Aisha corridor mein bhaag kar ruk gayi. Uska heart itna fast beat kar raha tha ki usse lag raha tha jaise woh gir jaayegi.
Usne peeche mud kar dekha।
Basement ka door ab phir se band tha।
Corridor bilkul silent tha।
Jaise kuch hua hi nahi ho।
"Ye sab kya tha…?" Aisha ne dheere se kaha।
Uske haath mein abhi bhi Meera ki diary thi।
Usne diary ko tightly pakad liya।
Ab ek baat clear thi—
Meera ne bhi wahi experience kiya tha jo Aisha ab kar rahi thi।
Aur diary ke last words uske mind mein ghoom rahe the:
"Room 13 mein mat jaana… wahan jo hai woh insaan nahi hai."
Aisha ka mind confuse tha।
Agar woh insaan nahi hai…
Toh phir kya hai?
Tabhi Aisha ko ek aur baat yaad aayi।
Diary ke ek page par Meera ne likha tha ki hotel staff Room 13 ke baare mein kuch chhupa raha hai।
Aisha ne decide kiya ki woh receptionist par nazar rakhegi।
Shaam hone lagi thi aur hotel ka environment phir se thoda dark aur quiet ho gaya।
Lobby mein sirf kuch guests baithe hue the।
Reception par wahi same man khada tha।
Aisha casually wahan se guzri, lekin usne notice kiya ki reception desk ke neeche ek old drawer tha jo thoda open tha।
Andar kuch files rakhi hui thi।
Receptionist kisi guest se baat karne mein busy tha।
Aisha quietly desk ke paas gayi aur drawer ke andar jhank kar dekha।
Files par kuch room numbers likhe hue the।
10…
11…
12…
Aur phir—
13
Aisha ka heart fast beat karne laga।
Usne quickly Room 13 wali file nikaal li।
File bahut purani lag rahi thi।
Usne jaldi se usse open kiya।
First page par ek report thi।
Usme likha tha:
"Incident Report – 1998"
Aisha ne next line read ki।
"Guest Meera Sharma disappeared from Room 13 during the night."
Uska throat dry ho gaya।
Phir usne next line padhi।
"Room was searched but no trace of the girl was found."
Aisha ka heart aur fast beat karne laga।
Phir usne last paragraph dekha।
"After the incident, Room 13 was permanently locked."
Aisha ne deep breath li।
Iska matlab receptionist ne jhoot nahi bola tha।
Room sach mein years se locked tha।
Lekin phir bhi…
Aisha ne kal raat door open dekha tha।
Tabhi reception desk ke peeche se ek deep voice aayi।
"Tum kya dekh rahi ho?"
Aisha shock se mud gayi।
Receptionist uske peeche khada tha।
Uska face serious aur thoda angry lag raha tha।
Aisha nervous ho gayi।
"Main bas… files dekh rahi thi," usne slowly kaha।
Receptionist ne file uske haath se le li।
Phir usne dheere se kaha:
"Guests ko kuch cheezein nahi dekhni chahiye."
Uski voice thodi cold lag rahi thi।
Aisha ko suddenly uneasy feel hua।
Receptionist ne uski aankhon mein dekhte hue pucha:
"Tum kal raat corridor mein thi… hai na?"
Aisha ka heart ek second ke liye ruk gaya।
Usne kuch nahi kaha।
Receptionist thoda aur close aaya।
Phir usne slow voice mein kaha:
"Room 13 ke paas mat jaana."
Aisha ne poocha:
"Kyun?"
Receptionist kuch seconds tak silent raha।
Phir usne dheere se kaha:
"Kyuki agar tum wahan gayi… toh shayad wapas nahi aa paogi."
Aisha ka body cold ho gaya।
Us moment mein usse clearly feel hua ki receptionist kuch chhupa raha hai।
Woh quietly wahan se chal di।
Raat hone lagi thi।
Aisha apne room mein aayi aur window ke paas khadi ho gayi।
Uske mind mein bahut saare questions the।
Meera gayab kaise hui?
Room 13 locked hone ke baad bhi wahan se awaaz kyun aati hai?
Aur sabse important—
Receptionist itna scared kyun lag raha tha?
Tabhi clock ne 12:00 AM dikhaya।
Hotel suddenly bilkul silent ho gaya।
Aur us moment mein Aisha ne corridor se ek familiar sound suna।
Creeeak…
Jaise koi old door slowly open ho raha ho।
Aisha ka heart fast beat karne laga।
Usse bina dekhe hi pata chal gaya—
Room Number 13 ka door phir se open ho gaya tha।