The laughter, the teamwork, and the way everything felt fun. Not planned. And the incredible way the igloo came together, even though neither of them could remember how much detail they had put into it. The igloo wasn't magic because it was special. It was magic because you were. Nora listened on as she stared at the note And then realized as she was holding it That the note actually unfolded Into a much larger piece of paper It was a map But it wasn't a map of Antarctica It was a map of their town Where she and Luke lived Their house was marked with a tiny snowflake And so was their school And so was their library Those marks on the map show where important things have been hidden long ago Things meant to be found only by the right children Luke swallowed. You mean, us? And the penguin smiled. That's right. You. Well, we're probably going to have to figure this out tomorrow, Mr. Penguin, Luke said. We're really tired. We gotta get to bed. So Luke and Nora both gave the penguin a hug, and the penguin waddled off into the woods, and Luke and Nora went to bed. And the next day, Luke and Nora decided to ride their bikes to the library because it had a snowflake on it on the map. And they followed the map to a quiet corner near the oldest shelves inside the building, where the floor always felt a little bit colder than the rest. they started looking through the books on the shelves. Some of them were big and some were small. Some were old and some were new. And then Luke noticed a book on the top shelf that looked very, very old. So he climbed up the shelves like a ladder and he was just barely able to reach it. And when he got it down, he opened up the inner cover to see the library card. and he saw that this book had not been checked out in a long time. He figured it must just be a mistake, but the last date anyone had checked this thing out was hundreds of years ago. And judging by how old the book looked and felt, it very well could have been hundreds of years since anybody had seen this thing. And the book looked plain at first, with a brown cover and no title. But when Luke opened it, words suddenly appeared. Words that answered questions people had wondered about for forever. Things like why the coolest jump, flip, or tricks only work when your parents aren't watching, and then you can never do it the right way when they finally are. Or, you know, why the teacher only calls on you when you don't know the answer, and then they never call on you when you do. Why weekends always seem to go by so quickly, but school days seem to drag on so slowly. Why you only remember the answer after someone else says it. Or why you suddenly need the bathroom the moment the movie starts. You know, things like that. And the book didn't shout its answers, it just knew them. And you could ask or even think of anything you wanted to know. And it could always answer and explain life's greatest mysteries. Nora flipped to the back of the book where it said, This book is for understanding. And Luke and Nora nodded. They understood. So Nora threw the book in her backpack and the two kids rode their bikes to their school. And when they got to school, the snowflake on the map led them to the old slide on the playground. They began digging and before long, they found a small metal box with a key inside. And there was a small piece of paper inside that said, This key unlocks any door but only when the reason is right Luke was holding the key tightly when they suddenly heard a voice from the parking lot saying Oh, no, no, no, no! It was the fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Klein. She was standing beside her car in the parking lot, tugging at the door handle. So Luke and Nora walked up to her and her car and through the window, they could see her keys were sitting on the driver's seat. I can't believe I did this again. Am, it's starting to rain. Luke and Nora could feel it too. It was starting to rain. Luke looked at Nora and Nora nodded once and said, try it. So Luke picked up the key and slipped it into the car door. It turned easily until they heard a click and the door opened. Mrs. Klein gasped. What? Wait, but how did you... And Luke just said, I don't know. Life is full of mysteries, isn't it? So the two kids hopped back on their bikes and started riding home. And at the corner, they spotted a man standing under an awning who was shivering, rattling the handle of a locked store. Ah, they're closed, he muttered. I gotta get in there. What am I supposed to do? So Nora gently took the key this time, and she slid it into the door, but nothing happened. So she frowned and pulled it out, but then she noticed a sign on the door that said, Employees Only. Huh, I don't think we're supposed to unlock this door, she whispered to Luke. So they kept riding their bikes a little further, and near the bus stop, They saw a little kid standing there crying in the rain, tugging on the door of a locked community center. My mom's inside, he sniffed. She went to get help. And so Luke knelt beside him and said, we'll help you stay dry. Meanwhile, Nora tried the key in the door and immediately it clicked and the door opened. And that's when Luke and Nora understood. good. This key wasn't just about opening doors. It was about why. You see, the key didn't work for sneaking around or breaking into places or taking stuff. It only worked for helping. And it only worked for them. Nora put the key back in the metal box and put it in her backpack. They both understood how important it was now. Finally, they returned to their backyard. Beneath the maple tree, exactly where the igloo once stood, they found the last treasure. It wasn't a chest, and it wasn't a book. It was a smooth, circular stone, cold as ice. And suddenly, they heard a twig crack in the distance as they looked up, And they saw the penguin waddling toward them out of the woods. This, said the penguin, is a doormaker. With this stone, you kids can open a doorway to anywhere in the world. The South Pole the North Pole a beach at sunset or a mountain covered in the snow anywhere you kids are needed or anywhere you dream of going as long as you go together And when the sun began to set, the penguin tightened its scarf again. It's time for me to go now, he said. Antarctica is very cold, and very quiet, and we like it that way. Will we see you again? Noor asked. And the penguin smiled. You are always welcome, he said. But I understand if you don't visit often. It's not really the place for most humans, and that's why we live there, as we prefer the quiet life. Luke and Noor watched as the penguin waddled back toward the trees. And just before it disappeared, it turned back and said, Use what you have been given wisely. And then it was gone. And in the years that followed, Luke and Nora grew up learning when to open doors and when not to. And they helped people quietly. They traveled all over the world when it mattered. And when life's greatest questions went unanswered, Luke and Nora always knew how to solve the most confusing moments and mysteries. And sometimes, on very cold nights, when frost crept along the window glass, they thought they heard the soft sound of waddling footsteps off in the woods. and they smiled because they knew they had a small but very important part to play in taking care of the world and they knew that some doors only open when they're truly needed and when the time came again they would both be ready. Hey there, Storyland fans. If you've been enjoying the podcast, I've got some great news. Right now, you can find the Storyland Collection Volume 2, Enchanted Journeys and Hidden Treasures. That's right. Now you can pick up both volume one and volume two and experience all the stories in their true chronological order, professionally remastered for the best listening experience. You can find them on audiobooks.com, the Spotify audiobooks marketplace, Apple Books, Hoopla, Google Play and Audible. Just search for Storyland, all one word, and you'll find them there. And if you're looking for even more magic, don't forget about Luke and the Magical Marker, my illustrated book that's also available on Amazon. It's the perfect read for kids who love creativity and adventure. And finally, if you've been enjoying the podcast, I would love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It is so much fun to read what listeners have to say about the show, and it helps the Storyland Podcast grow. Thanks again for listening, and I'll see you again in the next adventure.
