"Mujhe… kuch feel kyu nahi ho raha…?"
Anmol ki nazar ab bhi apni maa par thi।
Woh saamne chair par baithi thi…
chehra haathon me chhupa kar ro rahi thi।
Lekin Anmol—
bas dekh raha tha।
Na uska dil tez dhadka…
Na usse dard hua…
"Strange…"
Usne dheere se kaha।
"Unhe dekh ke bhi… koi reaction nahi…"
Usne apna haath apne seene par rakha।
"Yahan… kuch hona chahiye na…?"
Lekin—
kuch bhi nahi tha।
Room me sirf uski maa ki rone ki awaaz goonj rahi thi।
"Anmol…"
Unhone dheere se uski taraf dekha।
Aankhon me umeed thi—
shayad woh pehchaan le…
"Tumhe… sach me kuch yaad nahi…?"
Anmol ne seedha jawab diya—
"Naam pata hai…"
"Baaki… kuch nahi…"
Unki aankhon me aansu fir bhar gaye।
"Main… tumhari maa hoon…"
Anmol ne 2 second tak unhe dekha—
Phir sir halka sa jhuka diya।
"Okay…"
Bas ek word।
Ye sunte hi—
unka dil toot gaya।
Woh samajh gayi—
unka beta ab wapas nahi aayega।
Room me silence chha gaya।
Aur tabhi—
TING!!!
System activate hua।
Anmol ki aankhen turant screen par tik gayi।
Pehli baar—
uski aankhon me interest dikha।
"Ye…"
"Welcome Back, Player"
"Player…"
"Matlab… main kisi game ka part hoon…"
Uska dimaag fast kaam kar raha tha।
"Memory reset…"
"New phase…"
"Matlab maine khud ye choose kiya…"
Uske lips par halki si smile aayi।
"Good decision…"
Uski maa ne ye suna—
"Good… decision…?"
Unki awaaz kaanp gayi।
"Tum apni yaadein kho kar… ise good keh rahe ho…?"
Anmol ne unki taraf dekha—
"Emotionally dekhu to galat hai…"
"Lekin logically…"
"Target save hua…"
"Deal fair hai…"
Room me fir silence।
Ye Anmol… dangerous tha।
Tabhi—
System ne next message diya—
"New Quest Incoming"
Anmol ka focus turant shift ho gaya।
"Mujhe rules chahiye…"
"You survive. You grow. You dominate."
Usne dheere se repeat kiya—
"Dominate…"
Uski aankhon me ek cold shine aayi।
"Samajh gaya…"
Usne apni maa ki taraf last baar dekha—
"Ab mujhe rest karna hai…"
Flat tone।
Uski maa kuch bol nahi paayi।
Woh dheere se room se bahar chali gayi।
Door band।
Room silent।
Anmol bed se uthkar khidki ke paas gaya।
Shehar ki lights chamak rahi thi।
"Ye duniya…"
"Ab mere liye nayi hai…"
Usne apni mutthi band ki।
"Matlab… main ise apne hisaab se shape kar sakta hoon…"
Uske chehre par ek halka sa smile aaya—
cold… controlled… dangerous।
Aur tabhi—
TING!!!
System flash—
"New Quest"
"Target Nearby"
Anmol ne screen ko dhyan se dekha—
"Nearby…?"
Usne dheere se room ka darwaza dekha।
"Yahi… hospital me…"
Uska heartbeat normal tha—
Na fear…
Na hesitation…
Sirf curiosity।
"Objective?"
"Eliminate Threat"
2 second ka silence—
Phir—
Anmol ke lips par smile aayi।
"Interesting…"
Usne door ki taraf kadam badhaya—
Aur handle pakad liya।
Ek second ke liye rukha—
"Shayad… ye hi mera asli kaam hai…"
CLICK
Door khul gaya।
Anmol bahar nikla—
Aur us moment—
ek nayi kahani start ho gayi।
Kya Anmol apni pehli kill karega…?
Ya sach uske saamne aane wala hai…?