Raat ke 2 baje the. Aarav apne room me akela baitha tha. Phone scroll karte karte uski aankh lagne hi wali thi ki achanak notification aaya.
"1 New Message"
Unknown number.
Usne casually open kiya… aur jo likha tha, wo dekh ke uska khoon jam gaya.
"Kal subah 10:15… mat jaana."
Aarav confused ho gaya. "Kaha mat jaana?" usne socha.
Phir yaad aaya — kal uska important college presentation tha, exactly 10:15 pe.
Usne reply kiya:
"Who is this?"
Seen… but no reply.
Aarav ne ignore karne ki koshish ki. "Koi prank hoga," soch ke wo so gaya.
Next morning…
Sab normal tha. College pahucha, friends mile, sab haste hue. Lekin uska mind baar baar us message pe jaa raha tha.
Clock: 10:10 AM
Presentation hall ke bahar khada tha Aarav. Dil thoda fast dhadak raha tha.
Phir uska phone vibrate hua.
Same number.
"Last chance. Mat jao."
Ab usko thoda darr laga. Lekin ego bhi tha — "Main darr ke peeche nahi hatunga."
10:15 hone wale the.
Wo hall ke andar jaane hi wala tha ki achanak uska pair ruk gaya.
Usne ek second ke liye socha…
"Ya to sab normal hoga… ya phir…"
Usne decision liya.
Wo wapas mud gaya.
2 minute baad…
Andar se zor ka awaaz aaya.
Glass tootne ki… logon ke chillane ki.
Aarav ka dil zor se dhadakne laga. Wo bhaag ke andar gaya — stage ka ek part collapse ho gaya tha. Kuch students injured the.
Agar wo andar hota… to shayad…
Uske haath kaanp rahe the.
Usne turant phone nikala aur message khola.
Number… disappear ho chuka tha.
Jaise kabhi exist hi nahi karta tha.
Raat ko Aarav fir se wahi soch raha tha.
"Ye kisne kiya? Kaise pata tha usko?"
Tabhi phone vibrate hua.
Same notification sound.
Is baar message likha tha:
"Aaj bach gaya… lekin har baar warning nahi milegi."
Aarav freeze ho gaya.
Aur iss baar…
message ke niche naam likha tha…
"Aarav (Tomorrow)"