Baarish ruki nahi thi.
Aisi baarish jo sirf sheeshe par nahi, insaan ke dimaag par bhi girti hai.
Aira living room ke corner me baithi thi.
Sofa par sikud kar, pair seene se lagaye.
TV chal raha tha, lekin awaaz band.
Screen par log hans rahe the, par ghar ke andar sirf khamoshi cheekh rahi thi.
Tick… tick…
Deewar ki ghadi.
Har second ke saath raat aur bhaari hoti ja rahi thi.
Aira ne phone uthaya.
12:47 AM.
Is waqt call aana… normal nahi hota.
📞 Ring.
Uske haath ruk gaye.
Ek ring.
Do ring.
"Bas spam hoga," usne khud se kaha.
Phir bhi call utha li.
"Hello?"
Dusri taraf se koi awaaz nahi.
Bas… saans lene ki dheemi awaaz.
"Hello? Kaun hai?"
Kuch seconds baad ek awaaz ubhri—
thandi, seedhi, bina emotion ke.
"Aira."
Uska naam.
Aira seedhi ho kar baith gayi.
"Tumhe mera naam kaise pata?"
Caller hansa.
Par woh hasi khush nahi thi.
Woh hasi jaanti hui thi.
"Tum akeli ho."
"Ye number kaun sa hai?" Aira ki awaaz kaanp gayi.
"Darwaza lock hai na?"
Aira ki nazar bina chahe hi main door par chali gayi.
Lock laga tha.
Chain bhi.
"Bakwas band karo," usne kaha, par awaaz me dam nahi tha.
Caller ne dheere se kaha—
"Bahar wali awaaz se zyada, andar wali awaaz pe dhyaan do."
Call cut.
Aira ka phone haath se almost gir gaya.
Room me sirf baarish aur uski saansein thi.
Usne gehri saans li aur khud ko normal karne ki koshish ki.
Tabhi—
Doorbell.
Ek baar.
Aira ka dil zor se dhadka.
Phir se.
Usne dheere-dheere peephole se dekha.
Ek aadmi khada tha.
Kapde bheege hue, baal chehre par gire hue.
Uska chehra poora dikh nahi raha tha.
Aira peeche hatne hi wali thi ki
phone vibrate hua.
Unknown Number
Message tha:
"Darwaza mat kholna.
Woh jo bahar khada hai…
usse pehle yahan aa chuka hai."
Aira ka khoon jam gaya.
"Ye mazaak hai," usne khud se kaha.
Par tab—
thap… thap…
Kitchen ki taraf se pairon ki awaaz aayi.
Aira dheere se boli,
"…kaun hai?"
Koi jawab nahi.
Doorbell phir se baji.
Is baar zyada zor se.
Aur usi waqt,
Aira ne mehsoos kiya—
ghar ke andar koi uske bilkul paas khada tha...