Aisha poori raat so nahi paayi. Har baar jab woh aankhen band karti, usse Room 13 ke door par sunai dene wali scratching sound yaad aa jaati.
Uske haath mein abhi bhi woh old paper tha।
"Don't trust the hotel."
Yeh line uske mind mein baar-बार repeat ho rahi thi।
"Hotel par trust mat karo… lekin kyun?" Aisha ne slowly socha।
Subah jab sunlight window se room mein aayi, tab jaake usse thodi relief feel hui।
Breakfast ke time Aisha unusual quiet thi।
Uski mom ne notice kiya।
"Aisha, sab theek hai?" unhone pucha।
"Haan mom," Aisha ne quickly answer diya, lekin woh sach nahi tha।
Uska mind abhi bhi kal raat ke incident mein hi atka hua tha।
Breakfast ke baad uske parents market ghoomne ka plan bana rahe the।
"Aisha, tum bhi chalo," uske dad ne kaha।
Lekin Aisha ke mind mein ek idea aaya।
"Dad, mujhe thoda rest karna hai. Main room mein hi reh jaungi," usne kaha।
Uske parents thodi der baad hotel se bahar chale gaye।
Jaise hi woh gaye, Aisha ne turant apna door close kiya।
Usne woh paper dobara nikala।
"Don't trust the hotel."
Agar kisi ne yeh warning di hai…
Toh shayad hotel mein koi secret hai।
Aisha ne decide kiya ki woh hotel ko explore karegi।
Woh quietly corridor mein nikli।
Daytime mein corridor thoda normal lag raha tha।
Lekin jab woh Room 13 ke paas pahunchi, uska heart phir se fast beat karne laga।
Door ab bhi locked tha।
Sab kuch bilkul silent tha।
Aisha ne slowly door ko dekha।
"Kal raat jo awaaz thi… kya woh sach mein thi?" usne socha।
Tabhi usse corridor ke end par ek old staircase dikhai di jo neeche basement ki taraf ja rahi thi।
Kal raat usne is staircase ko notice nahi kiya tha।
Aisha slowly stairs ki taraf chalne lagi।
Neeche ka area dark aur dusty lag raha tha।
Stairs wooden thi aur chalne par creak sound kar rahi thi।
Basement ka door half open tha।
Aisha ne door push kiya।
Room ke andar old furniture aur boxes rakhe hue the।
Jaise hotel ka storage room ho।
Aisha ne flashlight on ki jo usne phone mein thi।
Woh slowly andar explore karne lagi।
Suddenly uski nazar ek old photo frame par padi jo wall ke against rakha tha।
Photo thodi dusty thi।
Aisha ne haath se dust saaf ki।
Photo mein hotel ka same building tha… lekin photo bahut purani lag rahi thi।
Aur photo ke front mein ek young girl khadi thi।
Girl lagbhag Aisha ki age ki lag rahi thi।
Uske face par halka sa smile tha।
Aisha ne photo ke neeche likha hua naam padha।
"Meera – 1998"
Aisha ka heart suddenly fast beat karne laga।
Receptionist ne bhi ek ladki ka mention kiya tha jo Room 13 se gayab ho gayi thi।
Kya yeh wahi girl thi?
Tabhi Aisha ko ek aur cheez notice hui।
Photo ke peeche kuch likha hua tha।
Aisha ne photo ko palat kar dekha।
Wahan pencil se ek line likhi thi:
"Room 13 is not empty."
Aisha ka blood cold ho gaya।
"Not empty…?" usne slowly repeat kiya।
Agar room empty nahi hai…
Toh phir wahan kaun hai?
Tabhi basement ke door se ek loud bang sound aayi।
BAM!
Aisha shock se peeche mud gayi।
Door suddenly khud se close ho gaya tha।
Basement mein ab sirf dim light thi।
Aisha ka heart fast beat kar raha tha।
"Hello?" usne nervous voice mein kaha।
Koi answer nahi aaya।
Phir usne ek strange sound suna।
Jaise koi stairs par slowly chal raha ho।
Step… step… step…
Aisha ka body freeze ho gaya।
Hotel mein uske parents nahi the।
Aur yahan basement mein…
Woh akeli thi।
Steps dheere-dheere basement ke door ke paas ruk gaye।
Phir ek slow whisper sunai di।
Bilkul waise hi jaise kal raat।
"Help… me…"
Aisha ka face pale ho gaya।
Ye awaaz bilkul Meera ki photo dekhne ke baad hi kyun aayi?
Aur sabse scary baat—
Awaaz basement ke andar se aa rahi thi।
Jaise koi uske bilkul peeche khada ho।
Aisha dheere-dheere mudne lagi…
Aur us moment mein usse feel hua ki basement mein woh akeli nahi hai।