Subah ki roshni parde ke chhote se gap se kamre me ghus rahi thi. Kiran ki aankh khuli, par uska dimaag abhi bhi raat ke sapne me atka hua tha.
Wo turant uth baithi aur apni kalai ki taraf dekha.
Nishaan…
Wo ab bhi wahan tha.
Halke neele rang ka, bilkul waisa hi jaise sapne me chamak raha tha. Kiran ne ungliyon se use chhoone ki koshish ki, par jaise hi usne touch kiya, ek ajeeb si thandak mehsoos hui. Dard nahi tha, par feeling bilkul normal bhi nahi thi.
"Ye sirf coincidence ho sakta hai," usne khud se kaha.
Wo bed se utri, par man shaant nahi ho raha tha. Sapna aur reality ke beech ki line uske liye dheere-dheere blur ho rahi thi.
College jaate waqt bhi uska dhyaan baar-baar us nishaan par ja raha tha. Bus ke sheeshe me apni reflection dekhte hue use laga jaise uski aankhon me koi alag si chamak aa gayi ho. Shayad ye sirf uska overthinking tha… ya phir kuch aur.
Lecture ke beech, jab professor board par likh rahe the, Kiran ko achanak ek familiar si awaaz sunai di.
"Tum fir se ignore kar rahi ho."
Uska dil zor se dhadka. Usne turant idhar-udhar dekha. Classroom bilkul normal tha—students notes bana rahe the, koi khidki ke paas baitha bore ho raha tha. Kisi ne usse baat nahi ki thi.
"Ye mera dimaag hai," usne dheere se kaha.
Par awaaz phir aayi, is baar zyada clear.
"Jab tum taiyaar hogi, tab samajh aayega."
Kiran ka pen uske haath se gir gaya. Class khatam hone ke baad bhi wo apni seat par baithi rahi. Uska mann ghabra raha tha, par saath hi ek ajeeb si curiosity bhi thi—jaise koi sach uske bilkul kareeb ho.
Shaam ko ghar laut kar usne diary nikali. Wo diary jisme wo apne thoughts likha karti thi. Aaj pehli baar usne likha:
"Agar ye sapna nahi tha, toh phir ye kya hai?"
Jaise hi usne last word likha, kalai ka nishaan halki roshni se chamak utha. Kiran ne diary band kar di, par roshni dheere-dheere fade ho gayi.
Wo khidki ke paas jaakar bahar dekhn lagi. Aasman bilkul shaant tha, par uske andar tufaan chal raha tha. Usse laga jaise koi use door se dekh raha ho—judge nahi kar raha, bas intezaar kar raha ho.
Raat ko sone se pehle, Kiran ne ek decision liya.
Chahe jo bhi ho, wo is baar sapne se bhaagne wali nahi thi.
Light band karte waqt usne sirf itna kaha,
"Is baar, main sunungi."
Aur pehli baar, use neend aate waqt darr nahi laga—
sirf ek sawal tha, jo dheere-dheere gehra hota ja raha tha.