Me Nidhi aur mera pati Nitin ek sasta purana kiraye ka ghar lete hain. Ghar bahut bada aur sukoon wala hai, bas ek shart thi jo humko makan malik n di thi ki—"Upar ki manjil ka kone wala kamra kabhi mat kholna." Fir bhi mujhe lagta tha yeh purane logon ka vaham hai. Ek din safai karte waqt mujhse ek galti ho jati hai—mene ush room ka Tala tod dia. socha tha ki is naye ghar mein hamari nayi zindagi shuru hogi. Sasta kiraya dekhkar humne piche mudkar nahi dekha. Par us din ki ek choti si galti... us ek purani chabi ne meri raaton ki neend hamesha ke liye chheen li.Ghar ka malik (Landlord) ajeeb hai. Woh baar-baar kehta hai, "Beta, us teesre kamre mein purana kabaad hai, wahan mat jana."Ek din jb dopahar nitin office gaya hota hai to mujhe us kamre ke andar se rone ki awaaz aati hai. Mujhe lagta hai shayad koi bacha phansa hai.me himmat karke tala tod deti hu. Kamra Khali Hai? Kamra khali hota hai, bas ek purana toota hua aaina (mirror) hota hai. Mujhe lagta hai ye mera vaham tha.me darwaza band kar deti hu. Agli raat se ghar badalne lagta hai. Kitchen mein bartan apne aap girne lagte hain. Nitin ki tabiyat kharab hone lagti hai.me dekhti hu ki aaine mein uski parchayi (shadow) usse thoda late move kar rahi hai. Me samajh jati hu ki ush din kamre se kuch "bahar" nikaal diya hai.Raat ke 2 baj rahe the. Nitin gehri neend mein tha. Mujhe pyaas lgati h me kitchen me pani lene jati hu. Hall mein andhera tha, bas ek halki si roshni khidki se aa rahi thi. Maine dekha... wahan kone mein ek aurat khadi thi, bilkul meri jaisi dikhne wali. Usne wahi saree pehni thi jo maine pehni thi. Par jab woh mudi... uske chehre par aankhein nahi thin, sirf gehra andhera tha. Maine cheekhna chaha, par meri awaaz halak mein hi phas gayi."me bahut dar gyi thi....itne me Nitin uth gya or mere pass aa gya...ushke alge din humne wo room khali kar dia...or abhi tak me ush bat ko yaad krk dar jati hoon....
