Ab samajh aaya?
Anand jhat se palta…
par peeche koi nahi tha।
Kamra andhera… bilkul khamosh।
Uski saanse tez ho rahi thi।
Dil itna zor se dhadak raha tha jaise bahar aa jayega।
Tabhi… uska phone achanak on ho gaya।
Wahi unknown number…
Ek aur message aaya:
"December 2025… yaad hai?"
Anand ka dimaag flashback me chala gaya।
Wahi din… jab usne pehli baar reports karwayi thi।
Wahi din… jab doctor ne kaha tha—
"Kidney me problem hai… par tension ki baat nahi hai।"
Par ab… sab kuch alag lag raha tha।
Phone fir se vibrate hua—
"Tumne sirf wahi dekha jo dikhaya gaya…"
Anand ke haath thande pad gaye।
Usne turant apni purani file nikali…
December wali report…
Is baar usne har line dhyan se padhna shuru kiya।
Aur tab…
ek ajeeb si baat notice hui—
Report ke ek page ka print thoda alag tha…
jaise wo baad me add kiya gaya ho।
Anand ne aankhen sekdi…
"Ye pehle nahi tha…" usne dheere se kaha।
Usne phone uthaya—
"Tum kya kehna chahte ho?"
Reply turant aaya:
"Tumhari asli problem… report me chhupayi gayi hai."
Anand ka gala sookh gaya।
Usne turant apne sharir ki taraf dekha—
jalan… khujli… kamzori…
"Ye sab sirf kidney ki wajah se nahi ho sakta…"
ye baat ab uske dimaag me ghus chuki thi।
Tabhi…
uske kamre ka darwaza dheere se khud-ba-khud khul gaya…
Creaaaaak…
Anand jam gaya।
Darwaze ke bahar poora andhera tha…
Aur us andhere me…
koi khada tha।
Bas uski parchai dikh rahi thi।
Phone fir se vibrate hua—
"Sach dekhna hai… to bahar aao."
Anand ek kadam aage badha…
Uska dil keh raha tha — mat jao।
Par dimaag… sach jaana chahta tha।
Jaise hi wo darwaze ke paas pahucha…
Wo parchai dheere se hilli…
Aur ek ajeeb si halki si awaaz aayi—
"Time bahut kam hai…"