Hawa achanak heavy ho gayi thi.
Arjun khud ko sambhalte hue khada tha, uska heart fast dhadak raha tha. Uske haath par bana mark dheere-dheere glow kar raha tha… jaise koi power andar se jag rahi ho.
Meera ne dheere se poocha—
"Arjun… tumne wo shadow dekha?"
Arjun ne halka sa sir hilaaya—
"haan… aur wo normal nahi tha…"
Achanak deewaron se ek awaaz gunj uthi—
"tumne mujhe jaga diya…"
Arjun ghabra gaya—
"kaun hai?! saamne aa!"
Awaaz halki si hansi—
"Pagal… saamne dekhne ki zarurat nahi… main yahin hoon…"
Meera darr gayi—
"Arjun, mujhe ye jagah bilkul sahi nahi lag rahi… chalo yahan se!"
Arjun kuch bolta, usse pehle uski aankhen ek second ke liye kaali ho gayi.
Meera peeche hatt gayi—
"Arjun… tum theek ho na?"
Arjun ne zor se saans li—
"haan… bas ajeeb feel ho raha hai…"
Achanak zameen zor se hilne lagi.
"RUN!" Arjun chillaya.
Dono bhaagne lage. Upar se patthar gir rahe the, raasta toot raha tha… aur peeche se wo shadow unka peecha kar raha tha.
Awaaz phir se aayi—
"tum mujhse bhaag nahi sakte…"
Arjun ne daant bhinch kar kaha—
"main tumhe control nahi karne dunga!"
Awaaz thodi thandi ho gayi—
"control? nahi… main tumhari power hoon…"
Aakhirkaar dono bahar nikal aaye—aur usi waqt poora khanḍhar gir gaya.
Kuch pal ke liye sab kuch shaant ho gaya.
Meera ne tez saanse lete hue kaha—
"ye sab kya tha…?"
Arjun apne haath ko dekh raha tha. Mark gayab tha… lekin uski feeling abhi bhi thi.
"mujhe nahi pata…"
"…lekin jo bhi hai… abhi khatam nahi hua…"
Uski shadow zameen par ajeeb tarah se hil rahi thi… bina kisi light ke.
Door kahin… andhere jungle ke beech…
Ek aadmi ne aankhen kholi… aur dheere se muskuraya—
"finally… game shuru ho gaya…"