THE SILENT MELODY – PART 3
Us message ke baad meri life completely change ho gayi…
"Now be ready…"
Ye words simple the… par feel dangerous ho raha tha.
Main har jagah Aarav ko dhoond rahi thi…
Campus… cafeteria… library…
Par wo kahin nahi tha…
Jaise wo kabhi tha hi nahi…
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1 week baad…
Main thak chuki thi…
Par dil abhi bhi wait kar raha tha…
Ek raat…
Main apne room me thi…
Tabhi unknown number se call aaya…
Mera heart fast beat karne laga…
Maine call pick kiya…
Meera (slowly): "Hello…?"
Kuch seconds silence…
Phir ek awaaz…
Aarav: "Meera…"
Meri saanse ruk gayi…
Meera (shocked): "AARAV?! Tum kahan ho?!"
Uski awaaz weak lag rahi thi…
Aarav: "Mere paas time kam hai… tumhe milna hoga…"
Meera: "Kahan?? Main abhi aati hoon!"
Aarav: "Old railway station… 20 minutes…"
Call cut.
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Main bina soche bhaagi…
Rain fir se shuru ho chuki thi…
Jaise hamari story ka permanent part ho…
---
Old railway station…
Jagah almost khaali thi…
Lights dim thi…
Aur wahan… wo khada tha…
Aarav…
Thoda injured… thoda weak…
Par wahi…
Maine usse dekha… aur seedha uske paas bhaagi…
Usse tight hug kar liya…
Meera (crying): "Tum theek ho?! Tumne itne din call kyun nahi kiya?!"
Usne dheere se mujhe hold kiya…
Aarav: "Mujhe tumhe door rakhna tha…"
Main usse peeche hat ke dekha…
Meera: "Ab sach bolo… please…"
Wo kuch seconds chup raha…
Phir bola—
Aarav: "Main normal student nahi hoon…"
Maine confuse hoke dekha…
Aarav: "Mere family ka naam… dangerous logon se juda hai…"
Mera heart slowly heavy hone laga…
Aarav: "Jo ladki tumne dekhi thi… wo meri sister hai… aur hum log ek problem me phas chuke hain…"
Meera: "Kaisi problem…?"
Wo directly jawab nahi diya…
Bas bola—
Aarav: "Agar tum mere paas rahi… toh tumhe target banaya jayega…"
Maine bina soche uska haath pakad liya…
Meera: "Mujhe farak nahi padta… main tumhe chhod ke nahi jaungi…"
Wo mujhe dekhne laga…
Aankhon me dard… par pyaar bhi…
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Suddenly…
Door se footsteps ki awaaz aayi…
Aarav alert ho gaya…
Aarav (fast): "They are here…"
Mera heart fast beat karne laga…
Meera: "Kaun…?"
Usne mera face hold kiya…
Aarav: "Listen carefully… agar main kuch bhi kahu… tum bhaagna…"
Meera (firm): "Nahi! Main tumhe chhod ke—"
Wo suddenly mere lips par finger rakh ke bola—
Aarav: "Please…"
---
Next moment…
Usne mujhe close kheench liya…
Aur ek deep hug diya…
Jaise last time ho…
Phir… usne mujhe kiss kiya…
Is baar kiss slow tha… painful tha…
Jaise wo alvida keh raha ho…
Meri aankhon se tears ruk nahi rahe the…
---
Footsteps aur close aa rahe the…
Aarav (whisper): "I love you… Meera…"
Mera heart break ho gaya…
Meera (crying): "I love you too… please mat jao…"
---
Tabhi 2-3 log wahan aa gaye…
Aarav ne turant mujhe push kiya…
Aarav (loud): "RUN MEERA!"
Main freeze ho gayi…
Par uski aankhon me desperation dekh ke…
Main bhaag gayi…
---
Main peeche mud ke dekhti rahi…
Aarav un logon ke saamne khada tha…
Alone…
---
Agli subah…
News aayi…
"Last night railway station ke paas ek incident hua…"
Mera heart ruk gaya…
Main turant wahan gayi…
Par sab khatam ho chuka tha…
Koi clear info nahi…
Koi Aarav ka naam nahi…
Jaise wo phir se… gayab ho gaya…
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3 din baad…
Mujhe ek parcel mila…
Uske andar ek small music player tha…
Aur ek note—
"Play this…"
Maine play kiya…
Ek soft melody bajne lagi…
Wahi… jo Aarav hamesha sunta tha…
Aur uske beech me… uski voice record thi—
Aarav (recording):
"Meera… agar tum ye sun rahi ho… toh shayad main wapas nahi aa paunga…"
Meri aankhon se tears girne lage…
Aarav: "Par yaad rakhna… tum meri life ki sabse beautiful part thi…"
Aarav: "Aur agar kabhi… kisi din… ye melody fir se tumhe sunai de… toh samajh jana… main paas hoon…"
Recording end.
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Main wahi baithi rahi…
Melody repeat pe chalti rahi…
Heart completely broken…
Par ek chhoti si hope bhi thi…
---
Kya Aarav sach me chala gaya…?
Ya wo kahin se mujhe dekh raha hai…?
Kya ye melody kabhi fir bajegi…?
Story khatam nahi hui…
Bas aur zyada deep ho gayi…
To be continued…