500 Words 2024/25: read a finalist's story from the 8-11 category

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This story was chosen as a top 50 finalist for 500 Words 2024/25.

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 Nitsplorers by Matilda C.

Most girls' hair these days is clean, neat and tidy. They brush it every single day, as they should, and wash it every few. Gertrude's hair, however, was what most adults would call 'a state'. Gertrude's hair was not clean, neat or tidy. She did not brush it every day as she should, and she did not wash it either!

Gertrude had a shock of frizzy ginger hair which was at least as tall as half of her entire body! It was so knotty and badly brushed that Mr and Mrs Hall, Gertrude's parents, had all but given up trying to make it look presentable.

One day, at Gertrude's school, in an assembly, a very important announcement was made.

"NITS!" yelled the headmaster, Mr Slice, across the school's dinner hall, which was lined with chairs and benches. "Children in my school have NITS!"

Whilst listening to Mr Slice babble on about hair and bobbles and 'NITS!' Gertrude scratched her forehead. Because, little did she know that there, stood at the brink of her hair, were two tiny nits…

The two nits were husband and wife, and best friends, nonetheless. They clutched minuscule suitcases and held each other's hands as, cautiously, they stepped into her horrendous hair.

These nits were no ordinary nits. One was called Nigel, the other one was named Natalie, and the two of them were nitsplorers. Looking around curiously with their nitnoculars, Nigel pointed and whispered, "It's a dandruff donkey!"

Sure enough, there, stood no more than five centimetres from the couple, was a donkey-shaped creature, chewing greedily on the girl's head like there was no tomorrow.

Natalie nodded and smiled enthusiastically, before looking in the other direction and exclaiming, "And there's a hairy hog!" And there, carelessly wandering about beside Nigel and Natalie, was a hog with hair so long it tickled Gertrude's head below it.

As Nigel and Natalie journeyed further into Gertrude's hair, the little girl scratched her head even more. The assembly had begun to feel like it was lasting forever, and Gertrude's head was simply aching with itchiness. The dandruff donkey was munching furiously at the girl's scalp, and the hairy hog's hair was tickling her madly.

Back in Gertrude's hair, Nigel and Natalie were quietly tiptoeing through the thickest, darkest part of the girl's hairy jungle. This was where all of the dangerous animals were, like hairline-lions and comb-ras. Singing above the couple, hidden with hair, was an unbrushed umbrella bird tweeting out of tune songs which could be heard easily below.

By now, Gertrude was almost at the point of crying with agony. The dandruff donkey and hairy hog weren't helping, and the unbrushed umbrella bird was swaying in her hair. Feeling desperate, Gertrude stood up and wailed, "I'VE GOT NITS!"

However, dear children, did I state in this tale once that Nigel or Natalie were making Gertrude's head itchy? No, I didn't.

What you really need to look out for are dandruff donkeys, hairy hogs and unbrushed umbrella birds.

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