Raat ke 10:45 baj chuke the।
Shehar dheere-dheere shaant ho raha tha…
Street lights ki peeli roshni sadak par lambe saaye bana rahi thi।
Anmol ek sunsaan gali ke kone par khada tha।
Uski nazar baar-baar phone ki screen par ja rahi thi।
Message abhi bhi wahi tha—
"Agar sach jaan na hai… to aaj raat 11 baje purane bridge par aa jana."
Usne gehri saans li।
"Ye trap ho sakta hai…"
Uska dimaag use rok raha tha—
"Mat ja… wahan kuch bhi ho sakta hai…"
Lekin dil…
"Agar nahi gaya… to sach kabhi nahi milega…"
Anmol ne apni mutthi kas li।
"Ab peeche hatne ka option nahi hai…"
Aur woh dheere-dheere bridge ki taraf chal pada
Kuch hi der me woh wahan pahunch gaya।
Bridge aadha toot chuka tha…
Niche andhera paani behta hua garaj raha tha।
Hawa tez chal rahi thi—
aur puri jagah me ek ajeeb sa sannata tha।
"Yahi jagah hai…"
Anmol ne aas-paas nazar daali।
Koi nahi।
Sirf hawa…
aur uske kadmo ki goonj।
"Main aa gaya…"
Uski awaaz andhere me kho gayi।
"Keh diya tha… tum aaoge."
Achanak peeche se awaaz aayi।
Anmol turant mud gaya।
Uske saamne ek aadmi khada tha—
Black coat…
Shaant chehra…
Aur wohi thandi si smile…
Anmol ka dil zor se dhadakne laga।
"Tum…"
Player 07 dheere-dheere uski taraf badha।
"System ne tumhe kaafi jaldi grow kar diya…"
Anmol ne seedha sawaal kiya—
"Tumne mujhe yahan kyun bulaya?"
Player 07 ruk gaya।
Usne apni jeb se ek chhota device nikala…
Button press kiya—
Aas-paas ka area neeli roshni me glow karne laga।
Anmol shock me—
"Ye kya hai…?"
Player 07 ki awaaz thandi thi—
"System ka real face."
Anmol ka gala sookh gaya।
"Matlab…?"
"Matlab… ye game sirf paise kamane ka nahi hai…"
Woh ek kadam aur aage badha—
"Ye survival game hai."
Hawa aur tez ho gayi।
Anmol ki saanse bhaari ho gayi।
"Survival…?"
Player 07 ne dheere se kaha—
"Yahan sirf ek rule hai…"
"Ya to tum jeeto…"
"Ya tum khatam ho jao…"
Silence.
Anmol ke pair ek pal ke liye hil gaye।
"Matlab… log mar bhi sakte hain…?"
Player 07 ne jawab nahi diya।
Lekin uski aankhen…
Sab kuch bata rahi thi।
Choice
Anmol ne phir poocha—
"Tumne mujhe yahan bulaya kyun?"
Kuch second ke sannate ke baad—
Player 07 bola—
"Kyuki tum alag ho…"
"Baaki log paise ke liye khelte hain…"
"Lekin tum… survive karne ke liye lad rahe ho…"
Anmol confuse—
"Seedha bolo…"
Player 07 uske bilkul paas aaya।
"Main tumhe ek choice dene aaya hoon."
"Choice…?"
"Ya to mere saath team bana lo…"
Woh ruk gaya।
Anmol ki aankhen sikud gayi—
"Ya phir…?"
Player 07 ki smile thandi ho gayi—
"Ya phir tum mera next target ban jaoge."
Truth Hits
Anmol ka dil ek pal ke liye ruk gaya।
"Matlab… system ka mission…"
"Bilkul sach hai," Player 07 ne kaha।
"System kabhi jhooth nahi bolta…"
Fear aur gussa dono Anmol ke andar takra rahe the।
"Tum mujhe dhamki de rahe ho?"
"Warning," Player 07 ne seedha jawab diya।
Emergency Trigger
Achanak—
"Emergency Mission Activated"
System ki awaaz dono ke dimaag me goonji।
Blue screen flash hui—
"Fight… or Die."
Anmol ki saanse ruk si gayi।
"Abhi…?"
Player 07 ne dheere se apni coat utari।
Uski aankhen ab bilkul thandi ho chuki thi।
"Lagta hai system ne decide kar liya…"
Woh fighting stance me aa gaya।
"Ab dekhte hain… tum kitne strong ho…"
Anmol ne bhi apni mutthi kas li।
Uska dil zor se dhadak raha tha…
"Ye fight… meri zindagi decide karegi…"
Hawa tez…
Raat gehri…
Bridge hilta hua sa mehsoos ho raha tha…
Aur—
Player 07 ne pehla attack kar diya।
Kya Anmol is deadly fight me bach payega?
Ya ye uska aakhri mission hoga?
Aur Player 07 ki asli power kya hai?