Raat ke 12 baje the.
Aman apne kamre me akela baitha tha. Bahar halki-halki hawa chal rahi thi, aur khidki se char-char ki awaaz aa rahi thi.
Aman ne mobile uthaya… tabhi ek anjaan number se message aaya —
"Darwaza mat kholna… chahe koi bhi aaye."
Aman thoda ghabra gaya. Usne socha koi mazaak kar raha hai.
Lekin tabhi…
Thak-thak… thak-thak…
Darwaze par kisi ne dastak di.
Aman ne ghadi dekhi — 12:05.
Usne poocha, "Kaun hai?"
Bahar se awaaz aayi —
"Main hoon… darwaza kholo."
Ye awaaz… uski maa ki thi.
Lekin uski maa to gaon gayi hui thi.
Aman ke haath kaanpne lage. Usne fir se mobile dekha—
fir wahi message aaya:
"Agar zinda rehna hai… to mat kholna."
Dastak ab tez ho gayi—
THAK-THAK-THAK!!
"Aman! Darwaza kholo, main bahar thand me khadi hoon…"
Awaaz bilkul asli lag rahi thi.
Aman ka dil zor-zor se dhadak raha tha.
Ek taraf uski maa ki awaaz… doosri taraf wo ajeeb message.
Usne himmat karke keyhole se bahar jhaanka…
Aur jo usne dekha…
uske pairon tale zameen khisak gayi.
Bahar uski maa khadi thi…
Lekin uska chehra… poori tarah kaala tha… aur uski aankhen… bilkul safed.
Aman peeche hat gaya, uski saanse tez ho gayi.
Tabhi mobile fir se baja—
"Main 10 minute me pahunch rahi hoon beta, darwaza mat kholna. – Maa"
Aman ke haath se mobile gir gaya.
Bahar khadi "maa" ab zor-zor se chillane lagi
"AMAN!! DARWAZA KHOLO!!!"
Aur tabhi…
Darwaza apne aap dheere-dheere khulne laga…