Aliyar ka phone Sana ke haath me tha.
Screen dim thi, par naam bilkul clear—Aliyar.
Usne phone lock kiya aur bag me rakh diya.
Dil tez dhadak raha tha.
Aisa lag raha tha jaise wo koi aisi cheez chhoo rahi ho, jo use nahi karni chahiye.
Next morning Sana school pahunchi to last bench phir khaali thi.
Aliyar nahi aaya tha.
Uski nazar baar-baar gate ki taraf ja rahi thi.
Har aane-jaane wale student me use Aliyar dikh jaata.
Par wo nahi tha.
Lunch break me Sana washroom ke bahar ruki.
Bag khol kar usne phone nikala.
No lock.
Jaise Aliyar ne kabhi lagaya hi na ho.
Gallery open thi.
Sirf teen photos.
School building—raat ke waqt.
Basement corridor.
Aur ek teesri photo… jisme ek ID card tha.
ID par naam clear nahi tha.
Par card par lage hue khoon ke nishaan dikh rahe the.
Sana ka haath kaanp gaya.
Usne messages open kiye.
Sirf ek chat thi.
Unknown contact.
Last message padha nahi gaya tha.
"Aaj sach saamne aana hi chahiye.
Agar tu phir bhaaga… to Sana safe nahi rahegi."
Sana ka dil zor se dhadak utha.
Isi waqt library ke bahar se awaaz aayi.
"Sana."
Wo chaunk gayi.
Aliyar.
Wo wahan khada tha.
Chehra thaka hua.
Aankhon ke neeche dark circles.
"Tum kal school kyun nahi aaye?" Sana ne seedha poocha.
Aliyar ne uske haath me phone dekha.
Uska chehra ek pal ke liye bilkul blank ho gaya.
"Tumhe wo phone kahan mila?"
Uski awaaz tight thi.
"Ye sawal mujhe poochna chahiye," Sana ne kaha.
"Tumhara phone mere bag me tha."
Aliyar ne idhar-udhar dekha.
Library khaali thi.
"Yahan nahi," usne dheere se kaha.
"Follow me."
Wo use school ke pichhle staircase ki taraf le gaya.
Wahan jahan students normally nahi jaate.
"Tum is sab se door reh sakti ho," Aliyar ne kaha.
"Agar abhi chali jao."
Sana ne phone uski taraf badha diya.
"Tum sach bataoge."
Aliyar ne phone le liya.
Ek gehri saans li.
"Do saal pehle," usne shuru kiya,
"main isi school me nahi tha."
Sana chup rahi.
"Jis school me main tha… wahan ek ladka mara gaya."
Aliyar ki awaaz dheemi thi.
"Sabne kaha—main zimmedaar hoon."
Sana ki aankhen phail gayi.
"Par…?"
"Par maine kuch nahi kiya," Aliyar ne kaha.
"Main sirf wahan tha."
Usne phone me photo kholi—
wahi blood-stained ID card.
"Ye uska tha," Aliyar ne kaha.
"Aur koi chahata hai ki ye sach kabhi saamne na aaye."
Sana ko raat ke messages yaad aa gaye.
Warning. Threats.
"Isliye log mujhse door rehte hain," Aliyar ne kaha.
"Unhe lagta hai main danger hoon."
Sana ne dheere se kaha,
"Par asal danger tum nahi ho."
Aliyar ne use dekha.
"Tumhe ye nahi kehna chahiye tha."
Isi waqt corridor ke end par footsteps sunai di.
Dheemi. Par clear.
Aliyar ka chehra badal gaya.
"Koi hai," usne kaha.
Footsteps ruk gaye.
Phir ek awaaz aayi—
"Aliyar… tum phir se chupne lage ho."
Sana ka khoon jam gaya.
Ye awaaz usne pehle kabhi nahi suni thi.
Aliyar ne Sana ka haath pakda.
"Jo bhi ho," usne kaha,
"mujh par bharosa rakhna."
Footsteps unke aur paas aa gaye.
Aur us moment Sana ko samajh aa gaya—
ye game sirf un dono ka nahi tha.
Aur jo saamne aa raha tha…
wo sirf warning dene nahi aaya tha.
To be continued…