_Ôp¡sfbpw Ab¡mscbpw £Wn¨nÃ. kZybpanÃmbncp¶p. XoÀ¯pw A\mUw_cambn tkm\mbpsSbpw BÂ_nsâbpw a\k½Xw \S¶p. tacnb½bv¡pw kpt\mPn\pw AXv k¦Shpw A]am\hpapWvSm¡n. aäpÅhcpsS ap¼n X§Ä sNdpXmbXp t]mse. BUw_cw Gsdsbm¶pansænepw aämfpIÄ sN¿pw t]mse Hcp NS§v tkm\m kz]v\w IWvSncp¶p. Ct¸mgs¯ ]cnX:ØnXnbn BtLmj§Ä Ipd¨Xn AhÄ¡p ]cn`hw tXm¶nbnÃ. lrZb¯n BlvfmZhpw Bizmkhpw \ndªp \n¶p. BÂ_n³ XtâXmIm³ t]mIp¶p. kvt\ln¨ lrZb§Ä H¶mIp¶Xnt\¡mÄ henb B\µw `qanbn asä´mWv?
Xn¦fmgvN. D¨Ignª t\c¯v kpt\mPv Hcp Hmt«mbn ho«papä¯p h¶nd§n. ImÀs]äpw P\ IÀ«\pIfpw Pufn¯c§fpw CXns\Ãmap]cn Ipd¨p kzÀ®m`cW§fpw hm§n¨p sImWvSmWv Ahs\¯nbncn¡p¶Xv. km[\§Ä ho«ntes¡Sp¯p hbv¡p¶ aIs\ tacnb½ hnkvabt¯msS t\m¡n.
""F´mSm CsXms¡?'' t\À¯ ]p©ncntbmsS tacnb½ Xnc¡n.
""\aps¡ÃmÀ¡pw Ipd¨p ]p¯s\ms¡ hm§n¨p. h¶p t\m¡v CjvSs¸t«m¶v.'' ]mbv¡äpIfpambn kpt\mPv AIt¯¡p Ibdn.
""BtcmSp ISw hm§ns¨Sm, CXns\ms¡bpÅ cq]m?''
""AsXms¡ In«n. CXm A½bv¡pÅ kmcn.'' shÅbn Pa´n¸q¡fpsS {]nâpÅ kmcn IqSn \ns¶Sp¯v Ah³ tacnb½bv¡p t\sc \o«n. AhÀ kt´mjt¯msS AXp hm§n.
""\ÃXm. F\n¡njvSambn.'' tacnb½ ]dªp.
""tkm\mt¨¨nsbhnsS.''
""Ahfv Ipfn¡pIm¶m tXm¶ps¶.'' tacnb½ ]dªp.
tkm\mbv¡p thWvSn hm§nb aq¶p ]hsâ kzÀ® sNbn\pw Hmtcm ]h³ hoXapÅ cWvSp hfIfpw kzÀ® ]mZkchpw tacnb½ AXnibt¯msS t\m¡n¡WvSp. A½bpsS apJs¯ kzÀ®¯nf¡w kpt\mPns\ kt´mjn¸n¨p. B`cW§Ä¡p ]pdsa \mep NpcnZmdpIfpw Ah³ tkm\mbv¡p thWvSn hm§n¨ncp¶p. FÃmw IWvSv tacnb½bpsS I®p \ndªp. AhÀ hoSnsâ Nphcn Xq¡nbncp¶ `À¯mhnsâ a§n¯pS§nb Nn{X¯n\p t\À¡p t\m¡n.
""\o tNmdptWvSmSm D¨bv¡v.'' tacnb½ tNmZn¨p.
""CÃt½, hni¡p¶pWvSv. hnf¼nt¡m.''
A§s\ ]dªv Ah³ ]mâpw jÀ«pw amdm\mbn Xsâ apdnbnte¡p IS¶p. tacnb½ ASp¡fbn sN¶v tNmdpw Abe¡dnbpw ]bdp tXmc\pw hnf¼n. sNdnb taibn AsXSp¯p h¨t¸mtg¡pw kpt\mPv ssIIgpIn h¶p Ignªncp¶p. Abe¡dnbpsS sImgp¯ Nmdv tNmdnsemgn¨v Ah³ cpNntbmsS Ign¨p.
Ipfn¨v thjw amdn h¶ tkm\m tai¸pd¯v Pufn¡qSpIfpw aäpw IWvSp. A½bpw aI\pw X½nepÅ hÀ¯am\w AhÄ Ipfnapdnbn \n¶v tI«ncp¶p. NpcnZmdpIÄ Hmtcm¶psaSp¯v tkm\m t\m¡ns¡mWvSncp¶t¸mÄ kpt\mPv At§m«p Ibdns¨¶p.
""CsX´n\m Ct{Xw NpcnZmdpIsfmcpan¨p hm§n¨Xv?'' tkm\m kpt\mPns\ t\m¡n.
""\mse®atÃbpÅq. amdn amdn CStWvS?'' kpt\mPv ]dªp.
at\mlcamb Hcp \oes¨¸v tai¸pd¯p \ns¶Sp¯v kpt\mPv tkm\mbpsS ssIbn sImSp¯p. tkm\mbpsS apJ¯v hnkvabapWvSmbn.
sN¸p Xpd¡pt¼mÄ AhfpsS hncepIÄ hnd¨p. amebpw hfbpw ]mZkchpw AhÄ ssIbnseSp¯p ]cntim[n¨p. AhfpsS apJ¯v kpt\mPv {]Xo£n¨ Xnf¡w IWvSnÃ.
""kpt\mtP, CsXms¡ hm§n¡m³ \n\s¡hnSp¶m ]Ww?'' tkm\m tNmZn¨p.
""tN¨n¡v CjvSmtbm AXp ]dbv.''
""Rm³ tNmZn¨Xn\p \o adp]Sn ]dªnÃtÃm. Abmfp X¶XtÃ, B Poh³?''
kpt\mPnsâ apJw a§n.
""]Ww Poh³ kmdp X¶Xp Xs¶bm. IeymWs¨ehpIÄ¡mbn Hcp e£w cq]m X¶p.'' kpt\mPv Dd¨ kzc¯n ]dªp.
tkm\mbpsS apJ¯v ]pÑ`mhapWvSmbn.
""CXn Hcp Xcn s]m¶p t]mepw Rms\sâ tZl¯WnbnÃ. AbmfpsS ]Ww sImSp¯p hm§n¨ NpcnZmdpw F\n¡p thWvS.''
""tN¨o, \à Xocpam\w. Rms\m«pw \nÀºÔn¡p¶nÃ, CsXms¡ [cn¡Wsa¶v. ]ns¶ Poh³ kmdnsâ HuZmcyw H¶pw thsWvS¶ hminbmsW¦n Cu IeymWw IqsS thsWvS¶p hbvt¡WvSn hcpw.''
""IeymWw AbmfpsS HuZmcyaÃsÃm.''
""AbmfpsS HuZmcyw am{XamWv. tN¨nsb sI«m³ t]mIp¶ am\y³ AhnsS sN¶ncp¶p. Poh³kmdnsâbSp¯v. AbmÄ¡v IeymWw Ign¡m\pÅ tijnbnsöpw Poh³ kmdnt\mSv GsäSp¡Wsa¶pw ]dªp. A¡mcyw tN¨ntbmSpw Abmfv ]dªXmWtÃm. tN¨nbnhnsS NmIm\pÅ X¿msdSp¸pw XpS§n. CXn\nSbv¡v {Sq¸v amt\PÀ tPmk¨s\ sN¶p IWvSv \n§fpsS IeymWw Ct{Xw s]s«¶p \S¯m\pÅ kmlNcyw apgph³ DWvSm¡nbXm a\pjy\m. Rm³ ]dªXp hnizmkansæn sN¶v A¨t\mSt\zjn¡v.''
tkm\m sXÃp hnfdn. kpt\mPv ]dª Imcy§Ä icnbmIm³ km[yXbpsWvS¶v AhÄ¡pw tXm¶n. IeymWta thsWvS¶p ]dªbmÄ Xocpam\w amänbXv tPmk¨³ ]dªXpsImWvSp am{XamsW¶mWv AhÄ IcpXnbncp¶Xv.
""kpt\mtP, \o ]nW§m³ thWvSn ]dªXÃ. C{Xbpw cq]sbms¡ AbmÄ Xs¶¦n AXv C\nbpw Fs¶ ]ndsI \S¶p ieyw sN¿m\pÅ Hmtcm Ipcp¡pIfm. \½fv H«pw BÀ`mSanÃmsX IeymWw \S¯m\tà Xocpam\w. AXpsImWvSv B`cWw F\n¡pÅXp Xs¶ aXnsb¶p h¨n«m.'' tkm\m ]dªp.
""kzÀ®w hm§n¨Xv Rm³ Xncn¨p sImSpt¯¡mw. NpcnZmdv hà ]mh§Ä¡pw sImSp¡pw. Asæn I¯n¨p Ifbpw. ]ns¶ Hcp Imcyw IqsS AdnbWw. F\n¡v Hcp e£w cq]m Poh³ kmdv FSp¯pX¶Xv HuZmcyw sImWvSÃ. tN¨osS kuµcyw IWvSpaÃ. F\n¡v KÄ^n tPmen¡p In«p¶ i¼f¯o¶v XhWbmbn ]nSn¡psa¶p ]dªn«m. tN¨osS ]ndsI C\ow \S¡m³ am{Xw \mWw sI«h\à Poh³ kmdv. ]Xps¡ a\ÊnemIpaXv.''
B`cW§fpw hkv{X§fpsaSp¯v Aeamcbn h¨p ]q«nbn«v tcmjt¯msS Ah³ ]pdt¯¡nd§nt¸mbn.
*** *** *** ***
kÀ¤mRvPen IayqWnt¡jsâ Hm^okn ]pXnb ]m«pIfpsS dntlgvk \S¡pIbmWv. cWvSp ]pXpapJ§sf CXn\nsS tPmk¨³ IsWvS¯nbncp¶p. AhcpsS anIhv hnebncp¯p¶ thZn IqSnbmbncp¶p AXv. ]m«pIfpw HmÀ¡kvt{Sj\pw kkq£vaw {i²n¨p sImWvSv {][m\ Øm\¯v A¨³ Øm\w ]nSn¨n«pWvSv. ]pXnb ]m«pImÀ cWvSp t]cpw Akm²yamb kmaÀ°yw {]ISn¸n¨t¸mÄ Iq«pImÀ ssIbSn¨`n\µn¨p. tPmk¨³ ssIbSn¡pItbm A`n\µn¡pItbm sNbvXnÃ. ]pXnbhcpsS cq]w, `mhw, i_vZw, \r¯]mShw CsXms¡ Kucht¯msS a\Ên hnebncp¯pIbmbncp¶p A¨³. Ipsd Znhk§fmbn BÂ_n\pw tkm\mbpw t^manemIm¯Xp aqew kÀ¤mRvPenbpsS amÀ¡änSnbp¶Xmbn A¨³ a\Ênem¡nbncp¶p. AXns\mcp ]cnlmcambn«mWv ]pXnb IsWvS¯epIÄ. dntlgvk Iym¼nte¡v A{]Xo£nXambn tkm\m Ibdn h¶p. ]m«n\p t{_¡v \ÂIn FÃmhcpw tNÀ¶v Ahsf kzoIcn¨p.
""Rm³ dntlgvken\v XSÊapWvSm¡p¶nÃ. FÃmhtcmSpambn Hcp hm¡p ]dªn«v thKw s]mbvt¡mfmw.'' tkm\m \mWt¯msS ]dªp.
""ChnsS XSÊsam¶pw {]iv\am¡WvS. \n\¡p ]dbm\pÅXp apgph³ ]dªn«v kmhImiw t]mbm aXn.'' tPmk¨³ XmÂ]cy]qÀÆw ]dªp.
tkm\m AXp tI«v Aev]w IqSn hnfdn.
""Rm³... F\nt¡ähpw {]nbs¸« \n§fmscbpw Fsâ IeymW¯n\p hnfn¡p¶nsöp ]dbm\mWp h¶Xv. AsX´p sImWvSmsW¶v \n§Ä¡dnbmw. hymgmgvN ]membv¡Sp¯pÅ ]qhcWn ]Ånbn h¨mWv IeymWw. FÃmhcpw R§Ä¡p thWvSn {]mÀ°n¡Ww.'' tkm\m ]dªp \nÀ¯nbt¸mÄ AhfpsS IWvTanSdn.
""hnfn¨nsænepw R§sfÃmhcpsa¯nbncn¡pw. kmlNcytam, a®m¦«tbm H¶pw R§Ä¡p {]iv\aÃ.'' cRvPn¯v D¨¯n hnfn¨p ]dªp.
""]m«pImcnbpsS IeymWatÃ? ]m«p IpÀºm\bv¡pw HmÀ¡kv{S hnfn¡p¶ntÃ?'' tcmlnWn tNmZn¨p.
tkm\mbv¡v eÖbpw k¦Shpw Ieiembn. i_vZ¯n Icªnsænepw angn\oÀ XpÅnIÄ ASÀ¶p hoWp.
UbdIvSÀ tPmk¨s\gpt¶äp.
""tkm\m £Wn¨sXms¡ aXn. F\n¡p \nt¶mSp Nne Imcy§Ä ]dbm\pWvSv. hcq.''
A¨³ tkm\msb AhnsS \n¶p Iq«ns¡mWvSp t]mbn. Xsâ Iym_n\nencp¶mWv At±lahtfmSp kwkmcn¨Xv.
""tkm\m, BtLmjamb ]m«p IpÀºm\bpw Kw`ocamb kZybpw Km\tafbpsams¡bmbn \nsâ IeymWw \S¶p ImWm³ B{Kln¨h\m Rm³. ]t£ Cu IeymWta \S¡msX t]mIp¶ kmlNcyw Hcp L«¯nepWvSmbn. BÂ_n³ \nt¶mSp ]dªp ]ncnbm³ Xocpam\n¨Xpw AdnbmatÃm. \o BXalXysb¡pdn¨p t]mepw Nn´n¨ntÃb¶v.''
""Nn´n¨p.'' tkm\m Ipät_m[t¯msS apJw Xmgv¯n ]dªp.
""Rm³ Ipäs¸Sp¯nbXÃ. \nsâbt¸mgs¯ AhØsb ]än kqNn¸ns¨t¶bpÅq. \obpw BÂ_n\pw t{]m{KmapIfn \n¶pw amdn \n¶Xv \½psS {Sq¸ns\ Imcyambn _m[n¨p. AXnsâsbmcp¡WvT Fs¶be«ns¡mWvSncp¶p. BÂ_nt\mSv Ct¸mgs¯ kmlNcy¯n \nÀºÔ]qÀÆw \ns¶ hnhmlw Ign¡Wsa¶p ]dbm³ F\n¡p aSnbmbncp¶p. A§s\bncns¡ Hcp Znhkw Poh³ Fs¶ ImWm\nhnsS h¶p. BÂ_n\pw \obpambpÅ hnhml¯n\p \nÀºÔn¡Wsa¶pw AXp \S¶nsæn asämcp Zpc´w IqSn kw`hn¡psa¶pw Ah³ ap¶dnbn¸p \ÂIn. A§s\bmWv hfsc {ias¸«v NS§p am{Xambn \n§fpsS hnhmlw \S¯m³ Ahs\bpw A¸s\bpw k½Xn¸n¨Xv.
A¨³ Pohs\ ]pIgv¯n ]dªXv tkm\mbvs¡m«panjvSambnÃ. AhfpsS apJ¯v CuÀjybmWpWvSmbXv.
""sO. Fs´mcp \miw. AbmÄ ]ns¶bpw ]ehgnIfneqsS Fsâ sskzcw sISp¯pIbmWv.'' tkm\m shdpt¸msS ]dªp.
""tkm\m, \obn\nbpw Pohs\ sXän²cn¡p¶Xv IjvSamWv. kXyw a\Ênem¡msX Rm\m a\pjysâ t]cn h[{ia¯n\p tIkp sImSp¯p. ]{Xam[ya§fneqsS AbmÄ lo\ambn Ahtlfn¡s¸«p. F¶n«pw AsXÃmw ad¶v \n§sf X½n H¶n¸n¡m³ Poh\mWv ap³ssI FSp¯Xv.''
""A¨m, ssIXbv¡Â Pohsâ `n£bmWo hnhmlsa¦n AXp \S¡Wsa¶p t]mepw F\n¡nÃ. AbmÄ¡v KqtVmt±iy§fmWpÅXv. kpt\mPnsâ ssIbn Hcp e£w cq]bm hmcn sImSp¯p hn«ncn¡p¶Xv. F\n¡v As©«p ]hsâ kzÀt®mw \me©p NpcnZmdpw a½n¡p kmcosams¡ hm§nt¨mWvSp h¶p. B hr¯n sI«hsâ ]Ww sImWvSp hm§nb Hcp Xcn s]m¶p t]mepw F\n¡p thsWvS¶p ]dªp. H«pw CjvSs¸«nÃ. NmSn¯pÅnbnd§nt¸mbn Ah³.''
A¨³ hnjat¯msS aq¡n hnc h¨p.
""tkm\m, \o XnIª s\dn tISmWp ImWn¨Xv. kpt\mPv F´p am{Xw kvt\lt¯msSbmWsXms¡ hm§ns¡mWvSp h¶sX¶p \o Nn´nt¨m? Pohs\¡pdn¨pÅ \nsâ [mcWIÄ amäm³ {ian¡p¶nÃ. F´mbmepw ho«n sN¶v B sNdp¡t\mSp £a tNmZn¨v hm§n s¡mWvSp h¶Xv kzoIcn¡p¶Xmbncn¡pw \ÃXv. s]mbvt¡mfq.'' A¨³ Itkcbn \ns¶gpt¶äp.
tkm\m XnIª Ipät_m[t¯msSbmWv kÀ¤mRvPenbn \n¶p ho«nte¡p aS§nbXv. _Ên Ibdn sshIpt¶cw \mep aWntbmsS ho«nse¯nbt¸mÄ ASp¡f his¯ apä¯p \n¶v ]pI¨pcpfpIÄ Dbcp¶XmWp IWvSXv. AhÄ A¼ct¸msS HmSnbSps¯¯n. Xobn I¯nbacp¶Xv kpt\mPv hm§n s¡mWvSp h¶ ]p¯³ NpcnZmdpIfmbncp¶p.