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Nothingham
Reader Star Rating: 
Ann Eneh
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SYNOPSIS
Nothingham was once a happy and cheerful village.
But one day all that would change when an old lady dressed in black showed up at the village town square holding a black leather suitcase.
Who would save the little village before the wishing well dries up?
Once upon a time Nothingham was a happy and cheerful little village where people knew and cared for each other.
The children played together, some of them attended the same schools and often shared meals together.
The little village thrived with all the good things people can only imagine.
But one day, things changed for little Nothingham.
An old lady, dressed all in black, appeared at the village town square.
No one knew her name or why she was there.
She barely spoke a word, but carried in her left hand a small black leather suitcase with the inscription 'No Ray of Sunshine.'
Before anyone could muster the courage to ask her who she was, she flipped open her black leather suitcase, brought out an old rusty coin and tossed it into the village wishing well. She looked straight up at the frightened villagers, heaved a sigh of relief and disappeared into the distance, the same way she came.
Within minutes of her departure, darkness descended upon the little village and nothing since that day would ever be the same again.
Nothingham, once a happy and cheerful little village was transformed into the saddest place on earth.
The sound of laughter was gone and the giggles heard from the children as they played together were no more.
Sickness and famine overtook the land and the wishing well began to dry up.
The village elders knew from then on that the people of Nothingham were in grave danger.
As soon as the wishing well dried up, so would the village and all its inhabitants.
It was only a matter of time.
People were afraid and asked one another:
"What happened to our joyful little village?
Who was the old lady dressed in black?
Where did she come from?
Where did she go?
Why did she do this to us?
What are we going to do before the wishing well dries up?"
Only the sound of silence echoed back at them.
There were those that asked:
"Who would be our hero?
Who would rescue Nothingham from this curse and restore our joyful little village?
Who would dare challenge the mysterious old lady?
Who would save our land and restore happiness to the people of Nothingham?"
No one dared to volunteer.
No one was brave enough until a little girl named Binta came forward from behind her parents. She stood up on a bench and offered to seek out the old lady in order to lift the curse on Nothingham.
People were sceptical at first because she was just a child.
But the little girl spoke out loud with her piercing blue eyes and skinny frame.
"If I could just find out where she lives, find out how to get there and rewrite the words on her black leather suitcase, maybe, just maybe, that might do the trick."
It sounded like a good idea at the time and all the people agreed it was worth a try.
They were willing to do anything at this point to save their land.
The elders of the little village gave their blessings but Binta's parents were petrified that their only child was about to embark on a dangerous quest, a journey to the unknown, far far away from home to find the old lady in black.
No one knew if Binta would make it back alive.
Even if she did, would it be in time to save Nothingham before the village wishing well dried up.
Binta prepared and began her journey one Friday morning.
She carried with her a pitcher of water, one little blanket, a flashlight and a small bag of bread.
As she journeyed through the forest all alone, she kept saying to herself,
'If only I could find the old lady dressed in black and rewrite the words on her suitcase.'
Binta overcame many obstacles until she finally came upon an old mill.
Till this day, Binta's little voice can still be heard echoing through the old mill several miles from her home village.
Now boys and girls you get to write the concluding part of this story.
Make it your own and tailor the story line to the way you want it to end.
The End...
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