Aanya ka dimaag sunn pad gaya.
"Us raat... us kamre mein koi mara tha."
Kabir ke words ab bhi hawa mein goonj rahe the. Hallway ka andhera aur gehra ho gaya. Aur woh purana kamra... ab poori tarah khul chuka tha. Andar sirf darkness.
Par Aanya ko mehsoos ho raha tha— koi usse andar bula raha hai.
"Kabir..."
uski awaaz kaap gayi.
"Kaun mara tha?"
Kabir ne turant jawab nahi diya. Uska face tense tha. Jaise woh sach bolna nahi chahta.
Par Aanya ab rukne wali nahi thi.
"ANSWER ME!"
Uski cheekh poore ghar mein goonji. Aur ussi second— room ke andar se ek loud thud ki awaaz aayi. THUD. Jaise koi cheez zameen par ghiri ho. Aanya ka dil zor se dhadka.
Aur phir—
flashback
Barish ki awaaz. Tez hawa. Chhoti Aanya us hallway mein khadi thi. Rote hue. Dar ke maare kaanpti hui. Band kamre ke andar se cheekhne ki awaaz aa rahi thi. Ek aadmi. Ek aurat.
Aur phir— kisi cheez ke tootne ki awaaz. Chhoti Aanya darr kar peeche hati. Par uske peeche... wahi saaya khada tha. Shaant. Watching.
Chhoti Aanya ne uski taraf dekha. Aankhon mein aansu.
"Please... mujhe bachao..."
Saaya dheere se uske kareeb aaya.
Aur phir— kamre ka darwaza khul gaya.BBlood. Floor par faila hua khoon. Ek body. Still. Motionless. Chhoti Aanya ki cheekh nikal gayi.
Par sabse horrifying cheez body nahi thi. Body ke paas... deewar par failta hua andhera tha. Jaise kisi ne darkness ko zinda kar diya ho.
Aur us andhere ke beech— do safed aankhein.
"AANYA!"
Kabir ki awaaz ne usse reality mein wapas kheench liya.
Aanya jhatke se peeche hati. Uski saansein toot rahi thi.
"Maine... maine khoon dekha..."
Kabir turant uske paas aaya. Par Aanya ne uska haath jhatak diya.
"Kaun mara tha?!"
Kabir ne aankhein band ki. Phir dheere se bola—
"Tumhare father."
Complete silence.
Aanya ka dil ruk gaya.
"Nahi..."
Uski awaaz almost whisper thi.
Kabir ki aankhon mein guilt tha.
"Police ne usse accident bola tha."
Aanya ka body shake hone laga.
"Par woh accident nahi tha."
Room suddenly freezing cold ho gaya. Jaise kisi ko yeh truth pasand aaya ho. Aanya ne dheere-dheere corner ki taraf dekha. Saaya wahi khada tha. Still. Watching her. Uski safed aankhein abnormal brightness se chamak rahi thi.
Aanya ki aankhon se aansu girne lage.
"Mere father... kaise mare?"
Kabir ne jawab dene ki koshish ki... par usse pehle— woh awaaz phir goonji. Cold. Calm. Male voice.
"Usne tumhe hurt kiya tha."
Aanya freeze ho gayi.
Flashback
Ek aadmi ki loud voice. Chhoti Aanya ka rona. Door slam. Fear.
Aur phir— darkness.
Aanya ka sir dard se phatne laga.
"Nahi... nahi..."
Kabir ne usse pakda.
"Aanya breathe—"
Par Aanya ab control lose kar rahi thi. Uske dimaag mein ek horrifying possibility ubhar rahi thi.
Usne dheere se Saaye ki taraf dekha.
"Tumne... unhe maara?"
Complete silence. Saaya hila nahi. Bas uski safed aankhein dheere se blink hui.
Aur phir—
"Usne tumhe rulaya tha."
Aanya ka khoon jam gaya. Kabir ka expression dark ho gaya. Kyuki ab woh bhi samajh raha tha— Saaya sirf obsessed nahi tha. Woh protective bhi tha. Dangerously. Violently.
Aur shayad... us raat jo hua— woh Aanya ke liye hua tha.
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