Woh Qayamat ki raat

​Udaipur ki Pichola Lake aaj jitni shaant dikh rahi thi, uske gehraiyon mein utna hi bada toofan chhupa tha. Aasman mein baadal is tarah mandara rahe the jaise woh kisi insani maut ka intezar kar rahe hon. Shehar ke shor se bahut door, jheel ke kinare bani woh purani haveli—jisay log 'Raaz-Mahal' kehte the—aaj ek aisi ghatna ki gawah banne wali thi, jiska zakhm waqt ke saath kabhi nahi bharega.

​Haveli ke bade hall mein ek ajeeb si thandak thi, jo sirf mausam ki wajah se nahi, balki wahan maujood maut ki aahat se thi. Hall ki deewaron par lage purane jhoomar dhire-dhire hil rahe the.

​Vihaan, jo kabhi Udaipur ki sabse shaktishali aur ameer family ka chirag tha, aaj wahan ek mujrim ki tarah ghira hua tha. Uska safed kurta ab poori tarah khoon se lal ho chuka tha. Uske baal bikre hue the, aur uski saansein kisi purani machine ki tarah bhari thi. Uske saamne khadi thi Khushi. Khushi ka chehra, jo hamesha kisi chamakti hui chandni ki tarah hota tha, aaj dhool aur aansuon se sana hua tha. Usne laal rang ka ek silsila joda pehna tha, lekin woh joda ab suhaagan ka nahi, balki maut ka libaas lag raha tha.

​"Vihaan, humne kabhi socha tha ki humari kahani ka ant aise hoga?" Khushi ne dheere se pucha. Uski awaaz mein dard nahi, balki ek ajeeb sa khamosh sukoon tha.

​Vihaan ne zor se apne daant peese aur apni kamar se nikli bandook ko mazbooti se pakda. "Nahi, Khushi. Maine kabhi nahi socha tha ki humein is mod par aana padega. Par main abhi bhi haar nahi maane wala. Mere hote hue tumhe koi chhoone ki himmat bhi nahi kar sakta."

​"Vihaan, dekho charo taraf! Hum ghire hue hain," Khushi ne kamre ke andhere konon ki taraf ishara kiya jahan se kaale saaye nikal rahe the.

​Gunde, jo is haveli ke har kone mein chhup kar baithe the, dheere-dheere bahar nikalne lage. Unke haath mein modern hathiyar the. Vihaan kisi bhookhe sher ki tarah un par toot pada. Uska har vaar itna teez tha ki gunde sambhal bhi nahi pa rahe the. Hall mein sirf takraav aur cheekhon ki aawaaz aa rahi thi. Vihaan ek ladka nahi, balki ek khatarnak yoddha ban chuka tha. Uska har punch aur kick kisi purani nafrat ka natija tha.

​Tabhi, ek gunde ne mauka dekha aur Khushi ke baalon ko pakad kar use balcony ki taraf kheench liya. Khushi ki cheekh haveli ki deewaron se takra kar wapas aayi.

​"Vihaan!"

​Vihaan ruk gaya. Uska gussa ab apne charam par tha. Usne ek purani talwar, jo deewar par saji thi, use uthaya aur gundon ki line ko cheerte hue aage badha. "Agar tumne use chhua, toh main tumhari raakh tak Udaipur ki is jheel mein bahane nahi dunga! Chhod do use!"

​Tabhi, balcony ke upar se ek aisi hansi gunji, jise sunkar koi bhi kaanp jaye. Ek shaks cehre per adha baaz ke akar ka ke mask pehne hue jisme uska adha cehra hi dikh raha tha ek taraf se, black tuxedo pehne hue upar khada tha. Woh mask wala shaks tha, jiska intezar dono kar rahe the.

​"Wah, Vihaan! Kya kamaal ki ladayi hai," us mask wale ne taliyan bajayi. "Lekin tum bhool rahe ho ki tum is khel mein sirf ek mohra ho. Udaipur ke is purane kila-numa ghar mein tumhara antt likha ja chuka hai."

​"Kaun ho tum? Samne aa!" Vihaan ne chilla kar pucha.

​Mask wale ne dheere se apni bandook nikaali. "Main woh hoon jise tumne 7 saal pehle mitaane ki koshish ki thi, Vihaan. Tumhare baap ne jo paap kiye the, unka hisab aaj tumhare khoon se chukaya jayega."

​"Khushi ka isse kya lena-dena hai?" Vihaan ne cheekhte hue pucha.

​"Khushi tumhari sabse badi kamzori hai. Aur maut hamesha kamzori par hi vaar karti hai."

​DISHYUM!

​Goli chali. Vihaan ki nigahein Khushi par thi. Usne dekha ki goli uski taraf nahi, balki Khushi ki taraf aa rahi hai. Vihaan ne bina soche ek chhalang lagayi, lekin Khushi, jo pehle se hi sab samajh chuki thi, usne Vihaan ko ek jhatke se dhakka diya aur khud ko us goli ke raaste mein kar liya.

​Dhak!

​Goli seedhe Khushi ke seene mein utri. Khushi ki aankhein phati ki phati reh gayi. Woh zameen par girne lagi. Vihaan ne use hawa mein hi pakad liya.

​"Khushi! Nahin!" Vihaan ki cheekh se haveli ki deewaren tak kaanp uthi.

​Khushi ke munh se khoon nikalne laga. Uska safed haath Vihaan ke seene par tha. Woh dheere-dheere thandi ho rahi thi. Mask wale ne phir se goli chalayi, jo seedhe Vihaan ke seene mein ja lagi.

​Dono zameen par pade the. Khushi ne apni aankhein muskil se kholi. "Vihaan... humara... humara vaada..."

​Vihaan ne uske maathe ko chumte hue rote hue kaha, "Humara vaada pura hoga, Khushi. Is janam mein nahi, toh agle janam mein. Hum saath jayenge. Koi bhi humein alag nahi kar sakta."

​Dono ne ek-dusre ka haath itni mazbooti se pakda tha ki maut bhi unhe juda nahi kar pa rahi thi. Unki aankhon mein ek ajeeb sa sukoon tha. Khushi ne muskura kar apni aankhein band kar li, aur uske saath hi Vihaan ki saansein bhi tham gayi.

​Mask wala niche utra. Usne unhe dekha aur buri tarah hasne laga. "Aakhirkar! Aakhirkar mera maqsad pura ho gaya. Main tum dono ko alag karna chahta tha, aur maine kar dikhaya. Ab jao, aur narq mein milo!"

​Uski hasi haveli ke har kone mein goonj rahi thi. Woh mask wala shaks kaun tha? Vihaan aur Khushi ke baap ke beech aisa kya rishta tha jo 7 saal pehle unhe is maut tak le aaya?

​Yeh sawaal abhi bhi hawaon mein ghoom rahe the. Vihaan aur Khushi ki kahani yahan khatam nahi hui thi, balki ek naye rahasya ki taraf mod rahi thi. Sachaai kya thi?

​Yeh janne ke liye humein jana hoga... saat saal peeche.

jaha se ye kahani suru hui thi.

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