Ishaan ko kabhi bhi adventure aur mystery ka craze raha tha. Jab uske phone par ek strange invitation aaya, to uska curiosity peak par chala gaya.
Invitation mein likha tha:
"Raven House awaits the brave. Discover what has been hidden for decades."
"Ye kya hai yaar?" Ishaan ne apne friend Rhea ko message bheja.
Rhea ne reply kiya: "Dare challenge lag raha hai. Tum jaa rahe ho kya?"
Ishaan ne smile kiya. "Of course! Ye perfect adventure hoga."
Agla weekend, Ishaan aur Rhea, saath mein do aur friends – Kabir aur Meera – forest ke beech chhupe Raven House ke liye nikle. Path narrow aur dense forest se ghira hua tha. Birds ke calls aur wind ki sound ke beech, mansion ka silhouette slowly dikhne laga.
"Guys… ye seriously creepy lag raha hai," Rhea ne softly kaha, aur apni flashlight tight pakdi.
"Relax, bas ek baar andar dekhte hain. Phir mazaak lagne lagega," Ishaan ne confidently bola. Par andar se uski voice thodi shaky thi.
Mansion ke rusty gate par step rakhte hi, ek cold breeze unke faces ko touch kar gaya. Gate ka metal creak aur long echo, sabko alert kar raha tha.
"Ye jagah bohot purani aur abandoned lag rahi hai," Kabir ne kaha.
"Aur ye warning ka feel… jaise mansion khud humse keh raha ho ki yahan mat aao," Meera ne whisper kiya.
Ishaan ne deep breath liya. "Bas thoda explore karenge. Kuch bhi ho, safe rahenge."
Woh log mansion ke centre hall me aaye. Hall huge aur silent tha. Old furniture, broken chandeliers, aur torn curtains har jagah thi. Dust ki layer sab objects pe thi. Walls par purane portraits hanging the, jinme logon ki aankhen jaise unko follow kar rahi ho.
"Ye portraits… bilkul alive lag rahe hain," Rhea ne slightly shiver karte hue kaha.
"Bas, chalo aage badhte hain," Ishaan ne bola. Jaise hi woh hall ke center se cross kar rahe the, floor par ek old diary mili. Diary ka cover black aur dusty tha.
Ishaan ne diary uthai aur dheere se open kiya. Uske pages faded aur almost unreadable the, par pehla page kholte hi, words magically visible hone lage – jaise diary khud unse communicate kar rahi ho.
"Guys… ye diary… purani handwriting, aur ye language… kuch toh secret hai is mansion ka," Ishaan ne whisper kiya.
Tabhi, ek soft whisper sunai diya:
"Leave… or never return…"
Sab log ek second ke liye freeze ho gaye. Rhea ne panic me pucha, "Kya… ye sunne ke baad bhi hum andar ja rahe hain?"
Ishaan ne head nod kiya. "Haan, bas first mystery solve karte hain. Phir wapas aa jayenge."
Jaise hi woh log diary ke pages ko dheere-dheere pad rahe the, ek shadow movement hall ke corner me dikhai diya. Koi clearly visible nahi tha, par air me heaviness aur coldness feel ho rahi thi.
Aur phir, ek loud creak sound aayi – jaise mansion ke floor aur walls unki presence ko sense kar rahe ho.
Ishaan ne deep breath li, aur bola:
"Ye sirf start hai. Jo bhi mystery hai… woh yahin se begin hoti hai."
Aur tabhi… diary ka ek page khud se flip ho gaya.