By: Vanessa Morgan
The Strangers Outside is a heart pounding, hairs on arm standing on end novella.
The story starts with two sisters; Jennifer and Louise are at a bar on their way to their grandparent's seaside cottage. Louise is the older of the two sisters, and poses a question to her younger sister, “Imagine we would be here one year from now.” “What would you like to have accomplished one year from now? What do you see happening in your life by then?”
Jennifer says that she would like to have a boyfriend. Louise out of the two sisters is more openly optimistic, where Jennifer is a definite pessimist; in addition she is also very insecure. Louise tells her that shouldn't be too difficult. Jennifer believes that it will never happen.
Louise is openly optimistic and tries to motivate her sister and herself. Louise tries to learn from her “failures” every year. Even though Louise feels that nothing ever really works out and she always ends up back at square one and that she has no luck either, even though she does try to learn from past “failures”, she never gives up.
They drive to the cottage and when they arrive, Louis suggests that they do their “dance”, a dance they do to their favorite song, always alone, with no one watching. They begin the dance, soon Louise feels someone watching them. She looks out and sees two men, dressed all in black, watching them.
Louise decides that they should go in the cottage. They decide to get ready and go out to a movie. Jennifer wants to take a shower and there is no hot water, so Louise goes out to the shed to turn the gas switch. This is when the terror really begins and she feels in complete danger.
The story is definitely terrifying. There is a moral to the story, so to speak, that really makes you think. I believe that everyone can identify themselves in both Louise and Jennifer. This story creeped me out, in the best way possible. I love a good scare! And this story does not disappoint.
**** 4 stars. Jennifer L. Bonges