Episode 1: Pehli Mulakaat
Mujhe aaj bhi yaad hai wo din…
jab main usse pehli baar mili thi.
Office se nikalte waqt shaam ho chuki thi. Baarish achanak tez ho gayi thi aur log idhar-udhar bhaag rahe the. Main bus stop par khadi thi, bheegi hui, thakki hui, aur thodi irritate bhi. Tabhi kisi ne meri taraf umbrella badhaya.
"Le lijiye… warna pura bheeg jaogi."
Maine palat kar dekha.
Lamba kad, simple shirt, aankhon me ajeeb si shanti. Wo muskuraya nahi tha, bas normal tha… lekin uski awaaz me ek alag confidence tha.
"Thanks," maine umbrella lete hue kaha.
"Main Aarav," usne kaha, jaise bas itna batana hi kaafi ho.
Bus aane tak hum dono chup rahe. Par pata nahi kyun, wo silence awkward nahi laga. Aisa lag raha tha jaise kisi purane pehchaan wale ke saath khadi hoon.
Bus aayi. Bheed thi. Hum dono paas-paas khade the.
Tab maine notice kiya — wo baar-baar apni ghadi dekh raha tha. Par ghadi ka glass thoda sa crack tha… jaise kisi accident ke baad.
"Roz late hote ho kya?" maine mazaak me pooch liya.
Usne ek second ke liye mujhe dekha… phir bola,
"Nahi. Kuch dinon se waqt thoda ulta chal raha hai."
Us jawab ne mujhe confuse kar diya. Par maine zyada poochha nahi.
Us din ke baad hum roz milne lage.
Kabhi bus stop, kabhi chai ki tapri. Dheere-dheere baatein badhne lagi. Mujhe lagne laga tha… shayad main usse pasand karne lagi hoon.
Par Aarav kabhi apne baare me zyada nahi batata tha.
Na family ka zikr, na dost, na past.
Ek din maine casually pooch liya,
"Tum rehte kahan ho?"
Usne chai ka sip liya, phir bola,
"Jahan rehna zaroori hai."
Maine hansi me uda diya, par dil ke kisi kone me kuch chubh gaya.
Us raat, ghar aakar maine apna phone check kiya.
Ek unknown number se missed call tha.
Call back kiya.
Dusri taraf se ek aadmi ki awaaz aayi—
"Tum Aarav se door raho. Tum nahi jaanti wo kaun hai."
"Kaun bol raha hai?" maine ghabra kar poocha.
Call cut ho chuka tha.
Usi moment par meri screen par Aarav ka message aaya:
"Kal mat milna. Tum safe nahi ho."
Mera haath kaanp gaya.
Kyuki jis awaaz ne mujhe warning di thi…
wo awaaz bilkul Aarav jaisi hi thi.