Laal Chaand Ka Shraap

Mera naam Raghav hai aur aaj main tumhe ek aisi kahani sunane jaa raha hoon jo main ne apni zindagi mein kabhi kisi ko poori tarah nahi batayi. Main jaanta hoon tum shayad is par yakeen na karo, lekin jo kuch main kehne wala hoon woh meri zindagi ka sabse sach aur sabse khaufnaak hissa hai. Yeh kahani shuru hoti hai 2019 ke November ke ek thande raat se, jab main apne gaon ke purane kothi mein akela tha. Bahar tez hawa chal rahi thi, darwaze ki purani lakdi se aise aawaz aa rahi thi jaise koi bahar se usse dheere-dheere kholne ki koshish kar raha ho. Main ne shuru mein socha shayad hawa ka pressure hoga, lekin kuch minute baad mujhe pata chala ki yeh awaaz ruk hi nahi rahi. Main uth ke drawing room ke kone mein rakhe bade sheeshe ke parde ko halka sa hila ke dekha, bahar kuch nahi tha, sirf andhera. Andhera itna gehra ki lage jaise hawa bhi usme gum ho gayi ho. Jaise hi main palat ke andar aaya, mujhe lagaa peeche se kisi ne meri gardan ke paas thandi saans li ho. Main turant palta, koi nahi tha. Us raat main ne decide kiya ki main living room mein hi so jaunga kyunki bedroom ka rasta purani galli se jaata tha jo hamesha ajeeb lagta tha. Sofa par letkar main ne apna phone uthaya, lekin network ekdam dead tha. Sirf ek message ka icon flash hua, jo na main ne bheja tha na kisi ne mujhe. Usme sirf likha tha: “Main aa gaya hoon.” Mujhe laga shayad koi prank kar raha hai, lekin phone ka call log check kiya toh us number ka koi record hi nahi tha. Raat ka 1 baj raha tha, jab mujhe lagaa jaise upar wale kamre se koi chal raha ho. Kothi ke upar ka hissa kaafi saalon se band tha, waha koi rehta nahi tha. Main ne himmat karke torch uthai aur seedhiyan chadhne laga. Har kadam pe lakdi ki seedhiyan karah rahi thi. Jaise hi main ne upar ka darwaza khola, ek sadi hui gandh ne mere muh par attack kiya. Kamra purana tha, lakdi ke almariyaan, purane kapde aur ek bada sa mirror jo aadha toot chuka tha. Lekin sabse badi baat yeh thi ki mirror ke andar mujhe apna reflection normal nahi dikh raha tha. Mere chehre par ek ajeeb sa smile tha, lekin main to bilkul serious khada tha. Main peeche hatne laga, lekin reflection wahi khada muskara raha tha, aur dheere-dheere uski muskaan badh rahi thi, daant poore dikh rahe the, lekin aankhon mein sirf andhera tha. Mera dil itna tez dhadak raha tha ki mujhe apne kaan mein awaaz sunai de rahi thi. Main neeche bhagne ke liye palta, lekin peeche se mirror ka glass khud se toot ke zameen par gir gaya, aur mujhe apne kaan ke paas se ek awaaz sunai di — “Tu ab yahan ka hissa hai.” Main seedhiyon se neeche bhaaga, lekin neeche pohonch ke dekha ki living room ka saara furniture apni jagah se hila hua tha, sofa ulta pada tha, table ke niche se kuch cheez rengi ja rahi thi, lekin main use dekh nahi pa raha tha. Bas uski saans ki aawaaz sunai de rahi thi — bhari hui, gehri aur gandi. Bahar ka darwaza kholne gaya toh pata chala ki woh locked hai, lekin latch andar se khula hua tha. Main zor-zor se kheenchne laga, darwaza hilta bhi nahi tha. Tabhi peechhe se koi mere kaan mein phir se fusa — “Ruk ja, abhi toh raat shuru hui hai.” Uske baad main jaise be-hosh ho gaya. Jab meri aankh khuli toh main upar wale kamre ke beech mein pada tha, mere aas paas chaar alag-alag kursiyan rakhi thi, aur unpe purane khaufnaak mask pehne hue mannequins baithe the, jo mujhe seedha ghur rahe the. Unke haath mere taraf bade hue the, jaise mujhe pakadne wale ho. Us moment mujhe samajh aa gaya ki yeh koi normal cheez nahi hai. Main jaise hi bhaagna chaha, mannequins ke joints hilne lage aur woh dheere-dheere khade hone lage. Main ne ek ko dhakka diya aur seedhiyon se neeche utar ke ek chhote window se bahar kud gaya. Bahar hawa aur tez ho gayi thi, lekin mujhe sirf bhaagna tha. Main raste par bhaagta gaya, lekin jaane ka koi rasta mil hi nahi raha tha. Har gali wapas usi kothi ke samne la rahi thi. Jaise poora gaon ek chakkar mein bandh gaya ho. Main ne aasman ki taraf dekha, chaand ka rang laal tha, jaise khoon se rang diya ho. Us waqt mujhe door se wahi awaaz sunai di jo phone pe aayi thi — “Main aa gaya hoon.” Aakhri yaad mujhe yeh hai ki mere samne woh mirror ka reflection khada tha, lekin iss baar usne smile nahi ki, usne bas apna haath badha kar mere sir ke andar ghusa diya. Uske baad sab andhera. Main wahan se kab nikla, ya nikla bhi ya nahi, mujhe nahi pata. Aur aaj jab main yeh likh raha hoon, mere room ke corner mein ek purana tootaa hua mirror rakha hai… aur usme main yeh kahani likhte hue mujhe nahi dikh raha… koi aur dikh raha hai.