Highly Commended Story - The Lost Smiles

“The Lost Smiles” by Ananya Ashish Kabadi, Rustomjee Cambridge International School, India, is the Highly Commended story in the sub-junior category of the second biannual Short Story Contest 2019.

Ananya Ashish Kabadi aged 8 years is a Grade 4 student of Rustomjee Cambridge International School (Dahisar). She is good at academics and excels in extracurricular activities. Her ambition is to become a doctor. She has a creative flair for drawing, singing, dancing and also has interest in sports. Ananya is good in Kathak and singing and is also a part of the school's basketball team. Her story 'The Lost Smiles' emphasises on the value of kindness and she believes that any act of kindness never goes waste.

The Lost Smiles

Down in the foothills of the Sunshine valley, a poor little girl named Tasha, lived with her grandmother. She had heard about a prosperous and a happy town known as “Savanna” situated uphill. Tasha thought of visiting the town to find some work so that she could earn the daily bread.

However, on reaching the town, it appeared otherwise. The town was gloomy and as silent as the grave. Not a single person had a smile on their lips, nor they seemed to work for a living. Tasha was bewildered and clueless.

Heartbroken while she plodded downhill, an old woman noticed her sadness and questioned about it. After hearing out Tasha, she revealed the reason behind the cursed town. Vella, the witch, had cursed the town, for not inviting her to their grand feast. In a furious rage, she took away all the smiles from the people of the town, and gradually, the whole town turned upside down.

Tasha felt pitiful and offered to help. “Stay away!” warned the old woman and lured Tasha with sack of gold coins instead. Tasha didn’t budge, but insisted to help. Surprisingly, the old woman transformed herself into a good fairy named Avonna since she was pleased with Tasha’s kindness and selflessness. Avonna handed over a shiny crystal to Tasha. “Drop this magical crystal into the fountain set in the middle of the town and the curse will be reversed,” instructed the fairy,“Only a kind hearted selfless person like you can do this”.

As soon as Tasha dropped the crystal into the fountain, the people of the town got their lost smiles back and they thanked Tasha from the bottom of their heart. Tasha was rewarded handsomely for her kindness and selflessness.

One should always remember that, “Kindness never goes waste.”