Ek chhote se shehar mein do best friends rehte the — Abhinav aur Aarav. Dono bachpan se saath the. Unke ghar ek hi gali mein the aur dono ek hi school mein padhte the. Mohalle ke log aksar kehte the ki agar sacchi dosti dekhni ho to in dono ko dekho
Abhinav shaant aur samajhdar ladka tha. Use padhai karna, books padhna aur dusron ki help karna pasand tha. Aarav uske bilkul opposite tha — shararti, adventurous aur hamesha kuch na kuch naya karne ke mood mein. Lekin dono ke dil bahut saaf the, aur isi wajah se unki dosti bahut gehri thi Bachpan se hi dono har kaam saath karte the. Subah school jana ho to saath, lunch saath, khelna saath. School ke baad dono aksar ek purane park mein jaya karte the jahan ek bada sa bargad ka ped tha. Wahi unki favourite jagah thi. Wahan baith kar dono apne sapne share karte the.
Ek din shaam ko dono park mein baithe the. Suraj dheere-dheere dhal raha tha aur aasman orange rang ka ho gaya tha. Aarav ne achanak kaha,
"Abhinav, ek din hum dono bahut bade banenge. Main duniya ghoomunga aur adventure karunga."
Abhinav hans kar bola,
"Aur main scientist banunga. Phir main kuch aisa invent karunga jo duniya ke kaam aaye."
Dono zor se has pade.
Samay dheere-dheere beetne laga aur dono bade hone lage. Ab woh class 10 mein pahunch gaye the. Padhai ka pressure badh gaya tha, lekin unki dosti ab bhi utni hi strong thi.
Ek din school ke baad Aarav ne kaha,
"Abhinav, chalo aaj jungle wale raste se ghar chalte hain."
Abhinav thoda ghabra gaya. Usne kaha,
"Jungle ka rasta thoda dangerous hai."
Aarav muskura kar bola,
"Arre daro mat… main hoon na. Thoda adventure bhi hona chahiye life mein."
Aakhir Abhinav maan gaya aur dono jungle wale raste par chal pade.
Jungle ka rasta kaafi shaant tha. Hawa pedon se takra kar ajeeb si awaaz kar rahi thi. Kabhi-kabhi kisi panchi ki awaaz sunai deti thi. Dheere-dheere andhera bhi badhne laga tha.
Achanak unhe kisi ki madad ke liye cheekhne ki awaaz sunai di.
"Bachao… koi hai… bachao…"
Dono ekdum ruk gaye.
Aarav ne dheere se kaha,
"Lagta hai koi musibat mein hai."
Dono awaaz ki taraf bhaage. Thodi door jaane par unhe ek chhota ladka dikha jo ek gaddhe mein gir gaya tha. Woh bahar nahi nikal pa raha tha.
Aarav turant gaddhe ke paas gaya aur bola,
"Daro mat, hum tumhe bahar nikaalenge."
Abhinav ne aas-paas dekha aur ek lambi dandi le aaya. Dono ne milkar us ladke ko bahar nikala. Ladka bahut dara hua tha.
Woh rote hue bola,
"Thank you bhaiya… agar aap nahi aate to pata nahi kya hota."
Dono use uske ghar tak chhod kar aaye. Uske parents ne bhi unka bahut shukriya ada kiya.
Us din dono ko laga ki unki dosti sirf masti ke liye nahi, balki kisi ki zindagi bachane ke liye bhi important hai.
Lekin us din ke baad Aarav ka behaviour thoda badalne laga.
Woh kabhi-kabhi school se jaldi chala jata tha. Kabhi kisi se chup-chup kar phone par baat karta tha. Abhinav ko yeh sab thoda ajeeb lagne laga.
Ek din Abhinav ne poocha,
"Aarav, sab theek hai na? Tum aajkal bahut alag behave kar rahe ho."
Aarav thodi der chup raha. Phir bola,
"Sab theek hai yaar… bas thoda tension hai."
Abhinav ko laga shayad ghar ki koi problem hogi, isliye usne zyada sawaal nahi kiye.
Lekin ek din kuch aisa hua jisne sab kuch badal diya.
School ke baad Abhinav Aarav ko dhoond raha tha. Tabhi usne dekha ki Aarav kuch ajeeb logon ke saath khada tha. Woh log dheere-dheere baat kar rahe the, jaise koi secret plan ho.
Abhinav ka dil zor-zor se dhadakne laga.
Usne door se suna… un logon mein se ek aadmi keh raha tha,
"Kal raat sab ready hona chahiye… warna bahut bura hoga."
Aarav chup-chaap khada tha.
Abhinav ko samajh nahi aa raha tha ki yeh sab kya ho raha hai.
Woh dheere-dheere wahan se wapas chala gaya, lekin uska dimaag sawaalon se bhara hua tha.
"Aarav un logon ke saath kya kar raha tha?
Woh kaunsa secret plan tha?
Aur kal raat kya hone wala tha…?"
Abhinav ko bilkul bhi andaza nahi tha ki agli raat un dono ki zindagi ko hamesha ke liye badal dene wali थी…