Raat ka waqt tha.
Yasha apne room me akeli baithi thi, lights band, sirf table lamp on.
Dil abhi bhi heavy tha, par dimag alert.
Anuvardhan ki baatein uske kaano me goonj rahi thi —
"Jo tumhe dar de, uske saamne main khada hoon."
Phone screen pe time chamka: 11:47 PM
Aur tabhi ek naya notification aaya.
Unknown number: "Window ke paas mat jaana."
Yasha ka saans atak gaya.
Usne dheere se curtains ki taraf dekha…
par himmat nahi hui uthane ki.
"Tum kaun ho?"
usne type kiya.
Reply turant aaya—
"Jo tumhe zinda dekhna chahta hai."
Yasha ka gussa ubhar aaya.
"Agar tum sach me help karna chahte ho, to saamne aao."
Typing ruk gayi.
Kuch seconds baad message aaya—
"Saamne aane ka waqt abhi nahi."
Aur uske baad—
"Par Kushagra ka aana pakka hai."
Yasha ka dil zor se dhadakne laga.
Usne bina soche Anuvardhan ko call kiya.
"Hello?"
sirf ek ring me call uth gayi.
"Wo mujhe dekh raha hai,"
Yasha ki awaaz kaanp rahi thi,
"mujhe lag raha hai koi mere ghar ke paas hai."
Anuvardhan ki awaaz turant serious ho gayi.
"Sun meri baat dhyaan se,"
wo bola,
"pehle gate lock check karo.
Aur phone speaker pe rakho."
Yasha ne waise hi kiya.
"Tum akeli nahi ho,"
Anuvardhan ne calmly kaha,
"main yahin hoon."
Ye line sunte hi Yasha ki aankhon se aansu nikal aaye.
Tabhi phone pe ek aur message flash hua.
Kushagra: "Tumhe lagta hai tum mujhe block karke safe ho?"
Yasha ka khoon thanda pad gaya.
"Tum mere ghar ke paas ho?"
usne type kiya.
Reply aaya—
"Abhi nahi."
Pause.
"Par bahut jald."
Yasha ne phone zor se pakad liya.
"Wo mujhe threaten kar raha hai,"
usne Anuvardhan se kaha.
Anuvardhan ka tone aur strong ho gaya.
"Yasha, ek baat yaad rakhna,"
wo bola,
"jo tumhe darata hai, wo asal me khud kamzor hota hai."
"Par wo ruk nahi raha,"
Yasha ne kaha,
"wo wapas aana chahta hai."
"Kyuki usse control chahiye,"
Anuvardhan ne seedha kaha.
"Pyaar nahi."
Yasha chup ho gayi.
Tabhi Kushagra ka call aaya.
Yasha ne Anuvardhan ko mute pe rakha
aur call uthaya.
"Hello?"
uski awaaz halki thi.
"Kya haal hai, Yasha?"
Kushagra ki awaaz me fake sweetness thi.
"Tum mujhe kyun pareshan kar rahe ho?"
Yasha ne poocha.
"Kyuki tum meri ho,"
wo bola,
"aur tum mujhse bhaag nahi sakti."
Yasha ka gussa phoot pada.
"Tumne meri family ka insult kiya.
Tumne mujhe daraaya.
Ye pyaar nahi hota."
Kushagra thoda sa hasa.
"Tum bahut bolne lagi ho,"
wo bola.
"Lagta hai koi tumhe strong bana raha hai."
Yasha ka dil dhadak utha.
"Anuvardhan,"
Kushagra ne naam liya.
Yasha freeze ho gayi.
"Usse door raho,"
Kushagra ki awaaz me zehr tha,
"warna tumhe afsos hoga."
Yasha ne aankhen band ki
aur pehli baar bina dare boli—
"Tum mujhe control nahi kar sakte, Kushagra."
Doosri taraf silence chha gaya.
Phir dheere se awaaz aayi—
"Tumne mujhe underestimate kiya hai."
Call cut ho gayi.
Yasha ka haath kaanp raha tha.
Anuvardhan ne turant pucha,
"Usne kya kaha?"
Yasha ne sab bata diya.
Anuvardhan ne ek gehri saans li
aur fir bahut firmly kaha—
"Sun Yasha.
Kal se tum apni routine change karogi.
Aur main tumhe akela nahi chhodunga."
"Tum itna kyun care karte ho?"
Yasha ne halki si awaaz me poocha.
Kuch seconds silence raha.
Phir Anuvardhan bola—
"Kyuki tumhe khone ka khayal…
mujhe saans lene nahi deta."
Yasha chup ho gayi.
Uske dil me kuch aur hi dhadakne laga.
Tabhi unknown number se last message aaya.
"Anuvardhan sahi keh raha hai."
Yasha aur Anuvardhan dono freeze ho gaye.
"Kushagra dangerous hai."
Aur uske baad final line—
"Aur ye sirf shuruaat hai."
Yasha ne phone dheere se neeche rakha.
Raat aur gehri ho rahi thi.
Aur teen zindagiyan…
ab ek dangerous raaste pe aa chuki thi.