The sound of ‘The Sugar Plum Fairy’ was coming through the window of Tara’s house. She loved playing the song that her teacher Ms Lockyer had taught her.

“It’s a wonderful song. I like piano. It’s the best thing in the whole entire world” she smiled.

Tara jumped up. “Time to go! Amy and Hannah are coming around for a sleepover!”

The doorbell rang. Her friends were just in time. Tara took them straight into her room. She had set it up perfectly for a cosy Girls’ Night In.

Late that night when the girls were reading, they heard a noise.

“Ooo – ooooh – oooooh!”

“What’s that sound?” shivered Amy.

“It’s only the wind” said Hannah.

Later that night when the girls were sleeping, they heard a noise.  The sound of the Sugar Plum Fairy on the piano!

Amy thought she was dreaming and went back to sleep.

Hannah woke up. She looked over at Tara. Who could be playing?  They both jumped up. The music stopped. Tara and Amy pulled the blankets tightly over their heads and cuddled their teddy bears.

Later that night when the girls were still sleeping, they heard another noise.   The sound of the Sugar Plum Fairy on the piano again!

Hannah shook Amy. “What! What! What!”

“We heard a noise again!” Tara screamed.  They all jumped up and went over to the door. The music stopped.

Tara’s mum came in. “What’s all that fuss girls?”

Tara screamed “there’s a ghost in the piano room!”

Tara’s mum said “there is no such thing as a ghost. Now go to bed!”

Later that night when the girls were still sleeping, they heard another noise.   The sound of someone knocking on their door!

Tara jumped up. Slowly she stepped towards the door.  She put her hand on the doorhandle. She twisted it and it opened. There stood a sad little ghost holding a ghost teddy bear very tightly.

Tara thought “we can’t scream. Mum will come!” They all raced back to the bed and hid.

The little ghost spoke. “I don’t want to scare you. I just want to have some friends. Can I play with you?”

Tara smiled.” Actually, we are having a Girls’ Night In. A sleepover. Would you like to join us?”

“What’s a sleepover?”

They all  said at once “come in. We’ll show you!”

When Tara’s mum came in the morning she counted three sleepy heads. She never knew that there were four little girls in last night’s sleepover. And that there would be at every sleepover from now on.

Thanks to Amy, Hannah and Tara for help with ideas. Thanks to Ms Lockyer for doing a ‘tough edit.’

MS LOCKYER SAYS:  Leave a comment for Tara. Let her know what you like about her story, and if you notice anything she has done well as a writer.