Barish ki halki boondein sheeshe par gir rahi thi jab Hania ne apne kamre ki light band ki aur khidki ke paas aa kar khari ho gayi. Andhera usay hamesha se pasand tha, kyun ke andheray mein insaan apne aansu chhupa sakta hai. Lekin aaj ka andhera usay sukoon nahi de raha tha… balki darr de raha tha.
Pichlay teen din se har raat 12 baj kar 17 minute par uske phone par aik message aata tha.
"Tum sach janna chahti ho?"
Pehli raat usne ignore kar diya. Doosri raat number block kar diya.
Lekin teesri raat jab message ke sath aik purani tasveer attach thi, uska dil zor se dhadka.
Tasveer uske bachpan ki thi — woh, Ammi aur Abbu park mein kharay thay. Hania muskura rahi thi. Lekin tasveer ke kone mein ek aur shakhs khara tha… jiska chehra black marker se mita diya gaya tha.
Hania ne tasveer ko zoom kiya. Usay yaad tha us din sirf teen log park gaye thay. Phir woh chautha shakhs kaun tha?
Uska dimagh sawalon se bhar gaya.
Woh foran Ammi ke kamre mein gayi. "Ammi, humare paas park wali purani tasveer hai?"
Ammi ne pal bhar ke liye uski taraf dekha. Unki aankhon mein ajeeb si ghabrahat thi. "Purani baatein bhool jao, Hania."
"Lekin Ammi, tasveer mein—"
"Main ne kaha na, bhool jao!" Ammi ki awaaz pehli dafa itni sakht hui thi.
Hania chup ho gayi… lekin uska dil nahi maana.
Agli raat phir 12:17 par message aaya.
"Tumhare Abbu ki maut accident nahi thi."
Phone uske haath se girte girte bacha.
Uske Abbu ki maut 10 saal pehle road accident mein hui thi. Ye baat usay bachpan se batayi gayi thi. Woh tab sirf 9 saal ki thi.
Usne foran reply kiya:
"Tum kaun ho?"
Kuch second typing sign nazar aaya… phir gayab ho gaya.
Phir sirf aik location aayi.
Purana railway station.
Hania ka dimagh keh raha tha ke ye sab pagalpan hai. Shayad koi mazaak kar raha hai. Lekin agar ye mazaak nahi hua to? Agar Abbu ki maut sach mein accident nahi thi to?
Dil aur dimagh ki ladai mein dil jeet gaya.
Agli shaam woh chup kar ghar se nikli. Barish phir shuru ho chuki thi. Railway station ka purana hissa veeran tha. Zang lage board, tootay benches aur halki si peeli roshni jo kabhi jalti kabhi bujhti.
Hania ne phone ki flashlight on ki. Har taraf sannata tha.
"Aap ne bulaya tha?" usne dheemi awaaz mein kaha.
Koi jawab nahi.
Achanak uska phone vibrate hua.
"Tum sach ke kareeb ho."
Uska gala sookh gaya. "Samne aao!" woh cheekhi.
Platform ke dusre kinare par ek saya nazar aaya. Lamba sa… bilkul waisa jaisa tasveer mein mita diya gaya tha.
Woh shakhs dheere dheere roshni ki taraf barhne laga.
Hania ka dil itni zor se dhadak raha tha ke use lag raha tha awaaz bahar tak ja rahi hogi.
"Aap kaun ho?" usne phir poocha.
Shakhs ne roshni mein kadam rakha… lekin chehra ab bhi andheray mein tha.
"Main tumhara dushman nahi hoon, Hania."
Us awaaz mein ajnabi pan nahi tha.
Woh awaaz… woh bilkul Abbu jaisi thi.
Hania ki aankhon mein aansu bhar aaye. "Yeh mumkin nahi… Abbu to—"
"Har kahani waise nahi hoti jaise batayi jati hai," us shakhs ne kaha.
Hania ka dimagh ghoom gaya. "Agar aap Abbu nahi ho to meri family ke baare mein itna sab kaise jante ho?"
Shakhs ne apni jeb se kuch nikala aur zameen par phenka.
Woh aik purani chain thi… jise dekh kar Hania ka rang urh gaya.
Ye chain uske Abbu hamesha pehna karte thay.
"Yeh tumhare ghar se nahi aayi," shakhs ne kaha. "Yeh sach ke sath dafan ki gayi thi."
Hania ek kadam peeche hati. "Sach kya hai?"
Shakhs ne dheere se kaha, "Tumhari Ammi sab janti hain."
Hania ka dil toot gaya. "Nahi… Ammi kabhi jhoot nahi bol sakti."
Achanak station ki purani lights ek sath bujh gayin.
Andhera chha gaya.
Hania ne flashlight on karne ki koshish ki, lekin phone band ho chuka tha.
Phir ek tez awaaz aayi… jaise koi dhakka laga ho.
"Aap kahan ho?" Hania ne ghabra kar kaha.
Kuch second khamoshi rahi.
Phir andheray mein se ek dard bhari cheekh gunji.
Lekin woh cheekh us shakhs ki thi.
Hania ne haath barha kar us jagah ko chhua jahan woh khara tha… lekin wahan sirf thandi zameen thi.
Phir achanak uske phone ki screen khud ba khud on hui.
Screen par ek naya message tha:
"Ab tum akeli ho. Aur sach abhi shuru hua hai."
Hania ki saansen tez ho gayin.
Usne dheere se peeche mud kar dekha…
Platform ke entrance par koi khara tha.
Is dafa woh saya pehle wale se chhota tha.
Aur usne Hania ka naam liya.
"Beta…"
Yeh awaaz uski Ammi ki thi.