Room Number 13 ke andar hawa achanak bahut thandi ho gayi thi. Aisha ko lag raha tha jaise uske haath pair sookh gaye ho.
Door ke bahar footsteps ruk chuke the.
Complete silence.
Aisha ka heart zor-zor se dhadak raha tha.
Usne dheere se Meera ki taraf dekha.
Meera ka face bilkul pale ho gaya tha aur uski aankhon mein clear fear dikh raha tha.
"Woh… yahin hai," Meera ne almost whisper mein kaha।
Aisha ka throat dry ho gaya।
"Kaun hai woh?" Aisha ne slowly pucha।
Meera ne jawab dene se pehle ek second ke liye door ki taraf dekha।
Jaise woh check kar rahi ho ki koi sun toh nahi raha।
Phir usne dheere se kaha,
"Woh insaan nahi hai… woh kuch aur hai."
Room ke corner mein rakha broken mirror suddenly halki crack sound karne laga।
Tik… tik…
Jaise glass par pressure pad raha ho।
Aisha ka attention mirror ki taraf chala gaya।
Mirror mein uska reflection dikh raha tha।
Lekin phir reflection ke peeche dark smoke jaisi shadow move karne lagi।
Aisha ka heart ek second ke liye ruk gaya।
"Meera… woh kya hai?" usne panic mein pucha।
Meera ne slowly jawab diya:
"Wahi cheez jisne mujhe yahan phasaya tha…"
Tabhi suddenly room ki lights flicker karne lagi।
Blink… Blink…
Door ka handle khud se hilne laga।
Click… click…
Jaise koi bahar se door open karne ki koshish kar raha ho।
Aisha ka fear peak par pahunch gaya।
"Hum kya karein?" usne panic mein pucha।
Meera ne turant bed ki taraf point kiya।
"Trapdoor open karo," usne jaldi se kaha।
Aisha ne bed ko thoda sa side kiya।
Neeche ek old wooden trapdoor tha।
Us par dust lagi hui thi।
Aisha ne handle pakda aur zor se pull kiya।
Creak…
Trapdoor slowly open ho gaya।
Neeche ek dark staircase ja rahi thi।
Bilkul pitch black।
Jaise darkness ka koi end hi na ho।
Aisha ka heart fast beat karne laga।
"Ye kahan jaata hai?" usne pucha।
Meera ne slowly jawab diya:
"Secret room… wahi jagah jahan sab shuru hua tha।"
Tabhi suddenly door ke bahar se ek deep growling sound aayi।
Grrrrrr…
Aisha ka body freeze ho gaya।
Ye awaaz kisi insaan ki nahi ho sakti thi।
Door par suddenly ek hard bang hua।
BAM!
Door frame hil gaya।
Meera panic mein chillayi:
"Jaldi! Neeche chalo!"
Aisha aur Meera trapdoor ki taraf bhaagi।
Aisha pehle stairs par utarne lagi।
Stairs narrow aur slippery thi।
Uska phone flashlight hi unka eklauta light source tha।
Jaise hi woh neeche pahunchi, usne ek old underground room dekha।
Room ka size chhota tha aur walls stone ki bani hui thi।
Center mein ek strange symbol floor par draw kiya hua tha।
Jaise koi ritual ka sign ho।
Aisha ka heart fast beat karne laga।
"Ye kya hai?" usne pucha।
Meera ne slowly kaha:
"Hotel bahut purana hai… aur yahan kabhi dark rituals hote the।"
Aisha ka throat dry ho gaya।
Tabhi upar se ek loud crash sound aayi।
CRASH!
Lag raha tha jaise Room 13 ka door tod diya gaya ho।
Meera ka face aur bhi pale ho gaya।
"Woh aa gaya," usne whisper kiya।
Aisha ne stairs ki taraf dekha।
Darkness ke andar kuch move ho raha tha।
Jaise koi creature slowly neeche utar raha ho।
Phone ki flashlight us direction mein padi।
Aur us moment mein Aisha ne kuch aisa dekha jisse uska blood cold ho gaya।
Stairs par ek tall black figure khada tha।
Uska body shadow jaisa tha।
Aur uski aankhen…
Bright white glow kar rahi thi।
Room mein achanak freezing cold ho gaya।
Creature ne slow voice mein kaha—
"You should not be here…"
Aisha ka heart itna fast beat kar raha tha ki usse lag raha tha woh behosh ho jayegi।
Meera ne suddenly Aisha ka haath pakda।
"Symbol ke andar khade ho jao," usne jaldi se kaha।
Aisha confused ho gayi।
"Kyun?" usne pucha।
Meera ne panic mein jawab diya—
"Kyuki sirf ye symbol hi usse rok sakta hai!"
Aur us moment mein creature stairs se neeche utar kar un dono ki taraf badhne laga।