Gaon ke sabse aakhri kone me ek purani, toot‑phoot haveli thi — jahan se koi kabhi wapas normal nahi aata tha.
Purane zamane me ye haveli ek rich zamindar ki thi.
Log kehte the ki haveli me ek chudail rehti hai, raat ke time logon ko bullet‑jaise awazein sunayi deti hain.
Aaj raat kuch alag lag raha tha.
Suraj dhire dhire doob raha tha aur shaam ki halki hawa haveli ke peechhe se guzar rahi thi.
Sixteen saal ki Meera ne apne dost Ronit aur Zara ke saath decide kiya ki wo haveli explore karegi.
Ronit ne thodi ghabra kar kaha:
"Yeh jagah sach me kisi ghost ke baare me kehte hain… shayad yeh sab sirf rumors ho."
Meera ne slight smile di:
"Aaj me prove karungi ki yeh sab bas stories hain."
Teeno seedha haveli ke gate par khade ho gaye.
Gate latched tha, aur us par rust ke alag alag makhiyan chipki hui thi.
Ronit ne dheere se darwaza dhakka diya —
Trrrrrr…
Darwaza hilte hi andar se ek thandi hawa ka jhatka aaya.
Zara ki breathing tez ho gayi:
"Yaar… mujhe thoda darr lag raha hai."
Meera ne headlamp switch on kiya aur haveli ke andar kadam rakha.
Ghar ka andar ka scene purana tha —
Cobwebs, cracked walls, broken furniture, aur ek dark corridor jo andar jata hua…
Tabhi kahi se ek halki si awaaz goonj utthi:
"M… Mee…raa…"
Ronit ne neck scratch kari:
"Ye kya tha?"
Zara ka face white ho gaya:
"Meera… tumhaara naam kisi ne kaha…"
Lekin haveli me koi nahi tha.
Meera ne nervously headlamp ko corridor me point kiya:
"Chalo… thoda aage chodte hain."
Unhone corridor me kadam rakha.
Har kadam par hawa thodi zyada cold ho rahi thi, jaise kisi ne aage ki taraf hawa push ki.
Aur tab…
Meera ka foot ek chhote note par atka:
Note par kuch likha tha —
"Yahan se mat jao… chudail jagrutit hai."
Zara ne gasp kiya:
"Yeh… kya?"
Meera ne notebook li, note ko read kiya.
Aur uski aankhen widen hokar gir gayi…
Kyuki note par likha tha:
"Humne tumhara intezaar kiya hai…"
Us raat haveli ne decide kiya tha ki ye teen ladke sirf visitors nahi the…
Ye target the.
Aur tabhi ek bohut tez footstep corridor ke end se sunai diya…
Thud… thud… thud…
Aur ek halki si aura jo slowly corridor me approach kar rahi thi…
Bina face dikhe… bas ek dark silhouette.
Aur us silhouette ke paas ek chudail ki awaaz thi:
"Tum log yahan kyun aaye ho…"
Haveli ke corridor me teenon ki heartbeat tez ho gayi thi।
Footsteps ab bhi slow aur deliberate sunai de rahi thi, jaise koi unka har move observe kar raha ho।
Meera ne deep breath li aur flashlight corridor ke end ki taraf point kiya।
Shadow wahan ab bhi move kar raha tha—sirf ek dark silhouette, koi face visible nahi।
Zara ne Ronit ka haath tightly pakad liya।
"Abhi wapas chale jaye?" usne softly poocha।
Meera ne shake kiya:
"Nahi… hum sach jaanenge."
Teeno ne cautiously aage kadam badhaye।
Floor purana aur cracked tha, aur her kadam par dust clouds udate ja rahe the।
Tabhi ek sudden chill ne unka neck stiff kar diya।
Ronit ne dekha corridor ke ek wall par purani paintings lagi thi।
Par sab ke faces scratched out the, aur red stains kuch zyada hi realistic lag rahe the।
"Yeh kya hai…?" Ronit ne gasp kiya।
Meera ne diary open ki aur blue pen uthaya—har scene ka description likhna shuru kiya।
Corridor ke end me ek small door tha—metallic latch purana aur rusted tha।
Zara ne murmur kiya:
"Kya is door ke andar wahi chudail hai?"
Meera ne slowly door ka handle pakda… aur tabhi ek sudden cold gust unke face par aayi।
Door khula… aur andar ek purana chamber tha।
Chamber me candle stubs scattered the, aur walls me strange symbols drawn the।
Ek purana mirror us corner me khada tha, lekin surface itna dusty tha ki reflection barely visible tha।
Aur phir… ek sudden movement mirror ke andar se dikha।
"Yeh impossible hai… reflection me koi aur hai!" Zara ne scream kiya।
Ronit ne flashlight shine ki… par kuch visible nahi tha।
Meera ne pen uthaya aur diary me likha:
"Some secrets are alive… and they wait for curious souls."
Chamber me ek purana trunk bhi tha—padlocks rusty aur broken.
Meera ne slowly trunk kholne ka decision liya… aur andar ek bundle of letters aur photographs mile.
Ek photograph me ek ladki khadi thi—white dress me, long black hair aur face partially shadowed.
Aur letter par kuch words clearly visible the:
"Jo bhi isse read karega… tumhare steps pe nazar rakhi ja rahi hai."
Teeno ka dil tez tez beat kar raha tha।
Shadow ab corridor ke corner me slowly appear ho gaya—bas ek black silhouette.
Aur softly, almost whisper me, awaaz aayi:
"Tum log… kyun aaye?"
Meera ne shak se diary me likha:
"Yeh haveli bas stories nahi… yeh apni legacy ke saath zinda hai."
Ronit aur Zara ne aankhen tightly band kar li—har sound exaggerated lag raha tha।
Aur tabhi unhone footsteps closer and closer sunai diye… jaise silhouette unke bilkul paas ho।
"Hum… yahan se bachenge?" Zara ne poocha।
Meera ne softly kaha:
"Haan… lekin pehle ye story samajhni hogi… kyunki Bhangarh ki chudail apni kahani sirf choose kiye gaye logon ko hi dikhati hai."
Aur corridor me phir ek deep whisper ghoonj uthi:
"Ab tum meri kahani ka hissa ban chuke ho… aur mai tumhe release karungi… ya nahi…"