John Hallock is a ghost story writer who is struggling to come up with a new plot. He is visited by the ghost of Helen, who tells him that ghosts have been helping writers by providing them with story ideas, but they are now on strike. Helen says the ghosts will help Hallock if he stops his wife Lavinia from using a Ouija board. However, Lavinia brings home a Ouija board to use with her book club. At the session, the spirit communicates only with Hallock. Later, Lavinia bursts in on Hallock and sees he is speaking to the ghost Helen. Lavinia apologizes after realizing she misunderstood the situation. Hallock is then inspired to write again as the

1. A SHADYPLOT

2. List Of Characters
John Hallock - Narrator
Jenkins – John’s Boss
Gladolia – The maid
Helen – She Ghost
Lavinia Hallock – John’s wife
Laura Hinkle – Lavinia’s friend

3. Overview
John Hallock was a ghost fiction writer.
Though his stories were not published in
all magazines, there was at least Jenkins'
magazine to publish his stories. For this,
Hallock was in debt to his publisher and
so it was hard to think of refusing
another ghost story for Jenkins whenever
he wanted one.
Precisely!
Hallock, Give us
another on the
supernatural this
time. Something
to give them the
horrors!

4. Having agreed to write another story for Jenkins, John Hallock sat at his table,
waiting for a new plot. He waited and waited for such a long time but no idea for a
plot dawned in his mind but mind wandered off to things like his wife’s habit of
buying every new fad in the market. Then for the first time he was visited by a real
ghost!
How am I going to cure her of
her alarming tendency to take
up every new fad?
This writing
business is
delightful, isn’t
it?
Yes… I should
say it is!

5. The she-ghost, Helen, descends and says that all the ghosts are going on leave and that they
be not disturbed by people like him.. She explains that it is actually the ghosts who have
been helping all the writers to get new plots to write on. They have formed the writers
inspirational bureau which helps the new writers. They are now on strike. If he wants them
to help him then he has to stop all his relatives from using Ouija Board.

6. At noon, while he is still trying to work on a story, his wife Lavina brings a Ouija Board
home and announces her party with the women from her Book Club. The writer, drowned
in consternation by her declaration, tries to convince Lavina, his wife, to drop the idea.
It… it
isn’t…
You Know I
bought the
loveliest thing
this afternoon.
You’d never guess
in the world. It’s
the duckiest,
darlingest Ouija
Board, and so
cheap! I got it at a
bargain sale.

7. When he came back from work his wife made him a partner of Laura Hinkle, one of
the women from the Book Club who is quiet fond of Mr. Hallock (the author), to work
on one of the Ouija boards. Though he tried to resist, his wife paid no heed.
John! John, dear, I know you
will help us out. Poor Laura
Hinkle is without a partner.
Laura can’t work a Ouija by
herself, and she’ll have a
bad time unless you…
Me! Me! I
won’t……

8. When the spirit descended, Laura asked it to tell something

9. As soon as Lavinia came back from behind the books Mrs. Laura Hinkle coyly explained the
series of events that had just happened.
What is?
Someone giving
the name of Helen
has just been
calling for your
husband here.
Why, isn't
that
curious!

10. Back in his room when john is in a mournful state and Helen re-appears and asks
him of when his wife would get rid of the Ouija Board. However, Lavina entered to
bid him bye. She felt the queerness about him and demanded like a boss what was
he trying to conceal behind him and thrusted him aside only to see the ghost lady
Helen. She was flabbergasted, and then she realized that she had speculated all
wrongs that her husband was possibly flirting with Helen of troy over the Ouija
Board. Finally the ghost departed and Lavina apologized to her husband. After
that the narrator suddenly felt the desire to write as the ghosts had given up their
strike and were now ready to help him.

11. Thank You
Presentedby:-
MRINALDWIVEDI
X– A
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