Hospital ka room ab bhi thanda tha…
Ayesha ka haath Armaan ke haath me kaanp raha tha…
"Armaan… woh sach me yahin hai…" Ayesha dheere se bolti hai.
Armaan use calm karne ki koshish karta hai—
"Tumhe hallucination ho raha hai… tum stress me ho…"
Lekin Ayesha jaanti thi…
Woh real hai.
Achanak…
Room ki light ek baar phir blink karti hai—
Tik… tik…
Aur iss baar…
Darwaza dheere se apne aap band ho jata hai—
THAK!
Armaan shock ho jata hai—
"Yeh kisne kiya?!"
Ayesha ki saanse tez ho jaati hain…
Tabhi…
Window ka glass dheere dheere hilne lagta hai—
Khrrr… khrrr…
Jaise koi bahar se usse scratch kar raha ho…
Ayesha aankhon me darr ke saath dekhti hai—
"Woh andar aana chahta hai…"
Armaan gusse me bolta hai—
"Bas! Yeh sab dimaag ka khel hai!"
Woh jaake window ke paas khada ho jata hai…
Aur achanak—
Glass par ek haath ka nishaan dikhai deta hai…
Andar se.
Armaan ka chehra safed pad jata hai…
"Yeh… kaise…"
Achanak room ka temperature aur gir jata hai…
Saans se dhuaan nikalne lagta hai…
Aur phir—
Ayesha ke kaan me woh awaaz phir goonjti hai—
"Tum bach nahi paogi…"
Ayesha cheekhti hai—
"ARMAAN!!"
Armaan mudkar dekhta hai…
Aur iss baar—
Usse bhi dikhai deta hai…
Room ke kone me…
Ek andhera sa shadow…
Dheere dheere unki taraf badhta hua…
Armaan ka gala sookh jata hai…
"Yeh… yeh kya hai…?"
Shadow rukta hai…
Aur dheere se apna chehra uthata hai…
Lekin…
Wahan koi chehra nahi hota…
Sirf andhera…
Aur do chamakti hui laal aankhen…
Ayesha ro padti hai—
"Please… hume chhod do…"
Shadow dheere se hasta hai—
"Tum dono ab iss game ka hissa ho…"
Achanak—
Room ki saari machines band ho jaati hain!
Beep… (silence)
Light completely off ho jaati hai…
Andhera chha jaata hai…
Sirf woh laal aankhen chamak rahi hoti hain…
Aur phir—
Ek tez hawa ka jhonka aata hai…
Aur Armaan achanak hawa me uth jata hai!
"Aaaahhhh!!!"
Ayesha shock me cheekh padti hai—
"ARMAAAN!!!"
Shadow apni ungli hilata hai…
Aur Armaan zor se wall par jaake girta hai—
DHAAAM!
Armaan behosh ho jata hai…
Ayesha roti hui uske paas bhaagti hai—
"Armaan! Utho! Please utho!"
Tabhi…
Uske peeche se woh awaaz aati hai—
"Ab tumhari baari hai…"
Ayesha dheere dheere mudti hai…
Shadow bilkul uske saamne khada hota hai…
Itna paas…
Ki uski thandi saans Ayesha ke chehre ko chhoo rahi hoti hai…
Ayesha aankhen band kar leti hai—
"Please… mujhe mat maaro…"
Shadow dheere se kehta hai—
"Main tumhe maarne nahi aaya…"
Ayesha aankhen kholti hai…
"Phir…?"
Shadow dheere se uske kaan ke paas aata hai…
Aur kehta hai—
"Main tumhe yaad dilane aaya hoon… tum kaun ho…"
Ayesha ka chehra shock se jam jata hai…
"Main… kya matlab…?"
Shadow halki si hasi karta hai…
Aur dheere dheere gayab ho jata hai…
Room ki lights wapas aa jaati hain…
Machines phir se chalne lagti hain…
Jaise kuch hua hi na ho…
Lekin…
Floor par Armaan behosh pada hota hai…
Aur Ayesha ka dil ek hi sawaal me atak jata hai—
"Main kaun hoon…?"
(To be continued…) 😱🔥