Woh Khamosh Raat (The Silent Night)

Aryan ko adventurous trips ka bohot shauk tha. Usne internet par ek aisi jagah dhoondi thi jo map par toh thi, par wahan koi jata nahi tha—"Kala Pathar Valley." Logon ka kehna tha ki wahan ki mitti maut ki boo (smell) maarti hai, par Aryan ne in sab ko 'purani kahaniyan' keh kar mazaak mein uda diya.

Shaam ka Waqt: Camp ki Taiyari

Jab woh teeno wahan pahunche, suraj dhal raha tha. Aasman ka rang gehra laal aur baingani (purple) ho gaya tha. Jungle itna ghana tha ki dhoop zameen tak nahi pahunch rahi thi.

"Aryan, mujhe ye jagah kuch theek nahi lag rahi," Mehak ne apne jacket ko kas ke pakadte hue kaha. "Yahan itni khamoshi kyun hai? Ek bhi chidiya ki awaaz nahi aa rahi."

Kabir ne haste hue kaha, "Arre Mehak, ise hi toh 'peace' kehte hain. Shehar ke traffic se door!"

Unhone ek purane, bade bargad (banyan) ke ped ke paas apna tent lagaya. Raat hote hi thand badh gayi. Aryan ne aag jalayi (bonfire) aur teeno uske paas baith kar baatein karne lage. Par woh khamoshi... woh aam nahi thi. Aisa lag raha tha jaise jungle saans rok kar unhe dekh raha ho.

Raat ke 11 Baje: Pehli Aahat

Baaton-baaton mein Kabir ko kuch mehsoos hua. "Guys, chup ho jao."

"Kya hua?" Aryan ne poocha.

"Koi... koi humein dekh raha hai," Kabir ne dhere se kaha. Usne torch jalayi aur aas-paas ke jhadion (bushes) par maari. Kuch nahi tha. Sirf lambi, darawni parchaiyan.

Tabhi, unhe ek awaaz sunayi di. Ghuu... Ghuu...

Yeh kisi jaanwar ki awaaz nahi thi. Yeh aisa lag raha tha jaise koi rone ki koshish kar raha ho par uska gala daba hua ho. Awaaz theek unke tent ke peeche se aa rahi thi.

Aryan himmat dikha kar utha. "Kaun hai wahan? Dekho, mazaak mat karo!"

Usne tent ke peeche torch maari, par wahan koi nahi tha. Sirf mitti par kuch nishan the... aise nishan jaise kisi ne apne nakhuno se zameen ko khureda ho.

Aadhi Raat: Tent ke Andar

Darr ke maare teeno tent ke andar chale gaye aur use zip kar diya. Bahar aag thandi ho chuki thi. Mehak beech mein baithi thi, uski saansein tez chal rahi thi.

Achanak, tent ke upar se kuch girne ki awaaz aayi. Thud!

Jaise kisi ne ek bhari bori (sack) upar phenki ho. Tent ki chhat (roof) thodi niche dhas gayi. Aryan ne upar dekha... kapde ke us paar se use kisi ke panjon (claws) ka nishan saaf dikh raha tha. Woh 'cheez' tent ke upar thi.

"Aryan..." Mehak rone lagi.

"Shh... hilna mat," Aryan ne phusphusate hue kaha.

Tabhi, tent ke bahar se ek awaaz aayi. Woh Aryan ki hi awaaz thi!

"Mehak, bahar aao... dekho kitna suhana mausam hai. Bahar aao na."

Teeno ke khoon jam gaye. Aryan toh unke samne baitha tha, toh bahar se uski awaaz kaun nikaal raha tha?

Raat ka 2 Baje: Shikaar

Kabir ne himmat ki aur tent ki thodi si zip kholi. Jo usne dekha, woh uski zindagi ka sabse bada darr tha. Bahar aag phir se jal rahi thi, par uska rang neela (blue) tha. Aag ke paas ek shaks baitha tha jisne bilkul Aryan jaise kapde pehne the, par uski pith (back) unki taraf thi.

Us 'Aryan' ne dhire se apna sar piche ghumaaya. Uska chehra... uska chehra nahi tha. Wahan sirf kaali, galti hui khaal thi aur aankhon ki jagah do gehre gadde, jinse khoon beh raha tha. Usne ek bhayankar muskaan di, jisme peele, nukile daant dikh rahe the.

"Tum teeno... yahan kyun aaye?" Woh cheez ab Kabir ki awaaz mein boli.

Kabir ne turant zip band kar di. "Humein bhagna hoga! Aryan, woh humari nakal kar raha hai!"

Bhaagte hue: Jungle ka Jaal

Unhone tent chhoda aur jungle ki taraf bhage. Torch ki roshni pedon ke beech bhatak rahi thi. Peeche se unhe bhari kadmon ki awaaz aa rahi thi. Dhap... Dhap... Dhap...

"Is taraf!" Aryan ne chilla kar kaha.

Par woh jitna tez bhagte, utna hi wapas usi bargad ke ped ke paas pahunch jaate jahan unka camp tha. Jungle unhe ek hi circle mein ghumaye ja raha tha.

Tabhi Mehak ka pair ek jad (root) mein phas gaya aur woh gir gayi. "Aryan! Kabir! Ruko!"

Aryan aur Kabir ruk gaye. Jab unhone piche mud kar dekha, toh Mehak ke paas koi khada tha. Woh koi aur nahi, khud Mehak hi thi! Do Mehak... ek zameen par giri hui aur ek khadi hui, jo niche giri hui Mehak ko ek ajeeb, bhayankar nazron se dekh rahi thi.

"Aryan, main yahan hoon! Woh chudail hai!" Zameen par giri hui Mehak chillayi.

"Nahi Aryan, main asli hoon! Use mat dekho!" Khadi hui Mehak ne bilkul waisi hi awaaz mein kaha.

Aryan aur Kabir paagal ho rahe the. Kaun asli hai? Tabhi Aryan ne dhyan diya. Khadi hui Mehak ki parchai (shadow) nahi thi.

"Kabir, bhago! Woh asli nahi hai!"

Lekin der ho chuki thi. Khadi hui 'Mehak' ka muh achanak phat kar bada ho gaya. Usne ek aisi cheekh maari jo insani kaano ke liye nahi thi. Usne Mehak ka haath pakda aur use andhere jungle ki taraf kheenchne lagi.

"Bachao! Aryan!" Mehak ki awaaz jungle mein goonji aur phir khamoshi chha gayi.

Subah: Ek Adhoori Kahani

Jab agle din suraj nikla, toh forest rangers ko wahan do ladke mile—Aryan aur Kabir. Dono darr se kaanp rahe the, unke baal safed ho chuke the aur woh bolne ki halat mein nahi the.

Pura jungle chhaan maara gaya, par Mehak ka koi pata nahi chala. Wahan sirf uska ek jhumka (earring) mila, jo us purane bargad ke ped ki ek unchi tahni (branch) par latka hua tha.

Aaj bhi, log kehte hain ki Kala Pathar Valley mein agar aap raat ko camp karte hain, toh aapko apni hi awaaz sunayi degi... jo aapko andhere mein bulayegi. Aur agar aapne peeche mud kar dekha, toh aap kabhi wapas nahi lautenge.

Seekh: Kuch khamoshiyan sukoon ke liye nahi, shikaar ke liye hoti hain.