Room me gehri khamoshi thi.
Meher ja chuki thi.
Aryan bed ke kone par baitha tha… haath kaanp rahe the… saans abhi tak heavy.
"Ye sab… sach hai…" usne dheere se kaha.
Usne apna haath dekha…
Jahan Meher ne usse pakda tha…
Ab bhi thandi si sensation thi.
"Kal shayad main na aaun…"
Ye line uske dimaag me baar baar repeat ho rahi thi.
"Matlab main akela hoon…" Aryan ne dheere se kaha.
Clock — 12:32 AM
Abhi raat khatam hone me bahut time tha.
Aur har second heavy lag raha tha.
Aryan ne decide kiya—
"Main lights on rakhta hoon."
Usne room ki sari lights on kar di.
Tube light, lamp, even phone flashlight.
"Light me kuch nahi hota…" usne khud ko samjhaya.
5 minute…
10 minute…
Sab normal.
Aryan thoda calm hone laga.
"Shayad wo bas terrace tak hi the…" usne socha.
Tabhi…
CLICK
Room ki ek light band ho gayi.
Aryan freeze.
"Power fluctuation…" usne turant excuse diya.
Phir…
CLICK
Dusri light band.
Ab sirf ek dim lamp jal raha tha.
"Aisa mat kar…" Aryan ne dheere se kaha.
Silence.
Phir…
CLICK
Complete darkness.
Sirf phone ki light.
Aryan ka heartbeat uncontrollable.
"Control… control…" wo khud se bol raha tha.
Usne phone ki flashlight on ki…
Room scan kiya…
Sab normal.
"Nothing…" usne deep breath li.
Tabhi…
Mirror.
Room ke corner me jo mirror tha…
Usme reflection dikha.
Lekin…
Reflection me Aryan akela nahi tha.
Uske peeche…
Koi khada tha.
Aryan ka saans ruk gaya.
Usne turant peeche mudkar dekha—
Koi nahi.
Wapas mirror me dekha—
Phir wahi shadow.
Is baar aur clear.
Black figure.
Aankhein… khali.
"A… A…" Aryan bol nahi pa raha tha.
Shadow dheere dheere mirror ke andar se move karne laga…
Jaise wo bahar aane ki koshish kar raha ho.
"NO…" Aryan peeche hatne laga.
Uska phone kaanp raha tha.
Flashlight bhi shake ho rahi thi.
"Meher…" usne dheere se kaha.
No response.
Shadow aur paas.
Aur phir…
Mirror crack ho gaya.
CRACK… CRACK…
Jaise koi andar se tod raha ho.
Aryan ne turant aankhen band kar li.
"Mat dekho…" usse Meher ki awaaz yaad aayi.
Usne aankhen tight band rakhi.
THUD
Kuch zameen par gira.
Room me ab heavy breathing ki awaaz.
Aryan ke alawa…
Kisi aur ki.
Uska body freeze.
Usne dheere se apni saanse control ki…
Aur aankhen band hi rakhi.
Footsteps.
thak… thak… thak…
Bilkul paas.
Uske bed ke paas.
Aryan ne feel kiya…
Jaise koi uske bilkul saamne khada hai.
Thandi hawa uske face par.
Phir…
"Dekho…"
Awaaz uske kaan ke paas.
"Bas ek baar…"
Aryan ka dil keh raha tha— mat dekh
Lekin dimaag…
"Bas ek second…"
Usne dheere se aankhen khol di.
Aur…
Woh wahi tha.
Same shadow.
Is baar clear.
Face distort…
Aankhein andheri…
Smile… unnatural.
Aryan jam gaya.
Shadow ne apna haath aage badhaya…
"Aaj tum nahi bachoge…" uski awaaz kharash bhari thi.
Aryan peeche hatne laga…
Lekin uska pair bed se takra gaya…
Aur wo gir gaya.
"NO…" wo chillaaya.
Shadow uske upar jhukne laga…
Uski thandi energy Aryan ke chest par feel ho rahi thi…
Jaise wo uski saanse kheench raha ho.
Aryan weak hone laga…
"Meher…" usne last strength se kaha.
Silence.
Aur phir…
Achanak…
Room me hawa badli.
Temperature aur thanda…
Lekin is baar familiar.
Shadow ruk gaya.
Aur peeche hat gaya.
Aryan ne weak aankhon se dekha—
Door ke paas…
Meher khadi thi.
Lekin…
Is baar wo pehle jaisi nahi thi.
Uski aankhen thodi dark…
Aura zyada powerful…
"Aryan se door raho," usne dheere se kaha.
Shadow hiss jaisa sound karta hai…
"Ye ab hamara hai…" usne jawab diya.
Meher ki awaaz heavy ho gayi—
"Ye sirf mera hai."
Room me pressure badh gaya.
Jaise do powers clash kar rahi ho.
Aryan shock me sab dekh raha tha.
Meher aage badhi…
Aur usne seedha shadow ko push kiya.
Ek loud blast jaisa feel hua.
Shadow peeche hat gaya…
Aur dheere dheere gayab ho gaya.
Silence.
Room normal hone laga.
Aryan still zameen par pada tha.
Meher uske paas aayi…
Aur is baar bina rule ki parwah kiye…
Usne uska face pakda.
"Aryan… aankhen kholo…" usne kaha.
Aryan ne dheere se uski taraf dekha…
"Tum… wapas aa gayi…" usne weak smile di.
Meher ki aankhon me aansu aa gaye…
"Main tumhe akela nahi chhod sakti…" usne dheere se kaha.
Aryan ne uska haath pakad liya…
"Tum dangerous ho…" wo halka sa hansa.
Meher ne halki si smile di—
"Ab tum bhi ho."
Silence.
Lekin iss baar…
Darr ke andar ek connection aur strong ho gaya tha.