Rohan ne agle din school se aate waqt orchard ki taraf bilkul bhi nahi dekha.
Woh seedha ghar jaa raha tha, par uska dimag sirf ek baat me atka hua tha:
Kaise woh seb uske kamre me aaya?
Aur kisne rakha?
Shaam ko, jab woh market se doodh lene gaya, usne sunaa ke kuch buzurg log gol karke baatein kar rahe the. Rohan normally unki baatein ignore karta, par iss baar ek shabd ne uska kadam rok diya—
"Orchard."
Rohan dheere se unke paas ruk gaya, jaise sabzi dekh raha ho.
Ek buddhe ne hichkichate hue kaha,
"Teen din se orchard me ajeeb dhund hai. Hawa bhi alag lagti hai… koi wapas shuru ho gaya lagta hai."
Doosra buddha thoda gusse me bola,
"Humne wahi kaha tha! Us jagah par koi nahi jaata. Woh pehchane ki jagah nahi hai."
Rohan ka dil ekdum down ho gaya.
Wapas shuru ho gaya?
Kya shuru?
Ek aur uncle ne dheere se kaha,
"Kal raat kisi ne laal rang ki koi shadow pedon ke beech dekhi. Waise hi jaise… pehle dekhi thi."
Woh yeh bolte waqt ruk gaya.
Uski awaaz me darr tha.
Rohan ke haath thande pad gaye.
Red dress…?
Woh aurat… sacchi thi?
Ya koi rooh…?
Phir ek aunty boli,
"Hume dobara koi musibat nahi chahiye. Shruti ke baad… hamara gaon sambhal gaya tha. Ab fir se koi shraap na laut aaye."
Rohan ka dimag ekdum freeze ho gaya.
Shruti.
Wahi naam usne sapne me suna tha.
Wahi naam diary me tha.
Woh cycle lekar seedha ghar bhaga.
Ghar pahunch kar…
Rohan ne gate band kiya aur seedha apne room me gaya.
Seb wahan pad tha.
Iss baar uski crack aur bhi zyada khuli thi.
Aur uske andar se ek faint sa white light mist nikal rahi thi.
"Yeh… phir se badal raha hai…"
Rohan ka heart race karne laga.
Usne seedha seb ko uthaya — is baar woh thoda garam tha.
Par phir usne kuch feel kiya:
Tick… tick… tick…
Jaise koi chhota sa movement ho andar.
Rohan ne seedha haath piche kar liya.
Ussi waqt ek thandi si hava uske peeche se guzri.
Room ki lights halki si flicker hui.
Aur Rohan ko laga jaise koi uske bilkul paas se guzar kar window ki taraf gaya.
Usne dhadakte hue bol diya:
"Kaun—?"
Koi jawab nahi.
Bas wohi orchard wali silence.
Rohan window ke paas gaya.
Zameen par mitti thi… woh hi orchard wali.
Jaise koi abhi-abhi yaha se guzra ho.
Uska heart chillane laga.
Orchard… ghar ke andar tak pahunch raha tha.
Raat ko…
Rohan ne socha ki woh kisi se baat kare.
Kisi elder se.
Usko yaad aaya — village me ek purana aadmi tha, Daadu Karim, jo orchard ki purani kahaniyaan jaanta tha.
Gaon ke log kehte the ki orchard ki sari history usne apni aankhon se dekhi.
Rohan ne decide kiya:
"Kal subah main Daadu se milunga.
Mujhe sach jaan-na hi padega."
Woh seedha bed par let gaya,
par uske dil me ek hi sawaal ghoom raha tha:
Aakhir orchard wapas kyun jaag raha hai?
Aur mujhe kyun choose kar raha hai?
Room me silence badhta gaya.
Aur seb ke crack se ek last faint whisper nikla…
"…aa jao…''