---Shakir town ka rehne wala ek mast ladka tha. Poori gali me uska naam mashhoor tha. Cricket ho ya football, hat khel me aage rehta tha. Lekin uski zindagi us din badal gayi jab wo chuppan-chupai khelte hue galti se us purane school me ghus gaya.School ke saamne se guzarte hue hamesha se darr lagta tha. School ke andar poora jungle ug aya tha. Diwaren toot phoot chuki thin, class ke andar darakhton ki jadain ghus aayi thin. Raat hote hi wahan aisa andhera chha jata ke banda apni parchai se bhi dar jata. Koi bhi raat ko us taraf nahi jata tha. Log kehte the ke wahan raat ko kisi ladki ke rone ki awaaz aati hai.Us raat Shakir khelte khelte school ke andar ghus gaya. Andar jaate hi thandi hawa ka jhonka aaya aur school ka purana darwaza khud hi band ho gaya. Shakir ka dil zor se dharakne laga. Andhere me use kuch parchaian hileti hui dikhin. Mushkil se wo deewar phalang kar bahar nikla aur seedha ghar aaya. Raat ko so gaya, lekin neend me use ajeeb khwab aane lage.Achanak Shakir ki aankh khuli. Wo khud ko kisi alag hi duniya me paata hai. Na ghar, na gali, sirf lambi lambi qabrēn. “Main ye kahan aa gaya hoon?” Shakir ne kaha, awaaz uski khud ki thi lekin goonj kisi aur ki lag rahi thi.Wo pagalōn ki tarah idhar udhar bhagne laga. Bhagte bhagte wo qabrastan me pohanch gaya. Qabrōn se awaazen aane lagin: “Shakir… Shakir… Shakir…”Darte darte wo itna bhaaga ke uski aankh khul gayi. Lekin ye khwab nahi tha. Asal me ghar wale usay ghēr kar khade the aur chillā rahe the: “Shakir! Shakir! Utho!”Jab Shakir utha to uska jism paseene se bheeg chuka tha. Usne sab ko apna khwab sunaya. Ghar wale pareshan ho gaye. Subah hote hi usay ek baba ke paas le gaye. Baba ne dam kiya, paani pilaya, lekin raat hote hi Shakir ki halat aur kharab ho gayi.Raat ko uski aankhen laal ho jatin. Wo haathon ke bal bhagne lagta, kutton ki tarah gurrata, logon ko kaat ta, gaaliyan deta. Lagta tha jese uske andar koi aur bol raha ho. Majbooran usay pahadon me rehne wale bade baba ke paas le jaya gaya. Baba ne kaha: “Is par koi saya hai.”Jab Shakir andar gaya to usne dekha ke charon taraf kaale kutte khade hain. Shakir khud bhi kutton ki tarah bhonkne laga. Phir achanak uski awaaz badal gayi. Ek aurat ki tez awaaz aayi: “Main Sameena hoon! Isne mujhe tang kiya hai. Main isay nahi chhodungi!”Baba ne poocha: “Tum kaun ho? Kyon pareshan kar rahi ho isay?” Sameena hansi aur boli: “Ye school mera ghar tha. Jab ye andar aya to meri neend kharab kar di. Ab main isay jaane nahi dungi.”Baba ne kaha: “To kya chahiye tumhe? Chhod do isay.” Sameena ne kaha: “Mujhe 10 kaale bakre chahiye. Wo bakre usi school me chhod do. Tab ja kar main isay azaad karungi.”Baba ne waisa hi kiya. Raat ko school ke beech me 10 bakre bandh diye gaye. Raat bhar school ke andar se ajeeb awaazen aatin rahin — rona, chillana, hansna. Subah jab log gaye to dekha ke bakre wahan nahi the, aur school ke andar se ek safed dhuan nikal raha tha. Shakir theek ho gaya. Lekin us raat ke baad usne kabhi raat ko bahar nikalna chhod diya.Log kehte hain ke aaj bhi us school me raat ko kisi ladki ke rone ki awaaz aati hai. Aur agar koi andar jata hai to usay wapas aana naseeb nahi hota.*Khatam.*---

---Usama aur uske office ke kuch doston ne program banaya ke agley Saturday farm house par 2 raat guzarenge. Safar lamba tha is liye sab bht intezar kar rahe the. Akhir hafte ka din aa gaya. Subah se hi sab ne tayariyan shuru kar di aur har ek ko ek zimedari de di gai. Shaam 5 baje safar shuru hua.Usama ki six sense usay bar warning de rahi thi. Us ne sab doston ko kaha ke mujhe achi feelings nahi aa rahi, lekin sab apni masti me lage hue the. Kisi ne Usama ki baat par dhyan nahi diya. Farm house pohnch kar sab ne saman rakha aur kamron me chale gaye. Khana khane ke baad sab swimming pool ki taraf chale gaye. Speaker par full awaz me gaane chal rahe the aur sab enjoy kar rahe the.Magar Usama ko kamre me ek saya nazar aaya. Wo pool se bahar nikla aur kamre ki taraf gaya. Jab andar gaya to wahan koi nahi tha. Us ne ignore karke wapis aa kar enjoy karna shuru kar diya. Raat ko sab sone chale gaye. Abhi sab soye hi the ke ek zor ki awaz aai, jaise koi bhari cheez giri ho. Sab log kamron se bahar aa gaye.Usama ki nazar garden me gayi to dekha ke jhula khud hi chal raha tha. Sab ne dekha to kisi ko yaqeen nahi aa raha tha. Sab dar gaye. Abhi jhule ko hi dekh rahe the ke room se sheesha tootne ki awaz aai. Sab us taraf bhage to dekha ke room ke sare mirrors toot gaye the. Achanak room ka darwaza zor se band ho gaya. Sab ne koshish ki magar darwaza na khula. Jab darwaza torhne lage to khud hi khul gaya. Sab log dar ke mare bahar bhag gaye. Swimming pool me pani ki awazen aa rahi thi magar pool khali tha.Darr ki wajah se sab ki halat kharab ho gai. Saman chor kar sab farm house se bahar nikal gaye. Gari me bethne lage to pata chala ke Usama andar hi reh gaya hai. Thora intezar kiya, jab Usama nahi aaya to faisla hua ke sab ek sath andar jayenge aur Usama ko le kar ayenge. Dar dar ke sab andar gaye, sare room aur pura farm house dekh liya magar Usama na mila. Sab pareshan ho gaye ke akhir Usama kahan gaya.Ek larke ne kaha ke chalo gari me intezar karte hain. Puri raat gari me guzarne ke baad subah sab andar gaye. Jese hi garden par nazar pari to dekha ke Usama jhule par betha tha aur jhula chal raha tha. Usama, Usama awaaz di magar wo kisi baat ka jawab nahi de raha tha. Himmat karke ek larke ne uske kandhe par haath rakha to Usama jhule se gir gaya. Wo saans nahi le raha tha. Foran ambulance ko bulaya gaya aur hospital le kar gaye.Doctor ne kaha ke he is no more. Koi nahi janta us raat asal me kya hua tha. Farm house band ho gaya aur Usama is duniya se chala gaya. Aaj bhi jab koi un larkon se farm house ki baat karta hai to wo darr se kanpne lagte hain.--

*Chapter 1: Ladli Beti* Hania ek suljhi hui, khush mizaj larki thi. 2 bhaiyon ki ladli behen. Zindagi me koi problem nahi thi. Suba college jana, doston ke sath hansi-mazaq, shaam ko ghar ana. Yehi uski routine thi. Lekin ek suba sab badal gaya...*Chapter 2: Bakre Ka Sir* College jate waqt raste me hania ko ek bakre ka sir pada nazar aya. Masti me usne sir uthaya, kaan pakar ke ghumaya aur zor se deewar pe mara. Deewar se ek aawaz aayi... bilkul bakre jaisi un logo ne idhar udhar dekha phr ek hansi ki awaz i j se hi unhone suna . Hania aur uski saari dosten darr ke bhag gain. College me kisi ne ek doosre se baat tak nahi ki. Sab normal ghar aa gain. Lekin hania...*Chapter 3: Kamra Band* Hania seedhi apne kamre me gai aur darwaza band kar liya. Bed pe baith ke rone lagi. Maa ne awaz suni to darwaza bajana shuru kiya. Hania ne nahi khola. Rone ki awaz aur tez ho gai. Maa ne foran papa ko call ki jo office me the. Papa ghar bhage aaye. Darwaze ke peeche se kya aawaz aa rahi thi? Sirf rona... ya kuch aur?*Chapter 4: Hansi Aur Naam* Papa ne darwaza todne ki koshish ki. Tabhi andar se rone ki awaz ruk gai aur zor se hansne ki awaz aane lagi. Aur ek aawaz aayi: "Yameen... Yameen tu aa gaya apni beti ke paas. Magar andar se kaise aayega?" Yameen hania ke papa ka naam tha. Papa ne lock tod diya. Andar jaake dekha to hania so rahi thi. Jaise kuch hua hi na ho.*Chapter 5: 4 Rotiyan* Hania ko uthaya gaya. Khana khilaya gaya. Lekin jo hania 1 roti se zyada nahi khati thi, us din usne 4 rotian araam se kha li. Papa samajh gaye ke kuch to masla hai. Faisla hua ke hania ke dono bhai ghar aayen. Raat 11 baje dono bhai gaye. Kamre me gaye to hania kisi se baat kar rahi thi. Jab unhone poocha to wo boli: "Sab sahi hai." Magar uski aankhon me kuch aur tha.*Chapter 6: Kacha Gosht* Raat 2:30 baje ghar me bhaagne ki awaz aayi. Maa kitchen me gain to dekha hania zameen pe baithi hai. Haath me kacha gosht, aur wo noch ke kha rahi thi. Maa ki cheekh nikal gai. Sab bhaage aaye. Lekin hania ab bilkul normal khari thi. Jaise kuch hua hi na ho. Papa ne kaha: "Abi so jao, suba dekhte hain." Lekin us raat kisi ko neend nahi aayi.*Chapter 7: Imam Sahab* Suba hote hi papa ek masjid ke imam ko ghar le aaye. Imam ne parhna shuru kiya. Thodi der me hania ka chehra badalne laga. Pehle wo zor se roi, phir hansne lagi. Aawaz poore ghar me goonj rahi thi. Usne imam sahab ke munh pe thappar mara aur wo door ja girre. Imam sahab darr ke ghar se nikal gaye. Unhone kaha: "Ye koi bht buri cheez hai. Isko mere ustad ke paas le jao."*Chapter 8: Dhamki* Ghar me hania pe hazri aa gai thi. Usne ek alag hi awaz me kaha: "Agar ab kisi ko laya to tum me se koi ek apni jaan se haath dho baithega." Ye kehte hi wo behosh ho gai. Ab sab pareshan the. Kya karein? Bht jagah le gaye. Koi ilaj nahi hua. Paise bhi bht lage. Akhir me har kisi ne haath khinch liya.*Chapter 9: Band Kamra* Hania ko ek kamre me band kar diya gaya. Khana bhi wahi dete the. Halat aisi ho gai jaise koi pagal insan ho. Baal bikhre hue, nakhun bare hue. 2 mahine guzar gaye. Ghar ka mahol bilkul spooky rehne laga. Raat ko ajeeb aawazen aati. Koi hania ki madad nahi kar pa raha tha.*Chapter 10: Maa Ki Dua* Ek suba maa ka sabar toot gaya. Unhone ja-namaz bichai aur ro kar Allah se dua karne lagi: "Ya Allah ab main haar gai. Ab sab tere haath me hai." Sham 5 baje darwaza baja. Bahar ek buzurg khade the. Sada libaz, chehra noorani. Unhone ek bande ka naam leke kaha: "Us bande ne bheja hai. Aapki beti pareshan hai."*Chapter 11: Nooraani Haath* Buzurg andar aaye. Hania ko pakar ke laya gaya. Jaise hi usne buzurg ka chehra dekha, uske chehre pe ek alag hi darr aaya. Buzurg ne hania ke sir pe haath rakh ke kuch padha aur Allah se dua ki. Hania ne maa ki taraf dekha aur boli: "Teri dua ne isko bacha liya. Warna koi nahi bacha sakta tha." Ye kehte hi wo behosh ho gai.*Chapter 12: Shifa* Buzurg ne kaha: "Isko uthao. Ye theek hai. Ab safai ka khayal rakho, namaz ki pabandi karo, sadqa do." 2 saal ho gaye. Hania bilkul theek hai. Jab un buzurg ka pata kiya to koi nahi jaanta tha. Na wo bande ko janta tha jiska naam leke aaye the. Bas sab ne Allah ka shukar ada kiya. *End,,

Factory ki shift hamesha raat 9 baje khatam hoti thi. Uzair sabse bharosemand worker tha. 3 saal me kabhi late nahi hua tha. Ek din supervisor ne kaha: "Uzair, basement me pipe leak ho raha hai, check karke aao." Uzair ne haan kahi aur basement ki taraf chal pada. 3 saal me wo kabhi neeche nahi gaya tha. Bahar lohe ka darwaza tha, zang laga hua. Upar laal rang se likha tha: "MANA HAI - AKELA ANDAR MAT JANA". Uzair ne socha purana rule hoga aur darwaza khol kar andar ghus gaya. Andar hawa bohot bhari thi. Gandi smell aa rahi thi nami aur purane kapde jaisi. Mobile ki torch jalai to lambi seehiyan dikhi. Dheere dheere neeche utarta gaya. Har kadam pe joote se awaaz aati: krrr... krrr... Basement bara tha. Ek taraf purane machine parts, doosri taraf lohe ki almariyan. Pipe dhundte dhundte uzair ek corner me pohancha jahan se paani tapak raha tha. Wapas murne hi laga tha ke nazar ek bare lohe ke box pe padi. Box 4 feet lamba tha, kala rang ka. Upar laal aur kale dhage se bandha hua tha. Box pe ajeeb se nishan bane hue the. Na urdu, na arabic. Uzair ka dil tez dhadakne laga. Dimaag ne kaha chhod do, magar haath khud hi box ki taraf badh gaye. Tala purana tha. Uzair ne jeb se screwdriver nikali aur 10 minute me tala tod diya. Box khola to andar se thandi hawa nikli. Andar ek kala kapra tha aur uske neeche ek chota sa mirror. Frame lakdi ka tha, uspe bhi wahi nishan the. Mirror bohot halka aur thanda tha. Uzair ne socha ghar le jaunga, aur mirror jeb me rakh liya. Agli subah safai wale heran reh gaye. Raat ko jo saman seedha pada tha wo sab ulta-pulta ho gaya tha. Factory khuli to puri jagah me ajeeb si smell thi. Meethi bhi aur kharab bhi. Room freshner ke 3 spray mare gaye tab jaake thodi kam hui. Sabse badi baat ye hui ke uzair late tha. 12 baje aya, chehra pila pada tha, aankhon ke neeche kaale ghere. Dost Bilal ne poocha: "Kahan tha bhai? Tabiyat theek hai?" Uzair bola: "Yaar raat ko soya nahi. 2 baje awaaz aayi khrrrr... khrrrr... Jaise koi loha ghaseet raha ho. Utha to bahar koi nahi tha. Wapas lita to laga koi kaan me phusphusa raha hai: Wa... pis... rakho... Phir laga kisi ne haath pakad ke bed se neeche phenk diya. Poori raat soya nahi." Bilal ne kaha wehem hoga. Magar uzair ke chehre pe dar saaf tha. 2 baje factory me shor mach gaya: "AG LAG GAYI! BASEMENT ME AG LAG GAYI!" Sab bhaage. Guards ne dekha basement ke usi corner se dhuan nikal raha tha jahan box pada tha. Aag 5 minute me bujh gayi. Magar ajeeb baat ye thi ke box ko kuch nahi hua. Laal dhaga bhi wesa hi tha. Agla din phir uzair late aya. Sham 4 baje basement se awaazein aani shuru hui. Dham... dham... dham... Jaise koi bhari cheez utha ke phenk raha ho. Supervisor gaya to sab saman bikhra pada tha, magar wahan koi nahi tha. Darwaza andar se band tha. Baat Malik tak pohanchi. Malik 60 saal ka tha, 30 saal se factory chala raha tha. Usne sabko line me khada kiya aur poocha: "Kon gaya tha basement me?" Sab chup rahe. Phir uzair ne haath utha diya: "Sir, main gaya tha." Office me bulaya gaya. Malik ne poocha: "Box ko kyun chheda?" Uzair ki jaan nikal gayi. Jeb me haath dala, mirror abhi bhi tha. Malik ne dekha aur chehra safed pad gaya. Foran bola: "Molvi sahib ko bulao, abhi." Molvi sahib aaye, mirror dekha aur foran kapde me lapet diya. Bole: "Ye aam mirror nahi hai. Isme kuch band hai. Jisne uthaya hai wo khud jaye. Box khole, mirror wapis rakhe, maafi mange, aur tala laga de. Agar na kiya to ye sirf factory nahi, yahan ka har banda khatam ho jayega." Raath 11 baje uzair akela gaya. Haath kaap rahe the. Box khola, mirror wapis rakha, aur zor se bola: "Mujhe maaf kar do! Galti ho gayi! Main nahi jaanta tha!" Tala lagaya aur bhaag ke upar aa gaya. Us raat ke baad sab theek ho gaya. Na smell aayi, na awaazein. Uzair time pe aane laga. Agli subah Malik ne 10 mazdoor laga ke basement ka darwaza pakka karwa diya. Upar likhwa diya: "YE JAGAH HAMESHA KE LIYE BAND HAI". Aaj bhi factory me kaam hota hai. Magar raat ki shift me koi akela basement ke paas nahi jata. Aur uzair... wo ab bhi wo raat yaad karke so nahi pata. *Khatam.* ---

Gali me shaam ke 5 baj rahe the. Hum roz ki tarah cricket khel rahe the. Haris sabse chota tha, sirf 10 saal ka. Hamesha hansta rehta tha, uski hansi sun ke lagta tha duniya me koi gham hi nahi. Tabhi ball seedhi us ghar me chali gayi. "88 ka band ghar." Poori gali ek second ke liye khamosh ho gayi. 35 saal se us ghar ka darwaza nahi khula tha. Log kehte the raat ko andar se rone ki awaz aati hai. Bade log mana karte the udhar jane ko.Lekin ball andar thi. Aur Haris ka qad sabse chota tha."Tu ja Haris, choti si hole hai deewar me, nikal jayega." Sabne zor dala. Haris ne hansi me kaha, "2 minute me aata hoon yaar." Aur us chote se hole se andar ghus gaya.Pehle to sab theek tha. Usne andar se awaz di, "Ball dikh rahi hai!" Phir ekdum khamoshi.Aur phir... _CHEEKH._ Aisi cheekh jaisi kisi ka gala dabaya ja raha ho. Hum sab ke hath pair thandhe pad gaye. Hole se jhanka to Haris zameen par pada hil raha tha. Uske muh se jhaag aa rahi thi, aankhein upar chadhi hui thi. Lekin uske chehre par... ajeeb si hansi thi.Main daud ke uske abbu ko bulaya. Unke aate hi sab andar gaye, Haris ko uthaya, ghar le aaye.Bed par litaya to wo normal nahi tha. Hath pair ulta mud rahe the. Jab pani ka chinta mara to usne aankh kholi. "Andar kya hua tha Haris?" abbu ne pucha.Haris ne dhire se kaha: "Jese hi ball uthane jhuka... kamre se awaz aayi. _Haris... Haris..._ Maine apna naam suna to andar chala gaya. Mirror ke saamne ek aurat khadi thi. Safed kapdon me. Ro rahi thi. Usne kaha, 'Aao... mere paas aao.' Maine pucha, 'Kon ho tum?' Usne haath badhaya, mirror se bahar... aur mera haath pakad liya." Itna kehte hi Haris ki aankhein palat gayi. Aur wo zameen par gir ke hilne laga.Abbu ka chehra safed pad gaya. Us raat unhone apne ek alim dost ko bulaya.Alim ne jese hi parhai shuru ki, Haris ki awaz badal gayi. Wo aurat ki awaz me bolne laga. Gusse me. "Q aaya tha wo mere ghar me? Mere bache ko usne mara tha! Ab main ise le jaugi!" Alim ne poochha, "Tera bacha kahan hai?" Wo hansi, "Yahi hai... yahi hai 88 ke andar." Us raat alim ne bhot koshish ki. Kuch der ke liye Haris theek ho gaya. Lekin wo chali nahi. Aaj bhi 3 saal ho gaye hain. Haris kabhi theek rehta hai, kabhi us aurat ki awaz me bolta hai. Aur main... main aaj tak wo raat nahi bhool saka.Kyunki kabhi kabhi raat ko mere kanon me bhi awaz aati hai. _Haris... Haris...