Raat ke 2:17 baj rahe the.
Sonipat ke ek chhote se room mein Aarav apne laptop ke saamne baitha tha. Woh ek normal ladka tha — coding karta tha, freelance kaam leta tha, aur zyada logon se baat bhi nahi karta tha. Aaj bhi woh ek project complete karne ki koshish kar raha tha, lekin uska system ajeeb behave kar raha tha.
"Yaar aaj laptop itna slow kyun hai…" Aarav ne thoda frustrate hoke kaha.
Tabhi achanak screen blink hui. Jaise ek second ke liye sab freeze ho gaya ho.
Phir ek black window khuli… khud se.
Aarav ne kuch bhi open nahi kiya tha.
Screen par likha aaya:
SIGNAL RECEIVED
Aarav confuse ho gaya.
"Yeh kya hai… virus hai kya?" usne socha.
Phir next line aayi:
DO NOT RESPOND
Ab thoda darr lagne laga.
"Kaun message bhej raha hai bina internet ke?" usne dheere se bola.
Phir teesri line aayi:
THEY ARE WATCHING
Aarav ka dil tez dhadakne laga.
Usne turant apne laptop ke camera ki taraf dekha. Light off thi, matlab camera on nahi hona chahiye tha.
"Relax… bas koi glitch hai," usne khud ko samjhaya.
Usne window close karne ki koshish ki, lekin woh band hi nahi ho rahi thi.
Phir achanak screen black ho gayi.
Aur ek video chalne laga.
Video dekhte hi Aarav shock ho gaya.
Woh uska hi room tha.
Same table… same chair… same setup.
Aur video mein… Aarav khud baitha hua tha.
"Yeh recording hai kya…?" usne dheere se kaha.
Phir usne ek ajeeb cheez notice ki.
Video mein Aarav mud kar peeche dekh raha tha.
Lekin real Aarav abhi tak seedha baitha tha.
Uska dil zor se dhadakne laga.
Usne slowly peeche mud kar dekha.
Koi nahi tha.
Room bilkul khaali tha.
Phir screen par likha aaya:
YOU LOOKED
Aarav ka gala sukh gaya.
"Yeh mazaak nahi hai…" usne dheere se kaha.
Phir next line aayi:
NOW THEY KNOW YOU
Ab Aarav sach mein dar gaya.
Usne laptop band karne ki koshish ki, lekin system control mein nahi tha.
Screen suddenly zoom hui… uske face par.
Phir sab band.
Room mein silence.
Sirf fan chal raha tha.
Aarav ne gehri saans li.
"Bas… enough. Main so jaata hoon," usne decide kiya.
Woh bed par let gaya, lekin uski aankhon mein neend nahi thi.
Uske dimag mein wohi lines ghoom rahi thi.
They are watching…
Tabhi achanak uska phone bajne laga.
Aarav dar gaya.
Usne phone uthaya.
Unknown number.
Number ajeeb tha — 0000000000
"Yeh kaisa number hai…" usne socha.
Call bajta raha.
Finally usne receive kiya.
"Hello?"
Kuch seconds tak koi awaaz nahi.
Phir ek ajeeb si awaaz aayi — distorted, jaise robot aur insaan mix ho.
"Signal activate ho chuka hai…"
Aarav ka dil tez ho gaya.
"Kaun ho tum?" usne poocha.
Awaaz boli:
"Tumne dekh liya hai… ab tum part ho."
"Part of what?!"
Aarav ghabra gaya.
Dusri side se halki si hasi aayi.
"Kal raat… 2:17… terrace par aana."
Aarav chup ho gaya.
"Kyun?"
"Sach dekhna hai na?"
Aarav kuch bol nahi paaya.
Phir awaaz ne dheere se kaha:
"Ya shayad tum already dekh chuke ho…"
Call cut ho gaya.
Aarav kuch der tak phone ko dekhta raha.
Uska dimag confuse aur dar se bhara hua tha.
Usne khidki se terrace ki taraf dekha.
"Andar hi rahunga… main nahi jaunga," usne khud se kaha.
Lekin uske andar ek ajeeb curiosity bhi thi.
Sach kya hai?
Yeh sab ho kya raha hai?
Usne distraction ke liye TV on kiya.
Screen par pehle static aaya.
Phir slowly ek video dikhne laga.
Phir se… uska room.
Aarav ka saans ruk gaya.
Is baar video mein ek extra cheez thi.
Uske peeche ek shadow khadi thi.
Aarav ne turant peeche dekha.
Koi nahi.
Phir TV par woh shadow apna haath uthati hai…
aur Aarav ke kandhe par rakh deti hai.
Us moment par Aarav ko apne kandhe par thandi si feeling hui.
Jaise kisi ne touch kiya ho.
Woh turant khada ho gaya.
TV band ho gaya.
Ab Aarav poori tarah dar chuka tha.
"Yeh sab real nahi ho sakta…" woh baar-baar bol raha tha.
Usne socha ki woh room se bahar chala jaye.
Jaise hi woh door ke paas gaya…
door khud se hilne laga.
Aur dheere se khul gaya.