emma ko hamesha se hee praacheen vastuon se lagaav raha hai, isalie jab use pissoo baazaar mein ek puraana, alankrt darpan mila, to vah use khareedane se khud ko rok nahin paee. vikreta ne use chetaavanee dee ki darpan ka ek itihaas hai, lekin emma ne ise andhavishvaas bataakar taal diya.
ghar pahunchane ke baad, usane darpan ko apane bedaroom mein lataka diya. us raat, jab vah sone ke lie taiyaar ho rahee thee, to usane kuchh ajeeb dekha. darpan mein pratibimb kamare se bilkul mel nahin kha raha tha. yah... ajeeb lag raha tha. usane apana sir hilaaya, ise apanee kalpana ka shrey diya, aur so gaee.
aadhee raat ke aasapaas, ek thandee hava ne use jagaaya. usane darpan par nazar daalee aur apane pratibimb ke peechhe ek chhaayaadaar aakrti khadee dekhee. emma ghoomee, lekin usaka kamara khaalee tha. dil kee dhadakan tez hone par, vah vaapas darpan kee or mudee. aakrti gaayab thee.
agale kuchh dinon mein, ghatanaen adhik baar aur adhik bhayaanak hotee gaeen. chhaayaadaar aakrti ne ek adhik paribhaashit aakaar lena shuroo kar diya - khokhalee aankhon vaala ek lamba, dubala-patala aadamee.
vah har baar aaeene mein dikhaee deta, kareeb se, lekin jab emma seedhe usakee or dekhatee to hamesha gaayab ho jaata. hataash aur daree huee emma ne aaeene se chhutakaara paane kee koshish kee, lekin chaahe usane kuchh bhee kiya - use phenk diya,
tukade-tukade kar diya - vah hamesha phir se dikhaee deta, agale din usakee deevaar par lataka hua, barakaraar aur achhoota. ek raat, emma ne jaagate rahane aur aakrti ka saamana karane ka phaisala kiya. vah aaeene ke saamane baithee, prateeksha kar rahee thee. jaise hee ghadee ne aadhee raat bajaee, dubala-patala aadamee phir se dikhaee diya. is baar, vah gaayab nahin hua. vah muskuraaya, ek dheemee, bhayaavah muskaan, aur aaeene se baahar haath badhaaya. emma chillaee jab usaka thanda,
haddeedaar haath usakee kalaee ke chaaron or lipata hua tha, use kaanch kee or kheench raha tha. usane sangharsh kiya, lekin usakee pakad lohe kee tarah thee. aaeene mein kheenche jaane se pahale usane jo aakhiree cheez dekhee, vah usaka apana bhayabheet pratibimb tha, usaka munh ek khaamosh cheekh mein khula tha. agalee subah, emma ka apaartament khaalee tha. deevaar par sheesha lataka hua tha, ekadam saaph aur chamakeela. aur agar aap dhyaan se dekhen, to aap ek behosh, bhayabheet vyakti ko andar phansa hua dekh sakate hain, jo sheeshe par vaar kar raha hai, bhaagane mein asamarth hai.
