Hospital ka room shaant tha…
Sirf machine ki halki si awaaz—
Beep… beep… beep…
Ayesha dheere dheere apni aankhen kholti hai…
Sab kuch blur lag raha tha…
"Main… zinda hoon…?" wo dheere se bolti hai.
Armaan turant uske paas aata hai—
"Haan Ayesha! Tum wapas aa gayi… tum theek ho…"
Ayesha halka sa muskuraati hai…
Lekin uska dimaag abhi bhi us bungalow me atka hua tha…
"Rohan…?" wo dheere se poochti hai.
Armaan ka chehra serious ho jata hai…
"Woh… mar chuka hai…"
Room me ek pal ke liye khamoshi chha jaati hai.
Ayesha aankhen band kar leti hai…
"Sab khatam ho gaya…?"
Armaan dheere se kehta hai—
"Haan… ab sab theek hai…"
Lekin…
Achanak room ki light halki si flicker karti hai…
Tik… tik…
Ayesha ki aankhen turant khul jaati hain.
"Armaan… tumne dekha…?"
Armaan confused hota hai—
"Kya?"
Ayesha seedha saamne dekhti hai…
Window ke paas…
Ek shadow khadi hoti hai.
Wahi thandi hasi…
Wahi andhera chehra…
Ayesha ka dil zor se dhadakne lagta hai.
"Woh… wahan hai…"
Armaan turant mudkar dekhta hai…
Lekin wahan koi nahi hota.
"Yahan to koi nahi hai, Ayesha…"
Ayesha ka saans tez ho jata hai.
"Nahi… maine clearly dekha…"
Tabhi achanak machine ki beep fast hone lagti hai—
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Room ka temperature achanak thanda ho jata hai…
Aur Ayesha ke kaan me ek awaaz goonjti hai—
"Tum samajh rahi thi… game khatam ho gaya…?"
Ayesha ka chehra safed pad jaata hai.
"Kaun hai?!"
Awaaz dheere se hasta hai—
"Main hoon… jise tum kabhi nahi hara sakti…"
Ayesha ghabra jaati hai.
"Rohan mar chuka hai… tum kaun ho?!"
Achanak uske saamne mirror me ek reflection dikhai deta hai…
Lekin…
Us reflection me Ayesha akeli nahi hoti…
Uske peeche koi aur khada hota hai…
Ek lamba sa shadow…
Laal aankhen…
Ayesha zor se cheekh padti hai—
"ARMAAN!!!"
Armaan usse pakad leta hai—
"Kya hua?!"
Ayesha kaanpte hue kehti hai—
"Woh… mere peeche hai…"
Room ki lights ek baar phir blink karti hain…
Aur is baar…
Mirror me woh shadow dheere se muskuraata hai…
Aur kehta hai—
"Welcome back… Ayesha…"
Ayesha ka dil samajh jaata hai—
Rohan sirf ek hissa tha…
Asli khel ab shuru hua hai…
(To be continued…) 😱🔥