Chapter 4: Andhere Mein Chupa Sach
Hawa raat ke 2 baje bhi waisi hi bhari hui thi—jaise koi usme se saari saansen nikal chuka ho.
Rizwan aur Kali mahal ke purane library hall ke beech khade the. Diwaron par latki purani paintings unhe ghur rahi thi… zinda insaanon ki tarah.
"Bhai… yeh awaaz aayi kya?" Kali ka voice halka sa kanp gaya.
Rizwan ne torch uthayi, lekin is baar roshni jaise zidd se kaam kar rahi thi—sirf wahi dikha rahi thi, jo dikhaana chahti thi.
Tabhi…
THAKK!
Upar ki ek almari ka darwaza apne aap khul gaya.
Dono ekdum freeze.
Almari ke andar ek purana diary pada tha—kaali leather ki binding, aur us par gehra laal daag… jaise kisi ne gusse mein pakad ke kheencha ho.
Rizwan ne diary uthai.
Diary thandi nahi thi… bhoat garam thi.
Jaise abhi-abhi kisi zinda insan ne pakdi ho.
Kali peeche hati, "Bhai isse mat kholo… mujhe bilkul achha feeling nahi aa raha."
Par Rizwan ne diary ka pehla panna khol diya.
Aur turant hi hawa ruk gayi.
Hall puri tarah sannata ho gaya.
Pehla line likhi thi:
"Jo is diary ko padhega… usse meri maut dekhni padegi."
Rizwan ne diary band karne ki koshish ki… par diary jaise uske haath se chipak chuki thi.
"Bhai chhodo isse!" Kali cheekhi.
Tabhi diary ki pages hawa ke jhonke jaisi speed se khud ba khud palatne lage…
Aur library ki sab lights—jo lamhon pehle tak dead thi—ek sath flicker karne lagi.
Pichhe se ek saansein bharne ki awaaz aayi.
Dono ne palat kar dekha…
Koi khada tha.
Ek aurat.
White saree… lekin chehre par koi chehra hi nahi—sirf andhera.
Uski neck ek side jhuki hui… jaise kisi ne tod di ho.
Kali almost gir gayi, "Rizwan, bhaag! Bhaag bhai!"
Par wo aurat hilne lagi…
Nahi… chalne nahi… sarakte hue Rizwan ki taraf badh rahi thi.
Uski lakeer jaisi fingers zameen ko scrape kar rahi thi, aur har scrape ke baad flooring se laal khoon phoot raha tha.
Rizwan ne diary zor se band ki…
Aur wo aurat ekdum ruk gayi.
Phir ek line hawa mein goonj uthi—library ki chaaro taraf se:
"Sach chhupa nahi rehta… Rizwan."
Us naam ko aise bola gaya jaise wo usse pehchanti ho.
Bahut achche se.
Kali ka haath Rizwan ki kamar ke peeche gaya, "Bhai… yeh tumhara naam kaise jaanti hai…?"
Rizwan ne diary ko dekha…
Uske cover par daag badh chuke the…
Aur un laal daagon se ek chehra banta ja raha tha…
Ohi chehra… jiska koi chehra nahi tha.
Scene cut—diya saamp ki tarah bujh gaya.
Sab kuch andhera.
Aur andhere mein us aurat ki halki si fufkaar:
"Chapter 5 mein… tum dono mere sach se nahin bach paoge."