Aarav ke haath kaanp rahe the.
Uski nazar diary ke pehle page par jam gayi thi.
π Β«"Agar tum yeh padh rahe ho... toh iska matlab hai main haar gaya."
π AaravΒ»
Uska gala sookh gaya.
π "Yeh... impossible hai."
Kabir uske kandhe ke upar se jhaankne laga.
π "Diary mein aisa kya likha hai?"
Aarav ne turant diary band kar di.
π "Nothing."
Kabir ne eyebrow uthayi.
π "Bhai, tere face ko dekh ke lag raha hai 'nothing' se kaafi zyada hai."
Lekin Aarav kuch nahi bola.
Uske dimaag mein sirf ek hi sawaal ghoom raha tha.
π "Agar yeh maine likhi hai... toh mujhe yaad kyun nahi?"
Black hoodie wala ladka chupchaap usse dekh raha tha.
Uski golden eyes bilkul shaant thi.
π "Diary sirf tum khol sakte ho."
Aarav ne uski taraf dekha.
π "Tum ho kaun?"
Ladka halka sa muskuraaya.
π "Mera naam abhi important nahi hai."
π "Important yeh hai..."
Usne diary ki taraf ishara kiya.
π "...ki tumhare paas zyada waqt nahi hai."
Meera aage badhi.
!π "Matlab?"
Ladka pehli baar serious hua.
π "Reset complete toh ho gaya hai..."
π "...lekin Reset stable nahi hai."
Sab chup ho gaye.
Zoya ne laptop khola.
π "Kya matlab stable nahi hai?"
Ladke ne aasman ki taraf dekha.
π "Reality ko forcefully restart kiya gaya hai."
π "Jab bhi aisa hota hai..."
π "...purani reality apna haq wapas maangti hai."
Aarav ka dil zor se dhadka.
π "Purani reality?"
Ladka dheere se sir hilaya.
π "Haan."
π "Jahan Kael hai."
π "Jahan Watcher hai."
π "Jahan Final Gate abhi bhi toot raha hai."
Kabir ne sir pakad liya.
π "Bhai..."
π "Main toh soch raha tha sab khatam ho gaya."
Ladka uski taraf dekhkar halka sa hasa.
π "Khatam?"
π "Nahi."
π "Abhi toh countdown shuru hua hai."
Aarav ne diary dobara kholi.
Iss baar doosra page.
Jaise hi page palta...
letters khud-ba-khud likhne lage.
Jaise koi invisible insaan ussi waqt likh raha ho.
π Β«Entry 001
Agar tum yeh padh rahe ho, iska matlab Reality Reset fail hone wala hai.
Kisi par bharosa mat karna.
Na mujh par.
Na Kael par.
Na Watcher par.Β»π
Aarav ki aankhen phail gayin.
Phir dheere dheere last line likhi gayi.
π Β«Sabse zyada... apne aap se bachkar rehna.Β»
Room mein dead silence chha gaya.
π "Aarav?"
Meera ne dheere se poocha.
π "Usme kya likha hai?"
Aarav kuch bol hi nahi paaya.
Uske haath kaanp rahe the.
Usne diary Meera ko dene ki koshish ki.
Lekin...
jaise hi Meera ne diary ko touch kiya..
WHOOSH!
Diary completely transparent ho gayi.
Meera ka haath uske aar-paar nikal gaya.
π "Yeh...?"
Golden-eyed ladka dheere se bola..
π "Diary sirf Creator ko accept karti hai."
Tabhi...
base ki lights flicker hone lagi.
Ek baar.
Do baar.
Phir poora room andhere mein doob gaya.
Emergency lights automatically on ho gayi.
Red light.
Pure base mein sirf laal roshni reh gayi.
Zoya ne system check kiya.
π "Koi bahar se network access kar raha hai!"
Echo instantly alert ho gaya.
π "Source?"
Zoya ka face dheere dheere safed padne laga.
π "Nahi..."
π "Yeh possible nahi..."
Kabir tension mein bola..
π "Bata bhi de!"
Zoya ne screen ki taraf ishara kiya.
Monitor par sirf ek naam blink kar raha tha.
π Β«USER LOGGED INΒ»
Uske neeche..
π Β«AARAVΒ»
Aarav hairaan reh gaya.
π "Main toh yahin hoon."
Zoya ne dheere se sir hilaya.
π "Nahi..."
π "Yeh tum nahi ho."
Usi waqt...
base ke sab speakers ek saath on ho gaye.
Static.
Phir...
ek awaaz.
Bilkul Aarav ki.
π "Hello..."
Complete silence.
Speaker se halki si hansi sunayi di.
π "Congratulations."
π "Reset successful tha."
Pause.
π "...exactly waise hi jaise maine plan kiya tha."
Aarav ka khoon jam gaya.
π "Kaun hai?!"
Speaker se jawab aaya..
π "Tum."
Silence.
π "Future wala tum."
Room mein kisi ki saans tak sunayi de rahi thi.
Future Aarav phir bola..
π "Agar tum yeh message sun rahe ho..."
π "...toh samajh lo..."
π "...humare paas sirf 30 din bache hain."
Kabir ne dheere se poocha..
π "30 din kis cheez ke liye?"
Kuch seconds tak sirf static sunayi di.
Phir Future Aarav ki awaaz phir gunji.
Iss baar pehle se zyada serious.
π "30 din baad..."
Pause.
π "...The End dobara nahi aayega."
Complete silence.
Aarav ne dheere se kaha..
π "Phir?"
Speaker ke andar se ek thandi hansi sunayi di.
Aur Future Aarav ne woh line boli jisne sabke rongte khade kar diye.
π Β«"30 din baad... The End nahi aayega."Β»
π Β«"30 din baad... main aaunga."Β»
BOOOOOOOM!
Ussi second poore base ka main gate kisi bahar wali cheez ne ek hi punch mein tod diya.
Smoke dheere dheere hatne lagi...
Aur entrance par...
ek silhouette khada tha.
Uski height.
Uski body.
Uska chehra.
Sab kuch...
Aarav jaisa tha.
Bas ek farq tha.
Uski aankhon mein...
na gold tha.
Na red.
Na white.
Sirf...
gehra neela rang.
Aur woh muskura kar bola..
π "Hello, past me."
To be continued..