Main kuch seconds tak bas screen ko dekhti rahi…
Black screen…
aur usme mera reflection…
Par dil keh raha tha—
"Ye mera reflection nahi tha…"
Maine turant phone side me rakh diya।
"Bas… ab ye sab yahi khatam," maine khud se kaha।
Par andar se ek ajeeb sa darr uth raha tha…
Jaise koi mujhe dekh raha ho…
Jaise main akeli nahi hoon।
Maine dheere se apne room ka door lock kiya…
lights on ki…
aur bed par baith gayi।
Sab kuch normal lag raha tha…
par main normal feel nahi kar rahi thi।
Maine aankhen band ki…
aur khud ko calm karne ki koshish ki।
"Ye sab ek game hai… bas ek game…"
main baar-baar ye hi repeat kar rahi thi।
Tabhi…
KNOCK… KNOCK…
Door par awaaz aayi।
Mera dil ek second ke liye ruk gaya।
"Is time kaun ho sakta hai…?" maine dheere se socha।
Maine clock dekhi—
2:17 AM
Is waqt koi knock kare…
ye normal nahi tha।
Phir se—
KNOCK… KNOCK…
Is baar thodi tez।
Main dheere se uthkar door ke paas gayi…
par haath handle par rakhte hi ruk gayi।
Andar se awaaz aayi—
"Mat khol…"
Par curiosity…
wo hamesha fear se strong hoti hai।
Maine dheere se door khola…
Aur bahar…
koi nahi tha।
Poora hallway khaali tha…
bilkul silent…
jaise wahan kabhi koi tha hi nahi।
Mere haath thande pad gaye।
Maine turant door band kiya…
aur peeche mudte hi—
phone vibrate hua।
Maine darr ke saath screen dekhi—
"Good… tumne door khola।"
Meri saanse ruk gayi।
"Ye kaise pata…?"
Maine turant type kiya—
"Tum kaun ho?"
Kuch seconds tak koi reply nahi aaya…
phir dheere se ek message pop-up hua—
"Main wahi hoon… jise tum dekh nahi sakti…
par feel zaroor kar sakti ho…"
Mera dil zor se dhadakne laga।
"Ye koi prank hai…" maine khud ko samjhaya।
Par andar se lag raha tha—
"Nahi… ye kuch aur hai…"
Tabhi ek aur message aaya—
"Level 3 Start"
Maine phone tight pakad liya।
"Ab kya…?" maine dheere se kaha।
Screen par likha tha—
"Is baar test simple hai…
par result dangerous ho sakta hai…"
Meri saanse phir heavy ho gayi।
"Tumhe abhi… isi waqt…
apne ghar ke har room me jana hai…
aur check karna hai—
kya tum sach me akeli ho?"
Maine turant "NO" type kar diya।
"Main ye nahi karungi…"
Reply turant aaya—
"Game me NO option nahi hota…"
Mera gala sookh gaya।
"Please… ye band karo…" maine likha।
Kuch seconds tak silence…
phir ek line—
"Tumne CONTINUE choose kiya tha…
ab wapas jana possible nahi hai…"
Meri aankhon me aansu aa gaye।
Maine room ke corners ki taraf dekha…
har shadow ab alag lag rahi thi…
jaise har jagah koi chhupa ho।
Phone fir vibrate hua—
"Time start…"
00:05:00
Countdown shuru ho gaya।
Maine aankhen band ki…
deep breath li…
aur dheere se room ka door khola।
Hallway me light dim thi…
sab kuch itna silent tha ki meri heartbeat bhi loud lag rahi thi।
Main pehle room ki taraf badhi…
har step heavy lag raha tha।
Door khola…
andar dekha…
koi nahi।
"Thik hai…" maine dheere se kaha।
Next room…
phir next…
har jagah silence…
har jagah empty…
Par jaise-jaise main aage badh rahi thi…
mujhe lag raha tha—
koi mere peeche chal raha hai।
Main suddenly ruki…
aur dheere se peeche mudkar dekha…
koi nahi।
Par ek second ke liye…
mujhe laga maine kisi shadow ko move karte dekha।
"Ye mera dimaag hai…" maine khud ko samjhaya।
Last room bacha tha…
store room।
Mere pair wahi ruk gaye।
"Phir se nahi…" maine dheere se kaha।
Phone vibrate hua—
"Finish it…"
Countdown—
00:00:45
Maine aankhen band ki…
aur store room ka door khol diya।
Is baar light on thi…
par room me ek ajeeb si smell thi…
jaise purani cheezein…
aur kuch aur…
jo samajh nahi aa raha tha।
Main dheere se andar gayi…
aur charo taraf dekha…
sab normal lag raha tha।
"Ho gaya…" maine relief me kaha।
Tabhi…
mere peeche se door khud hi band ho gaya।
DHADAM!
Main jhat se mudhi…
aur ussi moment—
light blink hui…
aur ek second ke liye…
mujhe saamne…
ek shadow khadi dikhai di।
Bilkul clear…
bilkul mere saamne।
Meri saanse ruk gayi।
Light wapas normal ho gayi…
aur shadow gayab।
Phone vibrate hua—
"Level 3 Complete"
Mere haath se phone almost gir gaya।
Last message aaya—
"Ab tum sach ke aur kareeb ho…"
Maine darr ke saath screen dekhi—
"Next level me…
tumhe pata chalega—
ye game nahi hai…"
Mera dil ruk gaya।
"Matlab…?"
Par is baar…
screen par sirf ek word aaya—
"Reality"