IeymWn Xsâ ]cn£oWamb I®pIÄ sImWvSv C³kvs]IvSsd Hcp \nanjw t\m¡n. Fs´m¡tbm hnImc§Ä AhfpsS apJ¯p an¶n adªp.
""\o BcmWv? t]meokv tÌj\n Ibdn hcm³ s\\s¡§s\ ss[cyw h¶p?''.
C³kvs]IvSÀ AhfpsS apJt¯¡pw apjnª hkv{X§fnte¡pw amdn amdn t\m¡ns¡mWvSp kmIqXw tNmZn¨p.
IeymWn adp]Snsbm¶pw ]dªnÃ. ]Icw Xsâ ssIbnencp¶ tNmc]pcWvS XpWn C³kvs]IvSdpsS tai¸pd¯p h¨p.
""Rm\bmsf sIm¶p kmsd. B a¯mbnsb. Fsâ sImbv¯cnhmfp sImWvSv... sh«n sh«ns¡m¶p. ''
C³kvs]IvSÀ s]s«¶p Xncnªp samgn tcJs¸Sp¯m³ Hcp t]meokpImc\p \nÀt±iw sImSp¯p. F¶n«v tNmZn¨p.
""F´n\mWv \o¿v Abmsf sIm¶Xv?''
""A¿mfv Fsâ tam³ hmkqs\ sIm¶p. Ahs\ sImÃm\v Iq«p \n¶p.''. AhÄ sXÃp \ndp¯n.
]IbpsS I\epIÄ B I®pIfn Xnf§n.
""AhscÃmw tNÀ¶v Fsâ aIs\ sImÃWXv Rm³ IWvSXm. sh«nsh«n Ahsâ Poh³ t]mWXp hsc. Rm³ `b¶p hnd¨v t\m¡nbncp¶p, B ]oSn¯n®bpsS aqteev''.
C³kvs]IvSÀ AhfpsS apJt¯¡p kq£n¨p t\m¡n. F¶n«v tNmc]pcWvS XpWnIfnte¡pw.
""Rm³ X¡w t\m¡nbncn¡bmbvcp¶p Ahs\ sImÃm³. At¸mgm Ah\v Fsâ ap¼nev h¶ps]«Xv. Rm³ Ahsâ ]n¶mse ]Xp§ns¨¶v Ah³ ]Sns¸mc IS¡tW\p ap¼v s]mdIo¶v sh«n. Igp¯n\p Xs¶ sh«n. Häsh«n\v Xs¶ Ah³ hoWv. Iangv¶Sn¨p hoWv. Rm³ hoWvSpw hoWvSpw sh«n. tNmc sXdn¨p hoWXv Zm Fsâ B apWvSnem. Ah³ s]Sªv s]Sªv acn¡WXv Fsâ I®psImWvSv Rm³ IWvSp. ''
IeymWn Aev]t\cw au\w ]qWvSp. F¶n«p ]pdwssIsImWvSv AhÄ I®pIÄ XpS¨p. Hcp \nanjw Ft´m BtemN\bnemWvSp.
""A¶p samXev Rm³ t\m«an«Xm. Abmsf In«m³ X¡w ]mÀ¯ncn¡pIbmbncp¶p Rm³. AXn\nSbnem \n§fv Abmsf AdÌp sNbvtXmWvSp t]m¶X.v Rm³ IcpXn, Fsâ ¹ms\ms¡ sXäo¶v. ]t£¦nev \n§fv Abmsf hn«p. shdpsX hn«p. At¸mgv Rm³ \nÝbn¨q Fsâ \oXn \S¸m¡Wsa¶v . ]t£ Hmtcm XSʧfv''. AhÄ hoWvSpw I®p XpS¨p.
""Ct¸mgv F\n¡hkcw In«n. IÃp¦se tNmdm Rm\pw Xn¶tW. AtXmWvSv B ]Sns¸mcbv¡p ]pd¯p h¨p thWw Abmsf sImÃms\¶p Rm³ Xocpam\n¨p. Gams\! \n§fv At\zjn¨p hebWvStÃm¶p IcpXnbm Rm\n§v h¶Xv. C\n Fsâ tNmdv ChvsSbm. \n§fm Fsâ kwc£Icv. Fsâ sNdp¡³ sX½mSnbmtWepw Ah³ t]mbntÃ. C\n BÀ¡pthWvSnbm Rm³ Pohn¡tW. AtXmWvSm h¶Xv. F\n¡p h¿m. IjvSs¸Sm³ h¿m. Rm\nhvsS Pohnt¨mfmw. acn¡Whsc. Asænev kmd·mcv Fsâ Poh\s§Spt¯m..''.
IeymWn s]m«n¡cbm³ XpS§n. C³kvs]IvSÀ Hcp t]meokpImc\v \nÀt±iw sImSp¯p. IeymWnsb A¸pds¯ skÃn ASbv¡m³.
""hcq. ''. AbmÄ AhfpsS t\sc Xebm«n. AhÄ I®p XpS¨v AbmÄ¡p ]n¶mse \S¶p.
skÃnsâ Xpcp¼pIbdnb hmXn Hcp Rc¡t¯msS Xpd¶p. IeymWn B apdnbmsI It®mSn¨p.
]cp¡³ knaân« B apdnbpsS aqebn Hcp Ip«n¨m¡v aS¡nh¨ncp¶p. IeymWn \S¶psN¶v B Nm¡n\p aosX Ccp¶p. F¶n«v Ft´m ]ndp]ndp¯p.
AhÄ¡p ap¶n Ccp¼phmXn ASªp. apdnbnse t\À¯ Ccp«n AXv Xmgn«p ]q«p¶ i_vZw AhÄ tI«p. AhÄ hoWvSpw Ft´m ]ndp]ndp¯psImWvSncp¶p.
* * * *
adnbm½s¸§fpsS I«nen\cnIn Hcp Itkcbn«v ]utemk¨³ Ccn¡pIbmWv. adnbm½s¸§sf ]cnNcn¡p¶ s]¬Ip«n Aev]aIse `hyXtbmsS \n¶p.
""F´mW¨m!. Cu IpSpw_¯nev C§s\ Hmtcm Zpc´§fv h¶p tIdWXv. ImÀt¶m½mcvsS Zpjv{]hÀ¯nIfv sImWvSmtWm? BcpsSsbms¡tbm im]w Cu Xdhm«n\p tate HsWvS¶p tXm¶Wv, F\n¡v.'' adnbm½s¸§Ä Hcp ZoÀL \nizmkapXnÀ¯p.
""A§s\sbm¶pw Nn´n¡tà s]§tf! ssZh¯n\v Hmtcm ]²XnIfpWvSv. \maXnsâsbm¶pw hn[nbmf·mcÃ. FÃmw kln¡m\pÅ a\¡cp¯p In«m³ ssZht¯mSp {]mÀ°n¡pI. CXnepw henb ZpxJ§fv A\p`hn¡WhcntÃ. A§s\ kam[m\n¡Ww, \½fv''.
""Rm³ t]mhpIbm. s]§fv ssZht¯mSp {]mÀ°n¡v. ssZhw \t½ ssIshSnbpIbnÃ''. ]utemk¨³ FWoäp.
""A¨\ncn¡v. F\n¡v A¨t\mSv sNe Imcy§fv ]dbms\mWvSv.''
adnbm½s¸§fpsS apJw Nn´bnemWvSp. ]utemk¨³ s]§fpsS hm¡pIÄ¡mbn Im¯p.
""IpªphdoXnsâ Imcy§fv A¨\dnbmtem. Ah³ B s]®pambn ChsS Xmakzn¡zm. Rm\mWXv Aht\mSp ]dªXv. adnbm½tbm t]mbn. Ahsf ssZhw A§v hnfn¨p. C\ot¸m Bcm Cu Xdhm«nsemÅXv. AhcvhvsS Xmakn¡s«; Ahs\mcp sXmWbmbv. Ahfnev cWvSp sIm¨p§fpantà Ah\v. AXp§fpw IjvS¯nemIcpXv ''.
adnbm½s¸§fpsS I®pIÄ kPe§fmbn.
""A¨\mtemNn¡v. F´mWp hgnsb¶v. \m«pImscs¡mWvSp shdpsX Hmtcm¶p ]dbn¡cpXv''.
]utemk¨sâ apJw Nn´bnemWvSp. B I®pIÄ hnIkn¨p. `n¯nbnse Hcp Nn{X¯nte¡p ]utemk¨sâ I®pIÄ \oWvSp.
cWvSp ]n©p ss]X§sf Hcp amemJm Imhemfmbn \n¶v Hcp ]mew IS¡m³ klmbn¡p¶ Nn{Xambncp¶p, AXv.
]utemk¨³ Hcp ZoÀL\nizmkapXnÀ¯p. At±lw adp]Snsbm¶pw ]dªnÃ.
""Rm³ t]mIp¶p s]§tf. t\cw sshIn. C\n t]mIp¶ hgn Bip]{Xoepw IbdWw. A[nIw Ccp«p¶Xn\p apt¼ As§¯pIbpw thWw''.
]utemk¨\v adnbm½s¸§Ä kvXpXnsNmÃn:
""Cutim aninlmbv¡p kvXpXnbmbncn¡s«''. ]utemk¨³ s]§fpsS ZpÀºeamb ssIIÄ cWvSpw Iq«n¸nSn¨v, Hcp \nanjw I®S¨p. F¶n«v ssIIÄ hn«v s\dpIbn ssIh¨v au\ambn cWvSpan\n«p {]mÀ°n¨p.
hoWvSpw ssIIÄ Iq«n¸nSn¨p ]dªp:
""t]ms« s]§tf! A[nIw sshImsX hoWvSpw hcmw Rm³''.
adnbm½s¸§Ä ssIIÄ Iq«n¸nSn¨ amXncn Xs¶ InS¶p. B I®pIÄ \ndªv cWvSpXpÅn I®p\oÀ Ihnfntes¡mgpIn.
]utemk¨³ Xncnªpt\m¡msX adnbm½s¸§fpsS apdn hn«nd§n. tPm¬hdpKokv Xsâ ImÀ sjUnÂ\n¶nd¡n ]utemk¨s\ Im¯p InS¸pWvSmbncp¶p.
tPm¬hÀKokns\ IWvS]msS ]utemk¨³ ]dªp.
""Rm³ \S¶p s]mbvs¡m Åmw tPmWo Ct¸m sN¶m SuWnte¡p hWvSow In«pw''.
""AXpthWvS¨m. Bip]{Xoepw IbtdWvSXtÃ. Rm³ sImWvSp sN¶m¡mw.''.
Imdnsâ ap³his¯ tUmÀ Xpd¶psImWvSv tPm¬ hÀKokv ]dªp. ]utemk¨³ ap³ koän tPm¬ hÀKoknsâ ASp¯mbn Ccp¶p. ImÀ ÌmÀ«mbn.
t]mIp¶ hgn ]utemk¨³ ]dªp:
""tPmWn, s\\¡p Rms\mcp s]®ns\ IWvSns«mWvSv. \o hs¶m¶p ImWWw. Fsâ B{ia¯n\Sp¯m. \à hnZym`ymkhpw ASt¡mw HXpt¡msamÅ s]¬Ip«nbm. \n\¡njvSs¸SmXncn¡nÃ. C\n \nsâ IeymWw \o«ns¡mWvSpt]mIm³ ]mSnÃ. hey¸¨\pw \nsâ IeymWw ImWm\m{Klw ImWpw''.
tPm¬ hÀKokv adp]Snsbm¶pw ]dªnÃ. ]Icsam¶p Nncn¨p.
""\os¿´m Nncn¡tW. \n\¡p IeymWw thtWvS?''.
]utemk¨³ tPm¬ hÀKoknsâ apJt¯¡p t\m¡n. ss{UhnwKnemWv tPm¬ hÀKoknsâ {i².
""\o¿v H¶pw ]dªnÃ''.
""BtemNn¡mw A¨m. kabsamWvStÃm''. hgnbcnIn \n¶ Imf¡qäs\ adnIS¶v AhcpsS ImÀ apt¶m«p t]mbn.
AhÀ tUm.tPmÀPv tP¡_nsâ apdnbpsS hmXn¡se¯n. ]utemk¨sâ apJw IWvSt¸mÄ tUm.tPmÀPv tP¡_v £Wn¨p.
""hcq hcq. \n§sf Im¯ncn¡pIbmbncp¶p Rm³. Ccn¡q''.
]utemk¨\pw tPm¬ hÀKokpw ItkcIfnencp¶p. tPm¬ hÀKoknsâ apJ¯p t\m¡n tUm.tPmÀPv tP¡_v ]dªp.
""\n§Ä¡v \n§fpsS hey¸¨s\ Iptd\mÄIqSn ImWm\pÅ tbmKsamWvSv. \à Cw{]qhvsaâpWvSv At±l¯n\v. A]IS\ne amdnbncn¡Wp''.
""FÃmw tUmIvSdpsS A\p{Klw''. tPm¬ hÀKokv ]dªp.
""t\m, t\m. FÃmw tKmUvkv t{Kkv. Atà ^mZÀ.''. tUm.tPmÀPv tP¡_v ]utemk¨\p t\sc Xncnªp. cWvSpt]cpw ]p©ncn¨p.
tUmIvSÀs¡m¸w sF.knbp.hn F¯nbt¸mÄ Ipdph¨³ I®S¨p ab¡¯nembncp¶p. Uyq«n t\gvkv Ipdph¨s\ sXm«p. AbmÄ I®p Xpd¶p. Ipdph¨³ ]utemk¨s\bpw tPm¬ hÀKokns\bpw amdn amdn t\m¡n.
Ipdph¨³ AhtcmSv Ft´m ]dbm³ sh¼p¶Xpt]mse tXm¶n.
""thWvS. hn{iant¨mfq. dnemIvkv, dnemIvkv''. tUmIvSÀ tPmÀPv tP¡_v Ipdph¨sâ tXmfn sasà kv]Àin¨p.
""tN«\p thWvSn Rms\m¶p {]mÀ°n¡mw''.
^m. ]utemkv Hcp \nanjw I®S¨v tPjvTysâ s\änbn ssIh¨v {]mÀ°\ma{´§Ä Dcphn«p.
sF.kn.bphnsâ GtXm aqebn Im¯p\n¶ acWZqX³ AkzØ\mbn.