Ek ladki thi… naam tha Emily. Naya sheher, naye sapne – Edinburgh aayi thi apni master’s degree ke liye.

Par jaise hi sheher mein kadam rakha, sabse pehla struggle – rehne ki jagah. 3-4 din tak din-raat flat dhunda, par ya toh rent aasman chhoo raha tha, ya jagah itni gandi thi ki rehna mushkil.

Uski dost Sarah, jo pehle se sheher mein rehti thi, help karna chahti thi… lekin problem yeh thi ki uska roommate kisi aur ko ghar mein nahi chahta tha. Toh options bahut kam the.

Phir Sarah ne apne purane dost Ethan ko call kiya – maybe he could help.

Kuch din baad Ethan ne call back kiya.

Sarah ne excited hokar pucha, “Mili koi jagah Emily ke liye?”

Ethan thoda hichakta hua bola, “Haan… ek jagah mili hai… lekin ek problem hai.”

Sarah ne pucha, “Kaisi problem?”

Ethan ne dheere se kaha, “Woh jagah Gateway of Salvation ke paas hai.”

Sarah confused ho gayi, “Woh kya hota hai?”

Ethan thoda ruk kar bola, “Woh jagah jahan logon ke antim sanskar hote hain…”

Sham ko Sarah ne Emily ko sab kuch bataya.

Emily shock mein boli, “Gateway of Salvation? Yeh kaunsi jagah hai?”

Sarah ne halki si ghabrahat ke saath kaha, “Jahan logon ke marne ke baad unka antim kriya hoti hai…”

Emily ne turant react kiya, “Tum jaanti ho na mujhe aise jagahon se kitna darr lagta hai? Tum yeh jagah seriously suggest kar rahi ho?”

Sarah ne kaha, “Mujhe bhi ajeeb lag raha hai Emily… main khud kabhi wahan nahi reh pati. Par tumhare budget mein aur kuch mil bhi nahi raha… decision tumhara hai.”

Kuch der tak sochne ke baad Emily ne thak kar kaha, “Ab aur option bacha hi kya hai… chalo final kar lete hain.”

Shifting ke din, Sarah aur Ethan uske saath uss ghar mein aaye. Samaan rakhne ke baad Emily ne Ethan se pucha:

“Yahan aur kaun reh raha hai?”

Ethan ne casually kaha, “Koi nahi… sirf tum rehogi.”

Emily thoda anxious ho gayi, “Neeche wala floor?”

Ethan bola, “Woh bhi khaali hai. Pura ghar tumhara hai – do floor ka. Koi disturb nahi karega.”

Emily ka chehra pehle toh shock mein gaya, “Pura ghar? Do floor ka? Aur itne kam rent mein? Yeh kaise possible hai?”

Ethan ne aankhon mein thoda guilt le kar kaha,
“Yahan ke log bade hi superstitious hain. Gateway of Salvation ke paas hone ki wajah se koi rehna nahi chahta. Isliye landlord ne rent bahut kam kar diya…”

Emily ki aankhon mein darr dikhne laga. Ghar bahar se toh normal lag raha tha, par andar se kuch toh ajeeb sa tha – ek be-wajah ki khamoshi thi.

Thodi der baad Ethan ne apna phone dekha aur bola,
“Mujhe ek kaam yaad aa gaya, mujhe nikalna padega. Kuch bhi chahiye toh call kar lena.”

Sarah ne bhi kuch samaan set kiya, fir time dekhkar boli,
“Emily, mujhe bhi ab nikalna hoga.”

Emily ne uska haath pakad ke kaha,
“Please Sarah, ek raat ruk jao… pehli baar main akele itne bade ghar mein reh rahi hoon. Mujhe darr lag raha hai.”

Sarah ne uski aankhon mein dekha, thoda emotional hui, par fir bola,
“Sorry Emily… Chris ke saath movie night ka plan hai. Woh mera wait kar raha hai.”

Emily ka chehra udas ho gaya, par Sarah ne usse hug diya aur kaha,
“Don’t worry… kuch nahi hoga. Ghar purana hai, kahaniyan bas hawa mein udti hain. Tu safe hai.”

Jaate jaate usne ek baar palat kar kaha,
“Darwaze ache se lock kar lena, aur aaraam se so jaana. Main raat mein call karungi.”

Darwaza band hua – zooonk!
Aur ghar ekdum sannata ho gaya…

Emily ne jab ghar mein kadam rakha toh lakdi ke floor ki chhar-chharahat har kadam pe sunayi di. Light dim thi… shadows lambe-lambe ho kar deewar pe naach rahe the. Neeche wale floor ki taraf dekhte hi ek thanda sa jhatka laga.

Usne apna dhyaan batakane ke liye unpacking shuru ki, par har chhoti si awaaz – patton ki rustling ya hawa ki halki si seeti – uska dil dhadka deti thi.

Aur tabhi… ek halki si fusfusaahat…

Emily turant freeze ho gayi. Kaano ko tez kar diya, par kuch theek se sunaayi nahi diya… jaise koi saans le raha ho… par hawa mein.

“Bas mera waham hoga,” usne khud se kaha. Fir sare lights on kar diye.

Ek ghante baad, woh couch par bethi thi – phone scroll kar rahi thi. Jaise hi Sarah ko call karne lagi…

THUD!

Ek tez awaaz neeche se aayi. Jaise kuch bhaari cheez giri ho.

Uska saans ruk gaya. Stairs ki taraf dekha… sab kuch sannaata.
“Kya hawa se gir gaya?” usne khud ko samjhaya.
Par saare windows band the. Bahar ki raat ekdum shaant thi.

Himmat jutake woh neeche jaane lagi… ek-ek kadam uske pairon pe bhaari pad raha tha.

Neeche pohonchi… toh dekha – sab kuch normal tha… sirf ek kursi palti hui thi.

Usne socha, “Shayad pehle se hi wobbly thi…”

Par jaise hi usne kursi uthayi – uska chehra peechhe ki taraf ghoom gaya.
“Kursi toh tab seedhi thi jab main aayi thi…”

Aur tabhi…

Lights flicker hui… aur wahi fusfusaahat… fir se… lekin iss baar zyada clear…

“Chhod do…”

Emily ki ragg-ragg mein darr daud gaya. Woh chillayi nahi… bas bhaag gayi. Seedhiyon se upar, aur darwaza bang karke lock kar diya. Peeche techkar usne apni peeth darwaze se lagayi… aur saans saans mein darr bhar gaya.

Phone ka vibration – Sarah ka call!

“Hello? Sarah? Please… please aaj raat aa jao… mujhe yeh ghar theek nahi lag raha…”

Sarah ne poocha, “Kya hua? Relax karo…”

Emily ki awaaz kaanp rahi thi,
“Woh kursi… khud se gir gayi… mujhe kisi ke bolne ki awaaz aayi… sach mein bol rahi hoon…”

Sarah ne thoda shaant hokar kaha,
“Tu bas overthink kar rahi hai Emily… naye ghar mein sabko ajeeb feel hota hai. Main kal subah aake milti hoon, theek hai?”

Emily ne haan toh kar diya… par darr kam nahi hua.

Darwaze lock kiye, music on kiya… couch pe chadar le kar let gayi.

Neend aani mushkil thi… har awaaz… har halki si ghoonjon… uske hosh uda rahi thi.

Aur tabhi…

Ek knock…

Neeche se…

Emily ki aankhen phatti ki phatti reh gayi. Uska dil ek dum se tez dhadakne laga.

“…Koi hai wahan?” usne dheere se kaha.

Knock aur zor se hua.

Woh chupke se stairs tak gayi… neeche andhera tha…

Aur tab… usne dekha…

Ek shadow… seedhiyon ke neeche… hil raha tha…

Woh cheekhi nahi. Sirf peechhe mud kar door band kiya… aur chilla chilla kar phone uthaya.

Uski aankhon se aansu beh rahe the.

“Mujhe yeh ghar nahi lena chahiye tha…”