Ishq Ka Safar – Mohabbat Jo Khauf Mein Badal Gayi

Kirdar:

• Aryan: Ek adventurous photographer.
• Sia: Aryan ki mangetar (fiancée).
• Baba Chimna: Jungle ke kinaare rehne wala ek mysterious budha.

Part 1: Ek Suhana Safar

Sahar ki bheed-bhaad aur shor se door, Aryan aur Sia ne faisla kiya ki wo apni engagement ki khushi mein ek road trip par jayenge. Destination tha—"Neel-Ghati", ek aisa pahadi ilaaka jiske baare mein internet par zyaada jaankari nahi thi, bas kuch purani tasveerein thi jo Aryan ko behad pasand aayi thi.

"Aryan, kya hum galat raste par toh nahi aa gaye?" Sia ne ghabrate hue pucha. Bahar andhera gehra hota ja raha tha aur ghane pedo ki parchaiyan gaadi ki lights mein bhoot-pret jaisi lag rahi thi.

Aryan ne muskura kar Sia ka hath thama. "Don't worry, Sia. Adventure ka asli maza toh anjaan raaston mein hi hai. Bas kuch ghante aur, phir hum us purane resort mein honge."

Lekin rasta khatam hone ka naam nahi le raha tha. GPS ne signal kabka kho diya tha. Achanak, ek zor ka jhatka laga aur gaadi ruk gayi. Aryan ne niche utar kar dekha—tyre phat chuka tha.

Part 2: Sunsaan Rasta aur Pehli Chetavni

Asman mein ghane baadal chha gaye the. Aryan tyre badalne ki koshish kar raha tha, tabhi use mehsoos hua ki koi use pedon ke peeche se dekh raha hai.

"Kaun hai wahan?" Aryan chillaya.

Ek purani, thartharati awaz aayi, "Yahan se laut jao, bete. Yeh rasta ishq ka nahi, maut ka safar hai."

Andhere se ek budha aadmi bahar nikla. Uska chehra jhurriyon se bhara tha aur aankhen safed thi. Wo Baba Chimna tha.

"Baba, hum rasta bhatak gaye hain. Bas tyre badal kar nikal jayenge," Aryan ne thoda darrte hue kaha.

Baba ne Sia ki taraf dekha aur uski aankhen phat gayi. "Is ladki ko le jao yahan se! Woh use dhund raha hai... 'Rakt-Premi' jaag chuka hai."

Aryan ne use paagal samajh kar ignore kiya, tyre badla aur Sia ko lekar gaadi mein baith gaya. Lekin Sia bilkul khamosh ho gayi thi. Uski nazar peeche waale sheeshe (rearview mirror) par tiki thi.

"Aryan... peeche dekho," Sia ki awaz kaanp rahi thi.

Aryan ne mirror mein dekha. Sadak ke beechon-beech wahi budha khada tha, lekin is baar uske piche hazaron kaale saaye (shadows) nazar aa rahe the.

Part 3: Neel-Ghati Ka Sach

Do ghante ki drive ke baad, wo Neel-Ghati pahunche. Wahan ek purana wooden cottage tha. Mausam behad thanda ho chuka tha. Aryan ne check-in kiya, lekin wahan koi receptionist nahi tha, bas ek chabi counter par rakhi thi jiske saath ek note tha: "Andhere ke baad darwaza mat kholna."

Raat ke 2 baje, Sia ki neend achanak khul gayi. Use kisi ke rone ki awaz sunai di. Wo awaz cottage ke niche wale basement se aa rahi thi.

"Aryan... utho," Sia ne Aryan ko hilaya, lekin Aryan gehri neend mein tha. Sia himmat karke khud uthi. Wo dheere-dheere basement ki taraf badhi.

Basement ka darwaza adha khula tha. Andar mombattiyon (candles) ki roshni thi. Sia ne jo dekha, usse uska khoon jamm gaya.

Wahan Aryan ki hazaron tasveerein diwaron par chipki hui thi. Lekin har tasveer mein Aryan ka chehra kata hua tha aur uski jagah kisi aur ka chehra lagane ki koshish ki gayi thi. Beech kamre mein ek purani qabr thi, jis par likha tha—"Mera Ishq, Mera Janam."

Part 4: Rakt-Premi ka Saaya

Sia cheekhne hi wali thi ki peeche se ek thanda hath uske muh par rakha gaya. Wo Aryan tha.

"Sia, tum yahan kya kar rahi ho?" Aryan ki awaz bilkul badal chuki thi. Uska lehja thanda aur roboti tha.

"Aryan, yeh sab kya hai? Chalo yahan se!" Sia rone lagi.

Aryan ne muskura kar apni gardan thodi tedhi ki. Ek ajeeb si karkash awaz aayi, jaise haddiyan toot rahi hon. "Aryan toh kabka mar chuka hai, Sia. Main toh bas uska shareer (body) istemal kar raha hoon taaki tumhare kareeb aa saku."

Sia ne dekha ki Aryan ki aankhen ab puri tarah kaali ho chuki thi. Uske nakhun lambe aur nukeela hone lage the. Wo koi insaan nahi, balki Neel-Ghati ka wahi 'Rakt-Premi' tha jo sadiyon se ek sacche jode (couple) ka intezar kar raha tha taaki wo dobara zinda ho sake.

Part 5: Akhri Jed-o-Jahad

Sia wahan se bhaagi. Wo jungle ki taraf daudi, peeche wo bhyanak saaya Aryan ke roop mein uska picha kar raha tha. Pedon ki tahiyaan Sia ke kapde faad rahi thi, uske pairon se khoon beh raha tha.

Achanak, wahi purana Baba Chimna samne aa gaya. "Maine kaha tha beti, laut jao!"

"Baba, mujhe bachaiye! Aryan ko kuch ho gaya hai!" Sia gidgidayi.

Baba ne ek purani talwar nikaali aur zameen par ek circle banaya. "Iske andar baith jao. Wo tumhare khoon ki mehak ka peecha kar raha hai. Agar suraj nikalne tak wo tumhe nahi chhu paya, toh wo dobara qabr mein chala jayega."

Aryan (Rakt-Premi) wahan pahunch gaya. Wo circle ke bahar khada hokar Aryan ki awaz mein chillane laga, "Sia! Bahar aao! Yeh budha tumhe maar dega! Main tumhara Aryan hoon, mujh par bharosa karo!"

Sia ka dil phat raha tha. Ek taraf uska pyar tha, aur dusri taraf wo bhyanak haqiqat. Aryan ki awaz itni tadap bhari thi ki Sia ka pair circle se bahar nikalne hi wala tha...

Lekin tabhi usne dekha, Aryan ki parchai (shadow) zameen par nahi thi. Insaan ki parchai hoti hai, shaitaan ki nahi.

Part 6: Anjaam

Suraj ki pehli kiran pahaadon ke peeche se nikhli. Aryan ka shareer achanak dhuen mein badalne laga. Uska chehra pighal raha tha. Ek aakhri bhyanak cheekh ke saath, wo hawa mein gayab ho gaya.

Sia wahin dher ho gayi.

Jab Sia ko hosh aaya, wo ek hospital mein thi. Police ne use bataya ki wo Neel-Ghati ke paas ek khai mein mili thi.

"Aur Aryan?" Sia ne pucha.

Police officer ne ek purani file dikhayi. "Ma'am, Aryan naam ka koi shakhs aapke saath tha hi nahi. CCTV footage mein aap gaadi akele chala rahi thi. Aur rahi baat Neel-Ghati ki... wo jagah toh 50 saal pehle ek landslide mein dafan ho chuki hai."

Sia ke hosh udd gaye. Usne apna hath dekha—uske hath mein engagement ring abhi bhi thi, lekin wo ring ab sone ki nahi, balki purani haddi ki bani hui thi.

Usne sheeshe mein dekha, toh use apni parchai ke piche ek halka sa kaala saaya dikha, aur kanon mein wahi awaz goonji...

"Hamara ishq ka safar toh ab shuru hua hai, Sia."

THE END