Ishaan aur uske friends ne diary ke pages carefully padna start kiya. Har word purana aur mysterious lag raha tha, jaise koi secret decades se yahin chhupa ho.
"Ye language… bohot old lag rahi hai. Kuch words samajh nahi aa rahe," Meera ne softly kaha.
"Bas main try karta hoon. Shuru se check karte hain," Ishaan ne kaha aur diary ke ek page par ek strange map notice kiya. Map mansion ka floor plan dikhata tha, aur ek jagah ko highlighted mark kiya gaya tha – Attic.
"Attic? Wahi top floor?" Kabir ne doubt kiya.
"Yes… aur lagta hai ye diary ke clues bhi wahi lead karte hain," Ishaan ne reply kiya.
Rhea ne uneasy feel karte hue kaha, "Guys… raat ho gayi hai. Aur ye attic ka area kaafi creepy lag raha hai. Kya hum jaayein?"
Ishaan ka curiosity peak par tha. "Haan, bas dheere se jaayenge. Torch light tight rakhna."
Jaise hi woh staircase ke paas gaye, ek cold breeze unke faces ko touch kar gayi. Stairs purani aur creaky thi. Har step par loud creak sound aa rahi thi.
"Guys… seriously, ye mansion alive lag raha hai," Rhea ne nervously kaha.
"Chill, ye bas old wood ka effect hai," Ishaan ne convince karne ki koshish ki.
Upper floor par pahunchte hi, unhone notice kiya ki corridor ka light faint aur flickering tha. Walls pe old wallpaper peel ho raha tha, aur har corner me shadows move kar rahe the. Jaise mansion unki har movement monitor kar raha ho.
Tabhi, ek soft whisper sunai diya –
"You shouldn't be here…"
Sab log freeze ho gaye. Whisper clear thi, aur directional lag raha tha – corridor ke ek end se aayi thi.
"Ye real hai ya wind?" Kabir ne panic me pucha.
"Real lag rahi hai," Meera ne softly jawab diya, aur eyes door ke end ko focus kar rahi thi.
Ishaan ne deep breath li. "Bas… dheere se corridor cross karte hain. Attic ke liye woh highlighted room follow karna hoga."
Jaise hi woh corridor ke beech aaye, floor par ek old key mili. Key rusty aur dusty thi.
"Ye key… attic ka lag raha hai," Ishaan ne kaha aur usse uthaya.
Tabhi ek door slam hua, aur ek shadow wall ke opposite corner me move hua. Sab ka heart zor se dhadak gaya.
"Who's there?" Ishaan ne loudly pucha, par koi reply nahi aaya.
Torch light ke focus me unko dikha ki shadow ek figure jaisi shape le raha tha – aur dheere dheere move kar raha tha attic ke direction me.
"Chalo… follow karte hain, bas safe distance maintain karna," Ishaan ne kaha.
Jaise hi woh attic ke door ke paas pahuche, Ishaan ne rusty key use ki aur door khola. Door slowly creak karte hue open hua. Andar pitch dark tha, aur hawa aur bhi cold ho gayi.
Ishaan ne flashlight ko door ke andar focus kiya. Room me old furniture, cobwebs, aur ek large mirror tha. Mirror purana aur cracked lag raha tha.
"Mirror… aur ye attic… lagta hai diary ke clues yahi lead karte hain," Ishaan ne whisper kiya.
Tabhi mirror me ek faint shadow dikhai diya – jaise koi aur unko observe kar raha ho.
"Guys… ye dekha?" Rhea ne gasp kiya.
Shadow dheere-dheere disappear ho gaya, par room me ab bhi heavy coldness feel ho rahi thi.
Ishaan ne diary ka last clue dhyan se dekha. Ek line bold likhi thi:
"The eyes of the mirror see what no one else can."
"Ye kya matlab hai?" Meera ne pucha.
"Matlab… attic ka mirror sirf us cheez ko reflect karta hai jo normal eyes nahi dekh sakte," Ishaan ne carefully explain kiya.
Sab thodi der silent rahe. Mansion ke andar ka silence aur cold breeze unke nerves ko aur tense kar raha tha.
Ishaan ne finally bola, "Bas… ye sirf start hai. Jo bhi mansion ke secrets hain, wo ab reveal hone wale hain."
Aur jaise hi usne last words boli, mirror ka surface thoda shimmer hua, jaise koi presence wahan se observe kar raha ho.