" anshika " shreyas ke pukarne par anshika ne apna chehra sine se hata kar uske chehre ki taraf dekha. " tum theek ho " anshika ke chehre par abhi bhi dar tha.
" shreyas vo sab is halat mein, tumhe unki ankhon mein dekha kitna "
" khauf tha anshika, janta hun " shreyas ne charon taraf nazar failai. Ek Hall mein dono khade the jahan ek taraf desk laga tha aur uske samne tuta hua saman maujud tha.
" Hume andhera hone se pehle hi nikalna hoga pata nahi kaun sa mayajal hai yahan " shreyas ne ghadi mein dekhte hue kaha. Vo tute hue desk ke niche nazar dal kar dekhne laga. File padhi thi jo aag ki vajah se kali padh gayi thi. Usne file utha kar use khola. " Deceased Person " usme photo ke sath marne wale ka naam aur uski puri jankari likhi thi. Usne naam padha aur tasver dekhne laga par vo itni kharab ho chuki thi ki chehra dekh pana mushkil tha.
" lagta hai yahan lagi aag sach mein bahut bhayanak rahi hogi. " anshika ne jalne ki wajah se kali padh chuki deewaron ko dekhte hue kaha.
" hmm par building ke kanch ek dum sahi hai. Aksar itni bheeshad aag mein kanch tut jatte hain aur iske alawa kuch chizon ko koi nuksan nahi hua " usne lakdi ke darwaje ki aaur ishara kiya jise vo andar aye the. Khidkiyan band thi isliye uska andaza sahi ho sakta tha, salon pehle hue hadse ke piche kya sach tha ye janna uska maksad nahi tha.
" hmm ho sakta hai koi kahani yahan bhi maujud ho " anshika bolte hue chup ho gayi. Uski nazar deewar ke hisse par gayi. " mujhe lagta hai yahan kuch hai " anshika kali mithi ko hath se jhadne lagi. Shreyas ne file desk par rakhi aur anshika ke pas aya. Anshika ne hath se kaffi saaf kar dia tha.
" door " shreyas kanch se us paar sidiyan dekh paa raha tha. Door par koi handle nahi tha aur aag ki wajah se kalli ho jane ki vajah se vo deewar mein chup sa gaya tha. Shreyas ne use kandhe se todne ki kosish ki par vo nahi tuta. Tab usne usko do-teen laat mari tab usme crack ane laga. Jalne ki vajah se kamjor padh gaya tha isliye vo bich mein se tut gaya. Itna tut gaya ki vo dono vahan se nikal sakte the. Shreyas pehle khud bahar aya aur phir anshika ko bahar kiya. Samne sidiyan thi aur dono taraf corridor.
Shreyas ne coridor ke dono taraf dekha. " uppar chalein " sidiyan uppar aur niche dono taraf jaa rahi thi. Dono ne uppar jane ka faisla kiya. Sidyan chadte hue dono uppar pahunche par sidiyun par anshika ne shreyas ka hath pakad kar use rok dia. Sidyun ke samne desk ke piche ek aurat baithi thi.
" kya hua ? " shreyas ne fauran pucha.
" vo samne " anshika ki nazar ka picha karte hue shreyas ne samne dekha par use kuch nahi dikha. " kya hua anshika kaun hai samne "
" vo aurat shreyas " shreyas ne phir anshika se nazar hata kar samne dekha lekin use koi nahi dikha. Vo sochte hue fauran samajh gaya ki koi hai jo sirf anshika ko dikh raha hai par use nahi. Usne anshika ka hath pakda aur desk ke pas aa khada hua. Vahan koi maujud nahi tha lekin anshika ke liye vahan vo aurat baithi hui use ghurti hui muskura rahi thi.
" anshika mat dekho " shreyas ne anshika ko ek hi taraf dekhte hue paya. " anshika mat dekho uski taraf " usne anshika ko samjhaya par shayad vo un ankhon se nazre hata hi nahi paa rahi thi. " anshika " shreyas ne thodi unchi awaz mein kaha to vo ghabra kar uski taraf dekhne lagi. " ankhon mein mat dekho, vo ankhein hume akarshit kar rahi hai " shreyas ne anshika ko samjhaya to usne apni ankhein band kar li.
" jai mata di, jai mata di " usne apni ankh khol kar dubara desk ki taraf dekha to vahan kuch nahi tha. " chalo " vo anshika ka hath thame aage badha. Coridor mei jo pehla kamra tha vo usme ghuse aur shreyas ki nazar khidki par ja ruki. Vahan koi ruh thi jo apna sar sishe par mar rahi thi bar-bar, bar-bar.
" shreyas " anshika kuch kehti use pehle vo anshika ke sath bahar aa gaya. " mujhe nahi lagta yahan in ruh ke alawa kuch hai anshika " uski sans tezz chal rahi thi.
" hume fauran yahan se jana chahie, sham hone mein bas kuch hi samay bacha hai "
" shreyas lekin "
" Anshika mujhe malum hai ki tum mere liye pareshan ho par this place is dead. Gaon walon ki baat sach lagti hai. Ye ruh har jagah hai aur kaun si kitni khatrnak hai hume uske bare mein kuch nahi pata. Aur hume ye bhulna nahi chahie ki ye paglon ka asalyum tha " shreyas ne itna kaha ki corridor mei kisi ke hasne ki awaz ane lagi. Awaz aisi thi jese koi zor-zor se hans raha ho. " hhahahahhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaahhhhhhaahhh " vo badhi hi ajeeb tarah ke hasne ki awaz thi.
" we need to go now " vo anshika ko lekar sidiyun ki taraf badha aur dono tez kadmo se niche utarne lage par jese hi niche pahunche dono ke kadam ruk gaye aur anshika cheekh paddhi. " aaaahahhh "
Samne koi khada tha. Ek budhi aurat shayad dande ke sahahre se khadi thi. Safed baal jo usne sar par bandhe hue the, chehra adha jala hua, ek ankh kanni aur dusri ankh itni badi thi ki vo adhe se jada chehre se bahar nikal rahi thi. Ye ankh ka vo hissa tha jis hisse ka chehra jala hua tha. Baki bache chehre par chote-chote gadhe pade hue the. Uska chehra dekhte hi shreyas use dekhte hue baki bachi sidiyan utra aur uske samne ja khada hua. Vakai pass se vo dil-dehla dene wala chehra tha jise dekh koi bhi dar jaye. Shreyas kuch kehta use pehle vo bol padi.
" aa gaya tu kab se mei tera intezar kar rahi thi, kab se " vo awaz jaise jani pehchani thi. Shreyas ke man mein baba ki parchai aa gayi.