Andhera phir se chha gaya.
Sirf sirens ki awaaz tez hoti ja rahi thi.
Principal ne mauka dekhkar bhaagne ki koshish ki,
lekin papa ne locker se nikli hard drive uthakar zor se kaha,
"Ab kahin nahi ja sakte."
Aarav ne apna phone torch on kiya.
Roshni seedhe principal ke chehre par padi—
wo poori tarah toot chuka tha.
Upar se zor se awaaz aayi—
"Police! Darwaza kholo!"
Principal ghutnon par baith gaya.
"Tumhein pata nahi… maine kitni zindagiyan control ki hain."
Papa shaant swar mein bole,
"Aur aaj wahi zindagiyan tumhara sach dekhenge."
Darwaza toot gaya.
Police andar ghusi.
Hard drive, files, recordings—
sab kuch seize ho gaya.
Principal ko haathkadi lagate waqt
usne Aarav ki taraf dekha aur dheere se bola,
"Tumhare papa ne mujhe barbaad kiya…
aur tumne unhe yaad dila diya ki woh kaun the."
Subah ho chuki thi.
School ke gate ke bahar media thi.
Headlines thi:
"Respected Principal Arrested in Secret Surveillance Case"
Aarav ka suspension letter tear karke
principal ke office ke notice board par chipka diya gaya—
as evidence.
Papa aur Aarav school ke bahar nikle.
Hawa aaj alag lag rahi thi—
halki, azaad.
Aarav ne poocha,
"Papa… agar main us raat message ignore kar deta to?"
Papa muskuraye.
"Phir shayad sach aur intezaar karta.
Sach hamesha kisi na kisi ko bula hi leta hai."
Aarav ke phone par ek last message aaya—
wahi unknown number.
"Case closed.
Tum safe ho."
Message delete ho gaya.
Number hamesha ke liye gayab.
Aarav ne aasman ki taraf dekha.
Kabhi jo raat thi,
aaj wahi subah ban chuki thi.
Kuch raaz chupaye ja sakte hain…
lekin sach ko suspend nahi kiya ja sakta.