Subah ka time tha, par Yasha ki raat abhi khatam nahi hui thi.
Aankhen laal thi, dimaag bhari hua, aur dil… jaise kisi ne kas ke pakad rakha ho.
Front camera ka wo moment uske dimag se nikal hi nahi raha tha.
Shadow.
Bilkul peeche.
Par jab usne turant mud ke dekha tha…
koi nahi tha.
"Main pagal nahi ho rahi,"
Yasha ne khud se kaha, mirror ke saamne khade hokar.
"Jo bhi hai… real hai."
Phone vibrate hua.
Anuvardhan.
"Good morning," uski awaaz me wahi calm tha,
jo Yasha ko thoda sa zinda mehsoos kara deta tha.
"Tum soyi bhi ya nahi?"
"Thoda," Yasha jhoot boli.
Sach ye tha ki usne poori raat lights on rakhi thi.
Anuvardhan kuch seconds chup raha,
jaise uski saans sun raha ho.
"Yasha,"
wo dheere bola,
"agar tum uncomfortable ho, to aaj college mat jaana. Main aa jaata hoon."
Yasha ka dil zor se dhadka.
"Tum apna kaam chhod ke?"
"Tum kaam nahi ho,"
Anuvardhan seedha bola.
"Tum meri zimmedari ban chuki ho."
Yasha chup ho gayi.
Uske liye ye line pyaar thi…
par kahin na kahin dar bhi.
Call cut hote hi
phone pe ek aur notification flash hua.
Unknown Number (saved nahi):
"Uspe itna bharosa mat karo."
Yasha ka gussa ubhar aaya.
"Tum ho kaun?"
usne type kiya.
"Saamne aane ki himmat nahi hai, bas messages?"
Reply aaya — thoda late, par heavy.
"School ke last bench se bhi
kisi ko dekha ja sakta hai."
Yasha freeze ho gayi.
School.
Uska dimag turant peeche bhaaga —
uniform, assembly ground,
wo ek ladka jo hamesha chup rehta tha,
jo kabhi baat nahi karta tha,
par hamesha…
kahin na kahin hota tha.
"Ye tum ho?"
Yasha ne likha.
"Tum mujhe jaante ho?"
Reply instantly aaya.
"Tum mujhe kabhi nahi dekh paayi.
Par main tumhe hamesha dekhta raha."
Yasha ka haath kaanpne laga.
"Ye obsession hai,"
usne gusse me likha.
"Pyaar nahi."
"Kya farq padta hai?"
reply aaya.
"Tum abhi bhi zinda ho…
kyunki main hoon."
Yasha ne phone bed pe patak diya.
Uski saans tez ho rahi thi.
Tabhi doorbell baji.
Ek second ke liye
uska dil ruk gaya.
Gate khola to saamne…
courier boy tha.
Package pe naam likha tha —
Yasha Sharma
Andar ek chhota sa box tha.
Usne haath kaanpte hue khola.
Andar ek school-time ki photo thi.
Usme Yasha has rahi thi…
aur background me,
blur sa ek ladka khada tha.
Photo ke peeche likha tha:
"Tab bhi tum meri thi.
Aur ab bhi ho."
Yasha ke muh se cheekh nikalte-nikalte ruki.
Tabhi phone ring hua.
Kushagra.
Usne call reject kar diya.
Turant message aaya:
"Tum galat logon ke beech phans rahi ho, Yasha.
Aur jab sach pata chalega na…
tab bahut late ho chuka hoga."
Usi waqt Anuvardhan ka message bhi aaya:
"I'm outside.
Gate kholo."
Yasha gate ki taraf badhi…
par uska phone fir se vibrate hua.
Unknown number se last message:
"Gate mat kholo.
Jo bahar hai…
wo utna safe nahi jitna lagta hai."
Yasha ke kadam wahi jam gaye.
Bahar Anuvardhan khada tha.
Andar uska darr.
Aur kahin…
koi teesra
muskurate hue dekh raha tha.
Decision lene ka waqt aa chuka tha.
Par Yasha ne abhi tak gate nahi khola tha…
Gate ke peeche se
Anuvardhan ki awaaz aayi —
"Yasha…
tum andar ho na?"
Aur usi pal
phone pe final message flash hua —
"Agar usne gate khola…
to main saamne aa jaunga."