Train phir se speed pakad chuki thi. Riya ab window ke paas khadi thi aur bahar dhyan se dekh rahi thi. Uske mind mein bahut saare questions ghoom rahe the.
"Kya sach mein ye train mujhe mera future dikhayegi?" Riya ne socha.
Old man ab bhi calmly apni seat par baitha tha aur apni pocket watch ko dheere-dheere ghuma raha tha.
"Relax," usne Riya ki taraf dekhe bina hi kaha.
"Journey abhi shuru hui hai."
Riya uske saamne wali seat par baith gayi.
"Kya har kisi ko aisi train milti hai?" Riya ne pucha.
Old man halka sa muskuraaya.
"Nahi. Ye train sirf un logon ke liye aati hai jo apni life ke baare mein confused hote hain," usne jawab diya.
Riya thodi der ke liye chup ho gayi.
Sach mein woh confused thi.
Use kabhi samajh nahi aata tha ki future mein use kya karna hai. Kabhi woh artist banna chahti thi, kabhi writer, aur kabhi kuch bhi nahi.
Train ka atmosphere ab thoda different lag raha tha. Lights thodi bright ho gayi thi aur bahar ka scene bhi change hone laga.
Suddenly train dheere-dheere slow hone lagi.
Old man ne kaha,
"Agla stop important hai."
Train ruk gayi.
Doors open hue.
Riya ne bahar dekha aur uski aankhen shock se wide ho gayi.
Bahar ek bada sa city office building dikh raha tha.
Log formal clothes mein andar-bahar ja rahe the.
"Ye jagah…?" Riya ne confuse hoke kaha.
Old man khada ho gaya.
"Chalo," usne calmly kaha.
Riya train se bahar utar gayi.
Jaise hi woh building ke paas pahunchi, usne glass door ke andar dekha.
Aur jo usne dekha, usse woh bilkul shocked ho gayi.
Wahan ek girl desk par baithi thi aur laptop par kaam kar rahi thi.
Woh girl bilkul Riya jaisi hi lag rahi thi.
Same face.
Same eyes.
"Ye… main hoon?" Riya ne slowly kaha.
Old man ne sir hila diya.
"Haan. Ye tumhara ek possible future hai," usne kaha.
Riya dhyan se us future version ko dekhne lagi.
Future Riya ek office employee thi. Woh kaafi busy lag rahi thi, lekin uske face par thodi thakan bhi dikh rahi thi.
Uske desk par files ka ek bada stack tha.
Riya ne notice kiya ki future wali Riya thodi bored aur stressed lag rahi thi.
"Kya main future mein aisi ho jaungi?" Riya ne thodi sadness ke saath pucha.
Old man ne jawab diya,
"Ye sirf ek possibility hai."
Riya confuse ho gayi.
"Matlab?"
Old man ne calmly kaha,
"Future fix nahi hota. Tumhari choices usse change karti hain."
Riya ne phir se office ke andar dekha.
Future wali Riya ka phone ring hua.
Usne call receive kiya aur thodi irritated voice mein kisi se baat karne lagi.
Riya ko suddenly feel hua ki ye life utni exciting nahi thi.
"Main aisi life nahi chahti," Riya ne slowly kaha.
Old man muskuraaya.
"Isi liye tumhe ye journey dikhayi ja rahi hai," usne kaha.
Tabhi train ka whistle phir se sunai diya.
"Time ho gaya," old man ne kaha.
Riya ne ek last time future scene ko dekha aur phir train ki taraf chalne lagi.
Train ke andar wapas aakar woh seat par baith gayi.
Uske mind mein ek hi thought chal raha tha.
"Agar ye future mujhe pasand nahi hai… toh kya main ise change kar sakti hoon?"
Old man ne uski taraf dekha aur jaise uske thoughts read kar liye.
"Haan," usne calmly kaha.
Riya ne surprise se pucha,
"Sach?"
Old man ne kaha,
"Isi liye ye train exist karti hai. Taaki log samajh saken ki unki life unke decisions se banti hai."
Train phir se chal padi.
Riya ne window se bahar dekha.
Andhera phir se chha gaya tha.
Lekin is baar Riya ke mind mein fear nahi tha.
Uske mind mein curiosity thi.
"Agla stop kya dikhayega?" usne socha.
Aur usse bilkul pata nahi tha…
Ki next stop par woh apna ek completely different future dekhne wali thi.
Ek aisa future jo uski life ko hamesha ke liye change kar sakta tha.
Agla chapter jald hi