Room No. 9: Woh Jo Wapas Laut Aayi

Mera naam Sana hai. Main ek chhote se town mein rehti hoon jahan sirf ek hi government high school hai – Government Girls High School, Malir Town. School purana tha, British era ka bana hua, lekin abhi bhi chal raha tha. Uske lambe corridors, oonchi ceilings, aur purani wooden benches ko dekh kar lagta tha ke waqt wahan ruk gaya hai. Main wahan 10th class mein parhti thi, aur hamare school mein ek classroom tha – Room No. 9 – jo hamesha band rehta tha. Sab teachers aur students kehte thay ke Room No. 9 mein koi tha... koi aisi cheez jo insaan nahi thi. Lekin koi kabhi kuch kehkar saabit nahi karta tha. Sirf kahaniyaan chalti thi: "Wahan kisi student ne khudkushi ki thi", "Ek teacher wahan raat mein band ho gaya tha", "Kisi ladki ko wahan kisi ne kheench liya tha." Hum hamesha sochte thay ke yeh sab sirf darane wali batein hain. Lekin ek din, kuch aisa hua jo meri zindagi badal gaya. Friday ke din school mein PTM hone wali thi, is liye classes chhoti thi. Main aur meri do best friends – Hina aur Laiba – soch rahe thay ke thoda mazaaq karein, kuch alag karein. Mujhe idea aaya: "Room No. 9 mein chalte hain. Dekhte hain kya hota hai." Dono darr gayi, lekin maine majboor kar diya. Teenon ne milke staff room se Room No. 9 ki chabi chura li, jab wahan koi nahi tha. Room No. 9 ka darwaza itna purana tha ke jab humne khola toh zameen hilti hui mehsoos hui. Andar ghanti ki tarah awaaz goonj rahi thi, lekin koi bell baj nahi rahi thi. Room ke andar poori tarah andhera tha, sirf ek chhoti si shattered window se roshni aati thi. Walls pe purani khoon se likhi likhawat thi – kuch samajh nahi aa rahi thi. Laiba ne kaha, “Chalo wapis chalte hain… yeh sahi nahi lag raha.” Lekin maine kaha, “Thoda aur dekhte hain.” Jaise hi hum andar gaye, darwaza achanak peeche se band ho gaya – bina kisi hawa ke. Hina chillayi, “Yeh kisne band kiya?” Laiba ne handle ghoomaya, lekin woh jam ho chuka tha. Mujhe laga ke shayad kisi ne hume dekh liya hoga aur mazaak kar raha hoga. Lekin phir... woh awaaz aayi. Ek cheekh... lekin woh ladki ki nahi thi... woh kisi aur duniya ki thi. Ghanti ki awaaz fir se goonji, lekin is baar woh humare kaanon ke andar baj rahi thi. Laiba ka haath baraf jaisa thanda ho gaya tha. Uski aankhen gol ho gayi aur usne mujhe dekha bina kuch bole. Tabhi ek kursi apne aap hawa mein uthi... aur deewar pe ja lagi. Hina neeche gir gayi aur zor zor se ro rahi thi. Main jaise jam ho gayi thi. Mujhe samajh nahi aa raha tha ke react kaise karun. Tabhi ek purani diary meri pairon ke paas se khisak ke aayi. Uspe likha tha: "Main wapas aaungi... har uss ladki ke liye jo meri jagah le rahi hai." Phir ek chhoti si ladki ka saaya dikhai diya... chaar feet lambai, safed uniform mein, lekin uska chehra nahi tha. Sirf ek kala gaddha jahan uska chehra hona chahiye tha. Usne seedha mujhe dekha – ya keh lo mehsoos kiya – aur mere kaan ke paas aake bola, “Tumne mujhe bulaya tha... ab tum meri jagah lo.” Hina behosh ho gayi, Laiba chillate hue darwaza pe haath maar rahi thi. Maine kisi tarah diary uthayi aur zor se wohi likha hua lafz bola: “Main wapas ja rahi hoon.” Us waqt jaise time freeze ho gaya. Hawa ruk gayi. Kursiyan wapas apni jagah pe aa gayin. Darwaza dheere se khul gaya. Hum teeno bhaag kar bahar nikle. Hina ko nurse room le gaye, Laiba ko panic attack aa gaya, aur main… main kabhi waisa nahi rahi. Us din ke baad Room No. 9 ko permanently seal kar diya gaya. Diary mein likha tha ke woh ladki – Shaista – ek intelligent student thi jo apni teacher ki insult ke baad depressed ho gayi thi, aur usi room mein fansi lagakar apni jaan de di thi. Uska gussa aur dard uss room mein ab tak band hai. Main ab bhi us school mein padhti hoon, lekin har baar jab corridor ke us kone se guzarti hoon… mujhe woh saaya phir se nazar aata hai. Kabhi blackboard pe chalk se likha hua milta hai: “Tum wapas kab aaogi?”