butk¸nXmhnsâ Zo]vXamb I®pIÄ¡p Xmsg Ihnfn sNdnb DfnsImWvSv ZmhoZv takvXncn sNdpXmsbm¶p sN¯n. DfnbpsS hmbv¯e sImWvSv hoWvSpw an\p¡n. ZmhoZv takvXncn Aev]w AIse amdn \n¶v cq]¯nte¡p t\m¡n. ]pcnI¯n\pta CSXpssI ]c¯n h¨v Hcn¡Â IqSn kq£n¨p t\m¡n. DÆv, butk¸nXmhn\v Ipd¨p IqSn kuµcy`mhhpw im´Xbpw ssIh¶n«pWvSv. C\n Aev]w `àn{]IÀjw IqSn hcWw.
]p¡q«n D®otim ]nd¶p InS¡p¶Xv ImWp¶ t]mknemWv butk¸nXmhnsâ cq]w sIm¯nsbSp¡p¶Xv. ssIshÅ ]pcnI¯n\p apIfn h¨v ZmhoZv takvXncn Hcn¡Â IqSn cq]s¯ t\m¡n. DfnsImWvSv Hcp sNdnb S¨v. At¸mÄ `àn`mhw ssIhcpsa¶v takvXncn¡pd¸pWvSv.
FÃmw t\m¡ns¡mWvSv ]Wnimebn Hcp ]oT¯nencp¶ dmtl s]m«n¨ncn¨p. ""Cu A¸sâ Hmtcm Indp¡pIfv. C\nsbs´¦nepw t]mcmbvasbmsWvS¦nev s]bnâv sN¿pt¼m Xncp¯nbmep t]mtc! Fsâ s]m¶¸m.'' dmtl hoWvSpw Nncn¨p.
"" \o t]mSo sImt¨, \n\s¡´dnbmw. butk¸nXmhnsâ samI¯v `àn hcWw `àn! AXm A¸³ t\m¡ntb''.
""]ns¶ IÅpIpSn¨v \S¡vW A¸\m `àn IWvSmednbmhps¶. \Ã Xami! H¶pt]m Fsâb¸m''.
""AXp]dªm sIm¨n\p a\ÊnemIqÃ. s\Kfn¸tà \nsâ ssIbnencn¸v, Fsâ s]m¶p tamtf! A¸t\mSmbo Ifn!''.
ZmhoZv takvXncn aIsf ipWvTn ]nSn¸n¡m³ thWvSn ]dªp. ipWvTn hcpt¼m AhfpsS apJw ImWm³ \Ã tiem. Nph¶p Nph¶p hcpw. tNmc sXms«Sp¡mw.
""t]m A¸m. Rm³ aSp¯p Cu Ipt´man«ncp¶v. Fs´mcp NqSv''. dmtl icn¡pw ipWvTn Ibdn ]oT¯n \ns¶Woäp.
""At¿m tamsf! FWo¡tÃ. A¸sâ Acn¡miv ap«n¡tÃ. Rm³ tamtf hct¨mWvSncn¡btÃ? B t]mkp amdnbmev hcsicnbmhnÃ.''
ZmhoZp takvXncn HmSns¨¶v aIsf hoWvSpw ]oT¯n¯s¶ ]nSn¨ncp¯n. ""teiw t\cw IqSnbncp¶v A¸s\ klmbn¡p tamtf. \o kpµcnbmbtXmWvStà A¸³ \ns¶¯s¶ ]nSn¨ncp¯ntb! At¸m Fsâ kpµcn¡p«n A¸t\mSp ]nW§nt¸mbmtem?
""Cu A¸sâ Hcp Imcnbw''.
dmtl hoWvSpw ]gb t]mkn ]oT¯n sN¶ncp¶p. F¶n«v Xsâ {]nbs¸« A¸sâ apJt¯¡p t\m¡n H¶p ]p©ncn¨p.
ZmhoZptakvXncn hensbmcp Im³hmkn aKvZe\adnbans\ hcbv¡pIbmbncp¶p. {InkvXp\mYsâ Imev]mZ§fn ssXew]qip¶ aKvZe\adnbw. adnb¯nsâ AXnkpµcamb apJhpw icochSnhpw dmtlens\ tamUembn kzoIcn¨psImWvSmWv takvXncn {_jpw ]meäpsaSp¡p¶Xv. Nnc«Ifn \nd¨ph¨ ]eXcw Nmb¡q«pIfn {_jvap¡n ]meän H¶p ]Xw hcp¯n Im³hmkn Nen¸n¡pt¼mÄ dmtl aKvZe\adnbansâ cq]¯n sXfnªph¶p.
ZmhoZp takvXncn A§s\bmWv. Im³hmkn PohÊpä Nn{X§Ä hcbv¡m³, XSnbnepw ¹mÌÀ Hm^v ]mcoknepw cq]§Ä sa\bm³ Icn¦Ãn sIm¯nsbSp¡m³ ZmhoZp takvXncnbpsS hncepIÄ thWw.
ZmhoZp takvXncnbpsS apXpap¯Ñ³ K{_ntb ]ÅnbpsS Aįmc ]Wn¡mbn h¶XmWv. t]mÀ«pKokp I¸en sIm¨nbn h¶nd§n PqXs¯cphn Xmakn¨ Hcp IpSpw_¯nÂ\n¶mWv sIm¯p]Wn¡mc³ K{_ntbens\ ]Ån¡½nän IsWvS¯n Aįmc ]Wn¡mbn sImWvSph¶Xv.
]ns¶ B IpSpw_w ChnsS¯s¶ tNt¡dn. ]Ån¸d¼nÂXs¶ Be sI«n K{_ntb ]WnXpS§n. Aįmcbnse cq]§fn an¡Xpw K{_ntbensâ am{´nIhncepIÄ sa\ªXmWv. K{_ntbensâ DfnbpsS ]mSpIÄ ]Xnª cq]§Ä.
D®ntbiphpw I\ymadnbhpw hnip² butk¸pw {InkvXpinjycpw amemJamcpw \qdpIW¡n\p hymfoapJ§fpw IÃnepw XSnbnepw K{_ntbensâ `mh\bn hncnªp cq]w sImWvSp. Idp¯ inebnÂ\n¶pw Ip¼nfpac¯nsâ \of³ XSn¡jW§fnÂ\n¶pw hnip²cpsS apJ§Ä cq]s¸«phcp¶Xp ImWm³ ]Ån¸d¼n Ip«nIfpw apXnÀ¶hcpw HmSn¡qSn. K{_ntbensâ Bebn F¶pw Ft¸mgpw Bfpw Bchhpw. K{_ntben\pw AsXmcp lcambncp¶p. a\pjycpsS AfhpIÄ a\Ên¡pdn¨v K{_ntbensâ am{´nI hncepIÄ Nen¡pt¼mÄ B inev]n ]cam\µ¯n hnebw sImWvSp.
K{_ntbensâ IpSpw_¯nse A©mwXeapdbmWv ZmhoZp takvXncn. takvXncn¡v A©p s]¬a¡fmWv. taa, Feok, acnb, dmWn, dmtlÂ. A©pt]cpw AXnkpµcnIÄ. \m«mÀ¡p IuXpI¡mgvN.
ZmhoZnsâ ]Wnimebn Ft¸mgpw BÄ¡q«w. takvXncn¡v tamUepIÄ s]¬a¡Ä Xs¶. takvXncn¡v A©p s]¬a¡sf sImSp¯n«v takvXncnbpsS s]¼nf Cu¯½ CltemIhmkw shSnªp.
""A¸m, Rm³ t]mWp. ChnsS Ccp¶ncp¶v Rm³ aSp¯p. A¸\n\n sImd¨p hn{ian¡v''.
dmtl Xsâ \of³ ]«pIp¸mbw Hs«m¶v HXp¡n¸nSn¨v FWo¡m³ `mhn¨p.
""At¿m s]m¶ptamf, A¸sâ s]m¶mcapt¯! FWo¡tÃ, A¸sâ apt¯! ssZhw s\\¡o icocw X¶cn¡WXv, kuµcyw X¶ncn¡WsX´n\m. R§Ä¡p hcbv¡m\m. IÃnepw XSoepw sIm¯m\m. \o aKvZte\m X¶m. sâ apt¯! \o s£an¡v. A¸³ thKw ]Wn XoÀt¯mfmw. Hc©p an\n«pIqsS sâ tamfv A¸\p Xm''.
dmtl Xsâ shfp¯p Xnf§p¶ ]«pIp¸mbw HXp¡n¸nSn¨v a\ÊnÃma\tÊmsS hoWvSpw ]oT¯nencp¶p.
ZmhoZp takvXncn ASp¯psN¶v AhfpsS AfhpIsfSp¯v a\Ên Ipdn¨p. ChÄ ipWvTn Ibdn FWoäp t]mbmepw Im³hmknse ]Wn \S¡WatÃm. AbmfpsS Ip¸mbw \ndsb s]bnâpW§n¸nSn¨ncp¶p. ssIshÅbnse Xg¼pIÄ¡nSbn Nmb¯cnIÄ ]än¸nSn¨ncp¶p. Xsâ Imetijw takvXncn¡pSpw_¯n Cu ]Wn¡mfnÃ. Xsâ I®Sbpw apt¼ At\Iw ]pWyhmf·mscbpw ]pWyhmf¯nIsfbpw sa\bWw. {_jn Nmbw]pcp«n Im³hmkpIfn Pohsâ XpSn¸pIÄ hcbv¡Ww.
AbmÄ aIfpsS ap¶n sI©n. ""...sâ s]m¶p tamftÃ. A¸\v A©p\nanjw IqSn Xm. A¸\o Nn{X¯nsâ AfhpIsfm¶v ]qÀ¯nbm¡nt¡ms«.''.
dmtl a\ÊnÃma\tÊmsS A¸\p ap¼n aKvZe\bmbn Im¯ncp¶p.
ZmhoZp takvXncn Im³hmkn\cnIn \n¶v kmhImiw ]n·mdn. dmtl £oWn¨p ImWpw. cmhnse apXepÅ Ccn¸tÃ? C\n Ahsfm¶p hn{ian¡s«. X\n¡p hn{iaanÃtÃm. CXpXs¶ PohnXw. {]XnaIfnÂ\n¶pw {]XnaIfnte¡v. Im³hmkn \n¶pw Im³hmknte¡v...
]Wnimebnse ]Wn]qÀ¯nbmIm¯ {]XnaIÄ¡pw hnip²cq]§Ä¡panSbn¡qSn ZmhoZp takvXncn ]Xps¡ \o§n. hm¡p ]dª ]e hÀ¡pIfpw ]qÀ¯nbm¡m\pWvSv. DjvWw ]pIbp¶ ]IepIfnepw Dd¡anÃmcmhpIfnepw ZmhoZp takvXncn¡p hn{iaanÃ.
Xncp¸ndhn¡n\n \me©p amktabpÅq. AXn\pap¼v aq¶p cmPm¡fpw B«nSb·mcpw arKk©bhpw amXmhpw butk¸nXmhpw D®ntbiphpw amemJamcpw ]qÀ¯nbmhWw. Ahbn ]eXpw takvXncnbpsS Dfn¸mSpIÄ Im¯p InS¡pIbmWv.
takvXncn aq¶p cmPm¡fn Idp¯imkv{XnbpsS apJw an\p¡m³ XpS§n. A¸s\ ]Wnimebn Häbv¡phn«pt]mIm³ IgnbmsX dmtl ]oT¯n Nmcn¡nS¶p. AhfpsS shÅkmän³ \of³ Ip¸mb¯n ]Snªmd³ Imäv t\cnb Hmf§Ä krjvSn¨p. dmtl hÃm¯ Beky¯nemWvSpt]mbn. CfwImän AhfpsS NpcpWvS apSnbngIÄ hnimeamb s\än¯S¯n HmSn¡fn¨p. Ah sXÃp IpkrXntbmsS \oe¡®pIÄ¡p aosX ]mdn hoWt¸mÄ \oWvS ssIhncepIÄ sImWvSv AhfXv amSnsbmXp¡n. Hät\m«¯n dmtl Nmcn¡nS¡p¶ Hcp sh®¡Â {]Xnat]mse
HXp¡pIÃpIÄ Ibdn IpªphdoXv takvXncnbpsS ]Wnimebnte¡p IS¶t¸mÄ BZyw IWvSXv dmtlens\bmWv. ZmhoZp takvXncn¡v C{X kpµcnbmb Hcp aItfm? C{X BImchSnhpw \ndhpw kp`KXbpapÅ Hcp kv{Xocq]s¯ Cw¥WvSnse sXcphpIfnÂt¸mepw IWvSn«nà Xm³. BZyNn´ AXmbncp¶p.
{]YaZÀi\¯nÂXs¶ IpªphdoXnsâ I®pIÄ dmtlensâ \oWvSp \oe \b\§fnepS¡n. AhÄ eÖtbmsS apJw Xmgv¯n. ]oT¯n \n¶pw NmSnsbWoäv AIse ZrjvSnIfq¶n \n¶p.
hnip²cpsS ]Wn ]qÀ¯nbmIm¯ cq]§Ä¡nSbneqsS IpªphdoXv takvXncnbpsS ASpt¯¡p sN¶p. takvXncn At¸mgpw Idp¯ imkv{XnbpsS apJw an\p¡v XpSÀ¶psImWvSncp¶p.
IpªphdoXv apcS\¡nbt¸mÄ takvXncn ]Wn \ndp¯n Xe DbÀ¯n.
""Rm³ IÃp¦Â IpªphdoXv. ]ÅnbpsS Ipd¨p Ing¡mWv R§fpsS XdhmSv. Fsâ hey¸³ IÃp¦Â hÀ¡n am¸nfbpsS Hcp Nn{Xw hcbv¡Ww. takvXncn AhnSw hsc hcWw. hey¸³ Fs¶ ]dªphn«XmWv. hey¸\v takvXncnsb Adnbmw.'' Häizmk¯n IpªphdoXv Xsâ BKat\mt±iyw shfns¸Sp¯n.
""F\n¡p hÀ¡n amt¹ Adnbmw. ]Ån Ignªv hnÃphWvSoev t]mWXp IWvSns«mWvSv. ]t£¦nev Rms\§pw ]Wnime hn«p t]mImdnÃ''.
""takvXncn A§s\ ]dbtÃ. CXv A¸sâ B{Klw. takvXncn Xs¶ hcbv¡Wsa¶m A¸³ ]dbpt¶. hey¸\v \S¡m³ h¿. hogvNbmIp¶Xn\p ap¼v ]Sw hc¨phbv¡Ww.
R§sS IpSpw_s¯ IcIbäoXv hey¸\m. AtXmWvSm.''.
IpªphdoXv H¶p \ndp¯n dmtlen\p t\tc t\m¡n. AhÄ IpªphdoXnsâ kwkmcw {i²n¡pIbmbncp¶p.
""Ipªv C¸w t]mbms«. F\n¡nhvsS ]nSn¸Xv tPmeoWvSv. Rms\m¶mtemNn¡s«. ASp¯ RmbdmgvN ]Ån Ignªv ImWmw. At¸m kwkmcn¡mw. Ct¸m Ipªv t]mbms«.''
ZmhoZv takvXncn hoWvSpw Idp¯ imkv{XnbpsS apJwan\p¡p XpSÀ¶p. B {]Xna Xs¶ Xpdn¨p t\m¡p¶Xp t]mse IpªphdoXn\p tXm¶n. Akm[mcWamb Im´iànbpÅ I®pIÄ.
""Rm³ sN¶v A¸t\mSv F´p ]dbWw. takvXncn k½Xns¨t¶m AtXm. ''. takvXncn Hcp \nanjw Nn´m[o\\mbn.
""Rm³ hcbv¡mw. ]t£¦oev ho«nev h¶v hc¸v \S¡qe. F\n¡Xns\mÅ katbmanÃ''.
takvXncn ]Wn \ndp¯n hoWvSpw XebpbÀ¯n IpªphdoXns\ bm{Xbm¡n.
""Ct¸m... Ipªpt]m.''.
hnip²cpsS ]Wn]qÀ¯nbmIm¯ {]XnaIÄ¡p tISp]ämsX IpªphdoXv kmh[m\w ]WnimebnÂ\n¶p ]pd¯nd§n.
IpªphdoXv sh«phgnbn \ndp¯nbncp¶ _yq¡pImdn Ibdn. AXp ÌmÀ«m¡p¶Xv dmtl I®nabv¡msX t\m¡n\n¶p.