Main Ab Bhi Yahin Hoon

Tumhe pata hai, log kehte hain raat ko agar kisi ghar ki balcony me light jal rahi ho toh matlab koi jag raha hai. Par koi ye nahi batata ki kabhi-kabhi light isliye jalti hai kyunki koi so hi nahi sakta. Main bhi nahi so paati thi.

Mera naam Ananya hai. Main bilkul normal ladki thi—college jaana, doston ke saath hasna, aur raat ko terrace par khade hokar sheher ki lights dekhna. Maa ke jaane ke baad ye terrace hi meri jagah ban gayi thi. Accident ke baad ghar bilkul khaali sa lagne laga tha. Log kehte hain waqt sab theek kar deta hai, par sach ye hai ki kuch cheezein waqt ke saath aur zyada chubhne lagti hain.

Us raat bhi main terrace par hi thi. Phone haath me tha, par kisi se baat karne ka mann nahi. Thandi hawa chal rahi thi aur sheher ki awaaz neeche se aa rahi thi. Tab achanak mujhe laga jaise koi neeche se mujhe dekh raha ho. Sirf ek second ke liye. Maine khud ko samjhaya ki imagination hai aur ignore kar diya.

Tabhi phone vibrate hua.

Unknown number se message tha — “Tum upar akeli ho?”

Mera dil zor se dhadka. Maine reply nahi kiya. Thodi der baad doosra message aaya — “White kurti pehni hai na?” Us moment par meri saans atak gayi. Maine terrace ki light turant band kar di. Dil itni tez dhadak raha tha jaise saamne wala sun lega.

Maine socha koi prank hoga, par phir jo message aaya usne mujhe freeze kar diya — “Darne ki zarurat nahi hai. Main bhi pehle yahin khadi hoti thi.”
Pehle?

Maine likha, “Tum kaun ho?” Kaafi der tak typing dikhta raha, phir reply aaya — “Tumhari tarah hi thi main bhi.” Us raat main so nahi paayi.

Agli subah maine watchman se casually pooch liya ki kya koi aur bhi raat ko terrace par aata hai. Uska chehra dekh kar hi mujhe galat feel hone lagi. Usne dheere se kaha, “Madam, do saal pehle ek ladki yahin se gir gayi thi. Zyada chot nahi lagi thi, par hospital pahunchne se pehle uski saans ruk gayi.”

Maine ghabrate hue poocha, “Naam kya tha?”
Usne sirf ek shabd bola — Ananya.

Mera naam.

Us raat phir se message aaya — “Tumne bhi wahi feel kiya na? Khud ko chhod jaane ka darr.” Mere haath kaanp rahe the jab maine likha, “Tum kaun ho?” Is baar reply turant aaya — “Main wahi hoon jo terrace se gir gayi thi. Mujhe laga main mar jaungi… par main yahin reh gayi.”

Agla message aur zyada darawna tha — “Kyuki koi mujhe dekh raha tha… bilkul tumhari tarah.” Maine phone haath se gira diya.

Raat bhar neend nahi aayi. Subah jab maa ki photo dekhi toh ek baat yaad aayi. Maa ke accident wale din, unhone mujhe terrace par akela chhod diya tha. Aur maine neeche dekha tha. Mujhe laga tha koi aur khada hai… par neeche koi nahi tha. Bas ek ladki thi, jo gir chuki thi.

Aur aaj, jab tum ye kahani padh rahe ho, main phir terrace par khadi hoon. White kurti me. Light on hai. Aur agar abhi tumhara phone vibrate hua na… toh samajh lena.

Message meri taraf se hi hai —
“Tum upar akeli ho?”