Raat ke 10:45 PM ho chuke the।
Shehar dheere dheere shaant ho raha tha।
Street lights ki halki peeli roshni sadak par padh rahi thi।
Anmol ek gali ke kone par khada tha, uski nazar baar baar phone ki screen par ja rahi thi।
Message abhi bhi wahi tha—
"Agar sach jaan na hai… to aaj raat 11 baje purane bridge par aa jana."
Anmol ne gehri saans li।
"Ye pakka trap hai…"
Uska dimaag use rok raha tha।
"Mat ja… wahan kuch bhi ho sakta hai…"
Lekin uska dil kuch aur keh raha tha।
"Agar nahi gaya… to kabhi sach nahi pata chalega…"
Usne apni mutthi kas li।
"Ab peeche hatne ka option nahi hai…"
Anmol dheere dheere bridge ki taraf chal pada।
Hawa thodi tez chal rahi thi।
Jaise jaise woh aage badh raha tha, uska dil utna hi tez dhadak raha tha।
Kuch hi der me woh purane bridge ke paas pahunch gaya।
Bridge aadha tut chuka tha।
Niche andhera paani beh raha tha।
Puri jagah sunsaan thi।
"Yahi jagah hai…"
Anmol ne aas paas dekha।
Koi nahi tha।
Sirf hawa ki awaaz aur uske kadmo ki halki si goonj।
"Main aa gaya…"
Usne dheere se kaha।
Kuch second tak kuch nahi hua।
Phir achanak…
"Mujhe pata tha tum aaoge."
Ek awaaz peeche se aayi।
Anmol turant mud gaya।
Uske saamne ek aadmi khada tha…
Black coat…
Same calm smile…
Player 07.
Anmol ka dil zor se dhadakne laga।
"Tum…"
Player 07 dheere dheere uski taraf chalne laga।
"Lagta hai tumhe system ne kaafi jaldi strong bana diya…"
Anmol ne serious hokar poocha—
"Tumne mujhe yahan kyun bulaya?"
Player 07 ruk gaya।
Usne seedha Anmol ki aankhon me dekha।
"Kyuki ab tumhe sach jaan lena chahiye…"
Anmol ek second ke liye chup ho gaya।
"Sach…?"
Player 07 ne apni jeb se ek chhota sa device nikala।
Usne button press kiya…
Aur achanak aas paas ka area halki blue light se glow karne laga।
Anmol shock me aa gaya।
"Ye kya hai…?"
Player 07 ne dheere se kaha—
"System ka real face…"
Anmol ka dimaag ghoom gaya।
"Matlab…?"
"Matlab ye game sirf paise kamane ka nahi hai…"
Player 07 ka chehra ab serious ho chuka tha।
"Ye survival game hai…"
Anmol ka gala sookh gaya।
"Survival…?"
"Yahan sirf ek rule hai…"
Player 07 ne dheere se bola—
"Ya to tum jeeto…"
"Ya tum khatam ho jao…"
Anmol ke pair ek second ke liye hil gaye।
"Matlab… log mar bhi sakte hain…?"
Player 07 ne seedha jawab nahi diya।
Lekin uski aankhon me jo tha…
Woh sab kuch bata raha tha।
Anmol ne dheere se poocha—
"Tumne mujhe yahan bulaya kyun…?"
Player 07 ne thodi der chup rehkar kaha—
"Kyuki tum alag ho…"
"Baaki log paise ke liye game khelte hain…"
"Lekin tum… survive karne ke liye khel rahe ho…"
Anmol confused ho gaya।
"Tum kehna kya chahte ho?"
Player 07 uske paas aaya।
"Main tumhe ek choice dene aaya hoon…"
Anmol ka dil phir se tez dhadakne laga।
"Choice…?"
"Ya to tum mere saath team bana lo…"
"Ya phir…"
Woh ruk gaya।
Anmol ne gusse me poocha—
"Ya phir kya?"
Player 07 ki aankhon me thandi si chamak aayi—
"Ya phir tum mera next target ban jaoge…"
Anmol ekdum shock me reh gaya।
"Matlab… system ne jo mission diya hai…"
"Woh sach hai…"
Player 07 ne halka sa smile kiya।
"System kabhi jhooth nahi bolta…"
Anmol ke andar fear aur gussa dono mix ho rahe the।
"Tum mujhe dhamki de rahe ho?"
Player 07 ne sir hilaya—
"Main tumhe warn kar raha hoon…"
Hawa aur tez chalne lagi।
Bridge ke neeche paani ki awaaz aur bhi loud ho gayi।
Anmol ne apni mutthi kas li।
"Main kisi ke saath blindly trust nahi karunga…"
Player 07 ne halka sa hasa।
"Good… isi wajah se tum interesting ho…"
Tabhi system ki awaaz achanak goonji—
"Emergency Mission Activated"
Dono ekdum alert ho gaye।
Screen flash hui—
"Fight or Die"
Anmol ka dil ruk gaya।
"Abhi…?"
Player 07 ne dheere se apni coat utari।
"Lagta hai system ne decide kar liya…"
Usne fighting stance le liya।
"Ab dekhte hain… tum kitne strong ho…"
Anmol ne bhi apni mutthi kas li।
Uski saanse tez ho rahi thi।
"Ye fight… meri zindagi badal degi…"
Hawa tez chal rahi thi…
Raat aur gehri ho chuki thi…
Aur agle hi pal—
Player 07 ne phla attack kar diya !