Aisha ka heart itna fast beat kar raha tha ki usse lag raha tha jaise poora basement uski heartbeat sun sakta hai.
Usne dheere-dheere apna head turn kiya.
Basement ka room dim light mein almost empty lag raha tha. Old boxes aur furniture ke alawa wahan kuch nahi tha.
"Shayad mera imagination hai…" Aisha ne slowly socha.
Lekin phir usne clearly suna—
Step…
Jaise koi uske peeche floor par chal raha ho.
Aisha ka body freeze ho gaya.
Usne turant peeche mud kar dekha।
Lekin wahan koi nahi tha।
Bas ek long shadow wall par move karti hui dikh rahi thi।
Aisha ka throat dry ho gaya।
Shadow aise move kar rahi thi jaise koi insaan slowly chal raha ho… lekin wahan koi person nahi tha।
Aisha ne phone ki flashlight us direction mein daali।
Light padte hi shadow suddenly gayab ho gayi।
Room phir se bilkul silent ho gaya।
Aisha ko samajh nahi aa raha tha ki woh kya kare।
Uska mind keh raha tha ki usse turant wahan se nikal jaana chahiye।
Lekin uski curiosity usse rok rahi thi।
Usne phir se woh old photo uthai।
Meera ki smile ab usse thodi strange lag rahi thi।
Jaise photo ke andar kuch secret chhupa ho।
Aisha ne basement ko thoda aur dhyan se check karne ka decide kiya।
Room ke corner mein ek old wooden cupboard tha।
Cupboard ka door thoda sa open tha।
Aisha slowly uske paas gayi।
Jaise hi usne cupboard ka door khola…
Andar kuch old papers aur diaries rakhi hui thi।
Aisha ne ek diary uthai।
Diary ka cover dusty aur torn tha।
Front par naam likha hua tha:
"Meera."
Aisha ka heart ek second ke liye ruk sa gaya।
"Ye ussi ladki ki diary hai…" usne slowly kaha।
Usne diary open ki।
Pages yellow ho chuke the।
First page par ek date likhi thi:
12 October 1998
Aur neeche likha tha:
"Mujhe lagta hai hotel mein kuch strange ho raha hai."
Aisha ka curiosity aur badh gaya।
Usne next page read kiya।
"Room 13 ke baare mein sab log strange behave karte hain. Staff hamesha is topic ko avoid karta hai."
Aisha ka heart fast beat karne laga।
Ye exactly wahi baat thi jo receptionist ne bhi ki thi।
Usne next page turn kiya।
"Kal raat mujhe kisi ne whisper karke kaha — Help me."
Aisha ka body suddenly cold ho gaya।
"Exactly same…" usne whisper kiya।
Diary ke next pages mein Meera ne likha tha ki usne bhi ek raat Room 13 ka door open dekha tha।
Aur uske baad strange things start ho gayi thi।
Aisha ne quickly last page khola।
Us par shaky handwriting mein ek warning likhi thi।
"Agar tum ye diary padh rahe ho… toh Room 13 mein mat jaana."
Aisha ka heart zor se dhadakne laga।
Diary ka last sentence aur bhi scary tha।
"Wahan jo hai… woh insaan nahi hai."
Aisha ne diary slowly band kar di।
Room suddenly aur bhi cold feel hone laga।
Tabhi…
Basement ke door se ek slow creaking sound aayi।
Creeeak…
Door dheere-dheere khul raha tha।
Aisha ka heart fast beat karne laga।
Door ke bahar corridor bilkul dark tha।
Aur us darkness ke beech…
Usne ek tall shadow ko khada dekha।
Shadow bilkul still thi।
Aisha ka body freeze ho gaya।
Phir suddenly shadow slowly move karne lagi।
Jaise koi uski taraf chal raha ho।
Step…
Step…
Aisha ka fear peak par pahunch gaya।
Usne jaldi se diary uthai aur basement ke doosre exit ki taraf bhaag gayi।
Stairs par chadte waqt usne peeche mud kar ek last glance li।
Aur us moment mein usne clearly dekha—
Darkness mein ek pale face uski taraf dekh raha tha।
Aur us face ki aankhen bilkul black thi।
Aisha dar ke maare corridor mein bhaag gayi।
Uska mind sirf ek hi baat repeat kar raha tha—
Room Number 13 ka secret ab uske bahut kareeb aa chuka tha।