Woh 12 saal ki thi.
Uske paas apna phone nahi tha. Ghar ka ek phone tha jo zyada tar papa use karte the. Uski duniya simple thi — school, homework, drawing, aur Sunday ko cartoon.
Ek din shaam ko papa ka phone vibrate hua.
WhatsApp pe ek message aaya.
Ek photo.
Papa ne jaise hi photo khola, unka chehra serious ho gaya.
Photo edited thi. Galat tareeke se badli hui. Aur neeche bas itna likha tha —
"Tumhari photo mere paas hai."
Bas itna.
Na paise ki baat.
Na dhamki.
Na "dekho apni beti ko" jaisa dialogue.
Shayad jisne bheja tha, use laga tha ki ye number us ladki ka personal number hai.
Papa ne turant usse bulaya.
"Yeh kya hai?"
Unki awaaz tez nahi thi… lekin heavy thi.
Ladki ke haath thande pad gaye. Usne photo dekhi… aur uski aankhon mein aansu aa gaye.
"Papa, maine kuch nahi kiya…"
Papa ne dhyaan se dekha.
Unhone samjha — ye kisi ki shararat ya buri niyat ka kaam hai.
Us raat ghar mein tension thi.
Lekin blame nahi tha.
Papa ne calmly steps liye — number block kiya, report kiya, kuch jagah complaint ki. Kisi ko ghar mein panic nahi hone diya.
Do-teen baar aur message aaye.
Phir… silence.
Account gayab.
Number inactive.
Jaise kuch hua hi nahi.
Lekin us ladki ke andar ek chhoti si dar ki lakeer reh gayi.
Saal beet gaye.
Ab jab bhi phone pe unknown message aata hai, uska dil ek second ke liye fast ho jata hai.
Kabhi-kabhi woh sochti hai…
Kya woh insaan galti se papa ke number tak pahucha tha?
Ya woh jaanta tha ki phone papa ke paas hai…
Aur phir bhi message kiya?
Aur sabse ajeeb baat…
Aaj tak use nahi pata chala —
Woh edited photo uske paas aayi kaise?