\mfpIÄ \oWvS bm{XsNbvXv R§Ä Pdpktew ]SnhmXn IS¶p. \Kc¯nsâ Ing¡p`mKs¯ tamdnbmaebn tZhmebw Zriyambn. ap¶n DbÀ¶p\nev¡p¶ CcpkvXw`§Ä. Npäp]mSpw tKm]pc§Ä. AhsbÃmw shbnteäpXnf§p¶ ImgvNbn Rm³ tImcn¯cn¨p. btlmhbpsS Beb¯n\p ap¶n aKvZe¡mcn adnbw! KpcpamXmhn\p am{Xw tZhmebZÀi\w ]pXpabmbncp¶nÃ. aäpÅhÀ¡v DÅdbn Im¯psh¨ncp¶ taml¯nsâ km^eyw.
""\ap¡mZyw tZhmeb¯nte¡p t]mImw.'' Rm³ ]dªp. FÃmhÀ¡pw AXn\p k½Xw. s]m¡Ww HXp¡n¸nSn¨v Rm³ apt¼ \S¶p.
\KchnYobn \S¡pt¼mÄ ]teS¯pw Xnc¡n«tPmenIÄ. s]klm¡mew Bk¶amsb¶p hnfn¨dnbn¡p¶ Hcp¡§Ä. Cf¯mhf§fpw X®oÀ¸´epw. BlmcimeIfpw hym]mcØe§fpw. FhnsSbpw tdmam¸SbmfnIfpsS Xnct\m«w. FcnhpImcpsS AXn{Ia§Ä XSbm\pÅ aps¶mcp¡§Ä.
tZhmebaXnÂs¡«n\p Npän\S¶v R§Ä kpµchmXnev¡se¯n. ]Sns¡«pIfpw hf¨phmXnepwsImWvSp at\mlcamb BImcw. NmbwtX¨p tamSn]nSn¸n¨ sIm¯p]WnIÄ. Bįnc¡nsænepw ]Sns¡«pIÄ Ibdnbnd§p¶hÀ [mcmfw. R§fpw tZhmeb¯nsâ A¦W¯n IS¶p. alm]ptcmlnXsâ tNhIcpw tZhmebZmk·mcpw AhnsS PmKcqIcmbncp¶p. AhÀ kkq£vaw \nco£n¨v, kv{XoIfpsS {]mImc¯nte¡p R§sf IS¯nhn«p. AhnsSbpWvSmbncp¶ImWn¡h©nbn hgn]mSpIÄ AÀ¸n¨tijw R§Ä ]pd¯ph¶p. Npäp]mSpw ]mªpsImWvSncp¶p R§fpsS I®pIÄ. FÃmhcpw At\zjn¡p¶Xv HtcapJw. FhnsSbmWv Kpcphns\ ImWm\mhpI?
BtcmsS¶nÃmsX KpcpamXmhp tNmZn¨p:
""tbiphns\ ImWphm³ \½Ä FhnsSbmWp sNtÃWvSXv?''
""F{Xtbm t\cambn \½nfnhnsS h¶n«v tbiphns\bpw injy·mscbpw ChnsSsb§pw ImWp¶nÃtÃm. C\nsbhnsSbmWv Ahsc Xnc¡nt¸mhpI?''
itemabpsS D¡vWvbv¡p adp]SnbpWvSmbnÃ. sX¡p`mK¯v kv{XoIÄ hn{ian¡p¶ aWvU]w ImWmambncp¶p. IÃnÂISsªSp¯ kvXq]§fpw sh¬IÃp]mInb Xdbpw. hnimeamb CSw. aäpÅhsc Rm\Xp NqWvSn¡mWn¨p. ""t\m¡q. AhnsS kv{XoIÄ hn{ian¡p¶ Øew. \ap¡pw AhnsS sN¶ncn¡mw.''
cmPaWvU]¯nse ]pcpj·mcpsS Xmhfw IS¶mWv At§m«p t]mhpI. AXp hgn R§Ä \o§sh, ]cnNbapÅ Hcp apJw! I^À\lqanse HmÀ½bpambn tImclv! Dt·jhm\mb AbmfpsS apJ{]kmZw R§sf FXntcäp.
""At¿m! CsXs´mcp `mKyw! amXmhpw ktlmZcnamcpw ChnsS! {]Xo£n¡m¯ ImgvN. F´mbnXn§s\!''
""tImclv F¸gm ChnsS h¶Xv?'' Rm³ tNmZn¨p. DÃmkt¯msS AbmÄ ]dªp:
""Kpcphnsâ ]ndtI Rm\pw ChnsS h¶p. thsdmcp t]m¡ntSmw F\n¡nÃsÃm.''
""ktlmZcm... tbip FhnsSbmWpÅXv? Cu A½bvs¡m¶p ImWm³....''
amXmhnsâ Zo\amb At\zjWw. AXp tImclns\ abs¸Sp¯n. AbmÄ BZcthmsS ]dªp:"" _Ym\nbm¡bmWv AhÀ t]mbXv. C\n s]klms¸cp\mfn\v Ct§m«p hcpambncn¡pw.''
tImclv R§tfmsSm¸w hn{iaaWvU]¯nte¡p h¶p. R§sf Adnbn¡m³ _Ym\nbmbnse Hcp]mSp hntij§fpWvSmbncp¶p AbmÄ¡v.
ChnSp¶p cWvSp\mgnI sX¡pamdnbmWv _Ym\nb. A¯n¡mhpIfpw ap´ncnt¯m¸pIfpw [mcmfapÅ {Kmaw. aps¼mcn¡Â AhnsS sN¶ tbiphns\, emkdpw ktlmZcnamcmb amÀ¯bpw adnbbpamWv kzoIcn¨Xv. {]nbXaamb s]cpamäw. cpNnIcamb `£Ww. Ass{IkvXhamb hnizmkw. AsXmcp kulrZ¯nsâ XpS¡ambncp¶p. ]ns¶ Pdpktean hcpt¼msgms¡bpw tbip emkdnsâ ho«n t]mIpambncp¶p. ..
F¶m Cu {]hiyw _Ym\nbbn sN¶t¸mÄ tI«Xv emkdnsâ acWw. \mep\mfmbn acn¨S¡nbn«v. Kpcphns\ IWvSXpw amÀ¯bpw adnbbpw amd¯e¨v s]m«n¡cªp. AXpIWvSp a\Êenª At±lw emkdns\ AS¡nb IÃdbv¡Â sN¶p. IÃd Xpd¡m³ Kpcp Bhiys¸«p. IÃdXpd¶Xpw, ZpÊlamb ihKÔw. emkdnsâ PUw AgpIn¯pS§nbncp¶p. F¶m AhnsSbpWvSmbXv AXoXhnkvabw. tbip IÃdbn t\m¡n emkdns\ hnfn¨p. Ah³ Fgpt¶äp ]pd¯ph¶p! AXpIWvSv AhnsSbpWvSmbncp¶hÀ BÀ¯phnfn¨p. tbip ssZh]p{X³. ssZh]p{X³.. acn¨emkdns\ tbip DbÀ¸n¨ hnhcw Pdpkteanepw ]c¶p. AXp tI«am{Xbn ]coi·mcpw imkv{Xnamcpw CuÀjymep¡fmbn. AhÀ ZpcmtemN\tbmsS alm]ptcmlnXsâ sIm«mc¯nte¡v HmSnbs{X!
""\boan h¨v Fsâ aI³ FÂtZmsb Pohn¸n¨t]mseXs¶.'' a\w IpfnÀ¶v dmtl ]dªp. item IpXqlebmbn.
""AtXbtX. Pohn¡p¶hÀ¡pw acn¡p¶hÀ¡pw c£I\mWv tbip.''
Ime\¡w tI«v Rm³ Xncnªpt\m¡pt¼mÄ FÂtZm \S¶phcp¶p. R§sf IWvSXpw Ah\v AS¡m\mhm¯ kt´mjw. Ah³ izmkw hnSmsX kwkmcn¨p.
""At½... Rms\m«pw hnNmcn¨nà A½ ChnsS hcpsa¶v... FÃmhcpw IqsS Hcpan¨p h¶Xv henb henb kt´mjw...''
FÂtZm KpcpamXmhns\ hW§n. dmtl aIs\ XgpIn Bizkn¨p.
""\ns¶sbm¶p ImWm³ IgnªtÃm Cu A½bv¡v.''
""\n§Ä cWvSp\mÄ apt¼ ChnsS h¶ncps¶¦n F´Ãmw ImWmambncp¶p.''
""F´mbncp¶p FÂtZm, ImWm¡mgvNIÄ?'' Rm³ tNmZn¨p. Ah³ A`nam\t¯msS ]dªp.'' ""Pdpktew tZhmeb¯nte¡pÅ Kpcphnsâ Fgps¶Å¯v.''
R§fpsS ZrjvSnIÄ FÂtZmbpsS apJ¯pdªp. Ahsâ hnhcW¯n\p R§Ä ImXpIqÀ¸n¨p.
BgvNh«¯nsâ H¶mw\mÄ. tZhmeb¯nte¡v tbip hcp¶Xdnªv, HenhpaebpsS Xmsg t_Yv^Kbn ]pcpjmcw XSn¨pIqSn. _Ym\nbbn \n¶v tbip AhnsSsb¯nbXpw, Ahs\ Hcp IgpX¸pd¯pIbän tZhmeb¯nte¡v FXntcäp. Cu´¸\bpsS Ipcpt¯meIfpw HenhpI¼pIfpw ssIbnte´nb B_mehr²w P\§Ä, hgn\osf XpÅn¨mSn AI¼Sn¡mcmbn \S¶p. AhÀ hmtXmcmsX BÀ¯phnfn¨p: Hmim\... Hmim\.... .... cmPIobamb Fgp¶Å¯mbncp¶p AXv.
F¶mÂ, tZhmeb¯n {]thin¨ tbip IWvSXv lrZbw ]nfÀ¡p¶ ImgvvNIÄ. FhnsSbpw taÑamb {Ibhn{Ib§Ä. A\oXnbpw Aip²nbpw. Ahbvs¡Xntc At±lw AXniàambn {]XnIcn¨p. \mWbhn\nab¡mscbpw I¨hS¡mscbpw imkn¨p ]pd¯m¡n. ssZhmebw IÅ·mcpsS Kplbm¡n amänbncn¡p¶psh¶v ]cnX]n¨p. CXpIWvSv ]ptcmlnX·mcpw aq¸·mcpw imkv{Xnamcpw Ieln¨p. Cu ssZhmeb¯n \n\s¡´p Imcyw? ChnsS BcmWp \ns¶ Imcy¡mc\m¡nbXv? \n\s¡´[nImcamWv ChnsSbpÅXv? tNmZyic§fpambn AhÀ X«nt¡dnsb¦nepw tbip hg§nbnÃ. ]ptcmlnX·mcpsSbpw aq¸·mcpsSbpw imkv{XnamcpsSbpw Im]Sy§sf At±lw A]e]n¨p. Ahsc AhKWn¨v, X\n¡p Npäpw h¶pIqSnbhtcmSv BizmkhN\§Ä ]dªp. tcmKnIÄ¡p kuJyw \evIn. AXnkvt\l¯m BfpIÄ tbip hns\ hoÀ¸pap«n¨p.

F¶mÂ, ]ptcmlnX·mÀ¡pw aq¸·mÀ¡pw imkv{XnamÀ¡pw kln¡mhp¶Xmbncp¶nà tbiphnsâ {]hr¯nIÄ. FÃmw AhcpsS kzmÀ°XmÂ]cy§Ä¡p hncp²w. {ZhymKa¯n\p s]cpt©Xw. AhÀ tbiphns\ ]ItbmsS ho£n¨p. ]It]m¡m³ KqVmtemN\bn apgpIn. tbiphns\ A]mbs¸Sp¯m³, alm]ptcmlnX·mcpw aq¸·mcpw X¡w]mÀ¡pIbmWs{X!
]dªpXocpwapt¼, FÂtZmbpsS i_vZanSdpIbpw I®p\ndbpIbpw sNbvXp. KpcpamXmhp hn§p¶Xp Rm³ IWvSp. Fsâ {]mW\n Hcp an¶Â]nWÀ ]mªpt]mbn. aäpÅhcpw AÔmfn¨ncp¶p.
B kab¯v cWvSp tkhIÀ R§sf \nco£n¨psImWvSv ASp¯ph¶p. AhcnsemcmÄ FÂtZmsbbpw tImclns\bpw Däpt\m¡ns¡mWvSp IbÀ¯p:"" Cu kv{XoIÄ¡nSbn ]pcpj·mÀs¡´m Imcyw? IWvSn«v Keoe¡mcmsW¶p tXm¶p¶tÃm. t]m. Fgpt¶äp amdnt¸m...''
""ChÀ R§Ä¡p ktlmZc§Ä...'' Rm³ CSs¸«p.
""Bcmbmse´m. thKw Øew hnt«m FÃmcpw. t\cw AkvXan¡mdmbn.''
R§Ä¡p kabt_m[w DWvSmbXv At¸mgmWv. shbn Nmªpt]mbncn¡p¶p. tZhmebapä¯v Bįnc¡v IpdªpXpS§nbncn¡p¶p. Rm³ ]dªp: ""}R§Ä s]mt¡mfmw.''
Kuch¯n \o«naqfn tkhIÀ \S¶pt]mbn. Rm³ tImclns\ hnfn¨p:
""tImclv, \o R§sf Kpcphnsâ kao]t¯¡p sImWvSpt]mIWw.''
""sImWvSpt]mImw. ]t£, Ft§mWp t]mhpI? Kpcp FhnsSbmsW¶v F\ns¡mcp \nÝbhpanÃtÃm.'' Ah³ Ipg§n. AXn\v FÂtZm ]cnlmcw IWvSp.
""\ap¡p _Ym\nbmbnte¡p t]mImw. emkdnsâ ho«nÂ. Kpcphns\ AhnsS ImWm³ Ignbpsa¶v Fsâ a\w ]dbp¶p.''
""F¶m AXpXs¶bmWp \ÃXv.''
tImclv bm{Xbvs¡mcp§n. Ccphcpw _Ym\nbmbnte¡p R§sf hgn \S¯n. ]«WhmXnend§n sbcotlmante¡pÅ ]mXbnembncp¶p bm{X. km[mcW Xnc¡pÅ hgn. ImÂ\S¡mcpw arK¡mcpw X¡w t\m¡n \S¸pWvSmIpw.''
AXp Ku\n¨v, s]m¡Ww amdn tNÀ¯p]nSn¨p Rm³ \S