Andhere Ka Qaidkhana

Veer ka dil ab bhi us darr aur khoof ka bojh mehsoos kar raha tha jo usne us mall mein dekha tha. Woh mannequins ka pichha chhudakar nikalne mein toh kaamyab ho gaya tha, lekin uske dil mein yeh sawal ab bhi ghoom raha tha—woh mannequins asal mein kya the aur unka asli raaz kya tha? Us mall se bahar nikalne ke baad bhi, uska mann usi andhere mein jakda hua tha, jaise koi chhaya ab bhi uska peecha kar rahi ho.

Lekin Veer ne faisla kiya ke woh is raaz ko samajhne aur duniya ko is mall ki sachchai batane ke liye kisi aur tareeke se wapas jayega. Usne socha ke woh kisi aur ko yahaan laayega—shayad koi scientist ya paranormal expert jo is mall ke raaz ka parda faash kar sake. Uska dimaag har waqt isi plan mein mashghool ho gaya tha.

Kuch din baad, Veer ek library mein gaya aur paranormal aur haunted jagahon ke bare mein research karne laga. Usne har purani kitabon aur diaries ko khojna shuru kiya, taake us mall ke bare mein kuch aur jaankari mil sake. Lekin library ke har shelf mein uske haath sirf general haunted stories aur urban legends wali kitabein hi lagi. Kahi bhi us mall ka zikr nahi tha.

Veer ne phir bhi himmat nahi chhodi. Usne library ke librarian se mall ke purane history ke bare mein poocha. Librarian ne thodi der socha aur kaha, "Agar tum sach mein iske bare mein kuch serious ho toh tumhe city archives mein jaana chahiye. Wahaan shayad purani files mein kuch mil sake."

Veer seedha city archives ki taraf nikal gaya, jahan purani files aur historical documents rakhe gaye the. Wahaan ki building bhi apne aap mein purani aur khaufnaak si lagti thi. Usne purane folders aur photos ko dheere dheere explore kiya. Ek folder mein usne kuch papers dekhe jo us mall ke construction aur uske owner ke bare mein the.

Us mall ka naam pehle "Shyam Sunder Emporium" tha aur ye ek rich businessman, Shyam Sunder ne banaya tha jo apne zamaney mein sheher ka mashhoor aur laakhpati aadmi tha. Lekin ek ajeeb baat ye thi ke Shyam Sunder ka naam kisi aur jagah pe likha hua nahi mila aur us mall ke bare mein kuch specific details nahi thi. Bus ek short note likha tha, "Yeh emporium ab bandh ho gaya hai aur yahaan kuch log gum ho chuke hain. Police aur sheher ke officials ne ise band kar diya hai aur iske bare mein aur discussion bandh hai."

Ye note aur iske sath likhe kuch restricted files dekh ke Veer ko ye samajh mein aane laga ke is mall ke andar kuch bhayankar ghatna hui thi jisse officials ne chupane ki koshish ki hai.

Kuch din baad Veer ne decide kiya ke woh ek team banayega aur woh team ke sath wapas us mall mein jayega. Is baar usne apne college ke kuch friends ko invite kiya jo urban exploring aur paranormal investigation mein interested the.

Raat ko jab sab log mall ke bahar ikattha hue, Veer ne un sab ko bataya ke ye jagah sirf haunted nahi hai, balki yahaan kuch aur gehra aur darawna raaz chhupa hua hai jo ab tak kisi ke samne nahi aaya. Veer ke friends pehle toh thoda sa hesitant lage, lekin unke andar bhi woh excitement aur adventure ka jazba tha jo Veer ke andar tha.

Jaise hi woh sab andar gaye, unhe wahi purani thandak aur ajeeb si hawa mehsoos hone lagi jo Veer ko pehli baar mehsoos hui thi. Is baar, Veer ke paas kuch aur equipment bhi tha, jaise torches, EMF meter aur ek purana camcorder jis se woh koi paranormal activity capture kar sake.

Woh log dheere dheere andar ke andar maze mein ghusne lage. Mall ka atmosphere ussi tarah se bhayanak aur khaufnaak tha, aur mannequins ab bhi wahi khade hue the, apni ajeeb aur bejaan aankhon se unhe ghoor rahe the.

Ek samay par unhone ek ajeeb se awaz suni, jaise koi unke kareeb chal raha ho. Awaz kabhi door aur kabhi kareeb hoti ja rahi thi. Veer aur uske friends ne apne torches ko idhar udhar ghumaya lekin unhe kuch nahi dikha.

Tabhi, unka EMF meter suddenly spike hone laga—ek ajeeb si energy wahan hone ka signal mil raha tha. Woh sab log dar se idhar udhar dekh rahe the, aur Veer ne unhe samjhaya ke shayad yeh wahi roohon ka asar hai jo is mall mein qaid hain.

Tabhi, ek uske friend, Rahul, ek mannequins ke samne ruk gaya aur usse ghoorne laga. Woh mannequins us par jaise apne ajeeb se influence daal raha tha aur Rahul ne aise reaction diye jaise usne kuch dekha ho jo baqi logon ne nahi dekha.

Rahul ne dheere se kaha, "Kya tumhe woh aurat nahi dikhti? Woh mannequins ke andar kuch aur hai. Yeh bas khaali statues nahi hain. Yeh insaan hain, jo yahaan qaid hain."

Uske baaki friends ko pehle toh laga ke woh mazak kar raha hai, lekin Rahul ke chehre par dar aur sachai ki jhalak unhe bhi uneasy kar gayi. Veer ne un sab ko wapas ikattha karne ki koshish ki aur kaha ke woh is corridor se nikal ke dusri taraf chale jayein.

Par jaise hi woh log nikalne lage, Rahul achanak ghoom gaya aur mannequins ki taraf dekhte hi usne cheekhna shuru kar diya. Uske aankhon mein ajeeb si chamak aur dar tha jaise usne kuch aisa dekha ho jo sabke samne nahi hai.

Veer aur uske baaki friends ne use sambhalne ki koshish ki, lekin Rahul ki awaz aur cheekhein itni bhayanak thi ke mall ke chaaron taraf gunjne lagi. Uske munh se aise shabd nikal rahe the jo kisi ne kabhi nahi sune the—jaise woh kisi aur zubaan mein kuch bol raha ho.

Jaise hi Rahul ne woh shabd bolne band kiye, uske chehre par ek ajeeb si shanti aur mask-like muskurahat aagayi. Uska chehra mannequins ke tarah ajeeb aur jeevant ho gaya, jaise woh us mannequins ka hissa ban gaya ho. Veer aur uske doston ko ab sach mein samajh mein aaya ke ye mannequins asli log hain jo kisi tareeke se yahaan qaid ho gaye hain.

Veer ne apni himmat ko sambhalte hue apne doston ko wapas nikalne ka kaha. Woh sab log apne doston ko lekar mall ke gate ki taraf bhaagne lage, lekin gate tak pahunchte hi unhone dekha ke gate ab band ho chuka tha. Ab woh log andar qaid ho gaye the, aur mannequins ke chehre par wohi mask-like muskurahat thi, jo pehle sirf statues mein thi.

Veer ne apni torch on ki aur ek aur raasta dhoondhne ki koshish ki, lekin mannequins unhe har corner mein mil rahe the jaise woh unka peechha kar rahe ho.

Usne apne doston ko samjhaaya ke yeh mannequins uske pehle bhi asli log the jo yahaan fasa diye gaye aur ab woh roohain ban gaye hain.

Mall ke andar ab ek aur bhayanak tasveer ban chuki thi—sab mannequins ke chehre par wohi muskurahat aur aankhon mein wohi chamak thi jo sirf ek rooh ke inteqaam aur bhookh ko dikhati thi.

Veer aur uske dost ab is bhayankar mall mein qaid ho chuke the. Unke aas-paas mannequins ka aise ghera tha, jaise woh log koi purani qaid ki deewar ke beech fas gaye hon. Veer ne Rahul ko sambhalne ki koshish ki, lekin woh ab bhi ussi mannequins jaisi bejaan muskurahat liye hue tha, uski aankhein khauf se khali aur uska chehra ajeeb sa thanda lag raha tha.

Veer ke saath jo uske baaki teen doston—Nisha, Arjun aur Meera—bhi khauf ke saaye mein jeene ki koshish kar rahe the. Un sabke chehron par ab ek hi sawaal tha—ye mannequins kya hain aur unke andar kya raaz chhupa hai?

Mall ke andar har taraf andhera hi andhera tha, sirf unki torches ki roshni se kuch dikh raha tha. Andhere mein mannequins ki aawaaz unhe apni taraf kheench rahi thi. Aise lagta tha jaise woh mannequins unke har kadam ka intezaar kar rahe ho, jaise kisi jaal mein phansaye gaye hon.

"Hume yahaan se nikalna hoga," Veer ne dheere se kaha, lekin uske dil mein bhi ek ajeeb sa khauf tha jo uske shabd ke piche chhupa hua tha. Nisha ne uske kandhe par haath rakha aur kaha, "Veer, kya yeh sach mein sirf mannequins hain ya inmein kuch aur bhi hai?"

Veer ne uske sawal ka jawab nahi diya, lekin uska dimaag mall ke har us raaz ko samajhne mein masroof ho gaya jo uske saamne tha. Usne socha ke shayad woh mannequins sirf bejaan objects nahi hain, lekin uske sawalon ka jawab tab tak nahi milega jab tak woh aur aage nahi badhenge.

"Hume kuch toh karna hoga. Iske pehle ke yeh mannequins hume yahaan hamisha ke liye qaid kar de," Meera ne kaha, uski aawaz mein dar aur desperation dono thi. Veer ne apni torch ka rukh ek dusre raaste ki taraf kiya aur kaha, "Hum is corridor ke end tak chalenge aur dekhenge ke koi doosra exit milta hai ya nahi."

Woh sab log dheere dheere us raaste par chalne lage. Unke har kadam ke sath mannequins ke ajeeb sa chhan chhan ki awaz aati, jaise woh apne pairon ko kheench rahe ho. Jaise hi woh corridor ke beech pahunchte hain, ek aur chhoti se galiyaari saamne aati hai jo unn mannequins se bhari padi thi, lekin ek mannequins kuch alag lag raha tha.

Woh mannequins kehta hai, "Tum log yahaan se kabhi wapas nahi jaoge."

Sab log ek dum se ruk gaye. Yeh mannequins pehli baar kuch bol raha tha, aur uski awaz mein ek ajeeb sa zhar aur khauff tha. Uski aankhon mein laal rang ki chamak thi jo seedha unke dil mein bhay paida kar rahi thi.

Arjun ne ghabra kar kaha, "Yeh mannequins bol kaise sakta hai?" Uska chehra pasine se bhara hua tha aur uski aankhein dar se phail gayi thi. Veer ne Arjun ko sambhalte hue kaha, "Yeh mannequins nahi, yeh woh roohain hain jo yahaan kabhi zinda qaid ho gayi thi."

Un sabke samne woh mannequins dheere dheere chalna shuru karta hai aur apne haathon ko veer ke taraf barhata hai, jaise woh usse apni taraf kheenchna chahta ho. Veer ne apni himmat ko ikattha kiya aur peeche hatne laga, lekin mannequins aur bhi kareeb aa raha tha.

Meera cheekhne lagi, "Veer! Hume bhaagna hoga, yeh mannequins hamara peecha nahi chhodenge!"

Veer ne apne doston ko sambhalte hue unhe apni taraf kheench liya aur ek chhoti si darar se corridor ke doosre side mein guzar gaya. Woh sab log us corridor mein chupke chale gaye, aur ab mannequins unka peecha nahi kar raha tha.

Lekin jese hi woh doosri taraf aaye, unhone dekha ke corridor ka andar ka hissha aur bhi dark aur bhayanak tha. Ab woh ek maze ke andar chale gaye the jisme darwazon ka silsila tha. Har darwaza khulte hi ek aur darwaza dikhayi deta tha, aur unhe samajh mein nahi aa raha tha ke kis taraf jaana hai.

Veer ne kaha, "Agar hum maze mein bhatak gaye toh woh mannequins yahaan aa sakte hain. Hume ek aur rasta dhoondhna hoga."

Nisha ne ek corner par torches se dheere se ek aur raasta dhoonda jo unhe neeche basement ke taraf le ja raha tha. Us basement mein woh mannequins ka raaz chhupa ho sakta tha, lekin yahaan utarna ek aur khatra tha.

"Yeh humari akhri ummeed hai," Veer ne kaha aur apne doston ke sath basement ki taraf chalne laga.

Basement ke niche utarte hi, Veer aur uske dost ek bhayanak aur badi si jagah par pohonch gaye, jisme hawa mein ek ajeeb si sard aur badi bhayanak boo thi. Har taraf andhera tha, aur sirf unki torches ki roshni se unhe kuch dikh raha tha. Veer aur uske doston ka dil zor se dhadak raha tha; woh andhere mein ghoomne ka soch kar hi ek ajeeb si ghabraahat aur dar se bhar gaye the.

"Yeh jagah toh mall se bhi zyada bhayanak lag rahi hai," Nisha ne dheere se kaha, uski awaaz mein khauf tha jo uske chehre par bhi saaf dikhayi de raha tha.

"Shayad yahaan koi purani cheezein ya kuch clues mil sakein," Veer ne kaha, apni himmat ko sambhalte hue. Usne apni torch ko chaaro taraf ghumaya aur dekha ke basement mein purani wooden crates, ghise-pite furniture aur kuch purane paintings rakhi hui thi, jinke upar dhool ki ek moti parat thi.

Lekin jese hi Veer ne torch se floor ko dekha, uska dil achanak se uchalne laga. Usne dekha ke floor par kuch haathon ke nishan the jo dhool mein bas gaye the. Aise lag raha tha ke kisi ne haathon ke bal kheenchne ki koshish ki ho aur woh aakhri nishan wahan bas gaye ho.

Arjun ne dheere se kaha, "Yeh haath ke nishan... kis ke hain? Kya yahaan koi aur bhi hai?"

Veer ne chup rehne ka ishaara kiya aur apne doston ke saath dheere se basement mein aur andar ki taraf badh gaya. Unhone dekha ke ek dusre kone mein kuch purani photos aur parchay rakhe hue the, jinpe shayad mall ke purane malik aur kuch logon ki tasveer thi.

Ek photo mein ek aadmi aurat ke saath khada tha, aur unka chehra bhale hi purana aur dhundhla sa tha, lekin unki aankhon mein ek ajeeb si zinda aur khaufnaak chamak thi. Jaise woh tasveer ke andar se Veer aur uske doston ko ghur rahe hon.

Nisha ne tasveer ko dekh kar kaha, "Yeh kaun hai? Yeh log kaise lagte hain, jaise woh mannequins ke andar qaid hain..."

Tabhi Arjun ne ek aur parchay ko uthaya jo kisi purani diary ka hissa lag raha tha. Us diary ke pages pe khoon se likha hua tha, aur har page mein sirf ek hi line thi: "Hum ab bhi yahin hain... aur hum kabhi wapas nahi ja sakte."

Ye lines dekh kar sabke chehre par ek khaufnaak si shikan aa gayi thi. Us diary ke pages ko dekh kar lagta tha jaise yeh likhne wale log bhi wahin mannequins ban chuke hain.

Tabhi ek awaz basement ke andhere mein gunj uthi, ek halki se sarakhat awaz, jaise koi apne pairon ko ghasit ke chalte hue unke kareeb aa raha ho.

Meera ne cheekhte hue kaha, "Kya woh mannequins yahaan bhi aa gaye hain? Humne toh unhe upar chhoda tha!"

Veer ne apne doston ko calm karne ki koshish ki aur kaha, "Humey chup rehna hoga aur shanti se yahan se nikalna hoga." Lekin woh khud bhi andar hi andar ghabraya hua tha.

Aur phir, ek mannequins dheere se andhere mein se saamne aaya, uske chehre par wohi ajeeb mask-like muskurahat thi aur uske haath se khoon beh raha tha. Usne apna bejaan aur thanda haath Veer ke taraf badhaya aur ek khaufnaak awaaz mein kaha, "Tum yahaan aaye ho, lekin yahan se kabhi wapas nahi jaoge."

Veer aur uske doston ne apne peeche dekha aur dekha ke mannequins ka pura jhund unke aas-paas ikattha ho gaya tha. Jaise un sabne Veer aur uske doston ko chaaro taraf se gher liya ho.

Nisha, Arjun aur Meera ke chehre par khauf aur bechayni ki ek asardar chehraayi thi, jaise woh log apni maut ko saamne dekh rahe ho. Veer ne kuch samajhne aur mannequins ke is pehlu ko tor kar bahar nikalne ki koshish ki, lekin har darwaza band tha.

Ek mannequins ne dheere se kaha, "Tum bhi hamari tarah mannequins ban jaoge. Tum bhi is shraap mein qaid ho jaoge."

Veer ne apne doston ka haath pakda aur kaha, "Kya tum log mere saath ek aur chhoti koshish karne ke liye taiyaar ho?" Usne socha ke agar woh mannequins ke jhund mein se guzarte hue kisi tareeke se maze ke shuruati raaste tak pohonch gaye toh shayad woh wahan se nikalne ka koi raasta dhoond sakte hain.

Usne apne doston ko apne peeche chhupne ka kaha aur dheere dheere mannequins ke paas se guzarne laga. Un sab ka dil tezi se dhadak raha tha, aur har kadam ke sath mannequins ke saath unka faasla kam hota ja raha tha.

Jaise hi woh mannequins ke kareeb pohonche, ek mannequins ka haath dheere se Veer ke kandhe ko choo gaya aur usne mehsoos kiya ke uska dil ek pal ke liye ruk gaya ho. Lekin usne himmat se apna kadam aage barhaya aur apne doston ko bhi peeche kheenchte hue mannequins ke jhund mein se nikal gaya.

Unhone maze ke dusre end par ek purana aur purzane darwaza dekha jo band tha lekin unhe umeed thi ke shayad woh bahar ka rasta ho sakta hai. Veer ne apne doston ke saath mil kar darwaze ko zor lagake kholne ki koshish ki. Darwaza dheere dheere knachak ki aawaaz ke sath khul gaya aur uske peeche unhe ek narrow aur bhayanak se raasta dikhayi diya jo seedha upar ja raha tha.

Veer ne kaha, "Yehi hamari akhri umeed hai. Agar yeh rasta bhi bandh nikla toh hum mannequins ban kar yahaan hamesha ke liye qaid ho jayenge."

Unhone seedha upar ki taraf chalna shuru kiya aur mannequins ke bhari chehre unka peecha karte rahe. Us khauf aur darr mein bhi Veer aur uske doston ke andar ab ek himmat thi jo unhe is maze aur mannequins ke shraap se bahar nikalne ke liye prerit kar rahi thi.

Woh raasta itna lamba aur tedha-medha tha ke kabhi kabhi lagta tha ke woh log wahin gol gol ghoom rahe hain, lekin Veer ne apne doston ka hausla banaye rakha aur dheere dheere woh seedha upar nikal aaye.

Aakhri mein, woh ek darwaza ke saamne aaye jo bahar ki taraf khul raha tha aur unhone apni saari takat lagake us darwaza ko dhakel diya.

Jaise hi woh darwaza khula, woh sab log bahar nikal aaye, lekin uske sath hi unhone ek cheekh suna jo mall ke andar se aayi thi, jaise koi aur qaid ho gaya ho. Veer aur uske doston ne peeche mud kar dekha toh woh darwaza wapas bandh ho gaya tha, jaise mall ne apne raaz ko phir se andar chhupa liya ho.

Veer aur uske dost ab us mall se bahar the, lekin woh khauf aur woh shraap ab bhi unke saath tha. Veer ne unhe samjhaaya ke yeh mall wapas kabhi nahi aayenge, lekin unke dil mein ab ek dar aur suspense ka bhoot bas gaya tha.

Unhone ek dusre ki taraf dekha aur decide kiya ke woh kabhi bhi is mall ke paas nahi aayenge aur kisi ko yeh raaz nahi batayenge, kyunki shayad woh mannequins ab bhi unhe dekh rahe hain aur kabhi bhi wapas bula sakte hain...