Subah ka waqt tha.
Aarohi apne room me mirror ke saamne khadi thi…
College ke liye ready ho rahi thi.
"Same boring life…" usne sigh lete hue kaha.
Usne kajal lagaya…
Lekin jaise hi usne apni aankhon me dekha—
Ek second ke liye…
Uski aankhein green glow kar gayi.
Aarohi freeze.
"Ye kya tha…?" usne dheere se kaha.
Wo turant peeche hati…
Phir dobara mirror me dekha—
Sab normal.
"Shayad light ka effect hoga…" usne ignore kiya.
Lekin…
Usse nahi pata tha—
Ye bas shuruaat thi.
🏫 COLLEGE
Campus me hustle chal raha tha…
Students, noise, normal life…
Aarohi apni best friend Riya ke saath chal rahi thi.
"Kal tu itni chup kyun thi?" Riya ne pucha.
"Pata nahi… ajeeb sapna aaya tha," Aarohi ne kaha.
"Kaisa sapna?"
Aarohi thodi ruk gayi…
"Jungle… mandir… aur… saanp…"
Riya hansi,
"Tu na horror zyada dekh rahi hai 😂"
Aarohi bhi muskura di…
Lekin uske andar uneasy feeling thi.
⚡ STRANGE MOMENT
Class me teacher padha rahe the…
Sab normal.
Tabhi…
Aarohi ko achanak ek awaaz sunayi di.
"Aarohi…"
Wo turant idhar-udhar dekhne lagi.
Koi nahi.
Phir awaaz aur clear—
"Wapas aao…"
Aarohi ka heartbeat fast.
"Tumne suna?" usne Riya se pucha.
"क्या?" Riya confused.
"Nothing…" Aarohi ne sir hila diya.
Lekin…
Uska focus ab class me nahi tha.
🌙 SAME DAY – EVENING
Aarohi ghar wapas aayi.
Uska sir heavy tha…
Jaise kuch usse bula raha ho.
"Main thodi der rest karti hoon…" usne kaha.
Wo bed par leti…
Aur aankhen band kar li.
Aur tabhi…
⚡ VISION
Wahi jungle…
Wahi mandir…
Aur…
Ek ladki.
White dress me…
Aankhon me gussa…
Haath me Naagmani.
"Aakhir tum wapas aa gayi…" us ladki ne kaha.
Aarohi shock—
"Tum kaun ho??"
Ladki dheere se uske kareeb aayi…
"Main tum hoon."
Aarohi ka saans ruk gaya.
"Impossible…"
Ladki ki aankhein glow karne lagi…
"Tum bhool chuki ho…" usne kaha,
"Par main nahi bhooli…"
Flash—
Khoon…
Teer…
Maut…
Aarohi zor se chillaayi—
"NO!"
⚡ BACK TO REALITY
Aarohi bed se uchhal kar uthi.
Saans fast… body sweating…
"Ye… sapna nahi tha…" usne dheere se kaha.
Usne apne haath dekhe…
Aur is baar…
Uske haath par scales (saanp jaisa pattern) dikh raha tha.
"Ye kya ho raha hai mujhe…?" wo darr gayi.
Tabhi…
Room ka darwaza khud se band ho gaya.
THUD!
"Aarohi…" ek awaaz goonji.
Is baar real.
Room ke kone me ek shadow khada tha.
"Aakhir tum jag gayi…" usne dheere se kaha.
Aarohi peeche hati—
"Kaun ho tum??"
Shadow aage aaya…
Aur dheere dheere clear hua—
Ek aadmi.
Black clothes.
Aankhon me ajeeb chamak.
"Main tumhara intezaar kar raha tha…" usne kaha.
"KYUN??" Aarohi almost chillaayi.
Wo aadmi muskuraaya—
"Kyuki tum sirf Aarohi nahi ho…"
Silence.
"Aur kya hoon main?" Aarohi ne darr ke saath pucha.
Wo aadmi uske kareeb aaya…
Aur dheere se bola—
"Tum Shivanya ho."
Room me hawa ekdum thandi ho gayi.
Aarohi ka dimaag blank.
"Ye naam…" usne dheere se kaha…
Flash.
Wahi ladki.
Wahi Naagin.
"NAHI…" Aarohi ne sir pakad liya.
"Aakhir yaad aa raha hai…" wo aadmi bola.
"20 saal pehle…"
"Tumhari kahani adhoori reh gayi thi…"
"Ab wo poori hogi."
Aarohi ne uski taraf dekha—
"Tum kaun ho??"
Wo aadmi halki si smirk ke saath bola—
"Main wo hoon… jisne tumhari zindagi barbaad ki thi."
Shock.
"Tum…" Aarohi ki aankhon me gussa aane laga.
Uski aankhein green glow karne lagi…
Room ki cheezein hilne lagi…
"Lagta hai Naagin jaag gayi…" wo aadmi hansa.
Aarohi ki awaaz badal gayi—
"Is baar… koi nahi bachega…"
⚡ Lightning.
Aur iss moment ke saath…
Aarohi nahi… Shivanya wapas aa chuki thi.