Maine aankhen band ki…
deep breath li…
aur bina zyada soche…
CONTINUE par click kar diya।
Jaise hi maine click kiya…
mere phone ki screen ekdum bright ho gayi।
Itni bright… ki mujhe aankhen band karni padi।
Kuch seconds baad jab maine aankhen kholi…
screen par sirf ek line likhi thi—
"Welcome to the real game."
Mere dil ki dhadkan aur tez ho gayi।
"Real game…?" maine dheere se khud se kaha।
Tabhi phone vibrate hua…
aur ek naya task aaya—
"Level 1 Complete
Level 2 Start"
Neeche likha tha—
"Is baar test sirf tumhara nahi… tumhari himmat ka hai।"
Maine screen ko dhyan se dekha…
"Tumhe aaj raat 12 baje… apne ghar ke sabse andhere kone me jana hai…
aur wahan 5 minute akela rehna hai।"
Meri saanse ek second ke liye ruk gayi।
"Seriously…?" maine dheere se kaha।
Ghar ka sabse andhera kona…
Mujhe turant yaad aaya—
store room।
Wo jagah jahan main kabhi akeli nahi gayi thi।
Hamesha lagta tha wahan kuch ajeeb hai…
kuch jo dikhai nahi deta… par feel hota hai।
Maine turant phone band kar diya।
"Ye main nahi karne wali…" maine khud se kaha।
Par phir wahi awaaz…
andar se…
"Tu dar rahi hai… ya apni life change karne se bhag rahi hai?"
Main chup ho gayi।
Time dheere-dheere beet raha tha…
11:30 PM…
Main apne bed par baithi thi…
phone mere saamne rakha tha।
Dil aur dimaag ke beech war chal raha tha।
Ek taraf fear…
dusri taraf wo unknown excitement…
11:55 PM…
Phone screen khud hi on ho gayi।
Countdown start ho gaya—
05:00
04:59
04:58…
"Ye kya hai…?" maine ghabra kar kaha।
Tabhi ek message aaya—
"Ya to tum test complete karo…
ya game tumhe khud complete karega…"
Mere haath thande pad gaye।
Maine dheere se uthkar door ki taraf dekha…
Poora ghar chup tha।
Sab so rahe the।
Sirf meri saanse sunai de rahi thi।
12:00 AM…
Countdown zero ho gaya।
Maine ek step aage badhaya…
phir ek aur…
Aur dheere-dheere main store room ke paas pahunch gayi।
Door band tha।
Maine handle pakda…
par haath kaanp raha tha।
"Bas 5 minute…" maine khud se kaha।
Aur maine door khol diya।
Andar bilkul andhera tha।
Itna andhera ki kuch dikh hi nahi raha tha।
Maine phone ki flashlight on karne ki koshish ki…
par wo kaam nahi kar rahi thi।
Screen par sirf ek line likhi thi—
"Lights allowed nahi hai…"
Meri saanse tez ho gayi।
Main dheere se andar gayi…
aur door mere peeche khud hi band ho gaya।
DHADAM!
Maine jhat se peeche mud kar dekha…
par kuch dikhai nahi diya।
Bas andhera…
aur meri saanse…
Main corner me khadi ho gayi…
aur time count karne lagi—
"1 minute…"
Har second heavy lag raha tha।
Jaise waqt ruk gaya ho।
Tabhi…
mujhe laga kisi ne mere paas se guzra।
Halka sa hawa ka jhonka…
par room me koi hawa nahi thi।
Mera dil zor se dhadakne laga।
"Ye sirf mera dimaag hai…" maine khud ko samjhaya।
Par phir…
ek awaaz aayi…
bahut halki…
mere bilkul paas se—
"Tum aa gayi…"
Mere pair jam gaye।
Main hil bhi nahi pa rahi thi।
"Kaun hai…?" maine dheere se pucha।
Koi jawab nahi…
sirf silence…
Phir achanak…
mere phone ki screen on hui।
Time complete ho chuka tha।
"Level 2 Complete"
Maine turant door khola aur bahar bhaag gayi।
Meri saanse control me nahi thi।
Main apne room me aayi…
aur bed par baith gayi।
"Ye sab kya tha…?" maine almost ro kar kaha।
Phone fir vibrate hua…
"Good… tum expected se better ho।"
Mere haath kaanp rahe the।
"Ab tum next level ke liye ready ho…"
Screen par last line aayi—
"Ab tak tum game khel rahi thi…
ab game tumhe khelega…"
Meri aankhen khul gayi।
"Matlab…?"
Par is baar koi reply nahi aaya।
Sirf ek black screen…
aur usme mera reflection…
par…
ek second ke liye…
mujhe laga…
wo reflection mera nahi tha।