THE STRANGER (Norman Whitney)

The people in this story

CHAPTER 1

A Stranger in Woodend:

Someone arrived at Woodend. He is a polite and good-looking man, he’s young and he looks rich.He asked for a room to stay one night. The next day the man looked around the village, and he meets some villages. Some days later he came back to advertise he will open a shop in Woodend.

CHAPTER 2

The Village Meeting:

The shop has created some troubles; because not all the people are agree to have a shop in this village. But Dave Slatin explain to the villages that he only want to be one of them, because he like people in Woodend. Then he explained what was his idea for the shop. In it they will find all the things what they need, but would also sell your products. All the people were agree and the shop opened. But soon Dave needed an assistant, so he decided to hire Anna.

CHAPTER 3

The Corner Shop:

All the things in the shops went right; the village products have sold and the prices are good. But Dave sold vegetables and lots of fruit when it was winter and that’s no normal. Upstairs there was Dave’s house and one mysterious room, which nobody can get in.

CHAPTER 4

A Beautiful Customer:

One day in the shop an unusual customer arrived. She was a famous star, she was Greta Gordon, and she asked for Mr Slatin, Anna went fast to call Dave. They went to the Special Orders room. Ten minutes later they came out and Greta Gordon was pale and crying, Anna asked if something was wrong, but she only said; “you can’t tell anyone that I been here.” But before leaving the shop, Greta gave him an autograph.

CHAPTER 5

A Page in “Film News:

The spring has come so Anna and Dave are very busy. In May, Peter asked Anna to marry him and he said yes, so they work very hard and save a lot.One day Anna was reading Film News, and Greta Gordon appeared on it, when she saw that, she showed to Dave but he didn’t give any importance.

CHAPTER 6

A Quick Kiss:

Anna was in love with Peter, also with Dave.One Friday Dave surprised Anna; he asked her if she wanted to spend a day together, and she accepted.They have a good day together and when they arrived at home, Dave put his arm round Anna’s shoulder and kissed her..

CHAPTER 7

Another Special Order:

Anna was working in the shop when another special customer arrived. He asks for Dave and then he came inside. Dave told Anna to go home, but she wanted to know who that customer was and she waited for him. She went to talk to him, and his face was white and became nervous

CHAPTER 8

The Football Match:

The next day was the day of the big football match. Mr Hart invited Peter and Anna. But she helped Mrs Hart because she didn’t like football.The match was great they were winning 2-0, but 5 minutes before finished the match they were 2-2. All of the house were very worried.But then Mike Bailey, who scored the other goals, scored another goal but it hits goalkeeper’s neck and can’t return to play more. 

CHAPTER 9

A Secret Weekend:

One day Dave asks Anna to spend a weekend together and she accepted for one condition, he has to answer one question: what was he doing with all of the special customers? But he only says that he help us.

CHAPTER 10

A Quarrel:

Anna enjoyed the weekend. They stayed at a big hotel in London. On Saturday they went shopping and at night they went to the cinema.Few minutes later than Anna arrived at home, Peter visited him. He was very angry because he knows that she has been to England with Dave.Anna tried to explain what happened with Dave, but Peter didn’t listen her.

CHAPTER 11

Arthur Riseman:

One day on October another special customer arrived. He was a big man with a very large moustache; he was carrying a large briefcase. Anna asked for his name, he said: “Arthur Riseman”. Then he went to the back of the shop.Anna decided to wait Mr Riseman in the corner. When he came in front of hers, she offered for some bread, and he accepted.She asks for his briefcase but he said that he didn’t have ones. Anna turned to fetch the briefcase but he held her wrists.

CHAPTER 12

Anna waits for news::

Anna wanted to know more about Arthur Riseman so she took a train to London. When she arrived, she immediately saw an advertisement; there she could read the other letters of his briefcase: “ICS”.So she decided to ring at his company. She talked with the secretary and she explained that Arthur was going to Switzerland. Anna said her that she is going to phone again the next week.Before left London Anna bought a newspaper, there she could read that a private plane of ICS has been crashed. All of them have been dead within Arthur Riseman

CHAPTER 13

The Special Orders Room::

The next day Dave left the shop earlier so Anna decided to have a look inside the Special orders room.First seemed that there was anything, but inside the boxes she could find money of around the world, a doll with broken arms and a magazine with his broken pages. But the Anna heard a voice behind his, someone was standing on the door.

CHAPTER 14

The Special Customers:

The person who was staying in the door was Dave Stallin. Anna started asking about the things in the room but he only said a part of truth. But then Dave started became angry and Anna felt afraid.Dave started telling which person who has helped, and now something wrong has passed to them.And Dave took Anna’s arm and held it tightly. Then Dave explained what he would like to do with Anna, like get married and have children

CHAPTER 15

31st October:

When Anna arrived at home she was very ill. She couldn’t speak and move.The next day she was ill too. But at seven o’clock, Peter heard shouting in the shop. He looked throw the window and he could saw the corner shop was on fire. And Dave was inside the shop, but he wouldn’t move, so he died burned.Then Peter went to Anna’s house and suddenly there was a scream, they run up stairs to Anna’s room and they could know Anna was dead.

END