500 Words 2023: read a finalist's story from the 8 - 11 category

<500 Words< Finalists< 8-11

This story was chosen as a top 50 finalist for 500 Words 2023.

Remember, spelling, punctuation and grammar are not taken into account for a 500 Words story, therefore all the top 50 stories have been published how they were submitted.

The V.I.H.s - Very Important Hedgehogs by Lilly D.

Do you ever wonder how famous authors get all their ideas? Not too long ago, a person had a pet hedgehog, and one day, the hedgehog was given some pens and paper, and was told to start writing. When its owner saw their work, they had the idea to try to get it published but they did so under their own name - not the hedgehogs!

They went onto become very famous and they told all their friends about their secret. This led more people to get hedgehogs and become famous authors.To thank the hedgehogs, the authors started treating the hedgehogs like V.I.H.s (Very Important Hedgehogs), showering them with gifts. This made all of them happy, but sadly this didn't last long. Some started treating hedgehogs very badly. Understandably hedgehogs around the world became sad, angry and scared. They knew that they had to do something to teach the authors about treating everyone nicely.

To discuss ideas about how they should proceed, they held a "hedgehog only meeting." After bringing all the hedgehogs together "King Hedgehog", as he was known, asked everyone for ideas. There were many suggestions including one very unhelpful intervention by a hedgehog who said that they should kill all the authors - they were rightfully ignored.

Another suggestion was that they write a book, with pictures of all the hedgehogs in it, and Helpful Hope Hedgehog was chosen to write it.

She asked for a camera, so that she could take pictures of any willing hedgehogs for the book. She wrote and wrote until the book was finished, now it was just a matter of getting it published. Thankfully her owner was a publisher, but they refused to publish it, instead they tore the book up and threw it into a fireplace in their home. They couldn't let the secret about the hedgehogs get out.Refusing to give up, Hope rewrote the book, but she knew that she couldn't let her owner get a hold of it. Scared, her owner had laid traps all around the house, all of which would seriously hurt Hope - this was certainly not a proper way to treat a hedgehog.

Hope thought that she if she could make it to a police station, she could blow the lid of this whole scandal, but it was so far away, and first she would need to escape. Fortunately Hope is a very determined hedgehog. She evaded her owner, made her way outside and began the long journey to the police station.She had to eat bugs and drink water from muddy puddles in order to survive. Hope did not feel like a V.I.H. in this moment, but it would all be worth it if she could release the book.

Hope made it to the station and told everyone the truth. The hedgehogs rejoiced, the authors were made to apologise and Hope was celebrated as a V.I.H.

NO HEDGEHOGS WERE HURT IN THE WRITING OF THIS STORY.

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