The Mirror Tenant

Ek weak BULB jhilmila raha hai. Deewar par distorted reflections. Ek COVERED MIRROR hallway ke beech. Uske paas ek LOCKED DOOR.

Mr. D’SOUZA, 62, white vest, lungi, thick glasses, ek CANDLE aur OLD KEYS ke saath khada hai.

VIVEK, 28, casual clothes, backpack, flashlight, thaka hua aur skeptical, uske saamne.

Dekhiye, main mazaak nahi kar raha. Mere room ke mirror mein...

MR. D’SOUZA

Mirror mein kya? Apna chehra? Neend ki kami?

Nahi. Ek second aadmi.

Mr. D’SOUZA hansi dabata hai.

MR. D’SOUZA

Achha. Pichhle tenant ne bhi bola tha.

To aapko problem normal lagti hai?

MR. D’SOUZA

Old wiring. Bulb flicker. Dimaag overwork.

Vivek flashlight ON karta hai. Beam mirror ki taraf.

MIRROR REFLECTION mein Vivek ke peeche ek SHADOWY MAN ka silhouette dikhta hai.

Vivek freeze.

...Woh.

Mr. D’Souza ka chehra tight.

MR. D’SOUZA

Kya?

Vivek mirror ki taraf point karta hai. Reflection mein SHADOWY MAN ek second pehle move karta hai.

Woh mere peeche khada hai.

MR. D’SOUZA

Candle aur flashlight ka combo hai. Aankhon ka dhoka.

Phir reflection mere se pehle kaise hil raha hai?

Mr. D’Souza kuch nahi bolta.

Bulb flicker karta hai.

MIRROR mein Mr. D’Souza ki keys pehle jhankarti hain. Real life mein baad mein.

Aapne dekha?

MR. D’SOUZA

...Haan.

A beat.

Yeh room ke saath connected hai.

Vivek locked door ki taraf dekhta hai.

MR. D’SOUZA

Us taraf mat jao.

Kyun?

Mr. D’Souza looks away.

MR. D’SOUZA

Bas mat jao.

Vivek backpack utarta hai.

Mere room mein koi aur reh raha hai, aur aap bol rahe ho mat jao?

MR. D’SOUZA

Yeh building purani hai.

Haan. Aur aapke excuses bhi.

Vivek mirror ke paas jaata hai. Reflection ab SHADOWY MAN ko zyada clearly dikhata hai.

The man has Mr. D’Souza’s glasses.

Vivek turns slowly.

Yeh aapka hai.

Mr. D’Souza stiffens.

MR. D’SOUZA

Bakwaas.

Same face. Same glasses shape. Same...

...guilt.

Mr. D’Souza clenches the candle.

MR. D’SOUZA

Chup.

Lock kholiye.

MR. D’SOUZA

Nahi.

Aapke paas key hai.

MR. D’SOUZA

Haan.

To kholiye.

Mr. D’SOUZA stares at the door, then at the mirror.

Slowly, he takes out the OLD KEYS.

MR. D’SOUZA

Agar khola... to jo andar hai...

...bahar aa jayega?

Mr. D’SOUZA doesn’t answer.

He inserts the key.

CLICK.

The lock opens.

The door CREAKS open.

Dust. An old bed frame. Cracked table. A COVERED MIRROR on the wall.

Vivek steps in first.

Bas?

Mr. D’Souza enters reluctantly.

MR. D’SOUZA

Yahin tha.

Kaun?

Mr. D’SOUZA looks at the covered mirror.

MR. D’SOUZA

Mera bhai. Anil.

Vivek looks to him.

Aapka bhai?

MR. D’SOUZA

Haan.

Isi room mein rehta tha.

Vivek pulls the cover off the mirror.

In the reflection: a YOUNGER MAN, ANIL, stands behind Mr. D’Souza.

Real room: empty.

Mr. D’Souza goes pale.

Woh hai.

MR. D’SOUZA

Nahi...

Reflection-Anil smiles.

Aapne usse yahan band kiya tha?

Mr. D’Souza can’t look away.

MR. D’SOUZA

Usne ghar chhoda nahi tha.

To?

MR. D’SOUZA

Maine chhodne nahi diya.

A beat.

Kya matlab?

Mr. D’Souza’s voice breaks.

MR. D’SOUZA

Us din jhagda hua. Room, paise, sab kuch.

Maine darwaza band kiya. Woh seedhiyon par gira.

Vivek stares.

Aapne usse maar diya?

MR. D’SOUZA

Main... main bas chahta tha woh ruk jaaye.

Reflection-Anil’s lips move.

Mujhe bahar nahi jaane diya.

Vivek jolts. Mr. D’Souza hears it too.

MR. D’SOUZA

Anil...

Candle FLUTTERS.

The bulb DIES.

Darkness, only flashlight beam shaking.

In the mirror: Anil now stands between them.

Woh abhi bhi yahin hai.

MR. D’SOUZA

Haan.

Aur main bhi.

Anil’s reflection smiles wider.

The mirror reflects something impossible: Vivek behind Mr. D’Souza, then Mr. D’Souza behind Vivek.

As if the apartment has decided who belongs where.

The hallway goes silent.

Vivek slowly sets the backpack down.

Mr. D’Souza grips the keys like a rosary.

In the mirror, Anil does not move.

He only waits.