Ayesha zor se cheekh uthti hai…
Uske saamne ek ladki khadi thi… bilkul uski tarah!
Same face… same aankhein… jaise uska hi reflection ho.
Ayesha ka dil tez dhadakne lagta hai.
"Y-ye kaise ho sakta hai…?"
Wo ladki dheere se muskuraati hai.
"Dar gayi… Ayesha?"
Uski awaaz bilkul wahi thi… phone wali awaaz!
Ayesha peeche hatt ti hai.
"Tum… tum kaun ho?!"
Ladki dheere dheere uski taraf badhti hai.
"Main… tum hoon."
Yeh sunte hi Ayesha ke pairon tale zameen khisak jaati hai.
"Jhoot! Ye sab jhoot hai!"
Room ki lights blink karne lagti hain. Hawa tez ho jaati hai.
Deewaron par purani tasveerein dikhne lagti hain… aur har tasveer me Ayesha hoti hai…
Lekin alag alag jagah… alag alag kapdon me…
Jaise wo yahan pehle bhi aa chuki ho.
Ayesha ka sir dard se phatne lagta hai.
Achanak uske dimaag me flash aata hai…
Ek accident…
Ek car…
Khoon…
Aur yehi bungalow…
"Yaad aaya?" wo ladki phir se bolti hai.
Ayesha ki aankhon me aansu aa jaate hain.
"Main… main yahan pehle bhi aayi thi…?"
Ladki ki smile aur gehri ho jaati hai.
"Sirf aayi nahi thi…"
"Tum yahin mari thi."
Ayesha jam jaati hai.
"Iska matlab… main…?"
Room me achanak thand badh jaati hai.
Ladki dheere se kehti hai—
"Tum zinda nahi ho, Ayesha…"
Ayesha ki saansein rukne lagti hain…
"Toh phir… main kaun hoon?"
Ladki uske bilkul paas aakar phusphusati hai—
"Ek adhuri kahani… jo abhi khatam nahi hui."
Achanak sab kuch andhera ho jata hai…
Aur neeche se kisi ke chalne ki awaaz aati hai…
Thak… thak… thak…
Koi aur bhi bungalow me aa chuka tha…
(To be continued…) 😱