Barnabas and Sebastian Story

This Story has scary parts.

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An old man named Barnabas lived with his dog in a house a big old house his grandfather had built long ago. Barnabas used to own a store in town, but now he was retired and spent his days panning for gold in nearby streams hoping to some day strike it rich. The dog was a big wolfhound named Sebastian and Barnabas had raised him from a pup he found years ago.

Every morning Barnabas went out to pan for gold and Sebastian stayed behind and guarded their house. One morning, as Barnabas was dumping out a dead pan of gravel, he got the feeling that something was wrong at home.

He hurried home as fast as he could, fearful of what he might find. When he got home, he found everything to be still and quiet - Sebastian was missing. He searched the house and the woods nearby, but Sebastian was nowhere. He called and he called, but the dog did not answer. For days, Barnabas looked for Sebastian but he could find no trace of him.

Finally he gave up and went forlornly back to his work. But one morning before heading out, he heard something moving in the attic. He picked up his gun. Then he thought, "I'd better be quiet about this."

So he took off his boots. In his bare feet, he began to quietly climb the attic stairs. He slowly took one step - then another - then another, until at last he reached the attic door.

He stood outside listening, but he didn't hear a thing. Then he opened the door, and -

(Now SCREAM!)

(At this point, the storyteller stops, as if he has finished. Then usually somebody will ask, "Why did he scream?"

The storyteller replies, "You'd scream too if you stepped on a nail in your bare feet.")