Chapter 2 : Haveli ka dusra raaz
Andhera. _Tak... tak... tak..._ ki awaaz seedhiyon se aa rahi thi.
Maahra ne larki ko sofe par litaya. Main ne darwaza band kiya. Locker se purana pistol nikala. Zayan ke baad pehli baar.
Light jalayi. Sehan khaali. Sirf ek aur parchee farsh par:
_“19 ka naam Alishba tha. Tum use bacha nahi sake. 20 ko bacha lo.
Clock tick kar raha hai. 72 ghante.
– F”_
Maahra ne larki ka bag dobara dekha. School ID mili: *Laiba Farooq, 19 saal, City School.* Khoon uska nahi tha. Choti... kisi aur ki.
Main ne Polaroid uthaya. Peeche likha tha: _“19 – Din 1”_. Tasveer mein ek larki kursi se bandhi thi. Deewar par “PEHLA SAFHA” spray paint se likha tha.
Maahra ka chehra safaid: “Ye hamari haveli hai. Ye tasveer yahin ki hai. Par kab?”
Maine camera check kiya. Last photo 48 ghante purani.
Matlab Faraz yahan aa chuka tha. Hamare hotay hue. Hamari neend mein.
Laiba ko hosh aaya. Pehla jumla: “Wo kehta hai main uski muse hun. Kehta hai Zayan ne art banaya, Ahmer ne business. Aur wo... wo riwayat banayega.”
Maine khirki se bahar dekha. Gali sunsaan. Par bijli ke khambe par naya sticker: Ek aankh bani thi. Uske neeche _“F dekh raha hai”_.
Khel dobara shuru ho chuka tha. Is dafa hum shikari nahi, *hadaf* thay.
*Chapter 3: Rule 1*
_Rule 1: Jo ise panah dega, wo agla hoga._
Maahra ne parchee mez par mari: “To theek hai. Main agli hun. Par ye ghar kisi ka shikaar gah nahi banega.”
Laiba ka bukhar 102 tha. Zakhm gehre. Par bol rahi thi: “Faraz ke paas list hai. 20 naam. Kehta hai Zayan ke fan club ke hain. Sab larkiyan. Sab 17-20 saal. Kehta hai ‘Main Zayan ka beta hun. Uska waris.’”
Zayan ka beta? Zayan ki koi aulaad nahi thi. Ya... thi?
Maine _Dusra Safha_ ke purane records khole. Zayan ki files. Ek sealed lifafa: *“If I die”*. Aaj tak khola nahi tha.
Andar ek tasveer. Zayan, 22 saal ka. Saath ek larki. Godh mein naya born bacha. Peeche likha: _“F – 2006”_.
Mera khoon jam gaya. Faraz... Zayan ka khoon tha. Ustaad Ahmer nahi, *Aulaad Faraz* tha.
Tabhi light phir gayi. Is dafa poore ilaqay ki. Andhere mein phone ki screen jali. Unknown number se video.
Laiba ki choti wali larki — Alishba — bandhi hui. Zinda. Muh par tape. Deewar par time likha: *71:58:33*.
Aur neeche Faraz ki awaaz:
“Welcome to _Pehla Safha_, Areej aur Maahra. Zayan ne khel banaya. Ahmer ne paisa banaya. Main... main insaaf banaunga. 19 ki saza tum, 20 ki nijaat tumhare haath mein. Choose karo: Laiba ya Alishba. Dono nahi bachein gi.”
Video khatam. Andhera.
_Tak... tak... tak..._ phir shuru.
Maahra ne mera haath pakra. Uska haath baraf: “Is dafa hum khel nahi khelein ge. Hum khel torrein ge.”
Maine khirki kholi. Baarish shuru. Bijli chamki. Samne wali chhat par koi khada tha. Hoodie. Haath mein chhata. Chhate par wahi aankh bani thi.
