Woh Ladki Jo Sirf 12 Baje Dikhti Hai

Mera naam tumhe jaan’na zaroori nahi hai, bas itna samajh lo ke jo main tumhe aaj sunaane jaa raha hoon, wo sach bhi ho sakta hai aur jhooth bhi, par agar tumne ise raat ko, khaaskar 12 baje sun liya… toh ho sakta hai tumhe bhi wo cheez dikhne lage. Aur haan, main ek baat kehna chahta hoon, maaf karna, mujhe yeh kahani tumhe pehle bata deni chahiye thi, lekin main khud darr ke maare chup tha. Shayad main chahta tha ke tum safe raho, lekin ab bohot der ho chuki hai. Sab kuch us raat se shuru hua, jab main raat ke barah baje ek sunni sadak par chal raha tha. Hawa bilkul band thi, na koi kutta bhonk raha tha na koi insaan dikhta tha. Sirf ek ajeeb si khamoshi thi jo kaan phaad rahi thi. Maine phone nikal kar time dekha, 12:00 AM. Aur tabhi, mere saamne raste ke kone par ek ladki khadi thi. Safed kapdon mein. Uske baal itne lambe the ke zameen ko chhoo rahe the. Main pehle samjha ke shayad koi normal insaan hoga, shayad raste mein khadi hogi, lekin jaise hi maine jyaada dhyaan se dekha, mera dil ruk sa gaya. Wo hil hi nahi rahi thi. Bilkul ek statue ki tarah. Uska sir neeche jhuka hua tha, aur baal poora chehra dhak rahe the. Main ruka, aur bina soche samjhe halki si awaaz mein bola, “Hello?” Jaise hi yeh lafz mere muh se nikla, meri gardan ke peeche thandi hawa ka jhatka sa mehsoos hua. Aur phir, mere phone ki screen blink karne lagi. Time wahi atka raha — 12:00. Seconds move hi nahi kar rahe the. Mujhe laga shayad phone hang ho gaya hai. Maine palat kar dekha, ladki gayab. Sirf ek khali raste ki lambi khamoshi. Maine apne aapko samjhaya ke shayad mera dimaag ghoom raha hai, lekin agle din se ajeeb cheezen hone lagi. Raat ko mere darwaze par scratching ki awaaz aane lagi. Pehle maine ignore kiya, socha ke shayad billi hogi. Lekin dusri raat jab main utha, toh zameen par geele pairon ke nishaan the. Aur sabse bura ye tha, ke wo nishaan seedhe mere bedroom ke andar tak aa rahe the. Main shock mein tha. Kisi ko ghar mein aate maine dekha nahi, darwaza bhi locked tha, lekin fir bhi marks the. Us raat maine try kiya jaage rehne ka. Raat ke barah baje, light thodi blink hui aur maine clearly suna, ek ladki ki hansi… dheemi si, jaise uske gale mein kuch atka ho. Maine flashlight uthayi aur apne room ke kone mein dekha. Ek safed saya khada tha. Sir jhuka hua, baal chehre par, aur pair se paani tapak raha tha. Main jam gaya. Saans bhi ruk gayi thi. Usne apna sir thoda uthaya aur main bas itna keh sakta hoon… jo chehra maine dekha, wo insani nahi tha. Aankhen poori kali, muh kaata hua jaise kisi ne sil diya ho, aur jab usne phir se hansi, toh wo hansi seedhe mere andar utar gayi. Main cheekhna chahta tha par awaaz hi nahi nikli. Agli subah jab main utha, toh mujhe laga shayad yeh sab ek bura sapna tha. Lekin jab main washroom gaya, mirror par likha tha — “Tumne mujhe dekha hai. Ab main hamesha tumhare saath rahungi.” Likha hua paani ki boondon se tha. Mirror se paani beh raha tha, jaise abhi abhi kisi ne bheege haath se likha ho. Us din ke baad meri zindagi normal nahi rahi. Raat ke barah baje main chaahe jahan bhi hoon, mujhe wo ladki dikh jaati hai. Kabhi road ke corner pe, kabhi mere kamre ke kone mein, kabhi mere bed ke side pe. Bas khadi hoti hai, mujhe dekhti hai, aur kabhi kabhi chupchaap muskuraati hai. Ek din main ne himmat karke aankhen band kar li aur bola “Please go away!” Jab aankhen kholi toh wo mere bilkul saamne thi, itni nazdeek ke uski saans meri gardan ko chu rahi thi. Us din ke baad se main ne samajh liya ke ab mujhe bachne ka koi tareeka nahi hai. Main tumhe yeh kahani isliye suna raha hoon ke shayad tum seekh jao aur usse kabhi contact na karo. Lekin phir se… maaf karna, mujhe yeh sab tumhe pehle bata dena chahiye tha. Shayad ab tumhe bhi raat ko barah baje kuch nazar aaye. Shayad wo ladki ab tumhe bhi dekh rahi ho, tumhare phone ki screen ke reflection mein, tumhare kamre ke kone mein, ya tumhare bed ke neeche chup kar. Aur jab tumhe lage ke tum safe ho, tab yaad rakhna… uska chehra sabse aakhri cheez hoti hai jo koi insaan dekhta hai. Aur agar tumne abhi apne peeche dekha, toh ho sakta hai wo tumhe abhi se dekh rahi ho.