❤️🩹
He wasn't chosen.
The system glitched.
Aarav ko kabhi kisi ne choose nahi kiya.
Na friends ne.
Na teachers ne.
Na kismat ne.
Par us raat…
kisi cheez ne use accept kar liya.
Class 11-B ka last bench.
Wahi jagah jahan students nahi, sirf shadows baithe hote hain.
"Attendance."
"Raghav."
"Present, ma'am."
"Neha."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Aarav Verma."
"Present," Aarav ne dheere se kaha.
Teacher ne bas ek tick lagaya. Jaise uska naam nahi, koi formality ho.
Uske aas-paas baithne wale students plans bana rahe the — coaching, competitions, future.
Aarav ke plans simple the:
Aaj bina insult ke din nikal jaaye.
"Arre genius," peeche se awaaz aayi,
"Kal ka answer bhej dena."
Notebook aage badha di.
Aadat thi.
"Tu itna padhta bhi hai?"
"Ya bas lucky hai?"
Lucky.
Aarav ne aankhen neeche kar li.
Agar luck hota, to papa raat ko itni thakaan ke saath ghar nahi aate.
Maa khud nahi khati, par use poochti hai —
"Beta, pet bhar gaya?"
School gate par haste hue faces.
Ek cycle usse almost takra gayi.
"Side me chal, loser!"
Hansi.
Hamesha ki tarah.
Aarav ne kuch nahi bola.
Bolne walon ko hi to koi sunta hai.
Raat.
Chhota sa room.
Ek table.
Ek dim bulb.
Aur khuli hui books — jinhe dimaag padh hi nahi pa raha tha.
"Main slow kyun hoon?"
"Sab mujhse aage kaise nikal jaate hain?"
Usne aankhen band ki.
Kaash main thoda better hota.
Bas thoda.
⚡ ZZZZT ⚡
Dimaag ke andar jaise bijli gir gayi.
Aarav ki saans ruk si gayi.
Cheekhna chaha… awaaz hi nahi nikli.
Sab kuch kaala.
Phir —
ek thandi, machine-jaisi awaaz.
[Initializing…]
[Searching for host…]
[Brain compatibility: 99.8%]
Aarav ki aankhen phadphadai.
"K-kaun hai?"
"Ye… sapna hai kya?"
Uske saamne ek blue translucent screen hawa me tair rahi thi.
[Welcome, Aarav Verma]
[Cognitive Enhancement System v0.1 Activated]
System?
Uska dil zor-zor se dhadakne laga.
"Ye real nahi ho sakta…"
Usne haath aage badhaya.
Screen wahan hi thi.
[First Mission Generated]
Mission:
Focus continuously for 10 minutes
Reward:
+1 Focus Point
Failure:
Minor neural backlash
Aarav ne dry throat ke saath swallow kiya.
"Neural… backlash?"
Clock dekhi — 11:40 PM.
Sirf 10 minute.
"Worst case… kuch nahi hoga,"
usne khud ko samjhaya.
Aankhen band ki.
Book ke words par dhyaan lagaya.
Pehle minute me thoughts bhatakne lage…
par phir kuch badalne laga.
Jaise dimaag ko kisi ne shaant kar diya ho.
Har word clear.
Har line sharp.
Ten minutes.
[Mission Complete]
[Reward Acquired: +1 Focus]
Aarav ne aankhen kholi.
Uske dimaag me pehli baar shor nahi tha.
Sab kuch… samajh aa raha tha.
"Ye… sach me kaam kar raha hai?"
Screen flicker hui.
⚠️[Warning]
System overuse may result in irreversible damage.
Aarav ne halka sa haans diya.
Dar ke saath-saath… excitement thi.
Tab screen par ek aur line ubhri.
[Hidden Condition Detected]
Host survival not guaranteed.
Aarav ki hansi ruk gayi.
Usne dheere se kaha,
"Main hero nahi hoon…"
Phir screen ki taraf dekha.
"Par shayad…
main nobody bhi nahi hoon."
Blue screen chup-chaap glow karti rahi.
Aur system…
apni pehli galti ka intezaar kar raha tha.