Jude stepped into the sunny backyard. The cardboard box beside him suddenly looked like a rocket ship. He grabbed the garden hose and whispered, "Launch in three, two, one!"
Jude climbed a rickety wooden ladder leaning against the big oak tree. The rungs creaked under his weight. At the top, he spotted a patch of wildflowers swaying in the breeze.
Jude climbed back down and tiptoed toward a thick hedge. Something glinted behind the leaves. He dug with his fingers and found a small tin box with a brass key inside.
Jude pocketed the key and walked back to the old oak tree. Ivy hid something behind it — a tiny wooden door set right into the trunk. He slid the key into the keyhole.
The door swung open with a soft creak. Inside, the walls glowed with painted stars and a tiny cushion rested on the floor. Jude crawled inside and smiled.
A dandelion seed drifted through the opening and landed on Jude's nose. He giggled and pulled his knees up, settling onto the cushion.
The painted stars shimmered all around. Jude thought this was the very best secret playground he had ever found.
Jude closed his eyes and listened to the backyard hum — bees, wind, the world outside his tiny door. This was his very own magic place.