Main kabhi room rent pe dena hi nahi chahti thi.
Lekin jab paise khatam ho jayein… aur 5 din se sirf Maggi pe zinda hu… toh insaan galat decisions leta hai.
Toh maine ad daala-
"Room available. No smoking. No drama. No criminals."
Exactly 2:13 AM pe knock hua.
Kaun 2:13 AM pe room dekhne aata hai bhai?..
Darwaza thoda sa khola.
Ek ladki khadi thi....
My sochi ki khol hin degi huu..aur khola kii waaha..
Black hoodie. Chhota suitcase. Bilkul calm expression.
"Room ke liye aayi hoon," usne seedha bola.
"Is time?"
"Aapne urgent likha tha."
Fair enough.
Usne ek envelope diya.
Cash.
Pure 6 months ka advance.
Na bargain. Na questions.
Red flag? Haan.
Accept kiya? Bilkul.wahi accept kar rahi thii kinwaah red flag haii..
Kyuki broke log miracle pe doubt nahi karte.
"Naam?" maine pucha.
Thoda ruk ke boli… "Aira."
"ID proof?"
Woh seedha meri aankhon mein dekhi.
"Sach mein dekhna chahte ho?"
Red flag number 99.
Phir bhi woh seedha andar chali gayi.
Direct spare room mein.
"How do you know yeh room hai?" maine pucha.
Pause.
"…Guess kiya."
Haan haan. Lucky guess.
Us raat neend nahi aayi.
3:07 AM.
Typing ki awaaz.
Fast. Bohot fast.
Jaise NASA hack ho raha ho.
Main dheere se bahar nikla.
Uske room ka door thoda sa open tha.
Andar dekha…
Woh laptop pe type nahi kar rahi thi.
Woh hawa mein type kar rahi thi.
Air mein.
Jaise invisible screen ho.
Aur uske saamne halki blue light blink kar rahi thi.
Maine aankhein rub ki.
Light gayab.
Woh dheere se meri taraf mudhi.
Direct eye contact.
"Mat dekho," usne calm voice mein bola.
Main seedha apne room bhaag gaya.
Next morning woh bilkul normal behave kar rahi thi.
Tea pee rahi thi.
Phone scroll kar rahi thi.
Jaise raat ko hawa mein hacking nahi kar rahi thi.
Phir casually poochti hai—
"Tum college kitne baje nikalte ho?"
"9:30."
"Aaj 9:45 pe nikalna."
"Kyuuun?"
"9:30 pe nikloge toh bike tumhe hit karegi."
Main hasa.
"Comedy kar rahi ho?"
Woh serious thi.
"Signal pe phone gir jayega. Tum jhukoge. Biker nahi dekhega."
Meri smile gayab.
"How do you know?"
"Because yeh already ho chuka hai."
"…Matlab?"
Woh lean karke boli—
"Main tumhari tenant nahi hoon."
Pause.
"Main tumhari damage control hoon."
Excuse me???
"Kahan se?"
"2032 se."
Main chai mein choke ho gaya.
"Time travel? Seriously?"
Woh blink bhi nahi kari.
"Tum 2028 mein ek app banate ho."
"Main commerce student hoon."
"Still."
"App ka naam — Future Access."
Mera heart freeze ho gaya.
Future Access.
Wahi naam maine 3 din pehle apni diary mein likha tha...aur aisa laga kii oohh..ye kya hora ha haii
Random sci-fi idea ke liye.
Kisi ko nahi bataya.
"Tumhe kaise pata?"
Woh serious ho gayi.
"2032 mein woh app aadha sheher destroy karta hai."
Room suddenly heavy feel hone laga.
"Main tumhe rokne aayi hoon."
Tabhi mera phone vibrate hua.
Ek app notification.
App jo maine kabhi download nahi ki.
App name:
Future Access
Mere haath kaanpne lage.
Open kiya.
Ek message.
"Welcome back, Creator."
Room hilne laga.
Windows crack ho gayi.
Bahar street ke saare electronic screens ek saath on ho gaye.
Sab pe mera face.
Aur likha tha—
"TARGET IDENTIFIED."
Main Aira ki taraf dekha.
Woh khadi ho gayi.
"…Time khatam."
Tabhi main door blast ho gaya.
Black tactical suits wale log andar ghuse.
Police nahi.
Army nahi.
Unke uniform pe ek symbol tha.
Broken clock.
Ek banda chillaaya—
"Secure the inventor!"
Aira ne mera haath pakda.
"Run. Agar tum pakde gaye toh future khatam hojaye gaaa"
Bullets wall pe lagne laga..
Aur woh dheere se boli—
"Tumhe yaad nahi hona chahiye tha."