The Abandoned Farm-A Story for Children about kids and Steps in a "haunted" house

It was a cool day for July. A perfect day, thought Mark, to try out his new fishing rod.

“Let’s go to the stream by the abandoned farm, Sheila.” The big German shepherd barked in reply. Sheila had already come running as soon as she had seen nine-year-old Mark pick up the fishing rod. The dog always enjoyed being along on fishing trips. There are always things for a dog to do. Like going for a swim or chasing rabbits and squirrels.

They were just leaving the yard they heard the voice of mark’s five-year old sister, Elise.

Me and Shane want to go too,” she shouted. Shane was Sheila’s eight-month-old pup and already getting bigger than his mother.

“No,” Mark said. “Can’t I even go fishing without having to have you tag along?”

Kicking the ground, Elise muttered, “He never lets me go anywhere. Come on, Shane. We’ll go ourselves.”

This is one of the childrens stories I wrote some time ago.I am having trouble with scanning pensil drawing my son did back then. I will try to improve them later.

Now, Elise knew she shouldn’t leave the farm without being with someone older. Shane also knew that he should stay and watch the farm animals when Sheila was away. They were both to young to understand that they had to obey the rules, even when it seemed as if there were much better things to do. So they set out on their way to the fishing place where they knew Mark went to.

Mark decided to take a side trip to inspect the “Haunted” house on the old farm. His parents. Knowing the lure of an empty house, especially a haunted one, did not forbid him to go near it as some parents did.

Although the didn’t like him to play there, they thought it wiser to warn him to be careful and not go on any stairs or other places which might break or fall. If he promised to be careful, they said he could go there sometimes to look around.

While Mark was “looking around” the old house, Shane left the path Elise was following in order to give chase to a rabbit.

“Darn you Shane’” she yelled. Come on back here.” Shane was far too engrossed in his pursuit of the rabbit to hear her. Elise, not thinking she might get lost if she left the path, started chasing Shane.

 The rabbit headed straight for the old house and down an old cellar with a trap door at the top of the steps. An old board was holding the trap door open.

 Shane, not knowing anything about trap doors, headed down the steps. His heavy body knocked the board out of place and the trapdoor fell with a crash behind him. By the time

Elise reached the old house, Shane was trapped in the cellar. She didn’t know where he went, so she yelled his name. After awhile, she began to cry

While she looked for Shane, Mark and Sheila were inside the house. Mark had decided to see what was in the attic. As he climbed the stairs, Sheila barked, as if to tell him his Dad wouldn’t like it. He was not supposed to do anything dangerous. “ Be quiet Sheila. Nobody will know.” Just as he said this, the stairs began to sway and he heard a cracking sound. He grabbed the rail above him just as the steps below the landing toppled over.

Outside, Elise could hear Sheila’s barking and thought it was Shane. She quit crying and called his name. Shane who was in the cellar heard his name and began to bark

“That’s funny, Elise said,”I can’t tell which way he is.”

Sheila heard her voice and came running out of the old house. Elise was confused. She called Shane and Sheila had come. Now, where was Shane?”

She shrugged and followed Sheila to where Mark was. “What are you doing up there Mark?” You know Daddy said not to go up on any steps.”\\?”

“Quit asking dumb questions and help me get down, will you?” Mark knew he couldn’t come down on the broken steps because his weight would bring it all down.

Elise went outside to find something to help. She found an old ladder but it was too heavy for her to move. Looking around some more she found a long rope. She gave one end of the rope to Sheila and told her to bring it to Mark.

The dog took the rope in her teeth and mode one jump on the broken steps and scrambled to the top. The lower section of the steps fell to the floor. Mark tied the rope to a post and slid down like a fireman on a pole. Sheila jumped down without hurting herself. She ran to where she heard Shane barking. Mark found a door to the cellar and let Shane out.

As they walked home, Elise said, “Mark, what are you going to tell Daddy?”

“Quit asking dumb Questions,” he answered.