The Dreamland Express is Right on Time
Everett rides the Dreamland Express to Sweet Dreams Station, learning bedtime tips from magical creatures along the way.
- 3 min read
Everett yawned and stretched his arms high above his head. It had been a long day of playing in the backyard, and now it was time for bed. But Everett wasn’t quite ready to sleep yet. He wanted one last adventure before drifting off to dreamland.
As he snuggled under his cozy rocket ship blanket, Everett heard a faint whistle in the distance. Curious, he peeked out his window and gasped. There, floating just above his front lawn, was a magnificent train made entirely of clouds!
The locomotive puffed out star-shaped smoke, and its wheels were spinning slowly in the air. A friendly conductor with a twinkling smile leaned out of the engine.
“All aboard the Dreamland Express!” he called out. “Next stop: Sweet Dreams Station!”
Everett’s eyes widened with excitement. Without a second thought, he climbed out of bed and tiptoed down the stairs, careful not to wake his parents or his little sister.
As he stepped outside, the cool night air tickled his cheeks. The conductor extended a helping hand, and Everett climbed aboard the fluffy train.
“Welcome, young traveler,” the conductor said, tipping his hat. “I’m Conductor Sandman, and this is the Dreamland Express. We’re right on time for our nightly journey!”
Everett couldn’t believe his eyes as he explored the train. Each car was filled with incredible sights and sounds. In the first car, a group of sheep was having a pillow fight, giggling as feathers floated all around them.
“Those are our counting sheep,” Conductor Sandman explained. “They help children fall asleep by jumping over fences in their minds.”
In the next car, Everett found a orchestra of owls playing lullabies on tiny instruments. Their soft hoots and gentle melodies made Everett’s eyelids feel heavy.
As they chugged along through the starry sky, Everett met all sorts of sleepy-time creatures. There were cats curled up on piles of warm laundry, dogs chasing after dream-bones, and even a family of bears preparing for hibernation in a cozy den.
“But Conductor Sandman,” Everett asked, “how does the Dreamland Express know where to go?”
The conductor chuckled and pointed to a glowing map on the wall. “We follow the Milky Way, of course! It leads us to every child who needs a good night’s sleep.”
As they traveled, Everett learned all about bedtime routines from the creatures on board. The rabbits taught him how to wiggle his nose to get comfy in bed, while the sloths showed him how to take deep, relaxing breaths.
Soon, the train began to slow down. “We’re approaching Sweet Dreams Station,” Conductor Sandman announced. “It’s time to get you tucked in, Everett.”
The train came to a gentle stop right outside Everett’s bedroom window. As he climbed back inside, he felt warm and sleepy, ready for a night of wonderful dreams.
“Remember, Everett,” Conductor Sandman said with a wink, “the Dreamland Express is always right on time. Whenever you need us, just close your eyes and listen for that whistle!”
Everett nodded sleepily and crawled into bed. As he drifted off to sleep, he could hear the faint sound of the Dreamland Express chugging away, off to help other children have sweet dreams.
From that night on, Everett always looked forward to bedtime. He knew that somewhere out there, the Dreamland Express was chugging along the Milky Way, right on time, ready to take him on new adventures in his dreams.
And as parents tucked their little ones into bed that night, they could have sworn they heard a distant train whistle and the soft puffing of cloud-wheels spinning through the starry sky. The Dreamland Express was on its way, always right on time, to bring sweet dreams to children everywhere.