Raat ke 2:17 baj rahe the।
Ye exact time mujhe baad me yaad raha…
kyunki us raat ke baad meri life me jo kuch hua…
uska har second mere dimaag me permanently chipak gaya।
Us waqt mujhe bas itna pata tha—
meri neend achanak khul gayi hai।
Koi awaaz nahi hui thi।
Koi sapna nahi tha jo mujhe dara kar jagaye।
Koi reason nahi tha।
Phir bhi…
Main jaag gaya tha।
Room bilkul andhera tha।
Sirf window ke parde ke beech se halki si safed light aa rahi thi…
shayad bahar street light jal rahi thi।
Fan slow speed par chal raha tha…
uski awaaz ekdum constant…
ghrrrr… ghrrrr…
Normally ye awaaz soothing lagti hai…
Par us raat…
ye awaaz ajeeb lag rahi thi।
Jaise isme kuch extra ho…
kuch jo normal nahi hai।
Main seedha chhat ki taraf dekh raha tha।
Aankhen poori khuli hui…
Aur pata nahi kyun…
andar se ek feeling aa rahi thi—
jaise main akela nahi hoon।
Maine turant side me pada phone uthaya।
Screen ON ki।
2:17 AM
No notifications।
Sab normal।
Main thoda relax hua।
"Shayad bas randomly neend khul gayi…"
Maine phone wapas rakha…
aur aankhen band kar li।
5 seconds…
10 seconds…
Phir…
VIBRRR…
Phone mere haath ke paas hi vibrate hua।
Is baar awaaz zyada clear thi।
Jaise silence me kisi ne patthar phenka ho।
Mera dil ek second ke liye ruk gaya।
Itni raat ko message?
Maine dheere se phone uthaya।
Screen par ek notification blink kar rahi thi—
📩 Unknown Number
Maine thoda hesitate kiya…
Phir notification open ki।
Message me sirf ek line thi—
"Don't open the last message."
Main freeze ho gaya।
Maine line dobara padhi।
Phir teesri baar।
"Last message?" maine dheere se khud se kaha।
Maine chat open ki…
Par wahan sirf ek hi message tha।
Na koi previous chat…
na koi number save…
sirf wo warning।
Maine turant reply type kiya—
"Kaun ho tum?"
Send.
Message deliver ho gaya।
Par blue tick nahi aaya।
5 seconds…
10 seconds…
Koi reply nahi।
Maine thoda irritated hoke phone side me rakha।
"Koi prank hoga…"
Main wapas sone ki koshish karne laga।
Par aankhen band karte hi…
wo line dimaag me repeat hone lagi—
"Don't open the last message."
Jaise kisi ne usse mere dimaag me chipka diya ho।
Phir…
VIBRRR…
Is baar vibration aur strong thi।
Maine turant phone uthaya।
Screen already ON thi।
Maine ON nahi ki thi।
Mera dil tez dhadakne laga।
Chat open thi।
Aur ek naya message aa chuka tha—
"Maine mana kiya tha…"
"last message mat kholna।"
Mera gala sookh gaya।
Maine turant type kiya—
"Par maine kuch nahi khola!"
Reply instantly aaya—
"Abhi nahi…"
"par tu kholne wala hai।"
Room ki hawa heavy ho gayi।
Jaise oxygen kam ho rahi ho।
Maine thoda gusse me likha—
"Tumhe kaise pata?"
Seen.
Typing…
Phir message aaya—
"Kyuki wo message… maine nahi bheja।"
Meri body ekdum still ho gayi।
Agar usne nahi bheja…
to fir wo "last message" kisne bheja?
Maine turant chat list open ki…
Aur us moment…
meri saanse ruk gayi।
Top par ek new chat aa chuki thi—
📩 UNKNOWN
Na number…
na name…
sirf blank sender।
Mera haath kaanpne laga।
Maine dheere se wo chat open ki…
Screen black thi।
Bilkul black।
Phir dheere-dheere ek text appear hua—
"LAST MESSAGE"
Neeche ek button blink kar raha tha—
👉 OPEN
Mera dimaag chillaa raha tha—
"MAT KHOL!"
Par meri ungli screen ke paas ja rahi thi…
slowly…
jaise kisi ne control le liya ho।
Jaise hi main tap karne wala tha—
SCREEN GLITCH HUI।
Ek second ke liye sab distort ho gaya।
Phir ek line flash hui—
"Once you open it…"
"there's no going back."
Mera heart ab control se bahar tha।
Tabhi…
"Tik…"
Peeche se halki si awaaz aayi।
Mera poora body freeze ho gaya।
Ye awaaz room ke andar se aayi thi।
Maine dheere se apna head peeche ghumaya…
Room bilkul waise hi tha।
Par…
Ek cheez alag thi।
Door…
Mera door jo maine sone se pehle lock kiya tha…
wo ab halka sa khula hua tha।
Meri saanse ruk gayi।
"Ye kaise…" maine dheere se kaha।
Maine clearly yaad kiya—
maine lock kiya tha।
100% kiya tha।
Phir ye khula kaise?
Maine turant phone ki taraf dekha—
Screen par wo button ab bhi blink kar raha tha—
👉 OPEN
Par ab ek nayi line add ho chuki thi—
"Ab to khol…"
"main andar aa chuka hoon।"
Mera dimaag blank ho gaya।
Room me silence tha…
par mujhe clearly feel ho raha tha—
main akela nahi hoon।
Fan chal raha tha…
par ab uski awaaz ke beech me kuch aur bhi tha…
jaise halki si breathing…
mere alawa kisi aur ki।
Meri ungli phir se screen ki taraf badhi…
Is baar darr ke saath…
Aur curiosity ke saath…
Aur jaise hi maine "OPEN" press kiya—
screen suddenly pitch black ho gayi।
Aur us andhere me…
sirf ek line appear hui—
"WELCOME."
👉 Andar kaun hai?
👉 Ye game kya hai?
👉 Aur sabse bada sawaal… kya ab wapas jaana possible hai?