Part 2: "Jo Kamra Dekhta Hai"
Kamra Number 7 ab khamosh tha.
Lekin yeh khamoshi zinda nahi thi.
Yeh woh khamoshi thi jo cheekhon ke baad aati hai.
Aarav bed ke kone par baitha tha. Ghadi ki suiyan phir se chal rahi thi, lekin waqt normal nahi lag raha tha. Jaise har second repeat ho raha ho.
Uske haath me register ka ek panna tha.
Uska naam.
Aarav Malhotra – Checked In – 20 Years Ago
"Yeh jhooth hai…" Aarav ne khud se kaha.
Tabhi mirror se awaaz aayi.
"Tum bhi pehle yahi bole the."
Aarav ne dekha.
Kavya mirror ke andar thi. Reflection me nahi… andar.
"Tum mujhe pagal bana rahi ho," Aarav chillaya.
Kavya dheere se boli,
"Pagal toh tum tab hue the… jab tumne dar ko record karna shuru kiya tha."
Yaadein Jo Zinda Ho Gayi
Kamra achanak badalne laga.
Deewarein peeche jaane lagi. Lodge gayab ho gaya.
Aarav khud ko ek underground lab me khada paata hai. White lights. Cameras. Observation glass.
Aur phir…
khud ko hi dekhta hai.
Young Aarav. 25 saal ka. Haath me clipboard.
"Subject ka fear response kaafi intense hai," young Aarav bol raha tha.
"Isolation ka effect 72 ghante me peak karega."
Kavya ek glass room ke andar band thi. Zinda. Roti hui.
Aarav ka gala sookh gaya.
"Main… main aisa nahi ho sakta."
Kavya uske paas aayi.
"Tum the," usne kaha.
"Tumne kaha tha—agar dar real hoga, toh data bhi real hoga."
Lab ki lights band ho gayi.
Cheekh.
Glass tootne ki awaaz.
Aur phir… andhera.
Shivraj Lodge Ka Raaz
"Experiment fail ho gaya tha," Kavya boli.
"Subjects marne lage. Media ko pata chal jata."
Isliye lab ko jala diya gaya.
Upar ek lodge bana diya gaya.
"Lekin jagah ne sab yaad rakha," Kavya ne deewar par haath rakha.
"Jaise hum sab ko…"
Deewar se haath bahar nikle.
Dusre subjects ke.
Aankhen.
Muh.
Cheekh.
Aarav peeche hata.
"Toh main punishment me yahan hoon?" usne poocha.
Kavya ne seedha dekha.
"Nahi. Tum punishment nahi ho."
Pause.
"Tum warden ho."
Naya Rule
Reception bell bajti hai.
TING.
Aarav neeche pahunchta hai.
Budha aadmi gayab hai.
Uski jagah… Aarav khud baitha hai.
Budhe jaise kapde.
Wahi khaali aankhen.
Darwaza khulta hai.
Ek couple andar aata hai. Baarish me bheega hua.
"Ek room chahiye," ladka bolta hai.
Aarav ke muh se apne aap nikalta hai:
"Kamra Number 7 khula hai."
Uska dil chillata hai—mat bolo—
lekin zubaan nahi rukti.
Register khud likhta hai.
Room 7 – Checked In
Ladki achanak ruk jaati hai.
"Yahan… ajeeb lag raha hai," woh kehti hai.
Aarav uski taraf dekhta hai.
Uski kalai par wahi rassi ke nishaan hain.
Sach Jo Kabhi Bahar Nahi Jayega
Raat ke 2:17 bajte hain.
Kamra Number 7 me light flicker karti hai.
Aarav reception me baitha sunta hai—
Cheekh.
Rona.
Aur phir… khamoshi.
Mirror ke saamne likha aata hai:
"Cycle Complete."
Kavya ki awaaz aati hai, pehli baar shant.
"Jab tak dar logon ko kheenchta rahega… yeh jagah zinda rahegi."
Aarav apni parchai deewar par dekhta hai.
Woh muskurati hai.
Aur usse samajh aa jaata hai—
Yeh lodge haunted nahi hai.
Yeh logon ko haunt karta hai.
Last Line
Agar tum yeh padh rahe ho
aur kabhi raat ko koi anonymous message aaye—
"Kamra Number 7 ka sach dekhna hai?"
Toh yaad rakhna…
Shivraj Lodge hamesha ek room khula rakhta hai.
Wait for part 3