Chhaya ka Aakhri Khel || The Final Game of Shadows

 

Aarav ka camera focus kar raha hai ek purani, khoobsani haveli par. Din ka samay hai, lekin aasman par baadal chaye hain. (Caption: Aarav, Final Year Photography Project - "Forgotten Heritage")

Aarav haveli ki khandar deewaron ki close-up shots le raha hai. Uske chehre par utsukta hai.

Ghar laut kar, Aarav apne computer par photos dekhta hai. Achanak, uski aankhen faad kar reh jaati hain. Ek photo mein, ek khidki ke paas ek lambi, udas chehra wali ladki ki chhaya saaf dikh rahi hai. Woh tasveer usne li thi jab wahaan koi tha hi nahi.

Aarav ne socha shaayad camera ki galti hai. Woh agle din phir haveli jaata hai, usi jagah se phir se tasveer leta hai.

Wapas aakar jab woh nayi tasveer check karta hai, toh uss chhaya ke chehre ka expression badal chuka hai. Ab woh halki si muskurahat de rahi hai.

Kya yeh koi bhootiya baat hai? Ya koi aur raaz hai? Woh chehra kyun badal raha hai?

Aarav pareshaan hokar Riya ko yeh sab batata hai. Riya, apne police-wale andaz mein, use Professor Joshi ke paas le jaati hai. Professor purani cheezon, symbols, aur dastavez par kaam karta hai.

Professor ek bahut purani diary nikaalta hai. Usmein likha hai ek 100 saal purana dardnaak sach. Woh haveli ek young ladki, Laila, ki thi. Laila ko uske hi parivaar ne ek anmol heera chhipane ke liye zinda deewaron mein chunva diya tha. Woh heera aaj tak nahi mila.

Professor kehte hain, "Yeh chhaya Laila ki aatma nahi, balki uska 'Chhaya ka Khel' hai. Woh unhi logon ko dikhti hai jinke andar laalach ki bhavna hoti hai. Woh unhein apne khoje hue khazane ki taraf ishara karti hai, lekin... uska aakhri maqsad badla lena hai."

"Ab pata chala ki yeh sirf bhootiya baat nahi, balki ek khatarnaak khoj hai. Kya Aarav ke andar laalach hai? Kya woh Laila ke khel ka hissa ban gaya hai?"

Next Part ko padhe.....