Floor ke beech ek chhupa hua darwaza poori tarah khul chuka tha.
Neeche se thandi hawa aur metal ki badbu aa rahi thi.
Principal ne thande swar mein kaha,
"Yahi hai school ka wo hissa… jise kabhi record mein nahi dikhaya gaya."
Papa ne Aarav ko apne peeche kiya.
"Is jagah par galat cheezein hoti rahi hain… saalon se."
Teenon neeche utarne lage.
Seedhiyan purani thi, jaise har kadam kisi raaz par rakha ja raha ho.
Neeche pahunchte hi lights apne aap jal gayin.
Wahan CCTV screens, files aur lockers the.
Har screen par kisi na kisi student ki recording chal rahi thi—
raat ke waqt, chhupkar.
Aarav ka gala sookh gaya.
"Yeh… illegal hai."
Principal hansa.
"Power ke liye sab kuch legal hota hai."
Papa ne ek file uthayi.
Us par likha tha:
"Incident Report – Aarav Sharma (Future)"
Aarav chaunk gaya.
"Future?"
Papa ne file kholi.
Andar likha tha:
'Student will witness the truth.
Action: Silence or Removal.'
Aarav ne principal ki taraf dekha.
"Toh meri suspension—"
"Haan," principal ne baat kaat di,
"sirf warning thi.
Agar tum aaj yahan nahi aate… to kal zinda nahi rehte."
Tabhi ek tez alarm baja.
BEEEEEP!
Screens par red light chamakne lagi.
Phone par unknown number se last message aaya:
"Police ko sab mil chuka hai.
5 minutes."
Principal ka chehra pehli baar badla.
Gusse se zyada… dar.
"Tumne mujhe phansa diya," usne papa ki taraf dekha.
Papa shaant the.
"Nahi. Tum khud phanse ho."
Sirens ki awaaz door se aane lagi.
Principal peeche hatne laga…
lekin tabhi ek locker khul gaya.
Uske andar se ek aur suspension letter gira.
Iss baar naam likha tha—
Principal Sharma
Sirens aur kareeb aa gayin.
Aarav ne gehri saans li.
Pehli baar use laga—
sach sach mein azaadi mil rahi hai.
Aur tabhi light ek baar phir band ho gayi…