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Noida Sector 63 mein ek naye tech startup ka name tha ‘Eko•Hive’. Cool logo, open office, glass cabins. Mostly 24–30 age group ke dynamic log the… aur interns. Jaise Aayush, jo third semester ke summer internship mein yahan aaya tha. Task simple tha: kuch purane systems ko track karna, aur data backup lena.
Ek dusere corner mein ek system tha — purana. Black tower CPU, CRT monitor jaisa kuch. Screen chalu karte hi garaj jaise awaz aaye, aur desktop load hua — outdated Windows 98 style. Desktop pe 5 icons the:
1. MAILS1997
2. SHIFTLOGS
3. HRBACKUP
4. ACCOUNTS1998
5. FIFTH_DABBA
First 4 folders scan kiye Aayush ne — sab empty ya corrupted files. Par jo paanchva tha — FIFTH_DABBA — uspe double click karte hi ek password prompt aaya. Folder access denied. But jo ajeeb tha… woh yeh ki us folder ke icon ke neeche ‘DON’T TRY’ likha tha… default system font mein, lekin woh kisi ne rename toh nahi kiya tha.
Aayush ne socha kisi ne maze mein likh diya hoga. Par phir us system ke paas aate hi ek sard hawa lagti thi. AC off tha. Aur laga jaise monitor ka reflection hilta hai… jaise usme koi aur ho. Aayush ne colleagues se poocha: “Yeh computer kiska tha?”
Ek old employee bola, “Woh Giri Sir ka tha. Pehle CTO the 1999–2000 ke aas paas. Par ek din basement mein fire tha, aur unki body kabhi nahi mili. Lagta hai woh chala gaya US.”
Par HR logs mein toh ‘Final Exit: PENDING’ dikh raha tha.
Curious, Aayush ne password guess karna shuru kiya: Giri1999… hiveadmin… ek waqt aaya, jab usne randomly type kiya—”INSIDE”. Folder khul gaya. Monitor blink kar gaya ek second ke liye. Screen black, aur ek video auto-play hone laga — CCTV footage. Koi grainy basement dikhta hai, bina light ke. Camera shake kar raha hai, awazen aa rahi hain: *”who’s whispering?… stop… somebody’s behind me…”*.
Aayush ne dekha screen mein camera holder ka haath — aur ek moment mein usne dekha — woh sleeveless pale arm… jisme usi jaise black thread bandha tha wrist pe. Jaise uska hi ho. Suddenly, video hung. Aur CPU se ek burning wire ki boo aayi.
Raat 9 baje tak woh system band nahi ho raha tha. Aayush ne power cord nikali — screen ab bhi on. Tabhi kisi ne shoulder tap kiya — cleaning staff ka bhoora uniform mein koi aadmi: “Basement ka key kahan hai beta? Monday ko safai karni hai.”
Aayush bola, “Main intern hoon… mujhe kya pata.” Lekin pehli baar usne notice kiya: office ke floor plan mein basement ka toh mention hi nahi hota.
Next day, IT head ne bola: “Yeh desktop list mein nahi hai. Discarded tha. Kaun chhed raha tha isko?” Aayush chup raha. Us raat usne sapna dekha — ek narrow staircase ja rahi hai neeche… aur uske phone screen mein wohi FIFTH_DABBA folder chalu hai, par icons andar badal gaye hain: ek mein uski maa ro rahi hai, doosre mein uska hostel ka room… aur ek mein woh khud… lekin bina aankhon ke.
Kaam chhod diya Aayush ne do din baad. Par jab Noida metro mein ek din usne CCTV footage dekhi (news mein), kisi random food counter ke fire incident mein… woh freeze ho gaya. Footage mein ek ladka assemble karte hue CPU rakh raha hai counter ke neeche. Uska face toh nahi dikh raha, par haath — same black thread. Same cut. Same laptop jaisa device uski bag mein.
Aur woh voice-over sunayi di news ke beech mein: “Kuch log WOH system le jaakar kahin aur jod dete hain. Har connection ke saath WOH chhup jaata hai nayi space mein. FIFTH_DABBA automatically replicate ho jaata hai… jaise ek zinda virus.”
Aakhri scene: Aayush ke ghar ke monitor ka blank screen… with a faint whisper: *”WHERE WILL YOU HIDE WITHOUT INSIDE—”*
