Share This Article
Neha aur Arjun ne naya flat liya Delhi ke Ekanta Heights mein. High-rise apartment, 24th floor tak flats, swarg jaise view aur modern amenities. Sab kuch perfect tha, ek chhoti si chiz ke alawa—building mein kabhi kisi ko 13th floor ka mention nahi milta tha.
Lift directly 12th floor ke baad 14th floor jaati thi, aur building ke floor map mein bhi 13th floor missing tha. Maintenance wale bolte the, “Sirf superstition hai madam, log nahi chahte unlucky floor ho.” Neha hansi mein taal deti thi.
Ek din Arjun business trip pe tha aur Neha raat ke 11 baje late shift se waapas aayi. Lift mein woh akeli thi. Jaise hi usne 12th floor cross kiya, ek second ke liye lights flicker hui, aur floor display ne “13” blink kiya.
Neha ne socha, kisi ne prank kiya hoga. Lekin us din raat ko usne apne phone ki gallery kholi, aur ek nayi photo dikhi jo usne li hi nahi thi. Balcony se li gayi photo mein ek aatma jaisi cheez 13th floor ke upar ek chhoti si balcony se neeche jhaank rahi thi.
Dar ke maare usne photo delete kar di, basement mein jaake guard se pucha, “Is building mein sach mein 13th floor exist karta hai kya?”
Guard ne pehle inkaar kiya, magar kuch seconds baad uske chehre pe hawaas udd gaye aur usne bola, “Madam, aap woh floor mat dhoondna. 2017 mein jo iska pehla project engineer tha, usne 13th floor par accident se kisi worker ko mar diya aur uski laash chhupake concrete mein daal di thi. Tab se koi us floor ka design hi nahi karta. Magar woh floor… hai.”
Neha ne Arjun ke lautne ka intezar kiya. Dono ne milkar flat ke plans nikale, lekin 12th aur 14th ke beech mein sirf ventilation ki shaft dikhaayi gayi thi. Phir Arjun ne ek purana construction blog dhoonda jahan initial blueprint ke pehle version mein 13th level clearly labeled tha—with only one flat: #1301.
Agle din, curiosity ne Neha ko pakad liya. Subah 11 baje jab lift khaali thi, usne 12th floor ka button dabaya, par rukne se pehle emergency stop daba diya. Lift ek jhatke ke saath ruki. Usne shaft ka maintenance door khola aur sidha ek narrow concrete passage mila jo vertical stairs ke saath ek patli landing tak le jaata tha.
Wahan ek darwaza tha—rusted metal ka, jisme likha tha: Flat 1301. Kisi ne kaale marker se likha tha: “Khula toh kabhi na band hoga.”
Neha ne darr ke bawajood darwaza dhakka diya. Andar ek kamra tha—aadhe-bane hue walls, thandi hawa, aur beech mein ek murti jaisi chhoti ladki ki body jisme aankhen hil rahi thi. Woh chup thi, lekin deewar ke peechhe se kisi ne uske kaan mein kuch bola. Neha peeche bhagi.
Jab usne lift tak pahuchne ki koshish ki, toh ek voice uske peeche se boli, “Tumne mujhe dekh liya, ab tum bhi 1301 ki resident ho.”
Neha ne lift mein ghuskar har button dabaya, par lift utar ke niche jaane lagi—14, 13… aur ruk gayi.
Camera footage mein baad mein sirf ek shadow dikhi jo lift se walk out ki, lekin koi Neha nahi thi.
Ek mahine baad Arjun ko Neha ke phone se ek message aaya: “Balcony se dekho, main 13th floor par hoon. Hamesha ke liye.” Picture attached thi—Neha balcony ke parapet pe baithi dikhi… us floor par jo dikhna bhi nahi chahiye tha.
