Khoi Hui Duniya :=Chapter 3: Raaz Jo Mitt Na Saka

Chapter 3: Raaz Jo Mitt Na Saka

"Tum ek raaz ho, Raahi. Ek bhoola hua raaz."

Yeh shabd Raahi ke dimaag me goonj rahe the. Uski dhadkane tez ho gayi thi. Pura hall ek ajeeb si roshni se bhar gaya. Deewaron par bani tasveerein hilne lagi, jaise woh sirf pathar par uki nahi thi, balki zinda thi.

Raahi ne ek kadam peeche liya. Uske pair thithak gaye.

"Yeh sab kya hai?"

Ssamne baitha aadmi dheere se muskura diya. Uska chehra ab bhi andhere me chhupa tha, lekin uski aankhein… woh ajeeb si chamak rahi thi.

"Tumhe sach jaan'na hai?" Aadmi ne poocha.

Raahi ne dheere se sir hilaya.

"Toh tayyar raho, kyunki yeh sach tumhari soch se bhi gehra hai."

Aadmi ne apna haath uthaya. Uske haath se ek nili roshni nikli jo hawa me tairne lagi. Woh dheere-dheere ghoom rahi thi, aur phir usne ek tasveer bana di—ek purani kahani, ek bhooli-bisri duniya.

Raahi ne dekha:

1. Ek Bhoola Hua Sheher

Ek bhool gaya sheher tha, jo kabhi zinda tha. Jisme log the, jisme rang the. Par ab, yeh sirf tutey huye minaron aur hawa me bikhar chuki yaadon ka ek bhoot bangla lag raha tha.

Aadmi ki awaaz goonj uthi.

"Kabhi yeh sheher tumhara tha, Raahi. Tum is jagah ke pehredaar the."

2. Ek Khoi Hui Ladai

Phir tasveer badalne lagi. Raahi ne dekha—ek bhayankar jung.

✔ Ek aisi jang jo kabhi jeeti nahi gayi.

✔ Ek aisi taqat jo kabhi hara nahi saki.

✔ Aur ek aisa insaan… jo sab kuch bhool gaya.

Aadmi ne aage kaha, "Tumne is sheher ko bachane ki kasam khai thi. Par tumne isse kho diya."

Raahi ne jhat se us aadmi ki taraf dekha. "Maine? Yeh kaise ho sakta hai?"

3. Raahi Ka Asli Naam

Aadmi ne ek kadam aage badhaya. Uska chehra ab roshni me tha.

Raahi usse dekhte hi jhatka kha gaya. Us aadmi ka chehra… woh usi ka chehra tha!

Ek dum wahi shakal, wahi aankhein—jaise woh khud se baat kar raha ho.

Aadmi dheere se bola, "Tum Raahi nahi ho. Tum…"

Aur tabhi, poori jagah tez awazon se kaanpne lagi.

4. Koi Aa Raha Hai

Hawa tez ho gayi. Darwaze zor se khulne lage.

Ek bhayankar aahat—jaise koi sheher ke andar aane ki koshish kar raha ho.

Aadmi ne Raahi ki taraf dekha, "Waqt kam hai. Agar tumne sach yaad nahi kiya, toh yeh sheher hamesha ke liye mitt jayega."

Raahi ka dimaag chakkar kha raha tha. Kya yeh sab sach tha? Kya yeh uski yaadein thi?

Par sochne ka waqt nahi tha. Samne ek gehra andhera badhne laga.

Aur us andhere me… kisi ki aankhein chamak rahi thi.

Koi tha… jo sirf Raahi ka intezaar kar raha tha.

(To be continued...)