Yeh baat tab ki hai jab main lagbhag 10-11 saal ka tha. Humare purane ghar mein chhat par ek chhota sa store room tha jise saalon se khola nahi gaya tha. Mohalle ke bachhon mein afwah thi ki wahan koi "rehta" hai.
Payal ki awaaz: Raat ko jab sab so jate, toh chhat par kisi ke chalne ki halki-halki awaaz aati thi, jaise koi ghunghroo pehen kar dhire-dhire ghoom raha ho.
Khidki ka hilna: Store room ki khidki hamesha band rehti thi, lekin kai baar subah woh halki si khuli milti, jabki wahan koi gaya hi nahi hota tha.
Woh Ek Raat:
Ek baar garmiyon ki chhuttiyon mein hum sab chhat par so rahe the. Achanak meri aankh khuli. Maine dekha ki store room ka darwaza, jo hamesha bhari taale se band rehta tha, woh aadha khula hai.
Maine socha shayad Papa kuch lene gaye honge, par jab maine bagal mein dekha toh sab gehri neend mein the. Tabhi us kamre ke andar se ek purana khilona (jo mera bachpan ka tha aur wahi andar paka tha) apne aap bajne laga—tring tring tring.
Main itna darr gaya ki rone ki himmat bhi nahi hui. Maine bas apna chehra chadar se dhak liya aur bhagwan ka naam japne laga.
Agli Subah:
Subah uth kar jab maine dekha, toh darwaza wapas band tha aur taala laga hua tha. Maine apne bade bhai ko bataya, par unhone kaha ki shayad maine koi sapna dekha hoga. Lekin aaj bhi mujhe yaad hai, woh khilone ki awaaz bilkul real thi.