Aashvi typed nervously on her phone, her fingers trembling as she texted Shristi. *Kya tumhe lagta hai mujhe Noah ki talaash karni chahiye?* The words felt heavy, like a weight pressing down on her chest.
Shristi replied almost instantly, *Haan, Aashvi. Agar tu sapne mein usse dekh rahi hai, toh shayad uska kuch matlab hai. Par pehle, tujhe apne sapne ke baare mein aur jaana hoga.*
Aashvi sighed, looking out of the window. The sun was setting, casting a golden hue over the old mansion. It looked beautiful yet eerie, its walls whispering secrets of the past. She remembered her mother's warning—how she was forbidden to seek Noah. But the pull to find him was stronger than ever.
“Chal, Shristi! Aaj hum kuch naya karte hain," Aashvi declared, a new determination in her voice. Shristi, who was engrossed in her phone, looked up with curiosity. “Kya karna hai?"
“Main us mansion mein jaane wali hoon jahan maine sapne dekhe hain. Maine suna hai wahan kuch purani kitaabein hain jo mujhe madad kar sakti hain.”
Shristi's eyes widened. “Aashvi, tu sach mein jaana chahti hai? Wahan toh log kehte hain ki bhoot hain! Aur teri maa toh keh rahi thi ki…”
“Shristi, mujhe pata hai. Lekin mujhe Noah ki talaash karni hai. Shayad wahan mujhe kuch answers milenge,” Aashvi interrupted, her voice steady.
“Thik hai, par main bhi aati hoon. Tum akeli nahi ja sakti,” Shristi replied, a hint of concern in her tone.
The two friends made their way to the mansion, the path lined with overgrown weeds and twisted trees that swayed ominously in the wind. Aashvi felt a chill run down her spine, but she pressed on. She had to know the truth.
As they approached the mansion, it loomed larger, its windows dark and hollow like empty eyes. “Yahan toh koi nahi hai,” Shristi whispered, glancing around nervously.
“Dekhte hain andar kya hai,” Aashvi said, pushing the creaky door open. The air inside was thick with dust and the scent of decay. Old furniture sat draped in white sheets, and cobwebs hung from the ceiling like ghostly veils.
“Yeh kya hai?” Shristi asked, running her fingers across a dusty table. Her hand brushed against a small, leather-bound book. “Ye toh ek diary hai!”
Aashvi’s heart raced. “Kya padh sakti ho?”
Shristi opened the diary, her eyes scanning the faded ink. “Yahan kuch hai… ‘Mere pyaar ke liye, main apne aatma ko is mansion mein band kar dungi. Sirf voh hi mujhe chhod sakta hai.’”
“Yeh kiski diary hai?” Aashvi asked, her curiosity piqued.
“Yeh toh kisi purani ladki ki hai… kuch aur bhi hai… ‘Jab tak voh aana nahi hoga, main yahan band rahungi.’”
Aashvi felt a shiver travel down her spine. “Yeh toh bilkul meri kahani hai! Kya agar yeh kisi aur ki bhi kahani hai toh kya humare sapne ek hi hain?”
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the mansion, making both girls jump. “Kya tha yeh?” Shristi squeaked, her face pale.
“Hume dekhna hoga,” Aashvi said, her voice barely above a whisper. They moved cautiously towards the sound, hearts thudding in their chests.
As they turned a corner, they stumbled upon a dimly lit room. In the center, a figure sat with its back to them, shrouded in shadows. Aashvi’s breath caught in her throat. “Noah?” she whispered, taking a step forward.
The figure turned slowly, revealing a face that was both familiar and haunting. It was Noah, but his eyes were filled with an ancient sorrow. “Aashvi,” he said, his voice echoing softly, “tum yahan kyun aayi ho? Tumhe yahan nahi aana chahiye!”
Aashvi’s heart raced, a mix of fear and longing. “Noah! Mujhe tumhari madad chahiye. Main tumhe is curse se bahar nikaalna chahti hoon!”
“No! Tumhe meri tarah band nahi hona chahiye!” Noah exclaimed, his voice rising in desperation. “Yeh sab kuch tumhare liye khatarnaak hai! Tumhe wapas jaana hoga!”
Before Aashvi could respond, the room filled with a cold gust of wind, and the shadows began to swirl around them. “Aashvi!” Shristi shouted, grabbing her arm. “Humhe bhaagna chahiye!”
But Aashvi was frozen, caught in the magnetic pull of Noah’s gaze. “Main tumhe nahi chhod sakti!” she cried, as the shadows clawed at her, trying to separate her from Noah.
The darkness enveloped them, and just as Aashvi felt herself slipping away, she heard Noah’s voice, strong and clear. “Fight, Aashvi! Tumhara pyaar sab kuch badal sakta hai!”
With those words echoing in her mind, Aashvi closed her eyes, summoning every ounce of strength she had. She would not let the curse win.
As the darkness swirled around them, Aashvi felt a warmth growing within her, a light that pushed against the shadows.
“Main tumhare liye yahan hoon, Noah! Tumhara pyaar mujhe yahan tak laya hai!” she shouted, and the shadows began to retreat.
But just as she felt hope rising, a piercing scream echoed through the mansion, and Aashvi's heart dropped. It was her mother’s voice, laced with fury.
“Tum dono kabhi ek nahi ho sakte!”
Aashvi knew then that their battle was only just beginning.
The shadows thickened, and as Aashvi and Noah reached for each other, they felt the curse tightening around them once more.
To be continued...
Write a comment ...