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Andhere Ka Safar
Aravind hamesha se ek adventure-loving insaan tha. Use naye jagah explore karna, unknown cheezein dekhna pasand tha. Jasmine, uske bilkul opposite, hamesha safe aur familiar jagah pe rehna pasand karti thi. Phir bhi, dono bachpan se ek dusre ke saath jude the, aur ab college life mein bhi inseparable the.Ek shaam Aravind ne ek ajeeb si baat boli, "Chalo kahin ghoomne chalte hain, city se bahar."
Jasmine thoda hesitant thi. "Kaha jaane ka plan hai?"
"Bas chalti bike pe nikalenge, jo milega explore karenge."
Jasmine ko mann toh nahi tha, par Aravind ka excitement dekhkar woh maan gayi. Dono bike pe nikle, dheere dheere city ke raaste chhod kar jungle wali road par aa gaye. Pedh itne ghane ho gaye ki suraj ki roshni bhi kam dikh rahi thi. Hawa thodi thandi aur ajeeb si lagne lagi thi.
Jasmine ne ghabrakar kaha, "Aravind, waapas chalo. Raat hone wali hai."
"Bas thoda aur aage," Aravind bola, excitement uski awaaz mein saaf tha.
Lekin thodi der baad raste aur bhi sankre ho gaye. Jungle itna ghana ho gaya ki hawa bhi ruk si gayi thi. Na koi gaadi ki awaaz, na koi pakshi ki cheekh—sirf dono ki saans lene ki awaaz sunai de rahi thi.
Tabhi, bike sputter karte hue band ho gayi.
Aravind ne gusse se kaha, "Salaa, yeh kya ho gaya?"
Usne bike start karne ki koshish ki, par engine dead ho chuka tha. Jasmine ne apna phone nikala—no network. Aravind ne bhi check kiya—kahi signal nahi tha.
Ek ajeeb si khamoshi chha gayi.
Tabhi Jasmine ki nazar ek jagah padhi. "Aravind, waha dekho!"
Dur, pedo ke beech ek chhoti si roshni dikh rahi thi. Aisa lag raha tha jaise koi ghar ho.
"Dekho, waha ek ghar hai!" Jasmine ne halka sa relief mehsoos karte hue kaha.
Aravind bhi dekhta raha. Sach mein ek purana sa lakdi ka ghar khada tha, jisme se dheemi si peeli roshni nikal rahi thi.
Aur koi option nahi tha, toh dono us ghar ki taraf badhne lage. Jaise jaise dono ghar ke kareeb ja rahe the, hawa aur bhi bhaari lagne lagi thi. Jaise khud jungle keh raha ho—wapas jao.
Jasmine ek second ke liye ruki. "Aravind, yeh jagah ajeeb lag rahi hai."
Aravind ne bina soche knock kiya.
Darwaza creak karte hue khul gaya.
Ek budhiya saamne khadi thi. Patli si, ajeeb se purane kapdon mein lapeti hui. Uska rang itna feeka tha ki jaise khoon hi nahi bacha ho. Uske chehre par gehri jhurriyan thi, aur uski aankhein—hollow, sunken jaise kisi khaali gufa mein dekh rahe ho.
Aravind ne halka sa smile diya. "Maaji, hum yahaan kho gaye hain. Raat yahin guzar sakte hain?"
Budhiya ne ek second ke liye kuch nahi kaha. Fir dheere se uske honto par ek ajeeb si smile aayi—ek aisi smile jo insaano ki nahi lagti thi.
"Andar aao, bacchon," usne halki, paper jaisi khasta awaaz mein kaha.
Jasmine thodi der ruki, par Aravind andar chala gaya aur use bhi kheench liya.
Darwaza peeche click ki awaaz ke saath bandh ho gaya.
Rahasya Ka Ghar
Jab Aravind aur Jasmine ghar ke andar gaye, ek ajeeb si thandi hawa unke chehre se takraayi. Ghar andar se chhota tha, lakdi ki diwaren, purane furniture se bhara hua. Hawa mein ek ajeeb si sard boo thi, jaise purane kapdon aur mitti ki sugandh ho.
Budhiya dheere-dheere andar chali gayi, bina kisi awaaz ke. Aisa laga jaise uske kadam zameen ko chhute hi nahi.
"Baitho," usne ek kone mein rakhi do purani kursiyon ki taraf ishaara kiya.
Aravind bina soche baith gaya, par Jasmine thodi hesitant thi. Ghar ka mahaul ajeeb sa lag raha tha—behad purana, lekin kahin bhi ek bhi makdi ka jaala ya dhool nahi thi. Jaise koi cheez hamesha sab kuch saaf rakhti ho.
Budhiya ne andar jaake ek lakdi ki plate mein do glass paani aur thodi roti laakar rakh di.
"Lo, kha lo. Raat bhar raho toh bhookh bhi lagi hogi."
Jasmine ne plate ko dekha. Roti sookhi thi, par sabse ajeeb cheez thi paani—uska rang halka sa laal tha.
Uska dil zor se dhadakne laga. "Yeh paani ka color aisa kyu hai?"
Budhiya ke chehre par wahi ajeeb muskurahat thi. "Yeh jungle ka paani hai, isme mitti ka rang aa gaya hoga."
Aravind bina kuch soche roti todne laga. Jasmine ne uska haath pakad liya, "Ek second ruko!"
Budhiya ab bhi un dono ko bina palke jhapkaye ghoor rahi thi.
"Maaji, aap yahaan akeli rehti ho? Dar nahi lagta?" Jasmine ne dheere se poocha.
Budhiya ek pal ke liye chup rahi, phir dheere se boli, "Main jab jawaan thi, tab apne pati ke saath yahan aayi thi. Pehle toh hum dar gaye the, phir hume yeh ghar mila aur hum yahan ruk gaye."
Ek ajeeb si thandak Jasmine ki reedh ki haddi tak utar gayi.
Budhiya ne apni kahani khatam ki, par Jasmine aur Aravind ab ek dusre ki taraf shock mein dekh rahe the.
Agar yeh budhiya tab yahan apne pati ke saath aayi thi... toh phir uska pati kahan hai?
Aur agar yeh tab jawaan thi... toh phir yeh yahaan 100 saal se kaise zinda hai?
Jasmine ne dheere se budhiya ke haathon ko dekha—unme laal nishaan the, jaise naye zakhm ho.
Budhiya ek ajeeb si muskurahat ke saath dheere se boli, "Aram se so jao… raat lambi hai."
Raat Ka Aankhon Dekha Sach
Raat ka mahaul aur bhi bhayanak ho chuka tha. Ghar ke andar ek ajeeb si thandak thi, jaise hawa bhi ruk gayi ho. Jasmine ka dil zor zor se dhadak raha tha, par Aravind fir bhi relaxed lag raha tha.
"Aravind, mujhe ye sab sahi nahi lag raha," Jasmine ne dheere se kaha.
Aravind ne uska haath thaama, "Jasmine, bas raat bhar ki to baat hai. Subah hote hi nikal jayenge."
Par Jasmine ka mann nahi maan raha tha. Usne fir se budhiya ki taraf dekha. Budhiya waisi ki waisi muskurati rahi, jaise uske chehre pe koi aur expression aata hi nahi ho.
"Khaana thanda ho raha hai," budhiya ne ek ajeeb si meethi awaaz mein kaha.
Jasmine ne roti uthayi, par jaise hi usne ek tukda toda, uske haath kaanp gaye. Roti ke andar ek patla, laal rang ka keeda chal raha tha! Uska dil ghabra gaya, usne turant roti neeche phek di.
Aravind ne dekha toh uske chehre pe confusion thi, "Kya hua?"
Jasmine ne usse kuch kehna chaha, par jab usne phir roti dekhi, to andar kuch bhi nahi tha.
Budhiya ab bhi muskurahi rahi thi. "Kha lo, beta. Tum dono ko raat bhar taqat chahiye hogi."
Jasmine ne us budhiya ki baat pe dhyaan diya—raat bhar taqat chahiye hogi? Kis cheez ke liye?
Raat Ka Sach
Raat aur gehri hoti gayi. Budhiya ne unke liye ek chhota sa kamra diya jisme ek purana bistar tha.
Jasmine ne Aravind se kaha, "Mujhe yahaan raat nahi rukni."
"Jasmine, subah hone do," Aravind ne use samjhane ki koshish ki.
Par Jasmine chain se nahi baith sakti thi. Usne decide kiya ki ghar ke andar thoda explore karegi.
Jaise hi Aravind so gaya, Jasmine dheere se bistar se uthi. Darwaza kholne hi wali thi ki ek ajeeb si awaaz aayi—"Krrr... Krrr..."
Usne dheere se peephole se dekha.
Budhiya saamne wale kamre ke andar khadi thi. Uski peeth murri hui thi, aur uske haath lambe ho rahe the... jaise uski haddiyan khud-bakhud kheench rahi ho!
Jasmine ka gala sookh gaya. Budhiya apne naakhun se zameen par kuch likh rahi thi.
Usne zor lagakar dekha—zameen pe likha tha:
"Yeh raat tumhari aakhri raat hai."
Jasmine ka dil zor se dhadakne laga. Usne peephole se dekha, par ab budhiya waha nahi thi.
Aur tabhi...
Koi uske peeche tha.
Ek sard sa saans uski gardan pe mehsoos hua.
Jasmine dheere-dheere mudne lagi…
Aur tabhi…
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
And the loop begins
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