2:17 AM…
Delhi shehar so raha tha.
Sadkein khaali thi, thandi hawa dheere dheere chal rahi thi.
Door kahin kutte bhonk rahe the, aur phir sab kuch wapas shaant ho jaata.
Sab kuch normal lag raha tha…
Lekin sirf bahar se.
Ek chhote se kamre ke andar, abhi bhi koi jaag raha tha.
Uska naam Aarav tha.
Kamra bikhra hua tha.
Table par kitaabein khuli padi thi, unpar dhool jam chuki thi jaise kai dino se kisi ne unhe chhua hi na ho.
Sirf uske phone ki roshni uske chehre par pad rahi thi.
"Bas ek last video…"
Aarav ne dheere se kaha.
Lekin jaise hamesha hota hai…
woh "last" kabhi last nahi hota.
Achanak—
Phone band ho gaya.
Kamra turant andhere mein doob gaya.
"Yeh kya…? Battery to thi…"
usne dheere se kaha.
Woh utha aur light on karne ki koshish ki.
Click…
Kuch nahi hua.
Poora ghar… poora area…
andhere mein doob chuka tha.
Tabhi—
Aasman mein ek tez neeli bijli chamki.
Itni tez… ki ek pal ke liye laga jaise waqt ruk gaya ho.
Aarav khidki ke paas gaya.
Usne bahar dekha—
Kuch galat tha.
Aasman…
jaise toot raha ho.
Andhere mein ek chamakta hua neela crack fail raha tha, jaise koi ajeeb energy duniya mein ghus rahi ho.
"Yeh… kya ho raha hai…?"
Achanak—
Ek zabardast energy wave poore shehar mein phail gayi.
Aarav ka sharir jhatke se hil gaya.
Usne apna haath pakda—
Uski nasein neeli roshni se chamak rahi thi.
"Yeh sapna hai… bas sapna…"
usne khud ko samjhane ki koshish ki.
Lekin—
Dard sach tha.
Aisa lag raha tha jaise bijli uske poore sharir mein daud rahi ho.
Uska dil bahut tez dhadak raha tha.
Saans bhaari ho gayi.
"AAHHH!!"
Woh zameen par gir gaya.
Aur phir—
Uski nazar tootne lagi.
Use kuch dikhne laga…
Ek barbaad shehar
Laal jalta hua aasman
Log cheekh rahe the… bhaag rahe the… mar rahe the
Aur phir—
Ek aadmi.
Dheere dheere woh aadmi uski taraf muda.
Uski aankhein…
poori tarah kaali thi.
Aarav jam gaya.
Uska dil ek pal ke liye ruk sa gaya.
"Tumhe chuna gaya hai…"
ek gehri awaaz uske dimaag mein goonj uthi.
"Kaun ho tum?!"
Aarav chillaaya.
Koi jawaab nahi.
Sab kuch phir se shaant ho gaya.
Achanak—
Sab khatam ho gaya.
Kamra wapas normal ho gaya.
Andhera. Shaant. Sthir.
Aarav zameen par pada tha, paseene se bheega hua.
Dheere se usne apna haath uthaya.
Ab koi roshni nahi thi.
"Kya yeh… bas sapna tha?"
Lekin tabhi—
Uski ungliyon se ek chhoti si neeli chingari nikli.
Uski aankhein phail gayi.
Yeh sapna nahi tha.
Agli subah…
Duniya badal chuki thi.
News channels par har jagah ek hi khabar chal rahi thi:
Raat ko ek ajeeb global energy surge record hua
Alag alag shehron mein logon mein anokhi shaktiyaan jaag rahi hain
Sarkar ne isse naam diya hai: The Energy Event
Darr har jagah phail raha tha.
Kuch log dare hue the…
Kuch log excited the…
Lekin koi bhi
asal khatre ko nahi samajh paaya tha.
Kahin aur…
Ek andhera kamra.
TV halki roshni de raha tha.
Koi andhere mein baitha tha.
Woh dekh raha tha.
Screen par—
Aarav.
Uske chehre par dheere se ek muskaan aayi.
Phir usne dheere se kaha—
"Aakhir tum jaag hi gaye."
Uski aankhein chamki…
poori tarah kaali.
"Ab…"
"Game shuru hota hai."