Us din school me ek notice board par naya poster laga tha:
"National Young Writers Contest – Scholarship + Publication Opportunity"
Riya bas dekh kar aage badhne wali thi…
par Ananya ne uska haath pakad liya.
"Riya, yeh tumhare liye hai. Tumhe participate karna chahiye."
Riya ne halki si hansi ke saath kaha,
"Main? Main kaunsi writer hoon… bas diary me likhti hoon."
Ananya ne seedha jawab diya:
"Jo dil se likhta hai, wahi asli writer hota hai."
Riya ne ghar aakar form download kiya.
Form simple nahi tha.
1500 words ki original story
Real emotions
Theme: Hope
Us raat Riya ne diary kholi…
aur pehli baar usne sirf dard nahi,
umeed likhni shuru ki.
Usne likha maa ke liye.
Usne likha apne sapno ke liye.
Usne likha un sab logon ke liye
jo chup-chaap ladte rehte hain.
Title usne diya:
"Woh Aakhri Bench"
Submit button dabate waqt haath kaanp raha tha.
Par dil me ek ajeeb si shanti thi.
Do din baad hospital me doctor ne kaha,
"Treatment ka response positive hai… recovery slow hai,
par hope hai."
Hope…
wahi word jo Riya ne contest me likha tha.
Shayad zindagi bhi uski story padh rahi thi.
Riya ne diary me ek line aur likhi:
"Jab tak saans hai, tab tak umeed hai.
Aur shayad… meri kahani ab sirf meri nahi rahi."