Thriller "D R A C O – Sach Ka Pehredaar Ya Tabahi Ka Naam?"

[jeet1436]

UPDATE 11 (A) , UPDATE 11 (B) : POSTED


Syaahi nahi, yeh lahu hai jo pannon par utar raha hai.Yeh khamoshi nahi, toofan se pehle ka sannata hai.Is naye update ko sirf padhein nahi... iski har saans ko mehsoos karein. Har dialogue ke peeche chhupe raaz ko pakdein.Agar is toofan ki goonj aapke dil tak pahunche, toh apne Like aur Follow se isse Qayamat mein badal dein.


ISS BAAR KA UPDATE KUCH JYADA HI BADA HO GAYA MANALI SAFAR KO MUJHE 3 UPDATE MEIN DENA CHAHIYE THA SOCHA 2 UPDATE MEIN DE DUNGA LEKIN FIR BHI AAJ KA EK UPDATE 12K WORDS SE BHI JYADA HO GAYA AGLA DHAMAKA TOH ABHI BAAKI HAI YEH TOH BAS TRAILER THA ASLI BOMB TOH AGLE UPDATE MEIN FODUNGA INTEZAAR KARE DHAMAAKAAAA HAI .... DIWALI KA DHAMAKA AAANE WALA HAI .........

 

[jeet1436]

intezaar rahega....

Aaj dhamaka ke saath aa raha hai ek bahot bada surprise bhi hai

 

[Sushil@10]

Waiting for update

 

[parkas]

UPDATE 11 - WILL BE POSTED ON TOMMOROW 4PM.......

Besabari se intezaar rahega next update ka jeet1436 bhai.....

 

[jeet1436]

Besabari se intezaar rahega next update ka jeet1436 bhai.....

Sorry bhai raat ko ayega

 

[jeet1436]

Sorry bhai log sayad 4 waje nahi de paunga yaha par subhe se current nahi hai laptop mein charge bi nahi hai abhi editing baki hai ek update aaj raat aa jayega aur ek update kal ayega

 

[jeet1436]

Waiting for update

Raat ko ayega bhai

 

[Sushil@10]

Raat ko ayega bhai

Intezar rahega bhai update ka

 

[jeet1436]

Intezar rahega bhai update ka

Isssss baar ka update kuch jyada hi lamba hai isiliye 2 update ayenge koshis hai raat tak ek update ka editing complete ho jaye

 

[jeet1436]

Diwali aa raha hai doston

 

[jeet1436]

UPDATE 11 (A)


BARF PAR LAHU KA MAUSAM

PART 1: Raat Ka Safar

EXT. DELHI HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL – MIDNIGHT

Raat ke theek 12 baj rahe the. Dilli ki sardi apni poori nafrat ke saath hawa mein zeher ghol raha tha. Delhi Higher Secondary School ka vishaal campus, jo din mein hazaron students ke shor se zinda rehta tha, ab ek qabristan ki tarah andhere aur khamoshi ke chaadar odhe soya hua tha. Par aaj iss khamoshi mein sukoon nahi, ek ajeeb sa dahashat tha. Jaise toofan se pehle ki woh bhaari shaanti, jab hawa bhi saans lene se darta hai. Aisa lag raha tha jaise Dilli ne apna saans rok li ho, kisi anhoni ka intezaar kar rahi ho.

Campus ke main gate ke paas, do chamchamati, kaali Volvo bus kisi shikaari jaanwar ki tarah shaant khada tha. Unka powerful LED headlights ne andhere ko cheer kar ek dhundhli si roshni ka surang bana diya tha, jo seedhe anjaane bhavishya ki taraf jaata tha. Engine ka garmi se uthta dhuaan un headlights ki roshni mein aise ghul raha tha, jaise kisi dusri duniya ka darwaza khul gaya ho.

Manali trip — kaagazon par yeh ek picnic tha.

Lekin is khel ke asli khiladi jaante the… yeh sirf ek trip nahi, ek imtihaan tha. Ek aisi jung ka ailaan, jiska maidan ab Dilli ke concrete jungle se badalkar Manali ke barfeele pahaad banne wale the.


Dheere-dheere, students hostels kE roshni se nikal kar us andhere mein ikattha hone lage. Unke chehron par neend se zyada Manali jaane ka utsah tha. Hawa mein sardi ke saath-saath excitement aur sargoshiyan ghula hua tha.

"Suna hai wahan snowfall hone wala hai!" "Yaar, bonfire night ke liye gaane select kar liye?"

Par is masoom bheed mein kuch chehre aise the jinke liye yeh safar picnic nahi, shatranj ki ek khooni baazi ka agla maidan tha.


Ravi Mishra apna backpack kandhe par taange bus se kuch dur, andhere mein ek saaye ki tarah khada tha. Uska shareer bilkul shaant tha, ek patthar ka murti ke tarah, jise sardi ya hawa se koi fark nahi padta. Lekin uska aankhein… woh ek alag hi kahani keh raha tha. Un aankhon ke samandar mein ek toofan qaid tha. Aisa toofan jo purani ladaiyon, khoye hue logon, aur adhoore badlon ki yaadon ki laashon se bana tha. Uske chehre par koi bhaav nahi tha, par uski aankhein cheekh raha tha—jaise kisi purana jang ke zakhm ab bhi uske andar sulag rahe ho, har saans ke saath uska aatma ko jala rahe ho.

Tabhi Kabir uske paas aaya, hamesha ki tarah chewing gum chabate hue. Uske chehre par ek laaparwah muskaan tha, par woh bhi jaanta tha ki Ravi ke aas-paas ka hawa hamesha bhaari rehta hai.

Kabir: “Bhai, itna serious kyun lag raha hai? Manali ja rahe hain, warzone nahi.”

Amit ne apne chashme ko theek karte hue dheere se kaha,

"Technically, Kabir, har situation ek potential warzone hai. Bas 'activation energy' ka fark hota hai. Aur yahan… potential energy hadh se zyada hai."

Ravi ne apni nazar us andhere gate se nahi hataya. Bina Kabir ke taraf dekhe, uske honth hile. Uska aawaz itna thanda tha jaise barf ke neeche daba hua sadiyon purana talwar ho.


Ravi (bina dekhe): “Warzone wahi hota hai jahan dushman muskurata hai.”

Kabir aur Amit dono chup ho gaya. Ravi ka tone thanda tha — par har lafz mein ek aisi dhaar tha jo seedha rooh ko cheerta tha.


Theek usi pal, peeche se Sia aayi. Usne ek stylish si jacket pehni thi, baal loosely bandhe hue the, aur kuch latein hawa mein uske khoobsurat chehre par aa raha tha. Uski aankhon mein ek ajeeb sa sannaata thi, ek aisi gehraai jismein pyaar aur khatra dono ek saath rehte the. Usne Ravi ki taraf dekha, par kuch bola nahi. Dono ke beech ek purani kahani ki khamoshi thi, jaise lafzon ke beech abhi bhi ek “adhura vaada” qaid ho.

Uski aankhon mein ek aisi kashmakash thi jaise uska dil aur dimaag do alag-alag safar par nikalne wale ho. Use apne Dada Sahab ke alfaaz yaad aa rahe the, 'Arjun Rathore ke har qadam par nazar rakhna, Sia. Woh hamari saltanat ke liye khatra hai. Uske liye tumhein kuch bhi karna pade... karo. Apne dil ko is khel se door rakhna.' Par yeh dil hi tha jo baar-baar uske dimaag ke khilaaf bagawat kar raha tha.

Alisha, hamesha ki tarah, ek kone mein akeli khadi thi. Uske haath mein phone tha, aur uski nigahein ek baaz ki tarah sab par thi, par uska aakhri nishana Ravi hi tha. Uske chehre par ek halki si muskaan thi, jaise use is khel ka anjaam pehle se pata ho.


Naye Khiladi: YuKi, Aarav (Phoenix), aur The Trio (Zayn, Adira, Maya), sab alag-alag khade the. Woh is bheed ka hissa hokar bhi nahi the. Unke khamoshi unke wajood ko aur bhi rahasyamayi bana raha tha. YuKi, ek ped ke neeche andhere mein khada tha, uska chehra dikhayi nahi de raha tha. Aarav, bus ke doosre taraf, ek saaye ki tarah khada tha, uski nigahein sirf Ravi ki peeth par tika tha. The Trio aapas mein khusar-pusar kar rahe the, unke aankhein har kisi ko scan kar raha tha.


Aur phir thi Riya. Woh ladki jise Ravi ne gundo se bachaya tha. Woh aaj alag hi himmat ke saath aayi thi. Uski aankhein sirf Ravi ko dhoondh rahi thi. Woh dheere se uske group ke paas aayi.


Riya (thodi hichkichate hue): "Hi Kabir... Sab theek?" Usne pucha Kabir se, par uski nazrein Ravi par thi.


Ravi ne uski taraf nahi dekha, par usne Riya ki presence ko mehsoos kar liya tha. Uske andar ek ajeeb si bechaini hua. Yeh ladki uski duniya ka hissa nahi tha, aur woh nahi chahta tha ki uska parchhayi bhi ispar pade.


BHAIYON MEIN DARAR


Bus ke paas, andhere mein, do saaye alag khade the. Arjun aur Aryan Rathore. Rathore Brothers. Power unke naam se nahi, unke aura se jhalakta tha. Aisa lagta tha jaise power khud unke saath chalta hai, unke har kadam ko follow karta hai. Unke saath Arjun ke vafadaar dost, Virat, Rishi aur Sameer, khade the. Hawa mein unke beech ka tanav saaf mehsoos ho raha tha.

Arjun: “Aaj se game shuru hota hai, bhai.”

Aryan: “Game nahi… pariksha. Bas yaad rakh — Rathore kabhi peeth pe vaar nahi karte.”

Arjun ke chehre par ek aisa muskaan aaya jismein confidence se zyada ghamand tha. “Tabhi toh har baar haar jaate hain.”

Yeh line hawa mein teer ki tarah Aryan ko laga. Usne gusse se Arjun ko dekha.

Arjun: "Aryan, Manali mein humein thoda 'shaant' rehna hoga. Wahan main sab sambhal lunga."


Aryan (Apne bhai ko ghoorte hue):
"Shaant? Sambhal loge? Arjun, humein uss ladki, Jaanvi, se khatra hai. Main jaanta hoon Dad ne kya kaha hai. Par yaad rakhna, hum Rathore hain, qaatil nahi."


VIRAT ne beech mein tokne ka koshish kiya, "Par Aryan bhai, agar woh muh kholegi toh..."


Aryan (Uska baat kaat-te hue, awaaz mein ek thandi warning tha):
"Toh hum uska muh band karwa denge! Uske parivaar ko 'samjhayenge', use darayenge, dhamkayenge... zaroorat pada toh uski zindagi nark bana denge. Par uski saansein nahi chheenenge. Jaan se maarna... yeh hamare usoolon ke khilaaf hai. Rathore dushman ko todte hain, par begunahon ka khoon nahi bahate. Samjhe tum, Arjun?"

Arjun ne apne bhai ke aankhon mein ek aisa aag dekha jise woh jaanta tha. Aryan ek bully tha, par uska apna ek code tha.


Arjun (Ek jhoothi muskaan ke saath): "Relax, bhai. Aisa kuch nahi hoga. Main bas... 'baat' karunga."

Par uske dimaag mein ek alag hi toofan chal raha tha.
'Tumhare usool is jung mein kaam nahi aayenge, Aryan. Jab saltanat khatre mein ho, toh har paap... punya ban jaata hai.'



BUS KE ANDAR KI MASTI AUR TENSION

Ek zordaar gurrahat ke saath bus ka engine zinda hua, jaise ek shikaari ne lambi neend ke baad angdaai liya ho. Ms. Meera Kapoor aur Principal Malhotra ne kuch zaroori instructions diye, par unke aawaz students ke josh aur sargoshiyon mein dab kar reh gaya. Unke chehre par bas ek formality tha; asli khel ke niyam toh koi aur likh raha tha.


Safar shuru hua.

Buses dheere-dheere aage badha, aur unke taaqatwar headlights ne school ke peeche chhoot’te andhere ko cheer diya. Delha ka lambi, sooni sadkein ab peeche chhoot raha tha. Yeh sadkein nahi tha, yeh ek purani zindagi tha jise har pahiya peeche dhakel raha tha.

Raat ka andhera, Dilli ke shor ko peeche chhodta hua do luxurious Volvo buses, aane wale toofan ka khamoshi mein lipta, Manali ke taraf badh raha tha. Andar, air conditioner ka halka 'hmmm' ki awaaz mein kayi anjaane toofan saansein le rahe the. Yeh school trip nahi, ek chalta-phirta 'war council' tha, jahan har shakhs apne zehen mein jung ka taiyaari kar raha tha.

Jald hi, mahaul do hisson mein bant gaya.

Ek taraf, jashn ka mahaul tha. Kabir se, jaisa ki ummeed tha, bus ko sar par utha liya. Antakshari shuru ho chuka tha. Music full volume par tha, jokes sunaye jaa rahe the, mobile phones ki flashlights mein Instagram stories ban raha tha. Har taraf hasi, gaane aur befikri ka shor tha.

Doosri taraf, khamosh nigaahon ka ek anjaana khel chal raha tha. Jahaan lafz nahi, saansein takra raha tha. Jahaan har chehra ek naqaab tha aur har muskaan ek saazish. In kuch seats par, hawa zeher ki tarah bhaari tha.

Pichli seaton ke andhere kone mein, Ravi khidki ke paas akela baitha tha. Usne earphones laga rakhe the, par uska playlist mein koi gaana nahi chal raha tha. Sirf silence. Ek aisa khamoshi jismein woh apne andar uthte toofano ki aawazein sun sakta tha. Khidki se bahar andhere ko ghoorte hue, uske chehre par aati-jaati street lights ki roshni uske andar chal rahe vichaaron ka aks pesh kar raha tha. Yeh ek ajeeb sa shaanti tha jo bahar ke shor se zyada bechain karne wala tha.

"Kuch safar awaaz ke saath nahi, khamoshi ke saath likhe jaate hain. Ye unhi mein se ek tha."

RAVI (Inner Monologue): "Yeh sadak Manali nahi, mere ateet ke taraf jaa raha hai. Har mod ek naya raaz kholega, aur har manzil par ek nayi maut khada hoga. Arjun ne shikaar ke liye jaal bichhaya hai, par woh yeh nahi jaanta... ki is jaal mein ab itne shikaari aa chuke hain ki jaal khud hi shikaar ban jaayega."

Sia usse do seats aage baithi thi. Usne apne baal khol diye the. Khidki ke sheeshe par uske aks ke theek peeche, Ravi ka aks dikh raha tha. Dono ek dusre ko dekh nahi rahe the, par andhere sheeshe mein unke chehre ek dusre se takra rahe the. Ek anjaan si aankh-micholi chal raha tha. Beech mein puri duniya so raha tha, aur un dono ke dil jaag rahe the.

SIA (Inner Monologue): "Ek taraf mera farz... doosri taraf tumhara yeh anjaana wajood. Dada Sahab ne mujhe Wazir banaya hai, par mera dil har baar tumhare liye pyada banne ko taiyaar ho jaata hai. Kaash main tumhari aankhon ka sannaata padh paati, Ravi. Kaash..."


Amit thoda dur chupchap baitha Ravi ko observe kar raha tha.

Kabir, jo sabko nachaane ki koshish kar raha tha, aakhirkaar Amit ke paas aaya.

Kabir ne Amit se pucha,

KABIR : "Bhai, tu kyun chup hai? Kuch bol."

Amit, jo ek nazar gaane-gaate hue students ko aur phir shaant baithe Ravi ko dekh raha tha, ne apna chashma theek karte hue kaha,

AMIT : "Main bas thermodynamics observe kar raha hoon. Is bus ke do alag-alag system hain. Ek taraf, high entropy—total chaos, energy har direction mein release ho raha hai. Aur doosri taraf, yahan humare paas... entropy almost zero hai. Saari energy ek single point (Ravi) par concentrate ho raha hai. Jab do aise system takraate hain, Kabir, toh result hamesha explosive hota hai."

Kabir ne Amit ke sar par halka sa maara.

KABIR : "Oye Newton! Class mat le, gaana ga!"

Yeh keh kar Kabir wapas masti mein lag gaya, par Amit ka baat hawa mein ek anjaani si chetavni ka tarah tairta reh gaya.


Isi Mahol mein, Riya ne himmat karke Ravi ke bagal wali khaali seat le li. Ravi ne koi reaction nahi diya, bas khidki se bahar dekhta raha. Sia, jo aage baithi thi, ne aaine mein yeh dekha aur uska dil doob gaya. Use Riya se jalan nahi, Ravi ke is bartav se takleef ho rahi thi. Woh jaanti thi Ravi aisa kyun kar raha tha - woh Riya ko apne khatarnaak saaye se door rakhna chahta tha.

Riya (dheere se): "Thank you... uss raat ke liye."

Ravi (bilkul shaant awaaz mein, bina aankhein khole): "Bhool jao."

Yeh keh kar woh phir se khamosh ho gaya.


Do lafz. Par in do lafzon mein ek poori deewar tha. Riya ke chehre par beizzati nahi, ek ajeeb si hairat thi. Use ehsaas ho gaya tha ki yeh shakhs shukriya ya ehsaan jaise lafzon se bahut aage nikal chuka hai.


Kabir, jo yeh sab dekh raha tha, Riya ko chhedne se khud ko rok nahi paaya. Usne gaana shuru kar diya:


Kabir (Gaana gaate hue): "Mere saamne wali khidki mein... ek 'Silent Killer' rehta hai..."


Riya sharma gayi aur Ravi ne pehla baar palat kar Kabir ko ek warning bhari nazar se dekha. Aisa nazar jiska matlab tha, 'band kar, ya main karwa dunga.' Kabir foran chup ho gaya.

Par is chalta-phirta jung mein sirf yahi khiladi nahi the. Aur phir... naye khiladi. Har saaya apne andar ek raaz dabaye baitha tha.

• YuKi, sabse aage ki single seat par, aankhein band kiye baitha tha. Par woh so nahi raha tha. Woh apne ateet ka jalta hua Haveli ki lapton ko, uss raakh ki mehak ko mehsoos kar raha tha. Har saans ke saath uske andar inteqaam ka aag aur tez ho raha tha.

• Aarav (Phoenix), aakhri seat ke doosre kone mein, ek saaye ki tarah baitha tha. Uska wajood itna shaant tha ki uska presence mehsoos karna bhi mushkil tha. Uska nigahein Ravi ke peeth par ek pehredaar ke tarah tika tha, jaise woh uski hifazat nahi, uski har saans ka hisaab rakh raha ho.

• The Trio (Zayn, Adira, Maya), beech mein, aam students ki tarah hansi-mazaak kar rahe the, par unke aankhein... unki aankhein scanner thi. Woh har chehre ko, har harkat ko, har sargoshi ko record kar raha tha. Woh bheed ka hissa the, par bheed unka shikaar tha.

• Alisha, theek Arjun ke peeche, apne phone par kuch type kar rahi thi. Uske honthon par ek aisi muskaan thi jaise use aane wale khel ka anjaam pehle se pata ho. Woh pyada nahi, woh Wazir thi, bas uska Raja koi aur tha.

Alisha, jo sab dekh rahi thi, ne mehsoos kar liya ki Sia toot rahi hai. Yahi sahi mauka tha. Woh dheere se Sia ke paas aayi. Tabhi ek haath Sia ke kandhe par pada. Usne chaunk kar dekha—Alisha thi.

Alisha ke chehre par ek shaitani muskaan thi. “Tu itna lost kyun hai? Usko dekh rahi thi na?” usne dheere se Sia ke kaan mein kaha.

Sia ka chehra ekdum se defensive ho gaya. “Main… main kuch nahi kar rahi thi.”

Alisha ki muskaan aur gehri ho gayi, jaise woh Sia ke dil ke aar-paar dekh sakti ho. “Dekh le. Abhi dekh sakti hai. Baad mein shayad mauka na mile.”

Phir woh Sia ke kaan ke aur kareeb aayi.

Alisha (sargoshi mein): "Dil aur dimaag ki ladai mein hamesha wohi jeetta hai jiske paas khone ke liye kuch na ho. Tumhare paas toh bahut kuch hai, Sia. Apna dil sambhal kar rakhna."

Us aakhri line mein ek chetavni thi. Ek aisi warning jiska matlab sirf Alisha jaanti thi, aur shayad jiska anjaam Sia ko Manali mein dekhne ko milne wala tha.



Dusri bus mein mahaul bilkul alag tha.

Yahan koi shor nahi tha. Sirf professionalism aur saazish ki khamoshi tha. Arjun Rathore apni seat par baitha tha, jaise koi king apne modern takht par baitha ho. Uske saath Virat, Rishi, aur Sameer baithe the, uski war council. Uske saamne uska state-of-the-art laptop khula tha. Screen par Manali Monastery Area ka ek 3D map tha, jismein kuch jaghein red zones se mark kiye hue the.

Ek file khula tha. Naam tha—"Project Snowfall."

Uske chehre par ek shaatir khiladi ka muskaan tha.

ARJUN (Inner Monologue): "Jaanvi... tum meri saltanat ka aakhri kamzori ho. Tumhein mitana zaroori hai. Aur Ravi... tum uss kamzori tak pahunchne ke raaste ka woh patthar ho jise todna nahi, reza-reza karna zaroori hai. Manali mein main do shikaar karunga. Ek apne wajood ke liye... doosra apne ghamand ke liye."

Uske paas baitha RISHI, jo uska private security team ka hissa tha, ne dheere se pucha, “Arjun, Ravi Mishra ki movement track karna hai kya?”

Arjun ne screen se nazar nahi hataya. “Karna nahi… record karna hai. Uska har kadam ek clue hai. Woh kaise saans leta hai, kidhar dekhta hai, kisse baat karta hai... har cheez. Mujhe sab pata chal jaayega. Bas ek baar woh pahadon tak pahunch jaaye.”

Usne enter press kiya. Laptop ki screen par ek naya window khula—ek live feed. Ek hidden camera blink kar raha tha, jo Ravi waale bus ke andar, theek uske seat ke upar laga hua tha. Arjun, Ravi ko live dekh sakta tha, ek shikaari ke tarah jo apne shikaar ko dur se dekhta hai.

Raat gehra hota gaya. Hasi-mazaak kam ho gaya aur zyadatar students so gaye. Par is soyi hui bus mein, kayi aankhein jaag rahe the. Har khiladi apne agle move ka intezaar kar rahe the.

Tabhi bus ek anjaan, sunsaan dhaabe par ruka. Principal Malhotra ne 15 minute ka break announce kiya.

Jung ka maidan ab bus se utarkar zameen par aane wala tha.



Andhere Ka Pehla Samna

Raat ke 2:45 baje, bus ek purane se dhaba par ruka. ‘Shyam Bhojnalaya’. Jagah sunsaan thi. Highway ke kinaare is dhaba par sirf unki do buses hi khada tha. Jaise hi darwaze khule, pahadon se aata hua thanda, tez hawa ne sabka swagat kiya.

Sab students neeche utar kar chai aur Maggi lene lage. Mahaul mein thodi thakaan aur thodi sardi ghul gayi thi.

Ravi bus se utar kar ek kone mein shaanti se khada ho gaya, haath mein kaanch ka ek glass tha jismein garam chai ka dhuaan uth raha tha. Woh bas us andhere highway ko dekh raha tha jo aage jaakar pahadon mein kho jaata tha.

Tabhi ek ladka uske paas se guzra. Lambe kad ka, patla sa, Japanese-style hoodie pehne hue. Dono ke kandhe halke se takraye. Woh YuKi tha. Ek aisa naam jise school mein kam log jaante the, par jo jaante the, woh usse dur rehte the.

YuKi ne Ravi ke taraf dekha, uski aankhein bilkul thandi thi, jaise unmein koi emotion hi na ho. "Dekhte hain… barf par kaun kitna tikta hai," usne aahista se, lekin saaf aawaz mein kaha.

Ravi ne shaanti se chai ka ek ghoont bhara. Usne YuKi ki taraf dekha bhi nahi, uska nazar ab bhi highway par tha. "Aur barf par girne ke baad… kaun uthta hai," usne utne hi shaant lehje mein jawab diya.

Yeh an-kahe jung ka pehla dastak tha.


Ek pal ke liye wahan sannata chha gaya. Hawa bhi ruk gaya. Yeh do log nahi the, yeh do predators the, jo ek dusre ke ilaaqe ko mark kar rahe the. Ek silent declaration of war ho chuka tha.

Thodi duri par, Aarav, jise log 'Phoenix' ke naam se jaante the, ek andhere kone mein khada dono ko observe kar raha tha.

Sia washroom se laut rahi thi. Usne saamne Ravi aur YuKi ko dekha. Woh unke beech ki tension ko hawa mein mehsoos kar sakti thi. Par tabhi uske peeche, andhere mein, ek saaya hila. Camera ka flash ek pal ke liye chamka aur gayab ho gaya.

Sia tezi se palti. "Kaun hai?"

Par wahan koi nahi tha.


Safar phir shuru hua. Bus ke andar ab zyada log so chuke the.

Ravi ne apna aankhein band kar liya. Par neend usse koso dur tha. Jaise hi usne aankhein band kiya, uske dimaag mein tasveeron ka ek toofan aa gaya.

Khoobsurat safed barf, jo achanak laal ho jaata hai… Monastery ki ghantiyon ki aawaz, jo dheere-dheere cheekhon mein badal jaata hai… Ek ladka ghutno tak barf mein dooba hua, bebas… aur ek awaaz, ek aisi awaaz jo uske kaano mein sadiyon se goonj raha tha:

“Shehzaade… apne raaste pe wapas aao.”

Ravi ka shareer jhatke se kaanp utha. Usne aankhein khola, saansein tez chal raha tha, maathe par paseena tha. Usne seat ke paas dekha. Koi nahi tha.

Par uski seat ke theek bagal mein, ek chhota sa, fold kiya hua note pada tha. Usne kaanpte haathon se use uthaya aur khola. Sirf char shabd likhe the:

“Welcome back, SHEHZAADE.”

Ravi ka aankhon mein dar nahi tha. Dar uski dictionary mein tha hi nahi. Uska aankhon mein ghussa tha. Ek aisa aag jo sab kuch jala sakta tha. Usne lighter nikala, note ko aag lagaya, aur use jalte hue dekhta raha jab tak woh raakh na ban gaya.



Part 2: Pahaadon Mein Pehli Subah

Subah ke 6:30 baje.

Bus ne ek tez mod liya. Aur saamne jo manzar tha, usne sabka neend uda diya. Himalaya ki barf se dhaki chotiyan. Aisa lag raha tha jaise kisi safed rang ke devta ne apne daant dikhaye ho. Suraj ki pehli kirnein us barf par aise chamak raha tha, jaise kisi ne lahu ke upar safedi ka chaadar daal diya ho.

Mahaul mein ek ajeeb sa khamoshi chha gayi. Sab us khoobsurati ko dekh kar dang the.

Sia ne dheere se fufusa kar kaha, “Kitna khoobsurat lag raha hai…”

Uski aawaz Ravi ke kaano tak pahuncha. Usne bhi bahar dekha aur apne mann mein kaha, "Khoobsurat cheezein hamesha sabse zyada khatarnaak hota hain."

Bus ruka.

Welcome to The Grand Himalayan Resort.



THE GRAND HIMALAYAN RESORT – MANALI

Manali, Barf se dhaki chotiyan, jinpar subah ke pehla suraj ka kirnein sone ke tarah chamak raha tha. Hawa mein ek aisi taazgi tha jo sheher ke zeher ko dho de. Par "The Grand Himalayan Resort" ke andar ki hawa mein saazish ghula hua tha. Resort sheher se door, ek alag-thalag pahaadi par bana tha—ek aalishan qaid-khaana.

Lobby ek purane qile jaisa tha. Lakdi ka architecture, deewaron par Buddhist murals, aur har kone mein, har angle par, ek surveillance camera.



NAYE KIRDAAR KI ENTRY

Check-in ke waqt, students ka swagat resort ke manager ne kiya. Ek 40-45 saal ka, behad chust aur professional dikhne wala aadmi, jiske chehre par ek aisa muskaan tha jo ankhon tak nahi pahunchta tha.

Mr. Khanna (Hotel Manager): "Welcome to The Grand Himalayan, students. Main, Mr. Khanna, aapka host hoon. Ummeed hai aapka stay 'yaadgaar' rahega."

Usne 'yaadgaar' lafz par kuch zyada hi zor diya. Arjun ne usse haath milaya aur uski hatheli mein ek chota sa note daba diya. Khanna ne bina bhaav badle note le liya. Woh Arjun ka aadmi tha.

Kamron ke chaabiyan baanta gaya. Khanna ne "coincidence" ka naatak karte hue, Sia aur uski room-mates ka kamra theek Arjun ke kamre ke saamne rakha. Aur Ravi ka kamra... resort ke sabse aakhri, alag-thalag wing mein, jahan se aane-jaane walon par aasaani se nazar rakha jaa sake.

Jaise hi Ravi apne kamre ke taraf badha, lobby ke ek andhere kone se ek bhaari, damdaar awaaz aaya.


"Waqt par aaye ho, bachche. Pahaad tumhara hi intezaar kar raha tha."

Ravi palta. Ek 60-65 saal ka aadmi, jiske chehre par waqt ne gehri lakeerein khod diya tha, par aankhon mein ek aisi shakti tha jo pahaadon ko bhi hila de, uske saamne khada tha. Usne paramparik Tibetan choga pehna tha.


NAYE KIRDAAR KI ENTRY - LAMA TASHI

Lama Tashi (Monastery ke Head Monk): "Main Lama Tashi hoon. Paas ke Gaden Monastery se. Suna hai school ke bachche aaye hain, toh bas aashirwaad dene chala aaya."

Unke nazrein Ravi par aakar theher gaya. Un nazron mein ek ajeeb sa pehchaan tha.

Lama Tashi (Ravi ki aankhon mein dekha):“Tumhara aankhon mein dard nahi, yaadein chhupa hain,” unhone apni shaant aawaz mein kahe. “Aur yaadein… sabse tez zeher hota hain.”

Ravi : “Main zeher peene nahi aaya hoon, uska ilaaj dhoondhne aaya hoon.”

Lama Tashi muskuraye, ek aisi muskaan jismein kayi raaz dafan the. “Toh yaad rakhna… barf kabhi safed nahi hota. Bas khoon us par dikhai nahi deta.”

Yeh keh kar woh dheere se aage badh gaye. Par jaate-jaate, unhone ek aisi baat kahe jisne Ravi ke pairon tale zameen khiska dala.

Lama Tashi (sargoshi mein, sirf Ravi ko sunayi de): "Har toofan ka ek maqsad hota hai, Shehzaade. Bas apni disha mat bhatakna."

Ravi wahin pathar ka bhut bana khada raha. Shehzaade. Yeh buzurg... yeh kaun the?


ALAG-ALAG KHEL, ALAG-ALAG KHILADI

Kamron mein settle hone ke baad, har group apne agle kadam ke taiyaari mein lag gaye.

• Arjun's War Council: Arjun ne apne doston (Virat, Rishi aur Sameer) ko bulaya. "Plan A: Main Sia ko monastery le jaaunga. Plan B: Tum log resort ke aas-paas ke CCTV aur communication lines par nazar rakhoge. Kisi ko resort se bahar bina meri ijaazat ke call nahi jaana chahiye."

• Sia's Mission: Sia ne akele mein Dada Sahab ko report kiya. "Dada Sahab, main Arjun ke kareeb hoon. Monastery ka plan ban chuka hai. "

• Alisha & The Handler: Alisha ne apne secure phone se The Handler ko call kiya. "Sab yahan hain. Ravi ajeeb tarah se shaant hai. Jaise use sab pata ho." The Handler ne jawab diya, "Use shaant hi rehne do. Jab shikaar ko khatre ka ehsaas na ho, tabhi shikaari ka vaar sateek hota hai. Apna kaam karo."

• The Observers: YuKi, Aarav aur The Trio... sab apne-apne kamron mein the. Par unki aankhein aur kaan, resort ke har kone mein the.

PART 3: Masti, Mohabbat Aur Maut Ki Dastak

Adventure, Games Aur Uljhi Nigahein

Dopehar tak, thakaan utar chuka tha aur Dopehar ka thandi hawa mein suraj ka garmahat ghul chuka tha.Mahaul mein excitement tha. Principal Malhotra aur Ms. Meera (games teacher) sabhi students ko resort ke pichhwaade mein ek bade se khule ground mein le aaye. Principal Malhotra aur games teacher, Ms. Meera, ke chehron par ek alag hi chamak tha

Yahan 'adventure training' ka intezaam tha. Barf ki safed chadar par zipline ke chaandi jaise taar khinche hue the aur rock climbing ki unchi deewar ek chunauti ki tarah khada tha.


Arjun ke liye yeh ek stage tha aur Sia uska audience. Har game mein uska furti aur taqat ek socha-samjha performance tha. Rock climbing ka deewar par woh aise chadh raha tha, jaise uske liye yeh roz ka kaam ho. Upar pahunch kar usne neeche abhi bhi chadh rahi Sia ki taraf dekha, uska aankhon mein ek ajeeb si chamak tha.

Arjun: "Need a hand, Sia? Upar ka nazara behtar hai."

Sia, jiske haath aur pair patharon par aasaani se apni jagah bana rahe the, ne ek pal ke liye upar dekha. Uske chehre par paseene ki boondon ke beech ek muskurahat thi. Usne Arjun ke badhe hue haath ko nazarandaaz kiya aur aakhri hold pakad kar khud upar chadh gayi.

Sia: "Thanks, Arjun. Par mujhe apni manzil tak khud pahunchna pasand hai."

Arjun ke muskurate chehre ke peeche ek pal ke liye gusse ki lehar daud gaya. Uska haath hawa mein hi reh gaya, aur usne zorr se apni mutthi band kar liya.

Wahin in sab se dur, ek chinar ke ped ke chaanv mein Ravi khamosh khada tha, uska nigahein dur barfeele pahadon par tika tha. Kabir aur Amit use khel ke maidan ke taraf kheenchne ka nakaam koshish kar rahe the.

Kabir: "Chal na, bhai! Yeh adventure hai, jail nahi jo tu aise kone mein khada hai."

Amit ne apne chashme ko naak par theek karte hue aas paas ke mahaul ka jaayza liya.

Amit: "Har adventure ki ek 'probability of failure' hota hai, Kabir. Aur jahan failure ka chance 1% se zyada ho, wahan Ravi nahi jaata. Yeh uska usool hai."

Tabhi unke paas Ms. Meera ke kadmon ki awaaz aayi. Unki awaaz mein ek shikshak ki sakhti aur ek dost ki narmi tha.

Ms. Meera: "Ravi, tum participate kyun nahi kar rahe? Yahan sirf jeetne ke liye nahi, khud ko aazmane ke liye aana hai. Come on, try something!"

Ravi ne bina kuch kahe 'na' mein sar hila diya. Par Ms. Meera ki zidd aur Kabir ke zabardasti dhakke ke aage uska khamoshi haar gaya. Woh bemann se archery station ki taraf chal pada.

Station par Arjun pehle se hi apne doston aur kuch juniors ko apne nishanebaazi ke kartab dikha raha tha. Uske dost, Virat aur Rishi, uske har shot par hooting kar rahe the. Ravi ko wahan dekh kar Arjun ne tanziya muskaan diya.

Arjun: "Oh, look who's here! Class ka topper ab teer chalayega." Usne apne doston ki taraf dekhkar aankh maara. "Dekhna, teer kahin pichhe hi na chala jaaye."

Virat haste hue bola, "Ya hum mein se kisi ko na lag jaaye. Bach ke rehna, guys!"

Ravi ne uski baat ansuna kar diya. Jaise hi usne command par dhanush aur teer uthaya, Amit uske bilkul paas aa gaya aur uske kaan mein sargoshi ka, jaise koi secret code de raha ho.

Amit: "Hawa ka raftaar 5 knots, west to east. Target 70 meter dur hai. Hawa ke pressure se teer dayein taraf jaayega. Apne aim ko 2 degree right aur 1 degree upar compensate karna. Trajectory set hai."

Ravi ne sirf halka sa sar hilaya. Ek lambi saans liya. Aur phir kuch aisa hua jiska kisi ne kalpana nahi kiya tha. Usne apni aankhein band kar liya. Ek pal ke liye, uske aas paas ka saara shor, Arjun ka mazaak, Kabir ka josh, sab kuch... sab kuch khaamosh ho gaya. Aisa laga jaise woh duniya se nahi, khud ke andar kisi gehri taqat se jud raha ho. Uske haath sthir the, saansein ruka hua.

Aur phir, bina nishana dekhe, bina aankhein khole, usne teer chhod diya.

THWACK!

Ek saaf, sateek aur dil dehlane wali awaaz.

Hawa mein ek lakeer si khinchi aur agle hi pal teer seedha target ke bullseye ke beechon-beech gada hua tha.

Wahan ekdum sannata chha gaya. Hawa bhi jaise ek pal ke liye ruk gaya tha. Arjun ke haath mein pakda dhanush dheela pad gaya. Kabir ka munh khula ka khula reh gaya.

Par is bheed mein ek shaks aisa tha jiske liye yeh hairat nahi, khauf tha. Arjun ke group ke thoda peeche khada Sameer toh thar thar kaanpne lagta hai. Uska chehra safed pad chuka tha aur aankhein dahshat se phaili hui thi. Woh Ravi ko nahi, uske haathon mein thame dhanush aur target par lage uss teer ko aise dekh raha tha jaise usne maut dekh li ho.

Par sabse zyada asar Sia par hua. Uski aankhein hairat se phaili hui thi. Usne Ravi mein ek sharmila, chup rehne wala student nahi dekha. Usne us band aankhon ke peeche ek aisa discipline, ek aisa control dekha jo saalon ki sadhna ke baad hi haasil hota hai. Yeh kisi khiladi ka nahi, kisi yoddha ka focus tha.

Isse pehle ki koi uss hairat se bahar nikalta, Ravi ne dhanush neeche rakha aur bina kisi ki taraf dekhe, chupchap wahan se chal pada, jaise usne koi maamuli sa kaam kiya ho.

Par Sia ki nazrein uska peeth par tiki reh gayi. Arjun ki jeet, rock climbing ka adventure, sab kuch uske dimaag se dhundhla chuka tha. Ab sirf ek hi sawaal tha, jo toofan ki tarah uske andar uth raha tha.

"Yeh... yeh kaun ho tum, Ravi?"


Trekking, Waterfall Aur Ek Kaatil Haadsa

Agle din ki subah pichli shaam se zyada thandi aur khamosh tha. Sabhi students ko ek khoobsurat, anjaan waterfall ke trekking ke liye le jaaya gaya. Ek sthaaniya, anubhavi tourist guide, jiska naam Tenzing tha, group ko lead kar raha tha. Raasta pathreela aur fisalan bhara tha, par pahaadon ka post-card jaisa khoobsurati ne sabka thakaan chhupa rakha tha.

"Yeh raasta thoda mushkil hai, bachhon, lekin manzil dekh kar saari thakaan bhool jaaoge," Tenzing ne apni laathi se aage ishaara karte hue kaha.

Ms. Meera aur ek dusre senior teacher, Mr. Sharma, students ko line mein rakhne ki koshish kar rahe the. Mahaul mein pichle din ka masti abhi bhi baaki tha. Students photos lene mein, ek-dusre par barf ke gole fekne mein lag gaye. Arjun apne doston, Virat, Sameer aur Rishi ke saath, sabse aage aage chal raha tha, jaise yeh trek usi ne organize kiya ho.

Ravi, hamesha ki tarah, group se kuch kadam pichhe chal raha tha. Uska aankhein nazaare nahi, balki un nazaron mein chhupe khatre dekh raha tha. Uska nigahein ek soldier ke tarah aage ke raaste ke angles, pattharon ke size, aur chhipne ki jagahon ko scan kar raha tha. Use ehsaas ho raha tha ki pedon par chidiyon ki chahchahat achanak band ho gaya hai. Hawa mein ek ajeeb sa stillness tha jo pahaadon mein aam nahi tha.

Kabir aur Amit uske saath the.

Kabir: "Kya soch raha hai, bhai? Aisa lag raha hai jaise picnic par nahi, border par duty de raha hai."

Ravi (dheemi awaaz mein): "Border par dushman saamne se vaar karta hai, Kabir. Asli khatra woh hota hai jo dost ban kar peeth pichhe chalta hai."

Aakhirkaar, woh apni manzil par pahunche. Ek vishaal, semi-frozen waterfall, jiska paani neeche girte hue barf mein tabdeel ho raha tha. Suraj ki roshni un barfeele crystals se takra kar hazaaron rainbows bana raha tha. Yeh jagah kisi jannat ka darwaza lag raha tha.

Lekin jannat ke us darwaze tak pahunchne ke liye, maut ki ek puliya paar karna tha. Do pahaadon ke beech latka ek purana, kamzor lakdi ka suspension bridge, jo tez hawa mein dheere-dheere jhul raha tha. Niche... 1000 ft gehri, pathreeli khaai.

Tenzing ne sabko roka. "Dhyaan se! Ek baar mein paanch logon se zyada nahi! Aur koi uchhal-kood nahi!"

Senior student, Aryan, ne has kar kaha, "Come on, Tenzing ji, thoda adventure toh banta hai!" aur usne jaan-boojh kar bridge par pehla kadam rakhte hue use halka sa hilaya.

"Aryan, behave yourself!" Mr. Sharma ka sakht awaaz goonja.


Ravi, Aarav aur YuKi pehle hi bridge paar kar chuke the. Ravi ka nigahein bridge par chalte har student ke kadam par tha.

Jab Sia lagbhag beech mein pahunchi, tabhi ek kaan phaad dene waala, dil dehlane waala awaaz aaya.

KARRRRRACK!

Dhaage ki tarah, bridge ko thaamne waali ek moti rassi ek jhatke mein toot gaya. Amit, jo hamesha ki tarah har cheez ka analysis kar raha tha, rassi ke toote hue sire ko dekhte hi deewano ki tarah chillaya.

Amit: "YEH TOOTI NAHI HAI! ISSE KATA GAYA HAI! Rassi ke sire dekho... jale hue hain! Yeh High-temperature friction se! jalaya gaya hai... Thermite residue! YEH SABOTAGE HAI!" Physics of materials ko is tarah se violate nahi kiya ja sakta, Kabir!"


Riya: "BRIDGE TOOT GAYA!"Riya cheekhi.


Ek cheekh ke saath pura bridge 90 degree ke angle par ek taraf jhuk gaya. Ek pal mein, sab kuch bikhar gaya. Students ek dusre par girne lage. Isi dhakka-mukki mein Sia ka santulan bigda, uska pair fisla aur woh hawa mein chillaati hui neeche gir gayi. Par girte-girte, maut se ladte hue, usne apni ungliyon se bridge ki neeche latakti ek rassi ko pakad liya.

Woh hawa mein latak rahi thi. Upar toota hua bridge, neeche sirf aur sirf maut.

Doosri taraf khade Ravi ki aankhon mein ek aisi dehshat aur ghussa umda jo aaj tak kisi ne nahi dekha tha.

Ravi: “SIA—!”

Uski cheekh pahaadon se takra kar wapas aayi, jaise khud pahaad bhi ro pade ho.

Usne ek pal, ek saans ka hissa bhi nahi socha. Na safety gear, na instructors ki warnings. Uske dimaag mein sirf Sia ka latakta hua chehra tha. Ek zakhmi sher ki furti se woh dauda aur bina kisi hichkichahat ke, usne us gehri khaai ke taraf chhalang maar diya.

Hawa mein udte hue, usne ek faulaadi haath se Sia ki kalai pakda aur dusre haath se pahaad se bahar nikli ek nukili, barfeeli chattan ki ledge ko.

KRAK!

Uske haath ka haddiyan tootne ke kagaar par aa gaya. Uska nasen khinch gaye, muscles phatne ko ho gaye. Chattan ke kinaare se patthar aur barf toot kar neeche khaai mein girne lage, jaise uska pakad ko kamzor kar rahe ho. Uska pura shareer hawa mein tha, sirf ek haath ke sahare, aur us par Sia ka bhi bojh tha.

Sia ro rahi thi, uski pakad kamzor pad rahi thi.

Sia: "Ravi... chhod do... mera haath chhod do! Dono maare jayenge! Please!"

Ravi ne apne daant itni zorr se bheenche ki jabde mein dard uth gaya. Uski aankhon mein ek aisi zidd, ek aisi aag thi jo maut ko bhi jala de.

Ravi (gurrate hue): “KHAA-MOSH!

“Main kisi ko girne nahi deta,” woh gurraya. “Na khud ko, na apno ko.”


Usne apni saari taaqat, apni har saans ka qatra ikattha kiya aur ek aakhri, zabardast jhatka diya. Apne shareer ko ek pendulum ki tarah jhulakar, woh aur Sia hawa mein udte hue surakshit zameen par ja gire.

Ek pal ke liye sabki saansein tham gaya, phir rahat ki saans liye. Sia abhi tak kaanp rahi thi, uski aankhein Ravi ke chehre par tiki thi, jismein ab dard saaf dikh raha tha. Ravi utha aur apne haathon ko jhaada.

Tabhi Sia ki nazar uske haath par padi. Chattan ko pakadne ke kaaran uske haath ki hatheli buri tarah chhil gaya tha aur gehre zakhm se khoon tapak raha tha. Safed, paak barf par gir kar woh laal boondein aise lag raha tha, jaise kisi ne saazish ke kaagaz par khoon se dastakhat kar diye ho.

Masti ke safed canvas par... yeh khoon ka pehla nishaan tha.

“Barf par lahu ka pehla nishaan.”


Arjun wahin khada sab kuch dekhta reh gaya. Uske saath khade uske doston ke chehre par bhi hawaiyaan ud raha tha.

"Bhai, yeh... yeh toh plan ka hissa nahi tha," Virat ne kaanpte hue kaha. "Woh mar sakti thi."


Uske chehre par ab darr nahi, balki jalan, nafrat aur apne hi kaayarta par gusse ka toofan umad raha tha. Uska plan Sia ko darane ka tha, taki woh use bacha kar hero ban sake. Ravi ne na sirf uska plan, balki sabke saamne uska ghamand bhi tod diya tha. Uska nigahein Ravi ke zakhmi haath par tika tha, aur uske andar ka gussa us lahu se bhi zyada laal ho raha tha.

Masti aur masoomiyat ka khel ab khatm ho chuka tha. Maut ka shatranj bichh chuka tha, aur pehla mohra... Ravi ban chuka tha.