Call cut hote hi Yasha kuch seconds tak phone ko haath me pakde baithi rahi.
Screen dark ho chuki thi, par Anuvardhan ki awaaz abhi bhi uske kaano me goonj rahi thi.
Wo awaaz jo ro rahi thi.
Wo awaaz jo darr rahi thi.
"Bas tum raho mere saath…"
uske words uske dil me kahin gehra utar gaye the.
Yasha ne dheere se phone bed par rakha aur khidki ke paas jaakar khadi ho gayi. Bahar raat bilkul shaant thi, jaise poora sheher soch me dooba ho. Usne apne dil par haath rakha.
"Wo itni door se aaya… sirf mujhe dekhne,"
usne khud se kaha,
"aur main bas darr ke peeche bhaag rahi hoon."
Uske dimaag me wo car ka scene ghoom gaya.
Anuvardhan ka chup-chaap baithna…
uski aankhon ka baar-baar neeche dekhna…
aur phir wo chilli paneer, jo bas ek dish nahi thi, ek ehsaas thi.
"Tumhe dar lagta hai to time le lo,"
uski awaaz phir se yaadon me ghoonj uthi.
Yasha ki aankhen bhar aayi.
Is baar confusion kam tha… aur samajh zyada.
Udhar Anuvardhan ghar pahunch chuka tha.
Gate band hua, par uska dil abhi bhi us highway par hi tha, jahan kuch ghante pehle Yasha uske saath baithi thi.
Wo apne room me gaya, bed par baitha aur phone ko dekhta raha.
Is baar wo blocked nahi tha.
Par koi message bhi nahi aaya tha.
"Usne unblock kiya… call kiya…"
usne dheere se kaha,
"shayad ye hi kaafi hai abhi ke liye."
Dil message bhejna chaah raha tha —
ghar pahunch gayi?
theek ho?
Par usne phone side me rakh diya.
"Agar main sach me serious hoon,"
usne khud se kaha,
"to mujhe wait karna bhi seekhna hoga."
Aur wo pehli baar kisi ke liye bina shikayat ke wait kar raha tha.
Raat dheere-dheere gehri hoti gayi.
Yasha bed par leti rahi, par neend usse koson door thi.
Usne phone uthaya.
WhatsApp khola.
Anuvardhan ka naam screen par tha.
Online nahi.
Last seen bhi nahi.
"Shayad so gaya hoga,"
usne socha.
Typing bar blink kar raha tha, par shabd nahi mil rahe the.
Wo likhne wali thi — Thanks aaj ke liye
phir delete.
Phir — Tum theek ho?
phir delete.
Aakhir phone lock kar diya.
"Kal,"
usne khud se kaha,
"kal sab thoda clear lagega."
Subah Anuvardhan ki aankh alarm se pehle khul gayi.
Sabse pehle phone check kiya.
Koi message nahi.
Usne gehri saans li.
Disappointment nahi tha… bas ek ajeeb si shaanti thi.
"Main yahin hoon,"
usne socha,
"jab wo ready hogi."
Shaam ko Yasha ne finally phone uthaya.
Usne bina zyada soche message bhej diya.
Yasha: Tum kaise ho?
Message send hote hi uska dil tez dhadakne laga.
Sirf kuch seconds lage.
Anuvardhan: Better. Tum?
Ek simple sa reply… par usme care chhupi thi.
Yasha: Main bhi.
Thodi der baad uska next message aaya:
Anuvardhan: Main tum par koi pressure nahi daalna chahta. Bas itna jaana tha ki tum safe ho.
Yasha ki aankhon se aansu beh gaye.
Is baar darr ke nahi…
samajhne ke.
Usne phone side me rakha aur aankhen band kar li.
Tabhi phone dobara vibrate hua.
Yasha ne aankhen kholi.
Unknown Number.
Uska dil zor se dhadka.
Number pehle kabhi dekha hua nahi lag raha tha.
Message sirf ek line ka tha:
"Hi… mujhe maaf kar do."
Uski saans atak si gayi.
"Maaf… kis baat ke liye?"
uske dimaag me sawalon ka toofan aa gaya.
Ungliyan kaanpne lagi.
Usne chat open ki.
Dusra message turant aaya:
"Tum mujhe pehchaan nahi rahi ho… par main tumhe bahut acche se jaanta hoon."
Yasha ka chehra safed pad gaya.
Usne phone tight pakad li.
"Ye kaun ho sakta hai?"
"Anuvardhan?"
"Nahi… uska number to save hai."
Usne block karne ka socha…
par tabhi teesra message aa gaya.
"Dar mat… bas ek mauka chahiye."
Yasha ne phone bed par phenk diya.
Saans tez.
Dil zor-zor se dhadak raha tha.
Uski nazar us phone par tiki thi…
jaise wo phone nahi, koi raaz ho jo uski zindagi ke darwaze par khada ho.
Aur use bilkul andaaza nahi tha…
ye random number uski kahani ko kis andhere mod par le jaane wala hai.
Ab aage…..