[11:47 PM - Blood Moon Poora Hua]
Andhera mein, chheh jodi glowing aankhein. Paanch woh pehchante the. Chhathi...
"Phone torches! ABHI!" Aarav chillaya.
Lights on hui. Sabki saans ruk gayi.
Wahan khadi thi... Kavya. Ek aur Kavya. Par galat. Uski smile bahut zyada wide, skin bahut pale, aankhein poori black.
"Miss kiya mujhe?" Other-Kavya giggled. Normal Kavya ki laugh nahi. Ye ancient thi. Evil.
"What the f*ck!" Original Kavya peeche hati.
"Oh come on, khudse mat daro," Other-Kavya ne sir unnatural angle pe tilt kiya. "Waise technically, main tum nahi hun. Main woh hun jo tumhe banna chahiye tha."
WhatsApp Group: "We The Chaos 🤪"
[11:48 PM]
Zain: DO KAVYA?? BRO WTF
Myra: Camera video sahi thi!
Aarav: Konsi asli hai?!
Rehan: Mera shadow nayi wali ki taraf point kar raha hai
Other-Kavya: Aww, abhi bhi WhatsApp use karte ho
Other-Kavya: Kitna... primitive
Other-Kavya: BTW main tumhare saare deleted messages padh sakti hun 😈
Zain: OH SHIT NAHI
[11:49 PM - Sach Ka Khulasa]
"Let me guess," Original Kavya ne apne doppelganger ko face kiya, "tum failed timeline se ho?"
"Smart ladki. Hamesha thi sabse smart." Other-Kavya unke aas-paas chakkar lagane lagi. "Par failed nahi. Succeeded. Bahut zyada acche se."
Rehan ka shadow pagla raha tha, stretch aur contract ho raha tha. "Tum future se nahi ho. Tum... 1975 se ho?"
Other-Kavya ne slow clap kiya. "Ding ding ding! Ladke ko prize do!"
"Par woh mar gaye the!" Myra ne cards pakad liye.
"Mare kya sach mein?" Other-Kavya ka form flicker hua. Ek second ke liye, woh 1975 ki Kirti thi. Phir wapas. "Hum mare, haan. Par ek ne... deal banaya."
Mansion ki deewaarein khoon behane lagi. Writing appear hui:
"NAHI NAHI NAHI NAHI"
"USE BATANA NAHI THA"
"USE ROKO"
"Oh chup karo!" Other-Kavya ne deewaaron pe chillaya. "Tumhare paas mauka tha! 48 saal maine intezaar kiya!"
[11:50 PM - 1975 Ka Sach]
Mrs. Sharma aur Mr. Sharma andar aaye. Par Other-Kavya ko dekh ke, freeze ho gaye.
"Kirti?" Mrs. Sharma ne whisper kiya. "Tum... tum paanchvi body thi."
"Body, haan. Soul? Nahi." Other-Kavya hasi. "Dekho, jab mere friends ne maut accept ki, maine nahi ki. Maine side deal banaya. Kisi mansion se bhi purani cheez ke saath."
"The Devour," Mr. Sharma dar se peeche hata.
"Bingo! Bhagwan, tum sab kitne slow ho." Other-Kavya ne purani pocket watch check ki. "11 minute bache. Main speedrun karti hun."
Usne fingers snap ki. Room badal gaya. Ab woh 1975 dekh rahe the. Jaise 3D movie par woh andar the.
Paanch students circle mein. Aarti (Myra ka past self) Mayank (Aarav ka) ke haath pakde. Ravi (Rehan ka) kuch chant kar raha. Zubair (Zain ka) equipment set kar raha. Aur Kirti (Kavya ka past self) center mein khadi.
"Dhyaan se dekho," Other-Kavya narrate kar rahi thi. "Yahan sab galat hua tha."
[1975 Ka Scene Chal Raha Hai]
Past-Kirti: "Humein ye cycle todna hai! Ye shraap hamare saath khatam!"
Past-Mayank: "Par keemat—"
Past-Kirti: "Main dungi. Saari. Bas... promise karo wapas aaoge. Sab log."
Past-Aarti: "Kirti, nahi! Hum saath mein karenge!"
Past-Kirti ne sadly smile kiya. Phir uski aankhein black ho gayi. Jab boli, uski awaaz nahi thi.
"DEAL ACCEPTED. PAANCH AATMAYEIN BANDHI. CHAAR LAUTENGE. EK RAHEGA. CHAABIYON KA RAKHWALA."
Scene pause ho gaya.
[11:52 PM - Wapas Present Mein]
"Dekho," Other-Kavya ne continue kiya, "main mansion ki keeper ban gayi. Har cycle, maine tumhe dekha. Wapas aate. Jeete. Pyaar karte. Marte. Repeat. Par is baar... is baar main dekhte dekhte thak gayi hun."
"Toh tum kya chahti ho?" Aarav protective hokar aage aaya.
"Simple. Main bahar jaana chahti hun. Aur tum meri madad karoge."
"Kyun karenge hum—" Zain ne shuru kiya.
"Kyunki," Other-Kavya ki aankhein ek second normal hui. Pleading. "Main abhi bhi Kavya hun. Tumhari dost. Bas... tooti hui. Aur agar tumne madad nahi ki, exactly 8 minute mein, mujhe tumhe phir marna padega. Dobara."
[11:53 PM - Mansion Ka Gussa]
Deewaarein crack hone lagi. Damage nahi. Woh khul rahi thi. Jaise muh ho. Cheekhte hue.
"GADDAR! KEEPER! TUMNE VAADA TODA!"
"F*CK KARO VAADE KO!" Other-Kavya ne wapas chillaya. "48 saal ki gulami! MAIN THAK GAYI HUN!"
Suddenly, floor liquid ban gaya. Sab doobne lage.
"Pakdo!" Rehan ke shadow ne expand hokar platform banaya.
"Ye naya hai," Zain impressed tha situation ke bawajood.
"Hum evolve kar rahe hain," Myra ne realize kiya. Uske cards bina touch ke uske aas-paas ghoom rahe the. "Midnight ke paas, hum zyada strong hote hain."
"Kyunki tab parda sabse patla hota hai," Other-Kavya ne explain kiya, liquid floor ke upar float karte hue. "Insaan aur... jo hum sach mein hain, ke beech."
[11:55 PM - Asli Dushman]
"Ruko," Original Kavya ko suddenly samajh aaya. "Tum villain nahi ho. Mansion bhi nahi."
"Finally! Journalist samjhi!" Other-Kavya genuinely smile kari.
"Kuch aur hai. Jo mansion trapped rakh raha hai."
"The Devour," sabne ek saath kaha.
Other-Kavya ne sar hilaya. "Mansion hamari jail nahi hai. Ye THE jail hai. Kisi aise cheez ke liye jo realities khati hai. Aur har 48 saal, hum sacrifice nahi hain. Hum hain..."
"Replacement guards," Rehan ne poora kiya, uska analytical dimag connections bana raha tha.
"Par specifically hum hi kyun?" Aarav ne poocha.
Other-Kavya ka expression udaas ho gaya. "Kyunki hum poore insaan nahi hain. Kabhi the hi nahi."
[11:57 PM - Asli Kahaani]
Room phir shift hua. Is baar ancient. 300 saal pehle.
Paanch bachche gaon mein khel rahe. Par kuch off tha. Unke saaye alag tarike se hilte the. Unki aankhon mein taare the.
"Hum cosmic alignment ke dauraan paida hue," Other-Kavya narrate kar rahi thi. "Do duniya ke bachche. Insaani maayein. Baap... kuch aur."
"Aliens?" Zain ne umeed se poocha.
"Worse. Better. Dono." Other-Kavya ne shoulders utha diye. "Dimensional beings. Hum aadhe-insaan, aadhe-reality-warpers hain."
"Isliye hum ek-doosre ko dhoondte rehte hain," Myra samjhi. "Hum khiche chale aate hain."
"Isliye hamare paas abilities hain," Aarav ne add kiya, uska camera cracked lens se multiple timelines dikha raha tha.
"Aur isliye sirf hum Devour ko guard kar sakte hain," Original Kavya ne conclude kiya.
[11:58 PM - Bachne Ka Plan]
"Do minute!" Other-Kavya ne ghadi check ki. "Deal ye hai. Hum forever guards bante rahe. YA..."
"Ya?" Sab aage jhuke.
"Hum Devour ko release karte hain. Ladte hain. Khatam karte hain. Hamesha ke liye."
"Ye pagalpan hai!" Mrs. Sharma ne protest kiya. "Woh sab kuch barbaad kar dega!"
"Nahi," Other-Kavya ne wickedly smile kiya. "Woh sab kuch JAISE HAI WAISE barbaad karega. Hum dobara banayenge. Behtar."
Mr. Sharma aage aaya. "Pichli baar jis group ne ye try kiya—"
"Unke paas woh nahi tha jo hamare paas hai," Other-Kavya ne interrupt kiya. "Zain, phone dikhao unhe."
Zain ne phone nikala. Screen glitch kar rahi thi. Apps nahi dikha rahi thi balki... code. Reality ka code.
"BC ye kya hai," Zain ne whisper kiya. "Main programming dekh sakta hun."
"Myra, tumhare cards."
Myra ka tarot deck khud ba khud shuffle ho raha tha, har card alag dimension dikha raha tha.
"Rehan, tumhara saaya."
Rehan ke saaye ne independently haath hilaya. Phir paanch saayon mein split ho gaya.
"Aarav, tumhara camera."
Toote lens se, Aarav sab kuch dekh sakta tha. Past, present, future. Sab ek saath.
"Aur Kavya," Other-Kavya ne original ko dekha, "tumhari awaaz."
Original Kavya boli: "Kya ho raha hai humse?"
Par uski awaaz ne kuch impossible kiya. Woh dikhne lagi. Sone ke dhaage reality ko chhoote hue.
[11:59 PM - Faisla]
"30 second!" Other-Kavya ka form flicker karne laga. "Decide karo! Cycle jaari rakho ya sab khatam karo!"
Nokia 3310 beech mein appear hua. Float karta hua. Chamakta hua.
"Ye chaabi hai?" Aarav ne poocha.
"Ye taala hai," Other-Kavya ne theek kiya. "Normal tarike se todo, cycle jaari. Apne asli roop se todo..."
"Hum woh ban jaate hain jo hum sach mein hain," Myra ne poora kiya.
"Par hum insaan nahi rahenge," Rehan ne calculate kiya.
"Kabhi the?" Zain ne philosophically poocha.
[15 Seconds]
"Saath mein?" Original Kavya ne poocha.
"Saath mein," sabne jawab diya.
"Ruko!" Other-Kavya chillai. "Ek aur baat hai. Devour... woh bura nahi hai. Woh—"
[MIDNIGHT - 12:00 AM]
Blood moon ne pulse kiya. Sab kuch laal ho gaya.
Paanchon ne Nokia ko ek saath chhoa. Other-Kavya Original Kavya mein merge hui. Cheekhti. Hasti. Roti.
Phone toota nahi. Woh UNMADE ho gaya.
Aur uske saath, dimensions ke beech ki deewaarein toot gayi.
[12:01 AM - Badlaav]
Dard. Shareerik nahi. Astitva ka. Woh molecular level pe rewrite ho rahe the.
Myra ka shareer transparent ho gaya, cards uske aas-paas planets ki tarah ghoom rahe the.
Aarav ki aankhein cameras ban gayi, infinite realities ek saath record kar rahi thi.
Zain pixelate ho gaya, uski consciousness digital space mein fail gayi.
Rehan ka saaya solid ban gaya jabki uska shareer saaya ban gaya.
Aur Kavya... Kavya boli. Ek shabd: "RUKO."
Sab freeze ho gaya. Time. Space. Badlaav.
"BC ye kya," Zain bola, abhi bhi aadha-pixelated. "Tune abhi..."
"Reality pause ki?" Kavya ne apne haath dekhe. "Main... lagta hai haan?"
[12:02 AM - Devour Ka Aana]
Frozen space crack hua. Kuch andar ghus raha tha. Raakshas nahi. Shaitan nahi.
Ek bachcha. Rota hua. Khoya hua. Bhookha.
"Ye Devour hai?" Myra ne whisper kiya.
Usne infinite aankhon se dekha. Hazaar aawazon mein bola: "Bahut... bhookh... bahut... akela..."
"Ye destroyer nahi hai," Rehan ne realize kiya. "Ye chhoda hua hai. Bhookha."
"Ye realities isliye khata hai kyunki iski khud ki koi nahi hai," Aarav samjha, enhanced vision se uska past dekhte hue.
Bachche-jaisi cheez ne haath badhaya. "Madad... karo..."
[12:05 AM - Naya Deal]
Other-Kavya ki awaaz Original Kavya ke sir mein goonji: "Isliye main tumhe yahan layi. Ladne nahi. Bachane ke liye."
"Hum guards nahi hain," Kavya ne zor se kaha. "Hum teachers hain. Maa-baap. Guides."
Mansion dobara banna shuru hua. Par alag. Garam. Zinda.
Mrs. Sharma ro rahi thi. "Shraap... badal raha hai. Toot nahi raha. Evolve ho raha hai."
Mr. Sharma fade ho raha tha par muskura raha tha. "Mera kaam khatam. Finally."
Devour-bachcha darte darte paas aaya. "Tum... dar nahi rahe?"
"Bahut dar rahe hain," Zain ne admit kiya. "Par theek hai."
"Dar humein insaan banaye rakhta hai," Myra ne add kiya, cards future dikha rahe the jahan woh is cosmic bachche ko paalta hai.
"Chahe hum poore insaan na hon," Aarav bola, is impossible moment ko document karte hue.
[12:10 AM - Chunaav Ho Gaya]
"Ab kya?" Rehan ne poocha, uske saaye possibilities explore kar rahe the.
"Ab," Kavya boli, Other-Kavya ki yaadein poori tarah integrated ho gayi thi, "hamara kaam hai. Ek reality-khane-wale ko paalna. Use control sikhana. Pyaar. Maksad."
"Jaise cosmic babysitters?" Zain ne mazaak kiya.
"Jaise training mein bhagwaan," Kavya ne theek kiya.
Mansion unke aas-paas solid hua. Jail nahi. Jaal nahi. Ghar. School. Panah.
WhatsApp Group: "We The Chaos 🤪"
[12:11 AM]
Universe: Tumhari promotion pe badhai
Myra: UNIVERSE KE PAAS WHATSAPP HAI?
Universe: Main sarvvyapi hun, obvious hai
Universe: Tum paanch ab Reality Guardians v2.0 ho
Universe: Tankhwah: Infinite possibilities
Universe: Kaam: Existence ko exist rakhna
Universe: Aur haan, Devour ki babysitting
Zain: Hum literally cosmic interns hain
Aarav: Superpowers ke saath
Kavya: Aur amar jeevan
Rehan: Aur badi zimmedari
Myra: Par saath mein
Universe: Saath mein. Hamesha.
Universe: P.S. - Mansion ab tumhara base hai. Rent-free
[12:20 AM - Naya Normal]
Woh badle hue mansion mein khade the. Abhi bhi woh khud the par zyada. Insaan par usse aage.
Devour-bachcha Myra ka haath pakde tha, shaant ho raha tha.
"Ise kya bulayen?" Myra ne poocha.
"Dev," Zain ne suggest kiya. "Simple."
"Dev hi sahi," sabne agree kiya.
Dev muskuraya. Yugo mein pehli baar. "Mera... naam... hai?"
"Tera parivaar hai," Kavya ne theek kiya.
[Ek Ghante Baad]
Woh badle hue living room mein baithe the. Dev shaanti se so raha tha, ab bhookha nahi.
"Hum mar gaye," Aarav ne matter-of-factly kaha.
"Technically," Rehan ne confirm kiya.
"Par hum abhi bhi yahan hain," Myra ne point out kiya.
"Alag. Behtar. Ajeeb," Zain ne add kiya.
"Saath mein," Kavya ne khatam kiya.
Baahar, blood moon fade ho raha tha. Subah aa rahi thi. Unki pehli subah kuch naye bankar.
"Hamare mummy-papa toh pagla jayenge," Aarav ko suddenly realize hua.
"Tu soch raha hai hum normal life mein wapas jayenge?" Kavya hasi.
"Jaa sakte hain. Mostly. Part-time bhagwaan, part-time insaan," Myra ne suggest kiya.
"Sahi hai," sabne agree kiya.
[Subah - 6:00 AM]
Mrs. Sharma ne nashta banaya. Woh jawaan lag rahi thi. Shraap hatne se uski asli umar wapas aa gayi.
"Toh tum ruk rahe ho?" usne umeed se poocha.
"Kisi ko toh homestay chalana hai," Aarav ne kaha. "Par ab alag tarike se advertise karna."
"The Mansion 3AM - Jahan Reality Ajeeb Ho Jaati Hai," Zain ne suggest kiya.
"Perfect," sab hase.
Dev utha, baarah dimensions mein exist karte muh se jamhayi lete hue. "Bhookh."
"Normal bhookh ya reality-khane wali?" Rehan ne poocha.
"Pancakes wali."
"Ye manage kar sakte hain," Mrs. Sharma muskurayi.
[To Be Continued in Chapter 7...]