Barsaat Ki Raat – Part 1: Power Cut, Stuck Lift

Barish ne Delhi ko poori tarah bheega diya tha. Neha ne office ki building ki lift mein kadam rakha tha, bag mein laptop aur haath mein chhatri, aur teesri manzil pe pahunchte hi light chali gayi.

"Oh, no," she said, out loud, to nobody.

"Haan, ye to pakka hai," said a man's voice from the back corner. "Power cut. Aur lift bhi rukh gayi."

She jumped. "Aap kaun?"

"Aman. Teesri manzil pe design firm mein kaam karta hoon. Aap?"

"Neha. Accounts. Aur mujhe is lift mein phasna pasand nahi."

"Koi bhi nahi chahta," said Aman, and she heard him shift, a soft rustle in the dark. "Chinta mat karo. Generator aata hi hoga."

It didn't. The lift stayed still, and the emergency light flickered once and died. The only sound was the rain drumming on the roof and their breathing in the small space.

"Aap ko chai pasand hai?" Aman asked after a while.

"Bahut," said Neha. "Lekin office ki chai bekar hai."

"Sahi kaha. Mera favourite chai stall Connaught Place ke paas hai. Adrak wali, bahut tez."

"Aap ko pata hai kya? Main har Friday wahan jaati hoon. Lekin kabhi kisi ko dekha nahi."

"Shayad hum ek hi waqt pe wahan hote hain," said Aman, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "Lekin chai mein sabse achchi cheez ye hai ki wo log ko dheere se milne deti hai."

Neha laughed in the dark, a surprised sound that echoed against the metal walls.

"Aap ko kaisa laga Delhi?" she asked. "Aap kahin aur se hain?"

"Lucknow se. Pehle naukri ke liye aaya, phir yahin reh gaya. Lekin mujhe kabhi kabhi laga ki main kisi aur city ka hissa hoon."

"Mujhe bhi," said Neha quietly. "Main yahan akeli hoon. Parents Jaipur mein hain, aur mujhe lagta hai ki main kisi se bhi sach nahi kehti."

There was a long pause. Then Aman said, very gently, "Toh aaj sach bolo. Mujhe suno."

She took a breath. In the dark, it was easier than she expected.

"Mujhe apni job pasand nahi," she said. "Accounts ka kaam achcha hai, lekin main kuch aur karna chahti thi. Kuch banana. Mujhe ye kisi ko nahi bataya."

"Mujhe bata diya," said Aman softly. "Ab tum ek secret kam rakh rahi ho."

She felt her face warm. "Aap bahut seedhe hain."

"Seedha nahi, bas sach sunne wala. Neha, kya main tumhara haath pakad sakta hoon? Bas ek minute ke liye, taaki dar na lage?"

"Haan," she whispered. "Aur agar main mana karoon, toh aap ruk jaayenge?"

"Bilkul," said Aman.

His fingers found hers in the dark, warm and careful. Neha held on. The rain kept falling, and somewhere above them, with a shudder and a hum, the lift lights came back on.