Poora ghar dheere-dheere has raha tha.
Wo hansi tez nahi thi, par gehri thi —
jaise deewaron ke andar se aa rahi ho.
Jaise Blackwood House Jack ke darr ka maza le raha ho.
Jack ki aankhen us par jami hui thi.
Us par… jo us jaisa hi dikh raha tha.
Wahi chehra.
Wahi baal.
Wahi aankhen.
Bas ek cheez alag thi —
uski muskaan.
Wo muskaan zyada jaanti thi.
Zyada dark.
"Ye mumkin nahi hai…"
Jack ki awaaz kaanp rahi thi.
"Main yahan hoon. Tum… tum kaun ho?"
Doosra Jack dheere se aage badha.
Uske kadamon ki awaaz kamre me gunji —
tak… tak… tak…
"Tumne mujhe pehchaan liya,"
usne shaant awaaz me kaha,
"bas accept nahi kar paa rahe."
"Bakwas band karo!"
Jack ne cheekhne ki koshish ki,
"Tum sirf ek illusion ho. Ek hallucination."
Doosra Jack hansa.
Bilkul waise hi, jaise Jack kabhi-kabhi nervous hone par hasta tha.
"Tum hamesha sach ko illusion hi kehte aaye ho,"
wo bola,
"isi liye to main yahan hoon."
Bijli chamki.
Poora kamra ek pal ke liye roshan hua.
Jack ki nazar deewaron par padi.
Uski saans atak gayi.
Deewaron par likha hua tha —
par paint se nahi.
Ink se nahi.
Khoon se.
"YAAD KARO."
"BHOOLNA PAAP HAI."
"TUMNE WAADA TODA THA."
Jack ka sar dard se ghoomne laga.
Uske kaan me ek tez si awaaz goonj uthi.
Tasveerein uske dimaag me ghusne lagi.
Ek andhera corridor.
Nangi pair bhaagti hui ek chhoti ladki.
Aur koi cheekhta hua —
"Jack, ruk jao!"
"Nahi…"
Jack ne apna sar pakad liya.
"Ye meri memories nahi hain."
"Sach me?"
Doosra Jack bilkul paas aa chuka tha.
"Phir tum har raat isi sapne se kyun uthte ho?"
Usne apni ungli Jack ke maathay par rakhi.
Jaise hi usne chhua —
Jack ko laga kisi ne uske dimaag ka taala khol diya ho.
Usne dekha —
ek raat.
isi ghar me.
ek gudiya haath me pakde hue.
aur wo ladki…
ro rahi thi.
"Bas karo!"
Jack peeche hat gaya.
Us pal gudiya ki aankhen hil gayi.
Jack ne chair ki taraf dekha.
Gudiya ab uski taraf dekh rahi thi.
Uski kaali aankhon me reflection tha —
do Jack.
"Tumne use yahin chhod diya,"
Doosra Jack bola,
"aur khud bhaag gaye."
"Jhooth!"
Jack cheekha.
"Main aisa nahi hoon."
"Ho,"
Doosra Jack ne shaant par kathor awaaz me kaha,
"aur main iska saboot hoon."
Achanak —
DHADAAM!
Kamre ka darwaaza zor se band ho gaya.
Handle apne aap ghoomne laga.
Locked.
Jack daud kar darwaaze tak gaya.
"Kholo! Koi hai?"
Uski awaaz kamzor lag rahi thi.
Jaise ghar use nigal raha ho.
Doosra Jack peeche se bola,
"Bahar jaane ke liye pehle andar aana padta hai."
Kamre ka temperature girne laga.
Jack ki saans hawa me dikhne lagi.
"Tum chahte kya ho?"
Jack ne poochha.
"Bas yaadein,"
Doosra Jack ne kaha,
"jo tumne dafn kar di."
Us pal —
sab kuch andhera ho gaya.
Jack jab hosh me aaya,
wo floor par pada tha.
Kamra khaali tha.
Darwaaza khula hua tha.
Gudiya… gayab.
"Kya ye sapna tha?"
Jack ne apni saans sambhalte hue kaha.
Par uske seene par ungliyon ke nishaan the.
Laal.
Bilkul real.
Neeche se kuch girne ki awaaz aayi.
Thud…
Jack dheere-dheere stairs se neeche utra.
Hall me uski nazar seedha photo frame par padi.
Wo zameen par gira hua tha.
Glass toot chuka tha.
Jack ne frame uthaya.
Tasveer badal chuki thi.
Ab uske saath ek chhoti ladki khadi thi.
Uska chehra dhundhla tha.
Par aankhen…
bilkul gudiya jaisi.
Jack ka gala sookh gaya.
"Ye kaun hai?"
usne fufusate hue poochha.
Hall bilkul shaant tha.
Phir peeche se awaaz aayi —
bilkul dheemi.
"Tum jise bhool gaye the
Jack ne dheere se mud kar dekha.
Aur Blackwood House fir se muskurane laga.