"Khooni Train: Dosto Ka Safar Jo Laut Kar Kabhi Na Aaya"
**Part 1
— Raat Ki Sawaari**
December ki thandi raat thi. Shehar ke purane railway station par sirf chand hi roshni ka source tha, jo kabhi dhund ke parde me gum ho jaata, kabhi zameen par lambi si parchaai bana deta.
Ham paanch dost — Ali, Saad, Zayan, Hammad aur main (Farhan) — ek spontaneous adventure ke liye nikle the. Plan simple tha: ek purani mail train me chadh kar agle shehar tak ka safar karna, sirf thrill ke liye.
Platform par khadi “Sheher Express” ajeeb lag rahi thi. Paint urh chuka tha, windows ke kinare zung lage hue the, aur engine se ek halki si metallic si cheekh nikal rahi thi. Humne mazaak me kaha, “Bhoot train lag rahi hai,” lekin andr se pata nahi kyun, dil me ek ajeeb sa bojh mehsoos ho raha tha.
Compartment me chadhte hi pata chala ke andar ka mahaul alag hi hai. Kam roshni thi, aur seats par sirf kuch log baithe the — wo bhi chup, bilkul chup. Koi mobile use nahi kar raha tha, koi baat nahi kar raha tha, jaise sab kisi cheez ka intezaar kar rahe ho.
Train ka horn ek ajeeb, lambi si aawaz me baja, jo mere kaanon me ghanti ki tarah gunjti rahi. Jese hi train hilne lagi, mujhe ek corner seat par baithe ek bohot purane kapron me lipte aadmi ki aankhein dikhi — wo seedha mujhe ghoor raha tha, bina palak jhapkaye.
Uski nazar me kuch tha… kuch aisa jo normal nahi lag raha tha.
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jaise mooh ban raha ho. Us khula mooh se ek garam saans nikli, aur ek saath unhone halki si hansi ki… jo insani nahi thi.
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**Part 2
— Purane Kapron Wala Aadmi
Train dheere-dheere platform se nikal rahi thi. Dhund bahar ki khidkiyon pe chipak kar chal rahi thi, jaise hum uske andar band ho gaye ho. Andar ka temperature ajeeb thanda tha — AC ka thandapan nahi, balki wo jo haddiyon tak ghus jaye. Mere saamne baitha purane kapron wala aadmi ab bhi mujhe ghoor raha tha, bilkul static, jaise ek tasveer ho. Uski aankhon me ek khali si chamak thi, jaise wo mujhe pehchanta ho, lekin mujhe yakeen tha ke main usse pehli baar dekh raha hoon.
Saad ne mere kaan me hansi dabate hue kaha, “Farhan, ignore kar, pagal lagta hai.” Main chup raha, lekin dil me ek ajeeb bechaini thi.
Kuch der baad jab maine phir dekha, to meri ragon me thandak si daud gayi — wo aadmi ab meri seat ke bilkul kareeb tha. Itna kareeb ke main uski saans me ek purani, seelan bhari boo mehsoos kar raha tha. Uska chehra samay ke thappad se pura chhil chuka tha, chhoti chhoti daane aur nishaan saaf dikh rahe the.
Usne dheemi, par khaanste hue awaz me kaha, “Yahan se wapas chale jao… warna tum sab… ruk jaoge.”
Ali hans pada, “Uncle, hum sirf safar kar rahe hain.” Lekin wo aadmi bas ek hi baat baar-baar dohra raha tha:
“Yeh train rukti nahi… kabhi nahi.”
Agla blink hote hi, wo apni jagah par wapas tha — jaise kabhi hila hi na ho. Lekin main janta tha… maine usse move karte dekha tha.
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**Part 3
— Ajeeb Awaaz
Train ke wheels ki “dhad-dhad” ke beech ek aur awaaz ghul rahi thi — halki si “tap… tap… tap…” Jaise koi bare feet me, dheere-dheere, corridor me chal raha ho.
Pehle to humne ignore kiya, lekin awaaz dheere-dheere zyada tez aur kareeb hone lagi. Hammad curiosity me uth khada hua. “Main dekh ke aata hoon,” usne casual tone me kaha aur agle coach ki taraf chal diya. Uska chehra confident tha, lekin mujhe uske chalne me ek chhupi si ghabrahat mehsoos hui.
Paanch minute… dus minute… pandrah minute… Hammad wapas nahi aaya. Zayan uth kar gaya, lekin sirf do minute me wapas aa gaya — chehra safed, jaise khoon sukh gaya ho. “Wahan… kuch nahi hai. Sirf ek purana locked compartment… aur uske andar bilkul andhera. Lekin awaaz andar se aa rahi thi.”
Saad ne apna mobile torch on kiya, lekin light sirf thoda sa aage ja rahi thi. Corridor ke kone me dhund kuch zyada ghani thi — jaise zinda ho.
Aur phir — “tap… tap…” awaaz dobara hui. Is baar bilkul hamare peeche se.
Humne ek saath piche dekha… corridor bilkul khali tha.
Lekin ek chhaya… har blink ke saath zyada kareeb aa rahi thi. Aur jab main ne aankh band karke kholi… wo sirf do kadam door thi.
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**Part 4
— Ghumshuda Dost
Meri gardan me thandak si utar gayi. Ali ne zor se chillaya, “Kaun hai wahan?” Lekin jawab me sirf train ki “ghad-ghad” awaaz aayi, jaise kisi ne humari awaaz nuqsaandaaz kar di ho.
Hum teenon ne decide kiya ke saath chal kar check karte hain. Corridor ke aage ek purana sliding door tha jo aadha khula hua tha. Andar se ek halki ghanti ki awaaz aa rahi thi — wo awaaz jo kisi purani temple bell jaisi hoti hai, lekin isme ek ajeeb sa rhythm tha… jaise koi humari heartbeat ke saath synchronize ho rahi ho.
Humne door dhakka dekar khola. Andar ka temperature itna thanda tha ke hamare saans ki white steam nazar aa rahi thi. Seats ke kone me ek purana bag pada tha, dhool aur makri ke jaalon se dhaka hua. Zayan ne halki si hichkichahat ke saath bag khola… aur andar se ek chhota scarf nikala — khoon se bhara hua.
Mere dil ki dhadkan tez ho gayi. Wo scarf Hammad ka tha — aaj subah hi usne pehna tha.
Saad ne ghabrakar kaha, “Shayad prank kar raha hai.” Lekin main jaanta tha… prank me kisi ka scarf itna taaza khoon se bhara nahi hota.
Tabhi… wo “tap… tap…” awaaz dobara hui. Is baar bag ke bilkul peeche se. Humne saath hi piche dekha… lekin wahan sirf ek purana mirror tha.
Aur us mirror me… hum chaar dikh rahe the.
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**Part 5
— Badalte Coach
Hammad ke scarf ka khoon ab mere haathon me sukh raha tha. Hum teeno — main, Ali, aur Zayan — darr ke maare wapas apne compartment ki taraf bhage. Par jaise hi hum wahan pohnche… sab kuch badal chuka tha.
Wo familiar seats, wahi passengers… sab gaayab. Ab compartment ek ajeeb dhund se bhara kamra ban gaya tha. Seats ki jagah lambi benches thi, aur unpar mannequins jaisi figures baithe the. Unke chehre bilkul plain — na aankh, na naak, na mooh. Bas ek smooth, safed surface jo light me halki si chamak rahi thi.
Pehle to wo bilkul static the, lekin phir… humne mehsoos kiya ke unke sar dheere-dheere hamari taraf ghoom rahe hain.
Ali ne hichkichate hue kaha, “Yeh… chal rahe hain?”
Main ne poocha, “Kya matlab?”
Zayan ne dheemi awaz me kaha, “Inke bodies… dheere-dheere uth rahe hain.”
Dhund aur ghani hone lagi, aur mannequins humare kareeb aane lage. Humne exit ki taraf bhaagne ki koshish ki, lekin har baar darwaza alag jagah shift ho jaata. Jaise train khud humse khel rahi ho.
Achanak mannequins ke chehre pe ek lambi, seedhi kaat khul gayi — jaise mooh ban raha ho. Us khula mooh se ek garam saans nikli, aur ek saath unhone halki si hansi ki… jo insani nahi thi.
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**Part 6
— Tez Raftaar
Hum mannequins se bach kar agle coach me ghuse. Yahaan ka mahaul pehle se zyada ghutn bhara tha. Sirf ek tube light blink kar rahi thi, har 3 second me ek chhoti si roshni phailti, phir dobara andhera chha jaata.
Blink ke beech, mujhe lagta tha ke kuch shadows coach ke aakhir me khadi hain — lekin jaise hi light jhalakti, wo kareeb aa jati. Har blink ke saath distance kam hota ja raha tha.
Train ki speed achanak badh gayi, jaise kisi ne accelerator ko max tak ghuma diya ho. Wheels ki awaaz ab “cheekh” me badal gayi thi, aur poora coach hila raha tha. Main girte padte ek seat par baitha, lekin turant uth gaya — seat geeli thi.
Torch lagai… to dekha wo pani nahi, taaza khoon tha.
Ali ne khidki se bahar dekhne ki koshish ki, lekin bahar ka manzar ek anant andhera tha. Koi station, koi ped, koi building… sirf ek kala, bejaan vacuum.
Tabhi — purane kapron wala aadmi saamne aa gaya. Is baar wo itna kareeb tha ke main uske saans ki sard boond apne chehre par mehsoos kar raha tha.
Usne halki si muskaan ke saath kaha:
“Tumhare liye koi manzil nahi… sirf yeh safar… hamesha.”
Uski baat khatam hote hi tube light ek dum band ho gayi… aur andhera zinda lagne laga.
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**Part 7
— Conductor Ki Warning
Hum panic me conductor ke cabin ki taraf bhage. Aisa lag raha tha jaise train ke har corner se koi hume dekh raha ho, lekin dikhta kuch nahi tha. Cabin ka darwaza humne zor se khola — andar ek lamba, patla aadmi khada tha. Black uniform me, bilkul seedha, aur uska chehra andhere me chhupa hua tha. Sirf do chhoti, chamakti si aankhen roshni ko tod rahi thi.
“Mujhe… ticket dikhaiye,” usne ek thandi, monotonous awaaz me kaha.
Ali ne apni ticket uske haath me di. Conductor ne ticket ko ek purani, chhoti machine me dala. Machine se ek halki “click” aayi, aur ticket ke kone se ek laal boond tapki — jo zameen par gir kar dheere-dheere failne lagi.
Main ne ghabra kar pucha, “Yeh… khoon hai?”
Conductor ne humari taraf jhukte hue kaha, “Jo is safar ka ticket kharidta hai… wo apni jaan se bharta hai.”
Uske is dialogue ke baad cabin me temperature achanak gir gaya. Saans lena mushkil ho gaya, jaise hawa me barf ghul gayi ho.
Tabhi, cabin ke piche ek shadow move hui. Humne dekha — purane kapron wala aadmi khada tha, aur is baar uske haath me Hammad ka phone tha. Phone ki screen par “REC” blink kar raha tha… jaise wo humari maut ka intezaar record kar raha ho.
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**Part 8
— Sach Ka Pata
Conductor aur purane kapron wala aadmi ek saath hume ghoor rahe the. Cabin ki hawa me ek ajeeb si vibration thi, jaise puri train humare andar goonj rahi ho.
Zayan ne hichkichate hue pucha, “Hammad kahan hai?”
Purane kapron wala aadmi dheere se muskuraya, uski daanton ke beech kuch laal atka hua tha. “Woh… pehle hi apni manzil tak pahunch gaya.”
Mere pair ke neeche cabin ka floor halki halki vibration ke saath hilne laga. Main ne torch niche ki — lakdi ka floor patla tha, aur beech me chhoti chhoti cracks thi. Un cracks me se koi laal cheez tapak rahi thi… bohot saari.
Ali ne zor se darwaza khola aur wapas corridor me bhaagne laga, lekin darwaza ke bahar ab wo coach hi nahi tha jo pehle tha. Ab bas ek lambi, andheri tunnel thi, jo infinite lag rahi thi.
Tabhi train ka horn bajha — ek lambi, bansi jaisi cheekh jo kaano me chubh gayi. Cabin ki tube light blink hui, aur ek blink ke baad conductor aur purane kapron wala aadmi gayab the.
Hum teenon cabin me akelay khade the, lekin ab piche se “tap… tap… tap…” ki awaaz aa rahi thi.
Har kadam ke saath wo awaaz tez ho rahi thi. Aur jab humne mur kar dekha… to Hammad khada tha. Lekin uski aankhen poori kaali thi.
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**Part 9
— Aakhri Zinda Dost
“Hammad…?” Ali ne dheere se kaha, jaise wo apne dost ki tasdeeq karna chahta ho.
Lekin Hammad ne koi jawab nahi diya. Uske pair cabin ke floor ko chhute hi nahi the, jaise wo zameen se kuch inch upar hawa me chal raha ho. Har kadam ke saath uske chehre par ek ajeeb sa grin badh raha tha — ek grin jo insani nahi lagti thi.
Main ne ek step piche liya, lekin Hammad ke haath achanak lambe ho gaye, jaise rubber stretch ho raha ho. Usne mera collar pakad liya, aur ek sardi ki lehar meri gardan se seedha kamar tak utar gayi.
“Hume… utar do!” Zayan cheekha, lekin train ke windows ke bahar ab sirf wahi andhera tha, jisme kabhi koi manzil nahi dikh rahi thi.
Phir Hammad ne apna sir thoda jhuka ke kaha, “Manzil… tum soch bhi nahi sakte.” Uski awaaz hollow thi, jaise khokhle ghade me hawa chal rahi ho.
Tabhi, train ka horn itna tez bajha ki humne apne kaan band kar liye. Lights blink hui… aur ek blink me Hammad puri tarah se gaayab tha.
Sirf ek chhota sa purana ticket floor par pada tha — us par laal likha tha: **“One Way Journey”**.
Aur door ke bahar se dobara wahi “tap… tap… tap…” sunai diya.
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**Part 10
— Shocking Twist
Hum teenon cabin se bhaag kar wapas coaches me ghoomne lage, lekin har darwaza, har passage hume dobara usi cabin me le aata. Jaise train ek anant loop me chal rahi ho.
Saans phool rahi thi, dimag band ho raha tha. Tabhi ek corner me ek purana radio rakha dikha — bina battery ke bhi wo static noise kar raha tha. Static ke beech ek awaaz sunai di:
“Agla station… sirf unke liye… jo kabhi wapas nahi aate.”
Zayan ne ghabra ke radio tod diya, lekin turant hi cabin ka darwaza apne aap khul gaya. Bahar ek platform tha — purana, toot-phoot chuka, aur wahan koi insaan nahi tha. Sirf kuch mannequins khade the… bilkul waise hi jaise humne pehle coach me dekhe the.
Ali ne kaha, “Chalo… utar jaate hain.” Lekin jaise hi hum utarne lage, mannequins apna sir hilaane lage — left se right, left se right — jaise “No” keh rahe ho.
Platform par ek bench ke upar ek akhbar thi, jo hawa ke bina bhi hil rahi thi. Main ne uthai… aur pehli hi khabar padhi:
**“Teen jawan laapta — Sheher Express se wapas kabhi na utar sake.”**
Neeche tasveer thi… hum teenon ki.
Ali ne shock me kaha, “Yeh… kaise…?”
Tabhi train ka horn bajha, darwaza bandh hua… aur platform andhere me doob gaya.
Aur hum samajh gaye… yeh safar kabhi khatam nahi hoga.
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The End ❤️
