Kamarah Number 13 Ka Sach

Raat ka samay tha. Baarish halki halki ho rahi thi aur sadak par ek ajeeb si khamoshi chhayi hui thi.

Arjun apni bike chalaate hue shehar ke ek purane hisse mein pahunch gaya tha. Uski bike achanak kharab ho gayi thi, aur aas paas koi mechanic ya dukaan nazar nahi aa rahi thi.

Door usse ek purana sa hotel dikha.

Hotel ki building purani thi. Diwaron ka paint utar chuka tha aur board par dheemi roshni mein likha tha — “Hotel Shanti Palace.”

Arjun ne socha bas ek raat rukna hai.

Woh reception par gaya.

Reception ke peeche ek budha aadmi baitha tha. Uski aankhen thodi ajeeb thi… jaise woh Arjun ko dekh nahi raha ho, balki uske paar dekh raha ho.

Arjun bola,
“Bhaiya, ek room mil jayega? Bas raat bhar rukna hai.”

Budhe ne dheere se sar uthaya.

“Room to hai… par tumhein shayad pasand na aaye.”

Arjun halka sa hans diya.

“Bhaiya, bas sone ki jagah chahiye. Luxury nahi.”

Budha kuch pal chup raha. Phir dheere se bola…

“Room number 13 khaali hai.”

Arjun ne turant kaha,
“Perfect. De dijiye.”

Budhe ka chehra ek pal ke liye sakht ho gaya.

“Pakka? Log us kamre mein rukna pasand nahi karte.”

Arjun hans pada.

“Aisa kya hai wahan? Bhoot hai kya?”

Budha kuch nahi bola.

Usne bas ek purani si chaabi Arjun ke saamne rakh di.

“Teesri manzil… seedha left.”

Arjun seedhiyan chadhne laga.

Jaise jaise woh upar ja raha tha, hotel aur bhi zyada sunsaan lagne laga.

Teesri manzil par pahunchte hi hawa ki sarsarahat tez ho gayi.

Gallery mein sirf ek tube light jal rahi thi jo baar baar blink kar rahi thi.

Gallery ke end par ek darwaza tha.

Darwaze par likha tha…

13

Arjun ne darwaza khola.

Room andar se purana tha. Ek bed, ek almari, aur ek purana sa mirror.

Sab kuch normal lag raha tha.

“Log bhi na… bina wajah dar jaate hain,” Arjun ne khud se kaha.

Usne bag rakh diya aur bed par let gaya.

Baarish ki awaaz khidki se aa rahi thi.

Kuch der baad usse neend aa gayi.

Pata nahi kitni der baad…

THAK… THAK… THAK

Darwaze par kisi ne dheere se knock kiya.

Arjun ki aankh khul gayi.

Usne mobile dekha.

Raat ke 2:13

Arjun ne awaaz lagayi,
“Kaun hai?”

Koi jawab nahi.

Phir se…

THAK… THAK

Arjun uth kar darwaze ke paas gaya aur darwaza khola.

Bahaar koi nahi tha.

Gallery bilkul khaali thi.

Hawa chal rahi thi aur tube light dheere dheere hil rahi thi.

Arjun ne socha shayad koi mazaak kar raha hai.

Woh wapas bed par aa gaya.

Kuch hi minute guzre honge…

Tabhi usse footsteps ki awaaz sunayi di.

Jaise koi gallery mein chal raha ho.

Tap… tap… tap…

Phir footsteps uske darwaze ke saamne ruk gayi.

Arjun ka dil tez dhadakne laga.

Phir se knock hua.

Is baar thoda zor se.

THAK! THAK!

Arjun gusse mein darwaza kholne gaya.

“Yaar mazaak mat karo—”

Darwaza khola.

Phir se koi nahi.

Is baar Arjun ko thoda ajeeb laga.

Woh wapas mudne laga…

Tabhi uski nazar floor par padi.

Gallery ke floor par geele footprints bane hue the.

Jaise koi baarish mein bheeg kar yahan aaya ho.

Footprints seedhe uske room ke andar ja rahe the.

Arjun ka gala sookh gaya.

“Yeh… kaise?”

Footprints bed ke paas jaakar khatam ho gaye.

Room mein koi nahi tha.

Arjun ne jaldi se darwaza band kar diya.

Uska dil ab zor zor se dhadak raha tha.

Tabhi…

Room ke kone se halki si awaaz aayi.

Krrrr…

Almari ka darwaza dheere dheere khul raha tha.

Arjun dheere dheere uski taraf badha.

“Kaun hai wahan?”

Koi jawab nahi.

Usne himmat karke almari ka darwaza poora khola.

Andar kuch nahi tha.

Bas ek purana sa photo frame pada tha.

Arjun ne photo uthaya.

Photo mein ek ladki thi.

Uska chehra udaas tha… aur uski aankhen seedha camera ki taraf dekh rahi thi.

Photo ke peeche kuch likha tha.

Arjun ne palat kar padha.

“Room 13… meri aakhri raat.”

Arjun ke haath kaanp gaye.

Tabhi…

Mirror mein kuch hilta hua dikhayi diya.

Arjun ne dheere se mirror ki taraf dekha.

Mirror mein uske peeche ek ladki khadi thi.

Safed kapde… bheege baal… aur aankhen bilkul kaali.

Arjun ka khoon jam gaya.

Woh dheere se mudne laga…

Par jaise hi woh mudha…

Room khaali tha.

Koi nahi.

Arjun zor zor se saans lene laga.

“Yeh… yeh sab kya hai…”

Tabhi uske kaan ke paas kisi ne dheere se kaha…

“Tumne mera kamra kyun khola…?”

Arjun turant mudha.

Phir wahi ladki.

Is baar bilkul uske saamne.

Uska chehra peela tha aur aankhon se kaali dhaar nikal rahi thi.

Arjun cheekh pada.

“Tum… kaun ho?!”

Ladki dheere se boli…

“Main… is kamre ki mehmaan thi.”

Arjun peeche hatne laga.

“Tum… tum chahti kya ho?”

Ladki ne dheere se kaha…

“Sach…”

Room ka darwaza apne aap band ho gaya.

Hawa achanak bahut thandi ho gayi.

Ladki boli…

“10 saal pehle… main yahan ruki thi.”

“Room number 13.”

“Us raat kisi ne mera darwaza khatkhataaya…”

“Mainne khola… aur phir…”

Uski awaaz dheere dheere bhayanak ho gayi.

“…main kabhi wapas zinda nahi gayi.”

Arjun ka dimag ghoomne laga.

“Tumhein kisne maara?”

Ladki dheere se muskurayi.

Aur usne ungli uthakar darwaze ki taraf ishara kiya.

“Usne.”

Tabhi darwaza dheere se khul gaya.

Bahaar reception wala budha aadmi khada tha.

Uska chehra ab bilkul alag lag raha tha.

Aankhen bilkul kaali.

Aur chehre par ek ajeeb si muskaan.

Budha dheere se bola…

“Tumhein bhi Room 13 pasand aaya?”

Arjun samajh gaya.

Yeh sab ek jaal tha.

Budha dheere dheere room ke andar aane laga.

“Har saal mujhe ek mehmaan chahiye…”

“Taaki yeh hotel zinda rahe.”

Arjun darr ke maare peeche hat gaya.

Par tabhi usne mehsoos kiya…

Uske peeche woh ladki khadi hai.

Usne Arjun ke kandhe par haath rakha.

Uska haath barf jaisa thanda tha.

Ladki dheere se boli…

“Ab tum meri jagah loge…”

Arjun ka dil ruk sa gaya.

“Matlab?”

Ladki ki muskaan aur bhi darawni ho gayi.

“Room 13 kabhi khaali nahi rehta.”

Agli subah…

Hotel ke bahar log jama the.

Police bhi aayi hui thi.

Reception par woh budha aadmi aaraam se baitha tha.

Police wale ne poocha…

“Kal raat koi ladka yahan rukha tha?”

Budha dheere se bola…

“Haan… Room 13 mein.”

Police ne kaha…

“Room 13 to saalon se band hai.”

Budha muskuraya.

“Ab nahi.”

Teesri manzil par Room 13 ke andar…

Bed ke paas floor par ek naya photo frame pada tha.

Photo mein ab Arjun khada tha.

Aur uske peeche…

Wahi ladki muskurate hue khadi thi.

Aur us photo ke neeche likha tha…

“Room 13… naya mehmaan.”