]cn{`m´bmbn¯oÀ¶ t\gvkv XnSp¡¯n Uyq«n tUmIvSdpsS ASpt¯t¡mSn.
""tUmIvSÀ, 14þmw \¼À s_UvUnse t]jyâv... Aev]w kocnbkmsW¶p tXm¶p¶p. AbmÄ¡v Hcp tjm¡v...''. AhfpsS hm¡pIÄ ]qÀ®amIp¶Xn\p apt¼ tUmIvSÀ FWoäp.
t\gvkn\p ]n¶mse tUmIvSÀ Ipdph¨sâ s_UvUn\Sps¯¯n. s\©n ssIh¨aÀ¯n AbmÄ Ipdph¨sâ \nebv¡m³ XpS§nb lrZbXmfw hosWvSSp¯p.
HmIvknP³ IpgepIÄ hoWvSpw Ipdph¨sâ apJt¯¡p \oWvSp. \me©pan\n«pIÄ¡ptijw Ipdph¨³ sasà I®p Xpd¶p. At¸mtg¡pw hnhcadnªv tUm.tPmÀPv tP¡_pw Ipdph¨sâ ASps¯¯n.
tUmIvSÀ tPmÀPv tP¡_v Ipdph¨s\ k{i²w ho£n¨p. AbmÄ Ft´m KmVNn´bnemWvSp. Hcp \nanj¯n\ptijw tUmIvSÀ Uyq«n t\gvknsâ sNhnbn Ft´m a{´n¨p. AhÄ XnSp¡¯n t]mbn acp¶pw kndn©pambn h¶p. tUm.tPmÀPv tP¡_v Ipdph¨\v Hcp C©Ivj³ sImSp¯p.
""kmcanà tIt«m. im´ambn Dd§nt¡mfq. R§sfms¡ ASp¯pWvSv''.
tUmIvSÀ tPmÀPv tP¡_v Ipdph¨sâ s_UvUnte¡p Ip\nªv AbmfpsS sNhnbn sasà a{´n¨p. \n{ZbpsS Ib§Ä tXSn Ipdph¨³ sasà I®S¨p.
""CbmÄ¡v C\nbpw Bbpkp _m¡nsbmWvSv''.
tUm.tPmÀPv tP¡_v Uyq«n tUmIvStdmSmbn ]dªp.
apJs¯mcp sNdp]p©ncnbpambn hmÀUnsâ Ccphi§fnepw InS¡p¶ tcmKnIsf kmIqXw ho£n¨psImWvSp im´\mbn tUm.tPmÀPv tP¡_v apt¶m«p \o§n.
PnÃm Bip]{XnbpsS apä¯v tPm¬ hdpKokv Imdn Im¯ncn¡pIbmWv. Aev]aIse t]mkväptamÀ«w \S¡p¶ apdnbnse \of³ taibn a¯mbn \oWvSp\nhÀ¶p InS¡p¶p.
apäs¯ hmIac¯nsâ tNm«nse knaâv _©n cWvSpt]meokpImÀ Ip¯nbncn¸pWvSv. AXnsemcmÄ aSnbn ISemkp h¨v Fs´ms¡tbm FgpXp¶p. sXm«Sp¯ncn¡p¶ t]meokpImc³ Fs´ms¡tbm ]dªp sImSp¡p¶pWvSv. CSbv¡v Nne kwib \nhmcW¯n\mbn AbmÄ FWoäv tPm¬ hÀKoknsâ Imdn\Sps¯¯n.
AbmfpsS Nne tNmZy§Ä¡v tPm¬ hdpKokv adp]Sn \ÂIp¶Xv FgpXns¡mWvSncp¶ t]meokpImc³ XebpbÀ¯n t\m¡nbncp¶p. t]mÌptamÀ«w dnt¸mÀ«p X¿mdm¡p¶Xn\pÅ aps¶mcp¡§fmWv.
IÃp¦Â Xdhm«nse B{inXcpw tPmen¡mcpamb NneÀ AhnShnsSbmbn Iq«w IqSn \n¡p¶pWvSv. F´pw sN¿m³ X¿mdmbn BfpIÄ Im¯p \n¡pIbmWv.
IpªphdoXnsâ ImÀ At§m«p IS¶p h¶p. AXpIWvSv tPm¬ hdpKokv tUmÀ Xpd¶p ]pd¯nd§n UmUnbpsS Imdnsâ ASpt¯¡p sN¶p.
""tUmIvSsd Rm³ IWvSncp¶p. _mekp{_lvaWyamWv. DSs\ F¯pw. H¶p cWvSp aWn¡qdn\pÅn \S]Sn ]qÀ¯nbm¡n Xcmsa¶mWv tUmIvSÀ ]dªXv''.
apJhpcbnÃmsX tPm¬ hdpKokv ]dª hm¡pIÄ IpªphdoXv k{i²w tI«p. AIse \n¡p¶ hmIac¯nsâ Nph¶ ]q¡fnembncp¶p AbmfpsS t\m«w. AXnsâ Nph«n hmSns¡mgnª ]q¡Ä [mcmfambn hoWp InS¡p¶p.
""]utemk¨³ ]Åose¯nbns«mWvSv. Ignbpsa¦nev C¶p Xs¶ kwkvIcn¡Ww. a¯mbnbpsS _Ôp¡sfm¶pw hcm\nÃtÃm. t]mÌptamÀ«w Ignªp In«nbmsemSs\ ho«nte¡p sImWvSphcWw ''.
""DÆv. s]«n sImWvSp h¶ns«mWvSv. tamÀ¨dnbpsS hcm´bnev h¨ncn¡bm. Bw_pe³kpw GÀ¸mSm¡nbns«mWvSv''.
""Rm³ Fkv.]nsb hnfn¨v hnhcw ]dªns«mWvSv. t]meokv \S]SnIfv Ahcv s]s«¶p Xs¶ ]qÀ¯nbm¡nt¡mfpw. hcp¶ hgn t]meokv tÌj\n Ibdnbncp¶p. Fkv.sF. Adnbn¨Xv AhcpsS `mK¯p\n¶p Xmaksam¶pw DWvSmInsöm.''. IpªphdoXv Ft´m Nn´bnemWvSpsImWvSp ]dªp.
IpªphdoXv Hcp \nanjw \ndp¯nbn«v XpSÀ¶p.
""\o¿v ChvsSsbmWvStÃm. Rm\nhnsS \n¡WnÃ. ho«nev thWvS GÀ¸msSms¡ Rm³ sNbvtXmfmw. t]mcp¶ hgn tlmkv]näenev H¶p IbdWw. A¸\v A]IS\ne amdnsb¶m tUmIvSÀ tPmÀPv tP¡_v ]dªXv. F¶mepw Rm\hnsS H¶p Ibdnbn«v hcmw. sNdnbm³ AhsSsbmWvSv. Fs´¦nepw BhiysamWvS¦nev Ah³ t\m¡ns¡mÅpw''.
IpªphdoXv ImÀ ÌmÀ«p sNbvXp. ""UmUn s]mbvs¡mÅq. ChvSs¯ Imcy§fv Rm³ amt\Pv sNbvtXmfmw.'' tPm¬ hdpKokv IpªphdoXnsâ ImÀ apt¶m«p \o§p¶Xv Aev]kabw t\m¡n \n¶p. AXp I®n \n¶p adªt¸mÄ tPm¬hÀKokv hmIac¯nsâ tNm«nse knaâp _©nencn¡p¶ t]meokpImcpsS ASpt¯¡p sN¶p.
tPm¬ hdpKokns\ IWvSv AhÀ FWoäp.
""Fs´¦nepw BhiyapsWvS¦nev Ft¶mSp ]dbmw. \ap¡v F{Xbpw thKw \S]SnIfv ]qÀ¯nbm¡Ww. t]mÌptamÀ«w IgnªmsemSs\ ChvS¶p s]mds¸SWw''.
""HÆv kÀ. Fkv.sFbt±lw FÃmw hniZambn NpaXes¸Sp¯nsbms«mWvSv''. Hcp t]meokpImc³ ]dªp.
""CXm CXp ht¨mfq. Fs´¦nepw Bhiyw IWvSm tNmZn¡m³ aSnt¡WvS''.
tPm¬ hdpKokv t]gvkv FSp¯p Xpd¶v GXm\pw t\m«pIsfSp¯v t]meokpImcpsS ssIIfn h¨p.
""thWvS kmÀ. Fkv.sFbt±w FÃmw {]tXyIw ]dªns«mWvSv''.
""kmcanÃ. ht¨mfq. H¶n\pw Hcp sImdhpw DWvSmtIWvS''.
ssIbn In«nbXv t]meokpImÀ ]mâvknsâ t]m¡än XncpIn. AhcpsS apJw {]k¶ambn.
""kmÀ t]mbms«. R§Ä thWvSXp sNbvtXmfmw. FÃmw thWvS t]mse R§Ä t\m¡ns¡mÅmw''.
AhcpsS hm¡pIÄ {i²n¡msX tPm¬ hdpKokv Xsâ Imdn\Spt¯¡p \o§n. AbmfpsS Imev]mZ§Ä¡nSbn hmIac¯nsâ hoWSnª Nph¶ ]q¡Ä NXªcªp.
At¸mtg¡pw GÀ¸mSm¡nbncp¶ Bw_pe³kpw F¯n. C\n a¯mbnsb hn«pIn«nbm aXn.
Bw_pe³kn\p ]n¶mse tPm¬ hdpKoknsâ ImÀ kmhImiw \o§n. Bw_pe³kv hcp¶XpIWvSv Nmb¸oSnIbnencp¶hÀ FWoäp.
AhÀ ]ckv]cw AS¡w ]dªp IÃp¦Â Xdhm«nte¡p \o§n. ]Sn¸pc IS¶v AIt¯¡p Ibdnbt¸mtg¡pw Xdhm«nse ASp¡fs¸®p§fpsSbpw ]cnNmcnIamcpsSbpw aäp the¡mcpsSbpw Iq« \nehnfn DbÀ¶p.
apä¯v Hcp¡n h¨ncn¡p¶ Hcp taibn a¯mbn \oWvSp \nhÀ¶p InS¶p. PohnX¯nemZyambn Imen shÅ tkmIvkn«v, Idp¯ Im³hmkv jq [cn¨v, AbmÄ F{Xtbm Imeambn \S¶p ]cnNbn¨ apä¯v \oWvSp \nhÀ¶p InS¶p.
]ÅnbnÂ\n¶pw Idp¯ Ipcnipw IpSbpw F¯nbn«pWvSv. ]utemk¨sâ {]mÀ°\m a{´§Ä Iq«¡c¨nen\pw hnX¼epIÄ¡pw apIfn DbÀ¶p. Hcp \nanjw I®IfS¨v [ym\\naámbn, NpWvSn at{´m¨mcW§fpambn ]utemk¨³ \ni_vZ\mbn \n¶p. AXn\ptijw hndbmÀ¶ kzc¯n ]utemk¨³ a{´n¨p.
""aIt\, kam[m\t¯msS \o t]mhpI. ssZhw \ns¶ kar²ambn A\p{Kln¡s«''.
At¸mÄ sXfnª BImi¯neqsS Hcp IpcnIn ]£n ]d¶p t]mbn.
IÃp¦Â Xdhm«n hoWvSpw Iq«\nehnfn DbÀ¶p. AXn\p aosX acWaWnbpsS \mZw apg§n. iha©hpw t]dn Bw_pe³kv kmhImiw \o§n. ]n¶mse tPm¬ hdpKoknsâbpw IpªphdoXnsâbpw ImdpIÄ. Bw_pe³knsâ ap³ koän ]utemk¨³ {]mÀ°\m a{´§fpambn Ccp¶p.
{Kmahnip²nbpsS \ni_vZXbv¡p t]mdteev]n¨psImWvSp acWaWnbpsS timI\mZw CShn«v apg§ns¡mWvSncp¶p.
skant¯cnbnse k¼¶cpsS IÃdIÄ¡Ise Hcp a¬Iq\ DbÀ¶p. AhnsS tNm¡psImWvSp a¯mbnbpsSt]scgpXnb Hcp ac¡pcniv Ipgnsh«pImc³ \m«n.
FhnsStbm Btcm a{´n¡p¶Xp t]mse. ""a\pjym, \o a®mIp¶p. a®nte¡p Xs¶ aS§pw''.
B a®n\Snbn I®oÀXqhmt\m HmÀ¯p hne]n¡mt\m BcpanÃmsX a¯mbn Cu `qanbnse hmkw aXnbm¡n kam[m\t¯msS InS¶p.
AIse Bip]{Xn¡nS¡bn CsXm¶padnbmsX HmIvknP³ IpgepIfpsS _e¯n InS¡pIbmWv Ipdph¨³. apdnbpsS aqebn AZriy\mbn acWZqX³ Im¯p\nev]pWvSv. Bbpknsâ ]pkvXI¯nÂ\n¶pw Ipdph¨sâ t]cp sh«p¶ kabw \nÀ®bn¡m³ Im¯ncn¡pIbmWv.
* * * *
a[ymlv\kqcy³ IeymWnbpsS D¨nbn I¯n \n¡p¶p. PS sI«n¯pS§nb apSnbngIÄ¡nSbneqsS Hen¨nd§nb hnbÀ¸pNmepIÄ Icphmfn¨ IhnįS§Ä XmWvSn CcpWvS Igp¯nte¡v Hen¨nd§n. tNmc]pcWvS P¼dpw DSpapWvSpw Npcp«n I£¯nenSp¡n s]mSn\ndª sN½¬]mXbneqsS t]meokv tÌj³ e£yam¡n \S¡pIbmWv IeymWn.
tÌj³ hcm´bn ]mdmhp \n¶ t]meokpImc\p t\sc AhÄ cq£ambn t\m¡n. AhfpsS I®n AKv\n I¯p¶pWvSmbncp¶p. B I®pIfnse ]IbpsS I\epIÄ IWvSp ]mdmhpImc³ `bNInX\mbn. AhÄ Hcp \nanjw \n¶p. F¶n«v Bsctbm Xncbp¶Xpt]mse Abmsf hoWvSpw ASnapSn t\m¡n.
A{]Xo£nXambn Ac§¯p h¶ Hcp IYm]m{Xs¯ IWvS kl\Ss\t¸mse AbmÄ BsI ]cn{`an¨p. AI¯p\n¶pw cWvSpt]meokpImÀ AbmfpsS c£bv¡mbn Cd§n h¶p. Ahcpw IYbdnbmsX B«w ImWpIbmbncp¶p. AhÀ ]ckv]cw apJt¯¡p t\m¡n. F¶n«v AhcnsemcmÄ AhfpsS t\tc Xncnªv Aev]w IÀ¡ikzc¯n Xs¶ ]dªp.
""hcq...''. AbmÄ¡p ]n¶mse AhÄ A\pkcWbpÅ Hcp _enarKs¯t¸mse \S¶p. C³kvs]IvSÀ Ip\nªncp¶v Ft´m Ip¯n¡pdn¡pIbmbncp¶p. ImÂs¸cpamäw tI«v AbmÄ XebpbÀ¯nt\m¡n.
AbmfpsS I®pIÄ IeymWnbpsS apJt¯¡pw I£¯n Npcp«n h¨ncp¶ tNmc]pcWvS hkv{X§fnte¡pw \oWvSp.