Anmol ne door ka handle dheere se ghuma diya…
Jaise hi darwaza khula—
Thandi hawa ka ek jhonka uske chehre se takraya।
Corridor bilkul silent tha।
Lights halki halki flicker kar rahi thi—
jaise koi warning de rahi ho।
Anmol ek kadam bahar aaya।
Uski aankhen turant surroundings scan karne lagiं।
"Target nearby…"
Usne dheere se repeat kiya।
Uska dimaag fast calculation kar raha tha—
"Hospital…"
"Public place…"
"Threat…"
"Matlab situation simple nahi hai…"
Woh dheere dheere aage badha।
Har step controlled…
Har movement silent…
Jaise woh pehle se trained ho।
Floor almost khaali tha।
Door ke upar likha tha—
"Floor 3 – Restricted Area"
"Restricted…"
Uske lips par halka sa smirk aaya।
"Perfect place for danger…"
TING!!!
System flash—
"Warning: Target Awakening"
Anmol ruk gaya।
"Awakening…?"
Uska heartbeat thoda sa fast hua—
fear se nahi…
excitement se।
"Interesting…"
Usne apni mutthi band ki।
"Aaj dekhte hain… main kya kar sakta hoon…"
Woh seedha corridor ke end ki taraf badha—
Room number 307 ke saamne ruk gaya।
Darwaza aadha khula tha।
Andar se halki si machine ki awaaz aa rahi thi।
Anmol ne dheere se darwaza push kiya—
Room ke andar light dim thi।
Bed par ek ladka pada tha—
bandage me…
weak…
"Ye threat hai…?"
Anmol ne analyse kiya।
"Lag nahi raha…"
Tabhi—
Ladka dheere se apni aankhen kholta hai।
Aur seedha Anmol ko dekhta hai—
"Tum… aa gaye…"
Anmol freeze nahi hua—
Lekin uski aankhen thodi si sikud gayi।
"Tum mujhe jaante ho…?"
Ladka halka sa hasa—
"Late ho gaye…"
"Woh… tumhe dhoond raha hai…"
Anmol ka dimaag instantly alert ho gaya।
"Woh… kaun?"
2 second ka silence—
Phir—
Room ki lights ekdum band ho gayi।
BLACKOUT
Machine ki awaaz ruk gayi।
Pure room me andhera chha gaya।
Anmol ne turant apni position change ki—
"System…"
Koi response nahi।
"System?"
Silence।
System offline.
Pehli baar—
Anmol akela tha।
Uska heartbeat ab thoda heavy hua।
Lekin—
uski aankhon me darr nahi tha।
Sirf alertness।
Tabhi—
Andhere me ek halki si awaaz aayi—
"Finally…"
"Tum mil hi gaye…"
Anmol dheere se mudta hai—
Uski nazar andhere me adjust hone lagti hai…
Aur phir—
ek shadow uske peeche khadi thi।
Bahut paas।
Itni paas ki uski saans Anmol ke kaan tak aa rahi thi।
Anmol ki body instantly react kar gayi—
Woh turant side me hatne ki koshish karta hai—
Lekin—
kisi ne uska haath pakad liya।
Strong grip।
"Speed slow ho gayi…"
Woh awaaz thandi thi…
"Memory ke saath… skills bhi chali gayi kya…?"
Anmol ki aankhen ek second ke liye shock me fail gayi।
"Tum… jaante ho mujhe…?"
Shadow dheere se aage badhi—
Light thodi si wapas blink hui—
Aur uska chehra half visible hua—
aankhon me dangerous shine…
lips par halka sa smile…
"Tum bhool gaye…"
"Lekin main nahi…"
Anmol ne apni mutthi tight ki—
"Kaun ho tum…?"
Shadow aur paas aayi—
Usne dheere se Anmol ke kaan ke paas jhuk kar kaha—
"Main… tumhara pehla shikar nahi…"
"Main… tumhari pehli galti hoon…"
Anmol ke dimaag me ek ajeeb sa spark hua—
Jaise kuch yaad aane wala ho…
Lekin—
kuch bhi clear nahi hua।
Uska grip aur tight ho gaya।
"Ab…"
"Game start karte hain…"
Aur us moment—
usne Anmol ko zor se wall par phenka।
DHAM!!!
Anmol ka sar wall se takraya—
Lekin—
uski aankhon me ek dangerous smile aa gayi।
"Good…"
"Challenge mila—
Shadow dheere dheere uski taraf badha…
Aur jab light ek second ke liye fully on hui—
Anmol ki saanse ek पल के लिए रुक गई…
"Ye… impossible hai…"
Uske saamne jo khada tha—
Vo usshi jaisa dikh rha tha.