Darwaze ke bahar jo khada tha…
Anand dheere-dheere uski taraf badha…
Par jaise hi wo paas pahucha—
Wahan koi nahi tha।
Sirf ek halki si thandi hawa…
Jaise koi abhi-abhi wahan se gaya ho।
Anand ka dimaag ab control se bahar ja raha tha।
"Ye sab ho kya raha hai…"
usne apne baalon me haath ferte hue kaha।
Wo wapas bed par aaya…
aur reports ko fir se dekhne laga।
Is baar… usne ek aur cheez notice ki—
Har report ka pattern same tha।
Pehle normal…
phir thoda abnormal…
phir aur worse…
Jaise koi dheere-dheere kisi cheez ko push kar raha ho।
"Ye natural nahi hai…"
Anand ne dheere se kaha।
Tabhi…
uske dimaag me ek aur baat click hui—
Medicines।
Jo medicines Dr. Ashvin de raha tha…
unke baad hi symptoms badh rahe the।
Jalan…
khujli…
kamzori…
"Matlab…" Anand ruk gaya…
Usne turant phone uthaya…
aur medicines ke naam search karne laga।
Kuch samajh nahi aa raha tha…
par ek cheez clear thi—
Ye sab normal treatment jaisa feel nahi ho raha tha।
Tabhi…
unknown number ka message aaya—
"Treatment aur experiment me bas ek line ka farq hota hai…"
Anand ka dil zor se dhadka।
Usne turant likha—
"Kya main… experiment hoon?"
Kuch seconds… koi reply nahi।
Phir…
"Tum khud soch sakte ho."
Anand ka haath kaanp gaya।
Usne turant agla sawaal kiya—
"Hardik ka isme kya role hai?"
Is baar…
reply turant aaya—
"Jo tumhe raste dikhata hai… kabhi-kabhi wahi tumhe us jagah le jata hai jahan se wapas aana mushkil ho."
Anand ka gala sookh gaya।
Usne turant apni yaadon ko jodna shuru kiya—
Hardik ne hi doctor suggest kiya…
Hardik ne hi bola "tension mat lo"…
Hardik hi tha jo har baar poochta tha—
"Medicines le rahe ho na?"
Anand ki saanse heavy ho gayi।
"Wo itna concern kyun tha…?"
Concern…
ya control?
Tabhi…
uske phone me ek aur notification aaya—
Is baar unknown number nahi…
Ek image।
Anand ne darte hue us image ko open kiya…
Wo ek document tha—
Medical file jaisa…
Upar likha tha—
"Subject Code: A-17"
Anand ka dil zor se dhadka।
Usne neeche scroll kiya—
Symptoms…
progression…
reaction to medicines…
Sab kuch likha tha।
Aur sab kuch…
exactly uske saath match ho raha tha।
"Ye… mera hi data hai…"
usne dheere se kaha।
Aur phir…
uski nazar last line par gayi—
"Handler: H"
Anand ka dimaag ekdum blank ho gaya।
"H…?"
Hardik…?
Ya koi aur…?
Tabhi…
unknown number ka last message aaya—
"Naam important nahi hota…"
"Role hota hai."
Anand ne dheere se phone neeche rakha…
Uski aankhon me darr ab clear tha—
Wo sirf patient nahi tha।
Wo kisi ka experiment tha।
Aur sabse bada sawal ab bhi wahi tha—
"Kyun…?"