Train ab raat ke andhere mein smoothly chal rahi thi. Riya ab pehle se zyada calm thi. Usne apni journey mein bahut kuch dekha tha — past, mistakes aur different futures.
Usse ab feel ho raha tha ki ye train sirf ek journey nahi thi, balki ek lesson thi।
Riya window se bahar dekh rahi thi jab train dheere-dheere slow hone lagi।
Old man ne apni pocket watch dekhi aur kaha,
"Yeh stop sabse important hai।"
Riya ka heart thoda fast beat karne laga।
"Sabse important?" usne pucha।
Old man ne sir hilaaya।
"Haan. Yeh moment decide karega ki tumhari life kis direction mein jaayegi," usne calmly kaha।
Train ruk gayi।
Doors open hue।
Riya dheere se bahar utri।
Is baar scene ek school hall ka tha।
Wahan stage par ek banner laga tha:
"Inter-School Talent Competition"
Riya ki aankhen shock se wide ho gayi।
"Yeh toh kal hone wala competition hai," usne surprise se kaha।
Old man ne kaha,
"Bilkul. Yeh tumhari life ka important decision hai।"
Riya ne hall ke andar dekha।
Students apni performances prepare kar rahe the।
Kuch singing practice kar rahe the, kuch dance।
Riya ko yaad aaya ki usne bhi is competition ke liye speech prepare ki thi।
Lekin usse stage fear tha।
Woh decide nahi kar pa rahi thi ki participate kare ya nahi।
Riya ne dheere se kaha,
"Main kal competition mein participate karne wali thi… lekin main nervous hoon।"
Old man ne uski taraf dekha।
"Yahi moment tumhari life ko change kar sakta hai," usne kaha।
Riya stage ki taraf dekhne lagi।
Usne imagine kiya ki agar woh stage par jaayegi, toh shayad woh nervous ho jaayegi।
Log uspar laugh bhi kar sakte the।
Lekin agar woh try hi nahi karegi…
Toh woh kabhi nahi jaan paayegi ki woh kya kar sakti hai।
Old man ne calmly kaha,
"Fear aur courage ke beech ka decision hi future banata hai।"
Riya chup ho gayi।
Usne deep breath li।
Usne auditorium ko dhyan se dekha।
Suddenly usse Chapter 4 wala future yaad aaya — jahan woh stage par confident speech de rahi thi aur audience claps kar rahi thi।
Riya ke face par dheere-dheere confidence aane laga।
"Main try karungi," usne firmly kaha।
Old man ne smile kiya।
"Good choice," usne kaha।
Tabhi train ka whistle phir se sunai diya।
Riya ne old man ki taraf dekha।
"Kya ab journey khatam ho gayi?" usne pucha।
Old man ne calmly jawab diya,
"Almost।"
Riya train ke andar wapas aa gayi।
Train phir se chalne lagi।
Is baar Riya ke mind mein fear nahi tha।
Uske mind mein ek clear decision tha।
Woh kal competition mein participate karegi।
Aur apna best try karegi।
Train dheere-dheere slow hone lagi।
Old man ne kaha,
"Agla stop tumhara ghar hai।"
Riya surprise ho gayi।
Train ruk gayi।
Doors open hue।
Riya ne platform par dekha।
Woh wahi station tha jahan se woh train mein chadhi thi।
Usne old man ki taraf dekha।
"Thank you," Riya ne smile ke saath kaha।
Old man ne sirf itna kaha,
"Yaad rakhna… future tumhari choices se banta hai।"
Riya train se bahar utar gayi।
Jaise hi woh platform par aayi…
Train slowly gayab hone lagi।
Aur kuch seconds mein woh train poori tarah disappear ho gayi।
Riya shock mein khadi thi।
"Shayad ye sab ek strange dream tha," usne socha।
Lekin uske mind mein ek baat clear thi।
Kal ka competition uski life change kar sakta tha।
Aur is baar…
Riya dar ke wajah se peeche nahi hatne wali thi।