THE CASTLE

CHAPTER EIGHT - THE JOURNAL

DEVANAND

"I understood Guru won't tell you anything but not till this point. I shouldn't have left you there." Uncle Raghav mumbled as he came to know that yesterday was the only second time I saw photos of my parents. First time being was when I did there Śrāddha. He was livid at half point I thought that i would have to physically restraint him from going out to Ashram. Which luckily I haven't due to the heavy snowfall that even keeping a foot outside the door was impossible.

I didn't know but a small smile decorated my face from the time I woke up. We had a blast. He is not like a strict elder or uncle but more like that one goofy friend which always mucked up things and then drag others with him inside to clean up that muck. Which really suited him. Who would have thought he is one of the most sophisticated person out there. We shared another laugh as we entered the room he had booked or more likely the suite. It was fully furnished.

I didn't noticed how his face grown solemn as soon as he stepped inside not till I noticed a dusty green journal at the coffee table. My breaths hitched as I felt that the world was closing on me. My world tilted as I falled down and tried to get away from the book. "Dev. I am here. Everything would be okay. Calm down with me. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale." I heard Ragha uncle's voice as a hand rubbed my back. After sometime I got my breathing and senses under control.

I saw myself sitting on a big bean bag with a heavy comforter over me and Raghav uncle infront of me looking at me throw worry. I looked at him in shock unable to say anything. What if think that I am insane or making up stuff. What if he leave me. What if I lose the only chance to learn about my parents. What if.. what if I lose the only family I have after sixteen years just because it's becoming too hard for me to distinguish between reality and imagination.

"I can see them too. I can sense them." Raghav uncle said as I looked up at him trying to absorb what he is telling. He can see what. I felt him rune my abnormally cold hands which had turned blue. "The spirits. The abnormal whispers, the wisps of smoke without origin. For me it's the touch. I can feel the presence of them. For one of my friends it was smell. He once said the evil spirits smelt like sulphur and burnt coal while for one of my other friend it is like a small sound in his ears." I looked up at him astonishment.

Are there others like me out in the world who can sense. Suddenly the things the father told came into my mind. He indeed said that some people the true children of God can negate the world of death to some extend. Is this true not false. Is that's why I can see the ghosts, is this the reason that my world alternate between greys and colours. That should be. I counted the beads in my fingers. A lot of time passed away as I sat in silent. Raghav uncle beside me rubbing my fingers which had turned now a health pink colour. "What are we called ?" I questioned looking at up him. He smiled and replied.

“THE SOCIETY OF PSYCHICS ”

I listened in awe as he explained more about the society. It indeed sound wonderful but I don't even know him for more than twenty four hours. But I felt a weird connection with him like I had known him for a long long time. They I can share my worried with him, that I can trust him. Guru ji had hidden each and every memory of my parents including my full name. There is no doubt he is my uncle.

I was paying attention to him as my vision flashed grey and a smoky figure appeared infront of me. It vanished within a fraction of second but left something on ground beside me. I sucked in a breath trying to rotate my forefingers as if counting the Rudraksha beads. I felt uncle slip them in my hands as I glared at the journal which had made my life hell.

I gingerly bent down to touch the velvety cover. The book was definitely old and battered and a corner of it is burned. The name of the book read. Robert Su. I normally assumed that this must belong to Robert Susan the last visitor of castle before this place was sold away. I opened the first page. As the old letters peered at me.