Mirror ka ek kona toot chuka tha, magar us crack se achanak ek haath bahar nikal aaya. Woh ladki, jisne pehle hi itni darawani baatein jheli thi, cheekh kar peeche gir gayi. Mirror ka andar ka chehra ab dhundhla nahi, balki saaf dikhai dene laga. Aur usmein Riddhima phir se nazar aayi—iska aansu nahi, balki ek thandi aur sakt awaaz thi:
"Tujhe meri jagah leni padegi."
Woh ladki bhaagne lagi, par darwaza achanak band ho gaya. Kamre mein sirf mirror ka reflection ghoom raha tha. Lights blink karne lagi aur ek kaali awaaz gunj uthi,
"Ek baar andar gaya, kabhi wapas nahi aaya."
Mirror se ek tez scream nikalti hai, aur woh ladki behosh ho gayi.
Jab subah aankh khuli, sab kuch normal tha. Magar mirror ke saamne ek naya frame rakha tha, jisme Riddhima ki photo ke neeche ek diya jal raha tha, jaise kisi ne pooja ki ho. Woh ladki ghabra kar diya bujhane lagi, par mirror mein Riddhima us par gussa karti nazar aayi.
Woh kisi baba ko bulayi jise spirits ki samajh ho. Baba ne mirror ko dekh kar turant pehchaan liya,
"Ismein sirf ek nahi, do aatmaayein hain. Riddhima uski bandi thi, par asli shaitaan ab bhi mirror ke andar hai. Yeh aag ab tere tak pahunchegi."
Baba ne havan shuru kiya, jisse mirror ka surface garam hone laga. Andar se cheekhon ka tufaan utha, Riddhima chillai "Mat karo!" aur tabhi havan ki aag achanak bujh gayi. Baba ne kaha,
"Usne control le liya hai."
Uske baad woh ladki sapno mein kuch aur dekhne lagi. Sapne mein woh Riddhima ban jaati, aur mehsoos karti thi sab kuch jo uske saath hua tha. Par har baar jab woh jaagti, woh sab kuch bhool jaati.
Ek din use mirror ke neeche ek purani diary mili—Riddhima ki likhi hui. Diary mein tha,
"Main andar hoon, par yeh meri kahani nahi. Woh jise main jaanti thi, uska naam Kavya hai."
Kavya? Kaun thi Kavya? Woh ladki diary padhti gayi.
Diary mein likha tha—"Kavya meri dost thi, par usne mujhe is mirror mein band kar diya kyunki main uska raaz jaanti thi. Woh insaan nahi thi, kisi aur roop mein thi. Usne apni jagah mujhe andar kheench liya, aur tab se main yahi hoon."
Riddhima ne warning di,
"Ab woh kisi aur ko chaahti hai…"
Raat ko jab woh ladki mirror ke saamne hoti, Kavya ka chehra dikhai deta—ek sundar aurat, lekin aankhon mein sirf andhera tha. Kavya kehti,
"Main bahar aana chahti hoon. Main tumhari zindagi chaahti hoon."
Aur tab lights fuse ho jaati.
Woh ladki flat chhodne ka plan banati hai, packing kar rahi hoti hai, magar saman gayab ho jaata. Sirf mirror wahi ka wahi rehta. Jab woh flat se nikalti, lift andar hi ruk jaati. Lift ke glass mein mirror ka reflection hota, par usme ladki nahi, Kavya hoti.
Lift bandh ho jaati, lights band ho jaati, aur ek pair uske bagal mein dikhai deta. Jab woh dekhti hai, koi nahi hota. Mirror ka ek tukda uske haath mein aa jaata, jo mirror se alag nahi ho raha tha. Jab chhune ki koshish karti hai, woh tukda usse andar kheench leta.
Woh darr kar lift se nikalti hai aur flat wapas jaati hai. Mirror ke saamne apni aankhon mein thakan dekhti hai, jaise Riddhima jaisi ho. Kehne lagti hai,
"Mujhe lagta hai main andar jaa chuki hoon. Ya phir koi aur meri jagah le chuka hai."
Mirror mein ek saaya muskura raha hota.
Uska behavior badalne lagta hai. Woh raat mein chalti hai bina hosh mein aaye, kabhi mirror ke saamne dance karti, kabhi roti. Neighbors kehte hain,
"Usmein kuch aa gaya hai."
Woh apni neend mein bhi video record karti hai, jisme woh mirror se baat karti dikhti hai.
Ek din Riddhima usse sapne mein aati hai aur kehti hai,
"Mirror mein ek aur raasta hai, jahan se Kavya ko kaid kiya jaa sakta hai. Lekin tu andar aani padegi."
Darr ke baawajood, ladki haan kar deti hai. Mirror ka surface dheere se pighalne lagta hai.
Ritual ke zariye woh andar jaane ki tayyari karti hai, white dress pehenti hai, candle jalati hai aur mirror ke saamne baith jaati hai. Aankh band karte hi woh mirror ke andar kheench li jaati hai. Wahan andhera hota, sirf awaazein sunai deti. Riddhima usse milti hai, par badal chuki hoti hai.
Riddhima kehti hai,
"Waqt kam hai. Kavya iss duniya mein kuch aur ban chuki hai. Woh shadow ab har jagah phail gaya hai."
Phir woh usse ek purani haweli jaisi jagah le jaati hai, jahan Kavya ek shaitaani moorat ki tarah baithi hoti hai.
Kavya unhe dekh leti hai, cheekh maar ke chillati hai, aur poori mirror duniya hilne lagti hai. Riddhima kehti hai,
"Tu mujhe bahar bhej de, main Kavya ko yahan kaid rakhungi."
Ladki haan bolti hai, lekin Kavya usse pakad leti hai aur kehti hai,
"Ab tu kabhi wapas nahi jaayegi."
Ek intense fight shuru hoti hai—Riddhima aur Kavya ke beech. Ladki dono ko alag karne ki koshish karti hai. Mirror duniya tootne lagti hai, aur ek white light sab kuch chhupane lagti hai. Kavya cheekh kar hawa mein udd jaati hai, aur sab kuch andhera ho jaata hai.
Phir ladki ki aankh khulti hai, apne room mein. Mirror wahan nahi hota, sab kuch normal lagta hai jaise kuch hua hi nahi. Par mirror ke jagah ek chhota photo frame padha hota, jisme likha hota,
"Tumne mujhe chhuda liya."
Tab ek awaaz aati hai,
"Kya sach mein?"
Woh muskurane lagti hai, par aankhon mein kuch alag hota—uski muskaan Kavya jaisi lagti hai. Woh mirror mein dekhti hai, par reflection uska nahi hota. Riddhima gayab hai, aur Kavya ke chehre pe jeet ki muskaan hai.
Kahani khatam hoti hai ek suspense ke saath:
"Mirror ke andar kaun gaya, kaun aaya... kaun jaane?"