Raat ke 12:07 baj rahe the.
Aarav apne room mein akela baitha tha jab uske phone par ek message aaya.
Unknown Number:
"Tum akela nahi ho."
Aarav ne turant phone idhar-udhar dekha.
Room ka darwaza band tha. Ghar mein sab so rahe the.
Usne reply kiya:
"Who are you?"
Kuch seconds baad typing dikhai di…
phir message aaya:
"Pichhe dekho."
Aarav ka haath kaanp gaya.
Dheere se usne mudkar dekha—
kuch nahi tha.
Usne chain ki saans li hi thi ki phone phir vibrate hua.
"Darwaze ke neeche jo chithi hai, use uthao."
Aarav ka dil zor se dhadakne laga.
Wahan sach mein ek purani, peeli chithi padi thi.
Chithi par likha tha:
"Sach tumse chhupaya gaya hai."
Aarav yaad karne laga—
5 saal pehle uske papa achanak gayab ho gaye the.
Police ne kaha tha: accident.
Phone par naya message aaya:
"Tumhare papa zinda hain."
Aarav ki aankhen phail gayi.
"Agar unhe dekhna hai, to 2 baje school ke library aa jao."
2:00 AM.
Aarav wahan pahucha. Library andheri thi.
Sirf ek table lamp jal raha tha.
Table par ek photo rakhi thi—
uske papa ki.
Aur peeche se awaaz aayi:
"Tum bilkul late nahi hue."
Aarav ghooma…
Saamne khada tha—
school ka principal.
Principal muskura kar bola:
"Sach jaanne ki keemat hoti hai, Aarav."
Tabhi library ka darwaza band ho gaya.
Click.
Phone par aakhri message aaya:
"Ab tum bhi is kahani ka hissa ho."
Aur lights band ho gayi…