🌙 Chapter 3: Nazron Ka Asar
ICU ke bahar khadi Anaya ne apne aap ko sambhalne ki koshish ki.
“Yeh mujhe kya ho raha hai…?” usne dheere se khud se kaha.
Ek patient ki life me itna interest lena uski habit nahi thi. Wo hamesha professional rehti thi. Lekin Kabir Malhotra… wo alag tha.
Uski baatein… uski aankhen… aur uska attitude…
Sab kuch alag.
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Andar ICU me…
Riya abhi bhi Kabir ke paas khadi thi.
“Tumhe idea hai main kitni tension me thi?” Riya ne gusse me kaha.
“Phone off, koi information nahi… aur yahan hospital me aaram se pade ho!”
Kabir ne thoda sa smirk kiya.
“Relax, Riya. Main mar nahi raha hoon.”
“Joke mat karo!” Riya almost chillayi.
“Tumhe pata hai na tumhare enemies kitne dangerous hai?”
Kabir ka expression ek second ke liye serious ho gaya.
“Main sab handle kar lunga,” usne thandi awaaz me kaha.
“Har baar yehi bolte ho tum!” Riya ne frustrate hoke kaha.
Kabir ne uski taraf dekha… phir dheere se bola—
“Tumhe mujh par trust nahi hai?”
Riya chup ho gayi.
Lekin uski aankhon me darr clearly dikh raha tha.
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Bahar…
Anaya wapas ICU me aayi.
Professional face… controlled emotions…
Jaise kuch hua hi na ho.
“Medication ka time ho gaya hai,” usne normal tone me kaha.
Riya ne usse dekha… is baar uski nazar me thoda irritation kam tha, par curiosity zyada.
Kabir ne seedha Anaya ki taraf dekha.
“Tum wapas aa gayi…”
Anaya ne bina uski taraf dekhe kaha, “Main yahin kaam karti hoon.”
Kabir halka sa hansa.
“Good. Matlab tum baar-baar milogi.”
Anaya ne uski taraf sharp look diya.
“Zyada confident mat ho.”
Kabir ne dheere se kaha—
“Confidence nahi… feeling hai.”
Anaya ka dil ek second ke liye fast ho gaya.
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Anaya uska injection prepare kar rahi thi.
Kabir usse observe kar raha tha.
“Tumhe darr nahi lagta?” usne achanak pucha.
Anaya ruk gayi. “Kis se?”
“Mujhse.”
Room me ek ajeeb sa silence ho gaya.
Anaya ne uski aankhon me dekha.
“Main nurse hoon,” usne calmly kaha.
“Mere liye har patient same hota hai.”
Kabir ne halki si smile di.
“Main ‘same’ nahi hoon, Anaya.”
Usne pehli baar uska naam itni smoothly liya…
Jaise wo naam uske liye special ho.
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Tabhi ek ward boy jaldi me andar aaya.
“Madam!” usne panic me kaha.
“Hospital ke bahar kuch log aaye hai… aur wo Kabir sir ke baare me pooch rahe hai.”
Room ka atmosphere instantly change ho gaya.
Kabir ki aankhen thandi ho gayi.
“Kitne log?” usne seedha pucha.
“4–5… aur thode aggressive lag rahe hai…”
Riya ka chehra safed pad gaya.
“Kabir… maine kaha tha na…” usne darr se kaha.
Anaya confused thi.
“Kaun log?” usne pucha.
Kabir ne seedha jawab nahi diya.
Wo dheere se bed se uthne laga.
“Hey! Aapko rest karna hai,” Anaya ne turant roka.
Kabir ne uska haath pakad liya.
Uska touch strong tha… aur garam bhi.
“Tumhe lagta hai main yahan safe hoon?” usne dheere se kaha.
Anaya uski aankhon me kho gayi.
Wahan sirf ek hi cheez thi—
Danger.
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“Police ko inform karo,” Anaya ne turant kaha.
“Already inform kiya hai madam,” ward boy ne bola.
Kabir ne thoda sa smirk kiya.
“Police…” usne dheere se repeat kiya.
“Wo tab aayegi jab sab khatam ho chuka hoga.”
Anaya ko ab sach me tension hone lagi.
“Yeh sab kya ho raha hai?” usne Kabir se pucha.
Kabir uske paas aaya… thoda aur close…
“Tumhe sach me jaana hai?” usne dheere se kaha.
Anaya ne bina soche sir hila diya.
Kabir ne uski aankhon me dekhte hue kaha—
“Main utna simple nahi hoon jitna tum soch rahi ho…”
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Tabhi bahar se awaaz aayi—
“Door kholo!”
Kisi ne zor se ICU ka door hit kiya.
Riya darr ke maare Kabir ke paas aa gayi.
“Kabir please… kuch karo…”
Anaya ka heart fast beat kar raha tha.
Usne pehli baar apni job me itna real danger feel kiya.
Kabir bilkul calm tha.
Jaise yeh sab uske liye normal ho.
Usne Anaya ki taraf dekha…
Aur dheere se bola—
“Ab decide karo, Anaya…”
“Tum mujhe bachane wali ho…”
Door par phir zor se hit hua.
“Ya meri zindagi barbaad karne wali…”
Door khulne hi wala tha…
Anaya ka decision…
Sab kuch badal sakta tha.
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To be continued…