Raat ke 11:47 ho rahe the.
Aryan bed par pada hua tha… lekin neend uski aankhon se koson door thi.
Uska dimaag bas ek hi cheez repeat kar raha tha—
"Kal milte hain… 12 baje."
"Ye sab sach tha?" usne dheere se khud se pucha.
Usne phone uthaya… Instagram khola…
Chat wapas check ki…
Kuch nahi.
User ab bhi missing.
Jaise wo kabhi exist hi nahi karta tha.
"Shayad prank hai…" Aryan ne khud ko convince karne ki koshish ki.
Lekin phir…
Usse kal raat ki awaaz yaad aayi—
"Good night… Aryan…"
Uska naam.
Bilkul clearly.
Phone ke bina.
Aryan ne seedha uthkar room ki light on kar di.
"Aaj dekhte hain… kaun hai," usne decide kiya.
11:58 PM.
Clock ki tick-tick ab zyada loud lag rahi thi.
Room me ajeeb si thand failne lagi.
Hawa band thi…
Phir bhi curtains halki si hil rahe the.
11:59…
Aryan ka heartbeat fast ho gaya.
12:00
Phone vibrate.
Unknown notification
Same ID.
_no_name_27
Message:
"Tum wait kar rahe the na?"
Aryan ne turant reply kiya—
"Tum kaun ho??"
Typing…
"Aaj miloge mujhse?"
Aryan ruk gaya.
Dil ne mana kiya.
Dimaag ne bola— mat ja.
Lekin curiosity…
Darr se zyada strong thi.
Usne reply kiya—
"Kahan?"
2 second baad reply aaya—
"Tumhari terrace."
Aryan ka gala sookh gaya.
"Terrace??"
Usne dheere se darwaze ki taraf dekha…
Phir seedhiyon ki taraf.
"Main pagal hoon kya?" usne khud se kaha.
Phone fir vibrate hua—
"Darr rahe ho?"
Aryan ka ego trigger ho gaya.
"Nahi."
"Toh aao…"
Silence.
Room ki light phir blink hui.
ON… OFF…
Aur phir…
POORI LIGHT BAND.
Andhera.
Sirf phone ki halki roshni.
Aryan ka heartbeat control se bahar.
"Bas… ab dekhte hain," usne dheere se kaha.
Wo dheere dheere room se bahar nikla…
Ghar bilkul khamosh tha.
Sab so rahe the.
Har step pe usko lag raha tha koi usse dekh raha hai.
Seedhiyan chadhte waqt…
Usne clearly feel kiya—
Jaise uske peeche koi chal raha ho.
Wo ek second ke liye ruk gaya.
Peeche mudkar dekha—
Koi nahi.
"Mind game hai…" usne khud ko samjhaya.
Finally…
Wo terrace ke darwaze tak pahucha.
Handle thoda thanda tha.
Ajeeb tarah se thanda.
Usne dheere se darwaza khola…
creeeaaak…
Terrace par hawa tez chal rahi thi.
Aasman me badal.
Chand aadha chhupa hua.
Aur…
Koi nahi.
"Amazing…" Aryan ne sarcastically kaha,
"Main yahan aa bhi gaya."
Phone vibrate hua.
"Late ho gaye…"
Aryan irritate ho gaya—
"Kahan ho tum??"
Reply—
"Tumhare peeche."
Aryan ka dil ruk gaya.
Usne dheere se mudkar dekha…
Aur iss baar…
Koi tha.
Ek ladki.
White dress me.
Baal hawa me udd rahe the…
Face aadha shadow me…
Aankhein… seedha uski taraf.
Aryan bilkul freeze ho gaya.
"Tum…" uske muh se bas itna nikla.
Ladki ne halki si smile ki…
Lekin wo normal smile nahi thi.
Kuch ajeeb.
Kuch thoda… udaas.
"Finally… tum aaye," usne dheere se kaha.
Uski awaaz…
Bilkul wahi.
Aryan ka throat dry ho gaya.
"Tum kaun ho?" usne himmat karke pucha.
Ladki uske kareeb aayi…
Har step ke saath hawa aur thandi hoti gayi.
"Main… tumhe pehle se jaanti hoon," usne dheere se kaha.
Aryan confuse ho gaya—
"Kaise?? Main tumhe pehchanta bhi nahi!"
Ladki ne halka sa head tilt kiya…
"Pehchante ho…"
"NAHI," Aryan ne strong tone me kaha.
Silence.
Phir ladki ne dheere se kaha—
"Tumne mujhe bhool diya…"
Aryan ka dil ajeeb sa feel karne laga.
"Main kisi ko nahi bhoola…" usne kaha.
Ladki ki aankhon me ek second ke liye dard aaya…
"Sab bhool jaate hain…" usne dheere se kaha.
Hawa aur tez ho gayi.
"Aur tum?" Aryan ne pucha,
"Tum mujhe kyun dekh rahi thi?"
Ladki uske bilkul paas aa gayi…
Itni paas ki Aryan uski saanse feel kar sakta tha…
Lekin…
Wo saanse normal nahi thi.
Thandi.
"Kyuki…" usne dheere se kaha,
"Tum hi ho jo mujhe dekh sakte ho."
Aryan ka dimaag spin ho gaya.
"Matlab??"
Ladki ne seedha jawab diya—
"Main zinda nahi hoon."
Silence.
Aryan ka body stiff ho gaya.
"Joke mat karo…" usne weak voice me kaha.
Ladki ne dheere se apna haath aage badhaya…
"Touch karo…" usne kaha.
Aryan hesitate kar raha tha.
"Darr rahe ho?" usne phir pucha.
Aryan ne himmat jodi…
Aur uska haath touch kiya…
Ice.
Bilkul barf jaisa thanda.
Aryan ne turant haath peeche kheench liya.
"Ye… ye possible nahi hai…"
Ladki ne dheere se kaha—
"Main yahan atki hui hoon…"
"KYUN?" Aryan almost chilla pada.
"Kyuki meri kahani adhoori reh gayi…"
Aryan ka dil heavy ho gaya.
"Tumhara naam?" usne dheere se pucha.
Ladki kuch seconds tak chup rahi…
Phir usne dheere se kaha—
"Meher."
Naam sunte hi…
Aryan ke dimaag me ek flash hua.
Jaise koi purani yaad…
Koi scene…
Koi accident…
Usne apna sir pakad liya—
"Ye naam… maine kaha suna hai…"
Meher usse dekhti rahi…
"Yaad aa raha hai?" usne softly pucha.
Aryan ki saanse tez ho gayi…
"Tum… tum…"
Wo ruk gaya.
Uski aankhon me shock tha.
"Tum wahi ladki ho…?"
Meher ne halki si smile ki…
Lekin is baar us smile me dard tha.
"Finally…" usne dheere se kaha.
"Tumhe yaad aa raha hai…"
Hawa aur tez ho gayi…
Aur kahani ab ek normal horror se kuch aur ban chuki thi—