Suraj Lama
от ALFA PROXIMO"Doston, aapne kabhi kisi aise shauk ke baare mein suna hai jo aapki life hi badal de? Jaise stamp collection, ya purane sikka... kuch aisa. Aaj main aapko ek aisi hi kahani sunane ja raha hun. Ek aise shauk ki kahani jo ek aise khaufnaak saazaya mein badal gayi, jahan se wapasi ka koi rasta nahi hai. Yeh kahani hai ek aaine ki... aur uss aaine ke andar ek aisi aatma ki jo sirf dosti ki talash mein nahi... ek poori zindagi ki talash mein thi."
"Yeh kahani shuru hoti hai mere ek dost se. Naam tha Rohan. Usse purani cheezein ikattha karne ka bahut shauk tha. Purane radio, typewriter, photograph... aisi cheezein jinke andar koi yaad chupi hoti hai. Lekin ek din... usse woh cheez mil gayi jiske andar ek zinda yaad thi... jo usse andar kheench leti."
"Woh ek garage sale pe gaya hua tha. Wahan ek budha aadmi baitha tha, bilkul corner mein. Uske paas kuch purane furniture ke pieces pade the. Rohan ki nazar sabse niche padi ek lambi, kapde mein lipti hui cheez par gayi. Usne pucha, 'Kya hai yeh, Uncle?'"
Aaina hai, beta. Purana. Lekin... bekaar hai. Chip gaya hai. Koi fayda nahi iska.bhudhe aadmi ne kaha"
"Rohan ne kapda hata kar dekha. Woh ek bohat hi khoobsurat, antique, floor-length aaina tha. Detailed carving thi uss par. Usne haath lagaya... aur use ajeeb si thandak mehsoos hui. Aisa laga jaise kisi ne uski rug par barf rakh di ho. Usne budhe se pucha uski keemat."
(as Old Man): "Le jao... free mein daan kar raha hun. Bas... ek baat yaad rakhna. Ise kabhi bhi ghar ke andar... apne bedroom ya living room mein mat rakhna. Garage ya store room mein hi rakhna. Warna..." Budha ruk gaya. "Chhodo, kuch nahi."
"Rohan ne socha, budha pakka pagal hai. Itni khoobsurat cheez free mein? Usne aaina uthaya. Woh ajeeb tarah se bohat heavy tha. Jaise uss aaine ka weight sirf glass aur frame ka nahi... balki kuch aur hai jo andar dabaa hua hai."
: "Ghar aakar usne woh aaina apne back room mein laga diya. Woh uska studio tha, jahan woh apni collected cheezein saaf karta tha. Uski girlfriend, Neha, ne use dekha."
"Arre wah! Ye kahan se laya? Bahut stylish hai!" neha ne kaha
rohan bola "Free ka mil gaya. Aur suno, budhe ne ise garage mein rakhne ko kaha tha."
neha boli "Pagal hai kya? Itna acha aaina garage mein? Nahi, yahi perfect hai. Lighting bhi achi hai."
"Shuruat bilkul normal thi. Sab kuch theek tha. Tab tak ki ek raat aayi..."
"Ek raat Rohan late night apne back room mein kaam kar raha tha. Woh tired tha. Usne aaine ki taraf dekha... aur fir... uski saans ruk si gayi."
"Aaine mein, uske piche, woh wall... woh wall bilkul alag thi. Us par laga uska modern poster gayab tha. Uski jagah ek bhayanak, orange and brown colour ka floral wallpaper tha. Uska metal desk nahi tha. Wahan ek purana, wooden table tha jispar ek record player rakha tha. Pure kamre ka reflection badal chuka tha. Woh 1970s ka kamra dikh raha tha."
"Rohan ne apni aankhein micholi. Peeche mud kar apni asli wall dekhi. White paint. Beatles ka poster. Sab kuch normal tha. Phir use aaine mein hi dikhayi diya... corner mein. Ek ladki. Woh simple sa white salwar suit pehne hue thi, uske lambe baal the. Woh khadi thi... aur aise dekh rahi thi jaise koi door dekh rahi ho. Jaise Rohan wahan hai hi nahi."
"Rohan ki rug se khoon ukhar gaya. Woh peeche kooda. Aankhein band kar li. Darr ke maare uski aankhein band hi reh gayi. Subah hui. Jab usne aankh kholi... aaina normal tha. Uska hi darra hua chehra dikh raha tha. Usne socha... shayad uski nazar ka problem hai. Thakaan hai. Lekin uske andar ek curiosity jaag uthi thi. Aisi curiosity jo aadmi ko kayee baar khatre mein daal deti hai."
"Agle din usne research shuru ki. 'Haunted mirror', 'time portal mirror'... aisi kayee websites par gaya. Fir use ek local news article mila. 1978. Ek 21 saal ki ladki, Anita Sharma, naam tha. Usne issi sheher mein, issi ghar ke back room mein... suicide kar liya tha. Drug overdose. Koi note nahi mila. Koi wajah nahi pata chali. Ghar bech diya gaya."
"Rohan ke pairon tale zameen khisak gayi. Aaine mein jo usne dekha tha... kya woh Anita ki aatma thi? Woh aatma ab bhi usi kamre mein phasi hui hai? Usne socha... use help ki zaroorat hai. Usne decide kiya... woh usse baat karega."
"Usi raat, woh camera on karke aaine ke saamne baitha. 'Hello?' usne fisse-fisse awaz mein pucha. 'Koi hai?... Anita?'"
"Kuch der kuch nahi hua. Phir dheere-dheere woh orange wallpaper wapas aa gaya. Aur fir woh ladki... Anita. Woh andar aayi. Usne directly Rohan ki taraf dekha. Uski aankhein bhari hui thi... ek gehiri udaasi aur ek desperate pukar se." (as Anita): (Voice faint, distant, like a poor radio signal, filled with sadness) "Koi... koi toh hai? Koi mujhe sun sakta hai? Koi toh bachao mujhe... please..."
NARRATOR (as Rohan): (Whispering, shocked) "Main... main yahan hun! Main sun raha hun tumhe!"
NARRATOR (as Anita): (Voice breaking) "Yahan se nikalna hai mujhe... bahar nikalna hai... main akeli hun... itni akeli hun..."
"Uski aawaz mein itni masoomiyat thi, itna dard tha, ki Rohan ka dar ekdam se gham mein badal gaya. Usse lagta tha usse ek aisi aatma mil gayi hai jo sirf dosti chahti hai. Ek aisi aatma jo bohat lonely hai. Usne socha... woh use bachayega."
"Ab Rohan ka poora focus usi aaine par tha. Wo office jaana chhod deta. Neha se baatein kam karne lagta. Neha ko laga woh pagal ho raha hai. Ek din use gusse mein aake usne aaina utarne ki koshish ki."
neha ghusse main "Rohan! Band kar yeh sab! Yeh dekh, tum khana tak nahi kha rahe! Yeh aaina tumhara dimaag kha raha hai!"
Rohan: (Suddenly furious, protective) "Haath mat lagana usse! TU KUCH NAHI SAMAJHTI! Woh andar phasi hui hai! Use meri madad chahiye!"
"Neha shock mein reh gayi. Ussne Rohan ko aisa kabhi nahi dekha tha. Usne samajh liya ke ab kuch toh bohat galt chal raha hai. Lekin Rohan ke liye... ab sirf Anita hi matter karti thi. Woh din raat usse baatein karta. Anita usse apne time ke gaane sunati. Apne sapne batati. Rohan ko usse pyaar ho gaya tha. Ek ajeeb, tragic pyaar. Aur Anita ne uska yehi emotion use kiya."
"Ek din Anita rote hue boli..."
Anita: "Rohan, ek hi tareeka hai mere yahan se nikalne ka. Ek purana ritual hai. Agar koi bahar wala... apni marzi se... apni jagah andar wale ko de de... toh ek samay ke liye exchange ho sakte hain. Tum andar aa jao, main bahar aa jaungi. Bas thode din ke liye. Phir main tumhe wapas bula lungi. Promise."
NARRATOR: "Rohan ka dimaag chillaya... 'Mat maan! Yeh galat hai!' Lekin uske dil ne, uske ehsas ne jeet liya. Usne socha, 'Main use bachata hun. Bas kuch din ke liye. Phir woh mujhe wapas le aayegi.' Usne haan kar di."
(20:00 - 25:00) - THE RITUAL & THE TWIST
"Poornima ki raat thi. Rohan ne aaine ke saamne diye jalaye. Anita ne use ek mantra bataya tha. Woh bola ki yeh sirf ek temporary transfer hoga."
: "Rohan ne mantra padha... 'Anita Sharma, main apni jagah tumhe deta hun'."
NARRATOR: "Achanak aaine se ek aisi light nikli jo dikhayi nahi de rahi thi, lekin mehsoos ho rahi thi. Ek aisi force ne Rohan ko kheecha... jaise kisi ne uski aatma ko kheench kar andar kar diya ho. Woh zameen par gir gaya. Sar mein talwar jaisa dard hua. Jab usne aankhein kholi... toh duniya badal chuki thi."
"Woh orange wallpaper. Woh purana furniture. Woh record player. Woh apne hi kamre mein tha... lekin woh uska kamra nahi tha. Woh aaine ke andar ki duniya mein tha. Usne aaine ki taraf dekha... aur bahar... ussi ke kamre mein... Anita khadi thi. Woh apne naye jism ko touch kar rahi thi. Usne aaine ke through Rohan ko dekha. Aur uski aankhon mein woh sadness, woh loneliness... poori tarah gayab thi. Uske chehre par ek buri, khushnaseeb smile thi."
Anita (Voice is now clear, strong, cold, and triumphant) "Aakhir kar... aazad. Shukriya, Rohan. Tumhare time ka maza main lungi."
Rohan: (Screaming, pounding on the glass) "Nahi! YE KYA KIYA TUNE? MUJHE BAHAR NIKALO! TUNE KAHAA THA EK HAFFTE KE LIYE!"
Anita: (Laughs a cruel, cold laugh) "Ek hafta? Hamesha ke liye, Rohan. Sach bataun? Mainne 1978 mein suicide nahi kiya tha. Mainne apne boyfriend ko isi kamre mein mara tha. Police ne socha main mar gayi. Meri aatma isi gunaah mein phansi thi. Aur ab... tum meri jagah le chuke ho. Mera naya janam shuru hone wala hai. Aur tum... yahin sadi rahoge."
"Rohan ke liye toh jaise duniya hi khatam ho gayi. Woh hurt, lonely spirit jo usse apna sabse acha lagta tha... woh asal mein ek cunning, bewafa killer thi. Usne Rohan ki hamesha ki loneliness ko, uski daya ko, uske against hi use kar liya. Rohan ab uski jail mein tha... forever."
(25:00 - 28:00) - THE NEW NIGHTMARE
"Anita bahar thi. Usne Rohan ki life le li. Uske kapde pehne. Uske phone ka use kiya. Usne Neha ko message kiya, 'Sorry, main theek hun. Ghar aa rahi hun.' Neha khush thi. Woh sochti thi uska Rohan wapas aa gaya hai."
"Rohan andar se dekh raha tha. Chillaa raha tha... 'Neha! Woh main nahi hun! Woh mujhme hai!' Lekin awaaz andar hi andar dab kar reh jaati thi. Koi sun nahi pata tha. Woh bas ek reflection tha ab. Aaine ka ek hissa."
"Ek din Anita Neha ko ghar le aayi. Dono hans rahe the. Anita ne uss back room ka darwaza khola."
Neha "Waah! Tumne finally is room ko clean kar diya! Aaina bhi saaf dikh raha hai."
: "Neha aaine ke paas gayi. Apne baal theek kiye. Usne aaine mein apna reflection dekha... aur muskura di. Ussne Rohan ko andar nahi dekha. Woh toh bas glass tha."
anita kehti hain "Haan na? Bilkul clear. Chalo Neha, bahar baithte hain. Yeh room... ab mujhe thoda creepy lagta hai."
"Woh dono chale gaye. Light band kar di. Rohan andar reh gaya... ussi 1970s ke time loop mein... hamesha ke liye akela. Neha ki woh last muskurahat... aaine mein khud ko dekh kar khushi se muskurate hue... uski aakhri yaad ban kar reh gayi."
"Toh doston, yeh thi meri dost Rohan ki kahani. Aaj bhi woh ussi aaine ke andar hai. Kisi ko nahi pata. Anita uski zindagi jeet rahi hai."
"Toh aap se ek sawal hai. Aapka smartphone, aapka computer screen, aapka TV... yeh sab aaine hain. Aap kabhi sure ho sakte hain ke aapka reflection... sirf reflection hi hai? Ya koi aur hai... kisi aur time se... jo bas aapki jagah lene ka intezaar kar raha hai? Aapke aas-paas ke log... kya woh wahi hain jo dikh rahe hain?"
"Apna khayal rakhna. Aur kabhi kisi aaine mein kuch ajeeb mehsoos ho... toh use ignore mat karna. Kyunki shayad... koi aapko dekh raha ho. Andar se. Aapki jagah ke liye... bechain ho kar."
