Istanbul ki sard hawaein Bosphorus ke kinare se guzarti hui purane shehar ki galiyon mein kho jati thi š«ļø
Raat ka andhera utar chuka tha, lekin shehar ab bhi jaag raha thaā¦ jese har deewar ke paas koi raaz chhupa ho šļø
Aliya apne suitcase ke saath airport se bahar nikli āļø
Uski aankhon mein thakan bhi thi aur ek ajeeb si bechaini bhi š„ŗ
"Yeh sheharā¦ mujhe yahan kyun bulaya gaya?" usne dheere se kaha š
Aliya ek simple si larki thi, lekin uski zindagi simple nahi thi. Kuch mahine pehle usay ek purana khat mila thaā¦ bina naam, bina address ke āļø
Bas itna likha tha:
"Agar sach janna chahti hoā¦ Istanbul aa jao."
Aur aaj woh yahan thi.
Taxi tez raftar se purani roads par chal rahi thi š
Bahar neon lights chamak rahi thi, lekin Aliya ka dil ajeeb sa bojh mehsoos kar raha tha š
Jab woh hotel pohanchi, receptionist ne usay ek chabi di š
"Yeh room aap ke naam pe booked haiā¦ pehle se."
Aliya heraan ho gayi š¶
"Main ne to booking nahi kiā¦"
Lekin receptionist ne sirf muskuraya aur kaha:
"Instructions yahi thay."
Room 306.
Aliya ne jab darwaza kholaā¦ to uski saans ruk gayi š„¶
Kamra bilkul saaf thaā¦ lekin table par ek aur envelope rakha hua tha āļø
Usne dheere se envelope khola.
Andar likha tha:
"Tum yahan aa gayi hoā¦ ab sach tum se door nahi." š
Aliya ke haath thanday ho gaye šØ
"Yeh sab kaun kar raha haiā¦?"
Achaanak corridor se halki si awaz aayiā¦
kisi ke chalne ki awaaz š£
Aliya ne darwaza jaldi se band kiya aur peeche ho gayi š„ŗ
Uska dil bohat tez dhadak raha tha š
Aur phirā¦ uske phone par ek unknown call aayi š±
Screen par sirf ek naam blink hua:
"K."
Aliya ki aankhon mein darr bhi tha aur curiosity bhiā¦
Usne trembling voice mein kaha:
"Helloā¦ kaun ho tum?"
Dusri taraf se sirf ek baat aayi:
"Tum galat jagah par aa gayi ho Aliyaā¦ ya shayad bilkul sahi jagah." š
Call cut ho gayi šµ
Aliya neeche girte girte bachiā¦
Aur usne window ke bahar dekhaā
koi neeche se usi room ki taraf dekh raha thaā¦ š¤
āØ To be continuedā¦