A SHADY PLOT
(Chapter Summary)
① John Hallock, a ghost story essayist, is given the undertaking of composing another of the same 'genre’' by Mr Jenkins, the main publisher of his stories.
② An arrogant and over-confident John begins considering the 'plot' of his new story yet shockingly he discovers thoughts and new ideas missing his creative energy, at this very crossroads he sees an irregular, spooky and ghostly 'she' figure in his room.
③ The phantom/ghost claims that she has been the purpose for him composing his spooky stories that effectively by giving him thoughts and plots.
④ She informs John that she has no further intention to help him as she, along with other members of Writer’s Inspiration Bureau, is going on strike to protest against the misuse of ‘Ghost Calling Board’, i.e., Ouija Board by human beings.
⑤ She additionally proposes a plan that on the off chance that he utilizes his status and authority as an essayist in persuading members regarding not abusing the Board, she would again be a similar helping 'spirit' for him.
⑥ Even as John ponders of helping himself by following the line of suggestion by the ‘she ghost’, his ‘shopping savvy’ wife shares with him the horrible ‘breaking news’ that she has ‘picked up’ an Ouija Board for both of them.
⑦ To John’s greater shock his wife Lavinia arranges an ‘Ouija Board party’ for her friends on the next day. John is forced to become a part of the party in the capacity of ‘pair mate’ to ‘flirtatious’ Laura Hinkle.
⑧ During the course of the party, all the Ouija Boards are attended by the same ‘she ghost’ who accuses John to be a ‘traitor’, John leaves the party in embarrassment.
⑨ On account of the happening in the party, Lavinia concludes that John is her ‘betrayer’.
⑩ On the following morning of the gathering Lavinia informs John (through a paper slip) about her choice of abandoning him for her grandma's place quickly and serving him legitimate legal documents later on.
⑪ John feels hopeless as he trusts that without Lavinia life will end for him forever.
⑫ The ghost ‘Helen’ re appears before John to know that when his wife is going to get rid of the ‘Board’
⑬ Lavinia goes into in John's room and suspects that John is concealing somebody from her. Right now Gladolia, their cleaning specialist enters to whom Lavinia instructs to burn the Ouija Board.
⑭ At last, Lavinia can see up Helen and abruptly she blasts into giggling as she discovers 'Helen' to be a terrible one.
⑮ The phantom vanishes and John shouts that he has a plot for his story which he has been striving for as far back as two days.
Words and their meaning from the chapter
Affliction : trouble
Apparition : ghost, spirit
Agility : active movement
Contraptions : strange machine
Demobilise : send away
Evaporate : disappear
Hysterics : uncontrollable emotions
Pestering : forcing
Plaid : long woollen cloth
Paradise : heaven
Patronisingly : in a protective manner
Vestige : remainder
Napoleon : Emperor of France, whose military endeavour and sheer personality dominated Europe for a long time
Tugging : pulling, moving
Plagued : troubled
Twitch : quiver
Spasm : sudden muscle contraction
Semblance : resemblance, look like
Gurgled : made a sound like water
Prickle : like thorns
Gait :walk
Protruding : stick out
Unaccustomed : not used to
Phantom : ghost
Lithely : flexibly
Uncanny : strange
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