Aryan ne apna coffee ka cup wahi mez par choda aur khada ho gaya. Uska pura wajood kaanp raha tha. Agar Doctor Khanna bhi ek mareez the, aur Meera sirf ek yaad ya koi rooh... toh phir ye kahani likh kaun raha tha?
Usne cafe ke counter ki taraf dekha. Wahan hamesha baithne wala wo budha shakhs aaj nahi tha. Uske badle wahan ek purani typewriter rakhi thi, jiske panna apne aap chal rahe the, jaise koi unseen haath un par tezi se ungliyan chala raha ho.
Aryan dheere-dheere us typewriter ki taraf badha. Har 'click-clack' ki awaaz uske dimaag mein ek hathode ki tarah lag rahi thi. Usne panna padha:
"Aryan ne typewriter ki taraf dekhna shuru kiya. Uska darr ab uske chehre par saaf dikh raha tha. Use lag raha tha ki agar wo is panna ko padh lega, toh uski aakhri umeed bhi khatam ho jayegi..."
Aryan ke pair jam gaye. Ye wahi sab likh raha tha jo wo is waqt kar raha tha!
Khel: Shashtak aur Katputli
"Kaun ho tum? Samne aao!" Aryan chilla utha. Cafe mein baithe dusre log—jinhe wo ab tak bina chehre wale saaye samajh raha tha—ek sath mude aur Aryan ki taraf dekhne lage. Is baar unke chehre the. Har ek ka chehra bilkul Aryan jaisa tha.
"Hum tum hain, Aryan," un sabne ek sath kaha. Unki awaaz ek bhayankar goonj ban gayi.
Tabhi cafe ka darwaza khula aur wahi Meera andar aayi jo abhi bahar gaadi se utri thi. Par is baar uske hath mein ek kitab thi. Usne wo kitab Aryan ke samne fenk di. Kitab ka naam tha: 'The 1700-Word Loop'.
"Aryan, tum ek kahani ke kirdar ho," Meera ne thande lehze mein kaha. "Ek lekhak ne tumhe banaya hai. Use suspense pasand hai, use adhoori mohabbat pasand hai. Isliye wo tumhe har baar isi mod par lata hai. Kabhi tum pagal hote ho, kabhi tum qaatil, aur kabhi tum ek bhatakti hui rooh."
Aryan ne kitab ke panne palte. Usmein wahi sab baatein thi jo usne abhi Doctor Khanna aur kile ke bare mein sochi thi. Panna number 1650 par likha tha: 'Aryan ko ehsas hota hai ki wo sirf ek kalpana (imagination) hai.'
"Agar main ek kahani hoon, toh main ise khatam kar sakta hoon!" Aryan ne chillakar kaha. Usne typewriter uthaya aur use zameen par de maara. Par typewriter tootne ke bajaye hawa mein bikhar gaya aur dobara counter par sahi-salamat prakat ho gaya.
Meera ne uske kandhe par hath rakha. "Tum ise tab tak khatam nahi kar sakte jab tak tum us 'Teesre Shakhs' tak nahi pahunchte. Wo is cafe ke upar wale kamre mein baitha hai. Wahi hai jo hamari taqdeer likh raha hai."
Aryan ne cafe ki purani lakdi ki seedhiyan dekhi jo upar andhere mein ja rahi thi. Usne ek gehri saans li. Ab darr ki jagah gusse ne le li thi. Wo seedhiyon ki taraf bhaga. Har kadam par purani lakdi cheekh rahi thi.
Jab wo upar pahuncha, wahan sirf ek darwaza tha. Us par koi number nahi tha, bas ek naam likha tha: 'The Architect of Sorrows'.
Aryan ne darwaza dhakela. Kamra roshni se bhara tha, itni tez roshni ki Aryan ki aankhein chaundhiya gayi. Jab usne aankhein kholi, usne dekha ki wo kisi cafe ya kile mein nahi, balki ek modern studio apartment mein hai.
Wahan ek laptop ke samne ek shakhs baitha tha, jiska chehra screen ki roshni mein dhundla tha. Uske charo taraf coffee ke khali cup aur bikhre hue panna the.
"Toh tum upar aa hi gaye," us shakhs ne bina mude kaha. Uska lehza thaka hua tha.
Aryan uske paas gaya. "Tum kaun ho? Tumne meri zindagi ko mazaak kyun bana rakha hai? Meera ko kyun maara? Mujhe pagal kyun banaya?"
Lekhak dheere se muda. Aryan ka kaleja munh ko aa gaya. Wo shakhs koi aur nahi, balki khud Aryan tha. Par wo Aryan thoda umar-daraz tha, uski aankhein thak gayi thi, aur uske hath par wahi purana neela phool tattoo bana hua tha.
"Main tum hoon, Aryan... par asli duniya wala," usne kaha. "Meera koi kahani nahi thi. Meera meri mangetar thi. Teen saal pehle ek accident mein wo chali gayi. Main itne sadme mein tha ki maine likhna shuru kiya. Maine socha ki agar main use kahaniyon mein zinda rakhun, toh shayad mera dard kam ho jaye."
Asli Aryan ne screen ki taraf ishara kiya. "Par har kahani jo main likhta hoon, wo ek loop ban jati hai. Main use khushiyan dena chahta hoon, par mera dukh har baar kahani mein suspense aur maut bhar deta hai. Main tumhe (apne hi kirdar ko) har roz is liye tadpata hoon kyunki main khud tadap raha hoon."
Kirdar-Aryan ne apne hath dekha. Wo ab dhundhle nahi the, balki asli dikhne lage the. "Toh kya iska matlab ye hai ki main kabhi sukoon nahi paa sakta? Kya Meera hamesha maregi?"
Lekhak-Aryan ne sar jhuka liya. "Jab tak main likhna band nahi karta. Par agar maine likhna band kiya, toh tumhara wajood mit jayega. Tum, ye cafe, ye Shimla ki baraf... sab dhuan ho jayega. Kya tum mitne ke liye taiyar ho?"
Tabhi kamre mein Meera dakhil hui. Wo ab na toh bheeghi thi, na hi uske gale par koi nishan tha. Wo bilkul waisi thi jaisi wo pehli baarish se pehle rahi hogi—sundar aur shant.
"Aryan," Meera ne dono Aryan ki taraf dekh kar kaha. "Kahani ko pura hone ke liye uska ant hona zaroori hai. Adhoori kahaniyan sirf dard deti hain."
Lekhak-Aryan ne kaampte hue hathon se laptop ki 'Delete' key par ungli rakhi. "Agar main ye delete kar doon, toh tum dono hamesha ke liye khamosh ho jaoge."
Kirdar-Aryan ne Meera ka hath thama. "Hume manzoor hai. Is adhoore suspense se behtar hai ki hum ek mukkammal (complete) khamoshi ban jayein."
Lekhak ne ek aakhri sentence type kiya:
"Aryan aur Meera ne ek dusre ki aankhon mein dekha, aur pehli baar unhe darr nahi, sukoon mehsoos hua. Unhone jaana ki mohabbat wahan poori nahi hoti jahan kahani khatam ho, balki wahan hoti hai jahan yaadon ka bojh khatam ho jaye."
Lekhak ne 'Select All' dabaya aur 'Delete' par click kar diya.
Ek pal ke liye pura kamra thartharaya. Kirdar-Aryan ne dekha ki Meera dheere-dheere roshni mein ghul rahi hai. Usne bhi apna jism gayab hote mehsoos kiya. Par aakhri lamhe mein, usne lekhak ki aankhon mein dekha.
Lekhak ro raha tha. Par uski rone mein ek sukoon tha.
Agli subah, Shimla ke ek purane ghar mein, ek aadmi ne apni ankhein kholi. Usne apne laptop ki taraf dekha. Screen khali thi. 'The Last Page' naam ka koi folder wahan nahi tha.
Usne khidki se bahar dekha. Baraf gir rahi thi. Wo utha aur taiyar hokar usi purane cafe ki taraf gaya. Jab wo wahan pahuncha, toh cafe ka naam 'The Last Page' nahi, balki 'The New Chapter' tha.
Wo wahi kone wali mez par baitha. Waiter aaya aur usne pucha, "Sir, wahi purani coffee?"
Aadmi ne muskura kar kaha, "Nahi. Aaj kuch naya."
Tabhi darwaza khula. Ek ladki andar aayi, baarish mein bheeghi hui nahi, balki dhoop ki tarah khili hui. Wo uski mez ke paas aayi aur ruki.
"Kya ye seat khali hai?" usne pucha.
Aadmi ne uski taraf dekha. Uska chehra bilkul Meera jaisa tha, par uski aankhon mein koi purana dard nahi tha.
"Hamesha se," aadmi ne jawab diya.
Usne apni pocket se ek purani diary nikali. Uska har panna khali tha. Usne pehle panne par likha: "Ek nayi kahani ki shuruat..."
Par jaise hi usne pen rakha, usne dekha ki cafe ki deewar par wahi purana neela phool bana hua hai. Aur us phool ke niche chote aksharon mein likha tha:
"Suspense abhi khatam nahi hua, Aryan. Mud kar dekho."
Aryan ne jaise hi piche mude, cafe ka darwaza apne aap lock ho gaya aur sari roshni gul ho gayi. Andhere mein sirf ek awaaz aayi... wahi typewriter ki 'click-clack'.
Andhera itna gehra tha ki Aryan ko apni hi saansein sunayi de rahi thi. Typewriter ki 'click-clack' ki awaaz ab tez ho chuki thi, jaise koi gusse mein ungliyan chala raha ho. Aryan ne mehsoos kiya ki wo jis kursi par baitha tha, wo dheere-dheere zameen mein dhas rahi hai.
"Tum ruk nahi sakte na?" Aryan ne andhere mein chillakar pucha. "Maine delete kiya tha! Sab kuch mita diya tha!"
Achanak, ek laal roshni (red light) typewriter ke upar chamki. Us par baithe panna par ab khoon jaisi syahi (ink) se likha ja raha tha:
"Lekhak sirf wo nahi hota jo hath se likhta hai, Aryan. Lekhak wo hota hai jo dukh ko paalta hai. Jab tak tumhare andar Meera ko khone ka darr zinda hai, ye kahani chalti rahegi. Main tumhara darr hoon."
Aaina aur Asliyat
Aryan ne uthne ki koshish ki, par uske hath kursi se bandhe hue mehsoos hue. Usne dekha ki cafe ki deewaron par lage aaine ab tootne lage hain. Har tootate aaine se ek purani yaad nikal kar bahar aa rahi thi.
Ek aaine mein usne dekha ki wo Meera ke sath pahadiyon par betha hai. Dusre mein unka jhagda ho raha hai. Aur teesre mein... teesre aaine mein usne dekha ki wo khud hospital ke bed par leta hai, aur uske sar par patti bandhi hai.
"Nahi... ye nahi ho sakta," Aryan budbudaya.
Tabhi andhere se wahi budha pehredar bahar aaya. Par is baar usne mask pehna tha. Usne mask hataya toh uske niche koi chehra nahi tha, sirf ek chamkta hua aaina tha.
"Aryan, tumne kabhi socha hai ki tum hamesha Shimla hi kyun aate ho? Kyunki tumhara accident Shimla mein nahi, Delhi ki ek bheed-bhaad wali sadak par hua tha. Tum pichle teen saal se coma mein ho. Ye cafe, ye Meera, ye lekhak... ye sab tumhare dimaag ke wo hisse hain jo tumhe maut se bachaye hue hain."
Aryan ka sar fatne laga. Agar ye coma tha, toh wo neela phool kya tha? Aur wo cassette?
"Wo sab tumhare 'Life Support' ki awaazein hain, Aryan," Aaine-chehre wale shakhs ne kaha. "Typewriter ki awaaz tumhare dil ki dhadkan (heartbeat) hai. Agar typewriter ruka, toh tum mar jaoge. Isliye ye kahani suspense par suspense badhaye ja rahi hai... taaki tumhara dimaag uljha rahe aur tum jaagte raho."
Aryan ne typewriter ki taraf dekha. Wo ab samajh gaya tha. Kahani ka khatam hona maut thi, aur kahani ka chalte rehna ek adhoora khwab.
"Toh Meera kaun hai?" Aryan ne pucha.
"Meera tumhari nurse hai," ek awaaz piche se aayi.
Aryan ne mud kar dekha. Cafe ka nazara badal gaya. Wo ab ek hospital ke room mein tha, par abhi bhi wo kursi se bandha tha. Samne wahi ladki khadi thi jise wo Meera samajh raha tha, par usne white apron pehna tha. Uske hath mein ek injection tha.
"Aryan, aankhein kholo," Nurse ne kaha. Uska chehra wahi tha, par uski awaaz mein wo purani mohabbat nahi, balki ek farz ki thandak thi.
Aryan ne dekha ki hospital ke kone mein ek shakhs baitha hai. Wo laptop par nahi, balki ek purani diary mein likh raha tha. Aryan ne himmat jutayi aur chillaya, "Tum! Tum hi sab kar rahe ho!"
Wo shakhs mudi. Wo koi 'Aryan' nahi tha. Wo Meera thi.
"Main likh rahi hoon, Aryan," Meera ne rote hue kaha. "Teen saal pehle accident mein tumne mujhe bachaya tha aur khud coma mein chale gaye. Doctor ne kaha tha ki tumhari brain activity khatam ho rahi hai. Maine socha ki agar main tumhe kahaniyan sunau, tumhe har roz naye twists aur suspense mein uljha kar rakhu, toh shayad tumhara dimaag haar nahi manega."
Aryan sunn reh gaya. Toh lekhak koi darr nahi, koi dukh nahi, balki Meera thi jo use zinda rakhne ki koshish kar rahi thi.
"Main har roz tumhare kaan mein ek nayi kahani kehti hoon," Meera ne aage kaha. "Kabhi tumhe architect banati hoon, kabhi qaatil. Main tumhe darr deti hoon taaki tumhari adrenaline chalti rahe. Par aaj... aaj doctor ne kaha hai ki ab aur umeed nahi hai.
Meera ne diary ka aakhri panna khola. "Mujhe ye kahani khatam karni hogi, Aryan. Main tumhe is adhoorepan mein aur nahi dekh sakti. Tumhe jane dena hoga."
Aryan ne mehsoos kiya ki uski saansein ab dhimi ho rahi hain. Typewriter (dil ki dhadkan) ki awaaz ab 'click... click... click...' hokar rukne wali thi.
"Nahi!" Aryan ne apne dimaag ke andar chilla kar kaha. "Mujhe jeena hai! Mujhe is kahani se bahar nikalna hai!"
Usne apni poori taqat lagayi aur un adrishya (invisible) zanjiron ko todne ki koshish ki. Hospital ke kamre mein machines 'beep-beep' karne lagin.
"Doctor! Dekhiye! Aryan ki brain activity badh rahi hai!" Meera chillayi.
Aryan ne dekha ki uske samne do raste hain. Ek rasta wapas us cafe ki taraf jata tha jahan Meera uska intezar kar rahi thi (ek sukoon bhari maut), aur dusra rasta ek tez safed roshni ki taraf jata tha jo dard aur asliyat se bhari thi.
The Ending: Aadhura ya Poora?
Aryan ne safed roshni ki taraf kadam badhaya. Use aisa laga jaise hazaron kaanch uske jism mein chubh rahe hon. Use apne shareer ka bhari-pan mehsoos hone laga. Dard itna tha ki wo cheekh utha.
Usne apni aankhein kholi.
Ujala itna tez tha ki wo kuch dekh nahi pa raha tha. Usne mehsoos kiya ki uske hath mein kisi ne hath thama hai. Wo hath garm tha... asli tha.
"Aryan?" ek kanpti hui awaaz aayi.
Aryan ne dhundli nazron se dekha. Samne Meera khadi thi. Uske hath mein wahi neela phool tha, par is baar wo asli tha, jo wo garden se tod kar layi thi.
Aryan ne kuch kehne ki koshish ki, par uska gala sookha tha. Usne sirf ek shabd kaha: "Adhoori..."
Meera ne haste hue aur rote hue kaha, "Nahi Aryan. Kahani ab poori ho gayi."
Lekin, jaise hi Meera ne use gale lagaya, Aryan ne dekha ki hospital ki deewar par ek chhota sa typewriter ka nishan bana hua hai. Aur wo nishan abhi bhi 'click' kar raha tha.
Aryan ne apni mutthi band ki. Uski mutthi mein wahi purana tag tha: 'Room No. 402'.
Kya Aryan sach mein jaag gaya tha? Ya Meera ne use ek aur nayi kahani mein uljha diya tha jahan use lag raha tha ki wo hosh mein hai?
Suspense ki aakhri deewar abhi giri nahi thi. Kyunki hospital ke bahar, baraf girni shuru ho chuki thi... bilkul waise hi jaise us cafe mein girti thi.
TO BE CONTINUED IN NEXT CHAPTERS KEEP READING WITH INTEREST