Baarish tez ho chuki thi, sadko par paani aur keechad ka rasta ban gaya tha. Beech mein ek akela aadmi, jo apne khud ke saaye ke saath chal raha tha, chhup kar chalte hue sheher ki galiyon se guzar raha tha. Uske kadam dheere aur sochi samjhi chaal ke saath uth rahe the, jaise andhera khud uske peeche chal raha ho.

Door kahin ek bada sa haveli ka nashaad ujala, andheri raat mein bhi apni jagah banaye hue tha. Yeh haveli thi Viren Rathore ki-ek ameer, taakatwar aur dar ke kabil aadmi ki jise log izzat kam, aur dar zyada karte the. Magar taakat aur paisa har cheez ke saath aata hai, aur Viren ki zindagi ek aise bojh ke saath thi jo kisi ne kabhi socha bhi nahi tha.

Haveli ke andar ek ajeeb khamoshi chhayi thi, bas kabhi kabhi bijli ka tez awaaz sunayi deta. Viren apne study room mein baithe the, haath mein ek whiskey ka glass, aur aankhein aag ki chamak mein kho gayi thi. Uski aankhon mein aag ke reflections to dikhe, par dil ke andheron ko wo roshni bhi mita nahi paayi thi.

Tabhi darwaze par dheere se dastak hui. Viren bina palke jhapkaye, bina piche dekhe bola, "Andar aao."

Darwaza dheere se khula, aur ek ladki andar aayi. Uski maujoodgi thandi raat mein ek narmi si lekar aayi thi. Naazuk aur masoom, lekin uske andar ek chhupi hui taqat thi. Uska naam Aanya tha, aur wo Viren ke andheri duniya ka ek bechaari hissa ban gayi thi.

"Kya aapne mujhe bulaya?" Aanya ka halka sa ladkhadati awaaz sunayi di, jaise dar se doori banaye khadi ho.

Viren ne turant jawab nahi diya. Usne apne glass ka ek ghut bhara, aur kamra aur zyada khamosh ho gaya. Kuch der baad, uski awaaz hawa mein talwar ki tarah kaat kar nikhli, "Haan, bulaya."

Aanya ne apne kadam halke se badhaye. Wo jaanti thi Viren kya kar sakta hai. Usne uski berukhi dekhi thi, uski andekhi siwaay apne zakhm ke. Par kuch tha usme, jo Aanya ko samajh nahi aaya. Wo Viren ki taraf khichi chali gayi thi, jaise ek parwana aag ki taraf jaata hai. Aur yeh baat hi usse sabse zyada darr lagati thi.

Agar aapko psnd aaye to likes bhi please karna.