The Secret of the Wishing Well

When Ellie Mayfair first came upon the old wishing well in her little village of Willow Creek, she considered it as only another lost item. Nestled in the Maplewood Park corner, its creaky wooden bucket and moss-covered stones appeared to have not been touched in decades. But the sunshine seemed to shimmer as if it were hiding a secret when it landed precisely on the well. And Ellie was about to find it with her inquisitive heart and talent for spotting problems.

“You know, they say this good grant wishes,” her closest friend Jake grinned and threw a rock into the black void. Only, though, if you believe in magic.

Ellie let her eyes roll back. Magic, please? Jake? You will then be telling me Santa’s actual name.

“Hey, don’t knock it till you try it,” Jake said, his freckled face ablaze with mischief. “What damage results from wishing for something?”

Ellie groaned. She was not a fairy tale or make-believe person. She was delighted with her practicality at about twelve years old. Deep down, though, she had a slight curiosity about what if. Suppose the well was more than just a stack of stones. What if it could bring her wish to pass?

Ellie, therefore, leaned over the well with a dramatic flourish, closed her eyes, and murmured, “I wish for an adventure.” Actual one. Not the dull sort in which nothing happens, but the kind with magic and peril and maybe even a dragon or two.

Nothing happened for a moment. A squirrel chatted far away as the breeze shook the leaves. Ellie closed one eye and grinned. “See? Said you it was—”

She could not finish, though, as the ground under her feet shook. The stones of the well gleamed dimly, and the air hummed softly. Ellie and Jake looked at one other wide-eyed.

“Uh, Ellie?” Backing away, Jake said. “You just woke something up.”

A flash of golden light suddenly erupted from the well, whirling about them like a tiny tornado. Ellie sensed herself rising from the earth, her stomach doing somersaults. She asked Jake, but he was already floating next to her, his baseball cap blowing off his head.

“Hold on!!” Ellie yelled, not knowing what they were meant to hang onto.

The light got more brilliant, and they were dragged down the well with a loud whoosh.

Ellie opened her eyes to find Willow Creek no more. She was standing in a verdant, magical forest where the air tasted like cotton candy and the trees glittered with silver leaves. Sprawled on the ground next to her, Jake appeared groggy but uninjured.

“Where are we?” wonders Ellie murmured, her voice awash with wonder.

Pointing to a nearby signpost, Jake said, “The better question is, when are we? “Then it started: Welcome to the Land of Wishes. Population: magical.

Ellie’s heart pounded. There was no typical woodland here. Her wish had brought magic right here, where it was tangible. Before she could understand what that meant, though, a small, furry creature with big ears and a tail like a feather duster sprang out from behind a tree.

Ah, newbies! The creature squeaked, adjusting a little pair of glasses. The official Land of Wishes greeter is Pippin. And you really must be Ellie and Jake.

“How would you find our names?” Ellie asked, focusing her eyes narrowed.

Pippin giggled. “The well dispatched a memo.” Did you not yearn for an adventure? You are lucky, though. Adventure abounds in the Land of Wishes. Not all desires, though, are what they appear.

Ellie and Jake looked at each other anxiously. This exceeded their expected pay scale.

Leading them over the woodland, Pippin informed them the Land of Wishes was under crisis. 

The Wishing Star, the cause of all magic in the nation, had been taken by a wicked sorcerer called Malvora. Without it, the equilibrium of the planet was in jeopardy, and wishes were running wild.

“So let me clarify this,” Jake replied, rubbing his head. “You wish us to save the day by locating this Wishing Star?”

“Precisely.” Clapping his little hands, Pippin exclaimed. The ones you have picked have had the well not brought you here; otherwise,

Ellie mumbled. “Great.” simply fantastic. I now find myself caught in some supernatural mission, but I want an adventure. Ordinary.

However, despite her protestations, Ellie could not deny the excitement of it all. This was her time to show she was more than just a rule-following, pragmatic child. She was courageous, creative, and magical.

Their path crossed bubbling rivers and dazzling meadows and into the heart of the Whispering Woods, where the shadows appeared to travel on their own, and the trees murmured secrets. Along the way, they encountered a cast of eccentric people: a talking owl unable to stop cracking jokes, a cranky troll who loved crossword puzzles, and a group of cheeky fairies continually pilfering Jake’s shoes.

The actual difficulty, though, came when they arrived at Malvora’s castle—a soaring fortification encircled by a moat of molten chocolate—which, Ellie had to agree, smelled fantastic. Their entrance required them to solve a riddle: “I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. Though I lack body, the breeze brings me to life. Why am I?

Ellie’s head flew. Though she had always been brilliant at puzzles, this one proved challenging. It then struck her.

“An echo!” she said.

They hurried inside as the drawbridge creased.

The last conflict with Malvora was simply legendary. With his black sorcery, the tall shadow-covered sorcerer aimed to frightish them. Ellie, nevertheless, stayed her ground; her heart was hammering, but her voice was constant.

She responded, “You can’t keep the Wishing Star,” waving her hand. “It belongs not to you. Everyone owns this.

Malvora snarled. And small daughter, what will you do? Against me?

Ellie sneers. Noe. I am going to beat you.

Ellie grabbed the Wishing Star and put it back in its proper place using her fast thinking and a little aid from Jake’s inclination for distractions. Malvora was banished to a world where he could no longer cause disturbance; the Land of Wishes was preserved.

Pippin bestowed upon Ellie and Jake one last desire as a thank-you for their courage. Ellie considered for a moment, then grinned.

She said, “I want to go home.” Still, I will never forget this trip.

They were back at Maplewood Park, standing by the ancient wish well, flare of light. Except for one thing: Ellie’s heart was bursting with bravery, compassion, and the conviction that even the most everyday objects might have a tiny amount of magic.

Ellie Mayfair changed from that day on from the pragmatic Willow Creek girl. She was a hero—one who understood that a simple wish often sets off the biggest adventures.