Aakhiri Call
“Aakhri Call”
Raat ke 2 baje the. Pura ghar khamosh tha… sirf deewar par latki ghadi ki “tik-tik” sunai de rahi thi. Rhea ne achanak aankh kholi—jaise kisi ne usse bulaya ho.
Phone vibrate ho raha tha.
Unknown number.
Kuch pal tak wo screen ko takti rahi… phir darr aur curiosity ke beech usne call receive kar li.
“Hello…?” uski awaaz halki si kaanp rahi thi.
Dusri taraf kuch seconds tak sirf saans lene ki awaaz aayi… phir ek dheemi si awaaz boli— “Darwaza mat kholna.”
Rhea ka dil zor se dhadakne laga. “Kaun… kaun bol raha hai?”
“Main… main tum hoon.”
Rhea ek pal ke liye jam si gayi. “Ye koi mazaak hai kya?”
“Time nahi hai explain karne ka… bas meri baat suno. Aaj raat koi tumhare ghar aayega. Darwaza mat kholna… chahe koi bhi ho.”
Rhea ne ghabra kar room ke charo taraf dekha. Sab normal tha… lekin uska mann keh raha tha kuch galat hone wala hai.
“Agar tum main ho… to proof do,” usne himmat jod kar kaha.
Phone ke us paar se halki si awaaz aayi— “Tumhare right haath par ek chhota sa nishaan hai… aur kal raat tumhe sapna aaya tha jisme tumhe lag raha tha koi tumhe dekh raha hai.”
Rhea ka chehra safed pad gaya. Ye sab sach tha.
“Please… meri baat maan lo,” awaaz ab toot rahi thi, “warna sab khatam ho jayega.”
Tabhi—“knock knock”
Darwaze par dastak hui.
“Kaun hai?” Rhea ne zor se poocha.
“Beta, main hoon… mummy. Darwaza kholo.”
Rhea ek pal ke liye confuse ho gayi. Mummy? Par mummy to sheher se bahar thi…
Phone par awaaz phir se boli— “Mat kholna. Jo bhi bahar hai… wo mummy nahi hai.”
Dastak aur tez ho gayi. “Rhea! Jaldi darwaza kholo!”
Uska dil do tukdon me bant gaya—ek taraf maa ki awaaz, doosri taraf phone par apni hi warning.
Wo dheere se darwaze ke paas gayi… aur peephole se dekha.
Kuch bhi nahi.
Khali corridor.
Phir bhi awaaz— “Darwaza kholo…”
Rhea peeche hati. Haath se phone phisal gaya.
Phone speaker par awaaz phir se aayi— “Ab samajh aaya? Wo andar aana chahta hai…”
“Kaun?” Rhea ne dheere se poocha.
Kuch seconds tak khamoshi chhayi rahi… phir awaaz ne dheere se kaha— “Wo… jo har baar tumhari awaaz me baat karta hai…”
Rhea ka dimag ghoom gaya.
“Matlab…?”
Awaaz thodi si hansi— “Matlab… main tum nahi hoon.”
Achanak room ki light blink hui… aur band ho gayi.
Andhere me sirf ek halki si fufkaar goonji— “Main andar aa chuka hoon…”
Rhea ne turant darwaze ki taraf dekha…
Darwaza dheere se khula hua tha.
Aur peeche… uska phone screen dobara jal utha.
Call still active tha.
Screen par likha tha— “Incoming Call: Rhea”