Mirror Mein Kuch Missing Tha… Shayad Main Hi

Raat ke almost 1:20 baj rahe the. Room bilkul silent tha, sirf ceiling fan ki halka si awaaz aa rahi thi. Main washroom se nikal kar mirror ke saamne aaya aur apne baal set karne laga. Sab normal tha. Bilkul normal.

Phir ek second aisa aaya jab mujhe laga kuch off hai. Maine apni reflection ko dekha aur instantly feel hua ki kuch missing hai. Pehle toh samajh nahi aaya kya. Main apne face ko thoda aur kareeb le gaya, phir bhi mirror mein sab theek dikh raha tha.

Par andar se ek ajeeb sa pressure feel ho raha tha. Jaise brain kuch pakad raha ho aur dil usse maan hi na raha ho. Main thoda right side hila, reflection ne bhi kiya. Main left gaya, reflection bhi. Sab same. Phir bhi woh discomfort jaata nahi tha.

Tab maine notice kiya ki mirror mein meri left shirt sleeve thodi differently dikh rahi thi. As if kuch fold missing ho. Maine apni real sleeve ko dekha. Wahan kuch bhi unusual nahi tha. Main confuse ho gaya. Phir maine apna haath uthaya.

Mirror mein reflection ne bhi haath uthaya. Lekin uske fingers thode late move hue. Bas ek fraction of a second. Itna chhota difference hota toh shayad main ignore kar deta. Lekin us raat meri body ne us delay ko ek warning ki tarah feel kiya.

Main seedha ho gaya aur mirror ko stare karne laga. Reflection bhi mujhe stare kar raha tha. Tab mujhe ek aur cheez dikhi—reflection ke left shoulder ke paas ek shadow thi, jo mere actual shoulder par nahi thi. Woh shadow dheere-dheere move kar rahi thi, jaise kisi aur ka presence ho wahan.

Maine aankh jhapkayi. Aur usi moment mirror mein mere reflection ke chehre par expression change ho gaya. Mere face par toh bas confusion thi, lekin reflection ke lips ek almost invisible smile mein khinch gaye. Bohot chhota. Bohot wrong.

Main peeche hata. Dil itna tez dhadak raha tha ki kaan mein awaaz aa rahi thi. Maine light ka switch on kar diya. Room bright ho gaya. Par mirror mein jo dikha, usne mujhe freeze kar diya.

Reflection mein main tha. Lekin mere peeche wall par jo poster tha, woh mirror mein missing tha. Aur uski jagah ek dark patch tha. Jaise mirror ne room ko copy hi nahi kiya ho. Jaise usne sirf mujhe rakha ho, baaki sab hata diya ho.

Maine turant aankhen band karke aawaz lagayi, “Maa!” Par awaaz nikalte hi mujhe apne hi room mein kisi aur ki saans sunai di. Dheere. Bahut dheere.

Jab maine aankhen kholi, mirror mein main akela nahi tha. Reflection ke shoulder ke just behind koi aur khada tha. Uska chehra clear nahi tha, par height aur posture bilkul human jaisa tha. Bas problem yeh thi ki real room mein mere peeche koi nahi tha.

Maine bhaag kar mirror se door jaane ki koshish ki, lekin ek pal ke liye mujhe laga jaise reflection bhi mere saath nahi bhaaga. Woh wahi khada reh gaya. Main move kar raha tha, par mirror mein reflection ek beat late tha. Jaise woh mujhe follow nahi kar raha tha… woh wait kar raha tha.

Us din ke baad maine woh mirror cover kar diya. Ghar walon ko bola ki light se problem hai. Sach bolne ki himmat nahi hui. Lekin kabhi-kabhi raat ko room se guzarte waqt mujhe woh same feeling aati hai. Jaise mirror ke andar se koi mujhe dekh raha ho.

Sabse ajeeb baat? Ab bhi kabhi-kabhi jab main us cover ke paas se nikalta hoon, mujhe lagta hai jaise koi andar se halki si knock karta hai.

Ek knock, phir pause.
Jaise woh keh raha ho: “Ab tumhari turn hai.”