Ieoebnse ]«W§fnepw {Kma§fnepw Npänk©cn¨v tbip ssZhcmPyw {]kwKn¨psImWvSncp¶p. injy·mcpw, Kpcphn\p ip{iqjsNbvXpsImWvSv R§Ä kv{XoIfpw IqsSbpWvSmbncp¶p. shtdmWn¡bpw Rm\pw dmtlepw itemabpw. IqSmsX \ktd¯pImcn kqk¶bpw. tdmam¸SbmfnIÄ XShnem¡nb imapthensâ ktlmZcn.
FhnsSbpw ]XnXcpw ]mh§fpw Kpcphns\ FXntcäp. At\IÀ Ahsâ hN\w tIÄ¡m³ XSn¨pIqSn. Kpcp AhtcmSv ssZhkvt\lw {]kwKn¨p. ssZhcmPyw kwØm]n¡phm³ ]nXmhmb ssZh¯m \ntbmKn¡s¸« aninlmbmWp Xms\¶p shfns¸Sp¯n.
A\pjvTm\§fpw BNmc§fpw adnIS¶v, Bßmhnepw kXy¯nepw ssZhs¯ Bcm[n¡phm\mWv Kpcp ]Tn¸n¨Xv. \nXyPohnX¯n clkyambn ]m]¯n apgpIpIbpw ]ckyambn `àsc¶p `mhn¡pIbpw sN¿p¶hsc Kpcp \ninXambn hnaÀin¨p. A§s\bpÅhÀ I]S`àÀ. AhÀ \ymbw {]hÀ¯n¡msX \oXnbpsS hàm¡fmbn \S¡p¶p. kXyw Imw£n¡msX kXymt\zjnIfmsW¶p \Sn¡p¶p. Chsc shÅtX¨ ih¡ÃdtbmSp Kpcp D]an¨p. AXptI«hcmb ]coi·mcpw kZqIycpw Ahs\ ITn\ambn shdp¯p. ]ptcmlnX·mscbpw imkv{Xnamscbpw Kpcp shdpsX hn«nÃ. IpcpS·mcmb hgnIm«nIsf¶v Ahsc ]cnlkn¨p. ZoÀLambn {]mÀ°n¡pIbpw ]mh§sf h©n¡pIbpw sN¿p¶hÀ. hnizmkanÃmsX \ymb{]amWw {]kwKn¡p¶hÀ. \n§Ä hn[n¡p¶ hn[nbm \n§fpw hn[n¡s¸Spsa¶v Kpcp Ahsc Xm¡oXpsNbvXp. ]ptcmlnX·mcpw imkv{Xnamcpw AaÀjw ]qWvSv Ahsâ t\tc ]ÃpISn¡p¶Xv R§Ä¡p ImWmambncp¶p.
]teS¯pw Kpcphnsâ AZv`qX{]hr¯nIÄ¡v R§fpw km£nIfmbn. A©¸w \pdp¡n A¿mbncw t]À¡p hnf¼nbXv. IpcpS\p ImgvN. sNInS\p tIgvhn. C§s\ Fs´Ãmw Fs´Ãmw! ChsbÃmw IWvSp\nevt¡, injy·mcn aq¸\mb ]t{Xmkv Kpcphnt\mSv: \o Poh\pÅ ssZh¯nsâ ]p{X\mIp¶psh¶v hnizkn¨p ]dªp. B tIgvhnbn tImcn¯cn¨p \S¶ Fsâ \mfpIÄ...
s]klm¡mew Bbt¸mÄ Kpcp Pdpkteante¡p t]mIphm³ ]pd¸«ps¸«p. At±lt¯mSpIqsS injy·mcpw R§Ä kv{XoIfpw. aq¶mw\mÄ kmbmÓ¯n Xt_mÀ Xmgvhcbnembncp¶p R§Ä. iacnbbnte¡p {]thin¡p¶Xn\pap¼pÅ hn{iaw. AhnsSh¨v GXm\pw ]coi·mcpw imkv{Xnamcpw Kpcphns\ kao]n¨p. PdpkteanÂ\n¶v tbiphns\ At\zjn¨ph¶ {]amWnamÀ. ]ekvXo\n {]Ncn¨psImWvSncn¡p¶ tbiphnsâ {]hÀ¯\§sf Bi¦tbmsS ho£n¡p¶hÀ. tIÄ¡p¶ Imcy§fpsS hmkvXhw Bcmªdnbphm\mbncp¶p AhcpsS hchv.
Kpcphnt\mSpIqsS R§Ä kv{XoIsf IWvSXpw, {]amWnamcpsS apJw Npfnªp. AhcpsS km¶n²y¯nepw Kpcp R§tfmSp kwkmcn¡p¶pWvSmbncp¶p. Pdpkteante¡pÅ bm{X, kv{XoIÄ¡p ]¦¸mSmIpsa¶v At±lw ]dªp. AXn\m Cu bm{Xbn R§Ä A\pKan¡mXncn¡p¶Xp \¶v.
""Kpcp CÃm¯nS¯v Rms\§s\...'' DÅn \ndª {]bmkw ]dbm\mhmsX Rm³ hnXp¼n. Kpcp Fs¶ Xncnªpt\m¡n. B Zo]vXZrjvSnIÄ¡p ap¶n AXnhn\oXbmbn Rm³ \n¶p. bmsXmcp `mht`Zhpw IqSmsX Kpcp Kl\ambn kwkmcn¨p:
""Hcp Øe¯v cWvSpt]À H¶n¨ncp¶mepw, AhnsS ssZhansæn AhcpanÃ. F¶m HcmÄ X\n¨ncn¡pt¼mÄ Aht\mSpIqsS Rm\papWvSv. ]mdsb s]m¡nt\m¡pI, AhnsSbpw Rm\pWvSv. acs¯ ]nfÀ¶p t\m¡pI, AhnsSbpw Rm\pWvSv.''
B hmMvab¯nsâ s]mcpfdnªv, D¯canÃmsX Rm³ XeXmgv¯n \n¶p. AXptI«v ]coi·mÀ¡pw imkv{XnamÀ¡pw A¼c¸pWvSmbn. \ymb{]amW¯n\v AXoXamb ssZhhnNmcw! Akm[mcWamb hnÚXbn \nt¶ C¯cw Nn´IfpZn¡q F¶m AXp k½Xn¡m³ a\ÊnÃmsX, imkv{Xnamcn HcmÄ Kpcphns\ ]gn¨p:
""CXp almtamiamb GÀ¸mSpXs¶. C§s\ ]ckyambn kv{XoItfmSv CSs]Sp¶Xv, blqZd_namcmcpw sN¿m¯ Imcyw. F¶menhnsS ImWp¶ntÃ, d_nbmbn \S¡p¶hsâ s]cpamäw! kv{XoIsfbpw Iq«nbmWp k©mcw. AhfpamtcmSmWp sImWvSm«w. IjvSw! IjvSw! ''
""AtX AtX...''aäp ]coi·mcpw imkv{Xnamcpw XeIpep¡n.
AsXm¶pw {i²n¡msX Kpcp R§tfmSpw kwkmcn¨psImWvSncp¶p. R§sf ImWmXncn¡m³ XeIp\n¨p \nev¡pIbmbncp¶p ]coi·mcn HcmÄ. Kpcphns\ D¶wsh¨v AbmÄ imkv{XntbmSp ]dªp:
""v\mgnIbv¡p \mev]Xph«w \½sfsbms¡ I]S`àsc¶p hnfn¡p¶h\tÃ, C§s\ kv{XoIsfbpw Iq«n\S¡p¶Xv. Chs\ \mw F´mWp hnfnt¡WvSXv? FXnÀ{InkvXpsht¶m?IÅ{]hmNIs\t¶m?''
""F´m hnfn¨pIqSm¯Xv. s]®p§ftà Npänepw \nev¡p¶Xv.''
]coi·mcpw imkv{Xnamcpw ]cnlkn¨p Nncn¨p. klXm]mÀ{Zamb ZrjvSnIfm Kpcp Ahsc t\m¡n. \ymb{]amWw [ym\n¡msX ]m]hgntb Nn´n¡p¶ AhnthInIÄ! ]Iepw cmhpw Xncn¨dnbm¯ Ip_p²nIÄ! Kpcp AhtcmSp ]dªp:
""hy`nNmcw sN¿cpsX¶pÅ ssZhIev]\ \n§Ä Adnbp¶phtÃm. F¶m Rm³ \n§tfmSp ]dbp¶p; ImahnNmct¯msS kv{XoIsf ImWp¶hcpw t\m¡p¶hcpw AhtcmSp kÃ]n¡p¶hcpw sN¿p¶Xpw hy`nNmcamIp¶p. Rmt\m A§s\bÃ. FÃm kv{XoIfpw F\n¡v ktlmZcnamcmIp¶p. Ahsc Rm\mZcn¡p¶p. Bizkn¸n¡p¶p. Im]SyanÃmsX kvt\ln¡p¶p. hogvNIfn Xm§p¶p. PUnIamb t`mtKÑIÄ¡ vFsâbpÅn Øm\anÃ. Fs´¶m Rm³ euInI\Ã. ]nXmhpw Rm\pw H¶msW¶v \n§Ä Adnbp¶nÃtbm?''
]coi·mÀ¡pw imkv{XnamÀ¡pw D¯cw ap«n. AhÀ ]ckv]cw ]ndp]ndp¯psImWvSv apJw Xncn¨p. Ahsc AhKWn¨v injy·mtcmSp Kpcp ]dªp: ""C\nbpw ]ItesdbpWvStÃm. hcq., \ap¡p apt¶m«pt]mImw.''
AhÀ apt¶m«p \S¶p\o§n. R§Ä kv{XoIsf HfnI®n«pt\m¡n ]coi·mcpw imkv{Xoamcpw adphgntb t]mbn. a¡Ä bmt¡m_pw tbml¶m\pw AI¶pt]mIp¶Xpt\m¡n itema s\SphoÀ¸n«p. B ssIbn ]nSn¨psImWvSv Rm³ hnfn¨p: "" hcq A½mbo \ap¡p aS§nt¸mImw.''
""F\n¡pw AhtcmsSm¸w t]mIm\mbncp¶p XmÂ]cyw.'' itema hyk\w ]dªp.
""A§s\Xs¶bmWv Rm\pw B{Kln¨Xv. ]t£... '' AdnbmsX \ndª I®pIÄ XpS¨v Rm³ au\¸«p. dmtl ]dªp:
""vv\ap¡pWvSmImhp¶ ]¦¸mSpIÄ HmÀ¯n«mWp Kpcp..''
""Kpcphnt\mSpIqsS \S¶v ]¦¸mSpIÄ kln¡p¶Xmbncp¶p kam[m\w.'' Rm³ ]dªp. shtdmWn¡ Xebm«n.''icnbmWv. F\n¡nt¸mÄ Hcp kam[mt\manÃ.''
Bcpw ]ns¶sbm¶pw anWvSnbnÃ. I^À\lqante¡p aS§nt¸mIm³ Xs¶ R§Ä Xocpam\n¨p. AXmbncp¶tÃm KpcplnXw.
I^À\lqan ]SInd§n t_¯vskbvZbnte¡p R§Ä \S¶p. AhnsS ]mÀ¡m³ Geb½mbnbpsSbpw itemabpsSbpw hoSpWvSv.
IS¸pds¯ t]m¡pshbnen R§sf IWvSXpw ap¡hcpsS DucpIfnÂ\n¶v ]ecpw HmSnh¶p. Kpcphpw R§tfmSpIqsS DsWvS¶mWv AhÀ hnNmcn¨Xv. Kpcphns\ ImWmªv AhÀ \ncmicmbn. Kpcp FhnsSbmsW¶v NneÀ R§tfmSp tNmZn¨psImWvSncp¶p. AhtcmSp kam[m\w ]dªv R§Ä itemabpsS ho«nte¡psN¶p. hmXnev¡ÂXs¶ sk_Znaq¸\pWvSmbncp¶p. R§sf IWvSXpw aq¸³ Xnc¡n: "" FhnsS tbiphpw injy·mcpw?''
""AhÀ Pdpkteante¡p t]mbn''. itema ]dªp.
""ChnsSsbmcmÄ aIs\ ImWm³ Im¯ncn¸pWvSv.''
""BcmWmthm?''
""v\ktd¯nse adnbw.''
R§Ä thKw ho«n\pÅn IS¶p. AhnsS Hcp `mK¯v adnbw amXmhv Ccn¸pWvSmbncp¶p. Cfw\oe intcmhkv{Xw sImWvSv apJw ]mXnad¨v \nÀhnImcbmbn KpcpamXmhv. R§sf IWvSXpw AhÀ Fgpt¶äp. ASp¯psN¶v itema Icw {Kln¨v Ipiew tNmZn¨p:"" F¸gmh¶Xv? BcpWvSmbncp¶p XpWbv¡v?''
""D¨bv¡papt¼ h¶p. \mYm\ntbensâ ktlmZc³ IqsSbpWvSmbncp¶p. Ah³ aS§nt¸mbn.''
AXnarZpeamb hm¡pIÄ. A½bpsS I®v aIs\ tXSn. ImWmªv NpWvS\¡n:
""FhnsS ? tbip h¶ntÃ?''
""Kpcp h¶nÃtÃm At½.'' Rm³ ]dªp.
""FhnsSbmWv Ah\pÅXv? ~Hcp]mSp\mfmbn H¶p IWvSn«v.''
""AhÀ Pdpkteante¡pt]mbn.''
""tM!''
amXmhp sR«p¶Xp Rm\dnªp. hyk\w ]mSNqSn apJ¯v. amdn ssIbaÀ¯n hoÀ¸pap«n \n¶p. tXmfn XtemSns¡mWvSv Rm³ tNmZn¨p: "" F´mWt½, hÃmXn§s\?''
""Fsâ {]mW\nÂIqSn Hcp hmÄ..''Xnct]mse h¶ k¦Shm¡pIÄ R§sf au\s¸Sp¯n. FsâbpÅn KpcphN\¯nsâ kv]µ\w. \mfpw \mgnIbpw ASp¡pt¼mÄ PdpkteanÂh¨v AXp kw`hn¡pw. alm]ptcmlnX·mcpw aq¸·mcpw ]SbmfnIfpambn h¶v ]nSnIqSpw. \mSphmgnbpsS ap¼msI Gev]n¡s¸Spw. FÃm ]oU\§fpw Gäphm§n a\pjy]p{X\pw sImÃs¸Spw...
CXnt\mSIw Ah[qX\mb tbml¶m³ h[n¡s¸«ncp¶p. sltcmZm A´n¸mknsâ AXn\njvTpcamb ]It]m¡Â. AXn\ptijw Keoebnepw iacybnepw k©cn¡sh, Xsâ A´yhpw tbip injy·mÀ¡v shfns¸Sp¯pIbmbncp¶p. amXmhnsâbpÅnepw XnWÀ¯p InS¸pWvSmIpw B kqN\bpsS XnWÀ¯pInS¸pWvSmIpw B kqN\bpsS ZmcpWyw. Hc½bv¡p kln¡mhp¶Xnepw A[nIambXv. B hnNmc§fm Fsâ I®p\ndªp. itematbmSp Rm³ ]cnXm]w ]dªp:
""Fsâb½mbo, Pdpktew F¶t]cp t]mepw Fs¶ t]Sns¸Sp¯p¶p. alm ]ptcmlnX·mcpw \mSphmgnIfpw AgnªmSp¶ BØm\w. AhnsS F´pw kw`hn¡mw. ChnsS \n¶n«v F\ns¡mcp a\Êam[mt\manÃ. Pdpkteante¡p \ap¡pw t]mImw . Kpcphnsâ IqsS \nev¡matÃm.''
hm¡pIÄ sXmWvSbn ]nSªv Rm³ G§eSn¨p. Fsâ Zp:Jw FÃmhcnepw hym]n¨p. BÀ¡pw Bscbpw Bizkn¸n¡m\mImsX, hoSv au\¯nepdªp.
aqh´n¡v ho«n hnf¡psImfp¯nbt¸mÄ a\Ênsâ apdp¡w H¶bªp. KpcpamXmhv R§Ä Hmtcm¯scbpw t\m¡n DXhn tNmZn¨p:
""Aht\mSpIqsS Rm\papWvSmIWw. tbiphnsâ kao]¯ÃmsX, asähnsSbmWv F\n¡p kam[m\w? F\n¡pSs\ Pdpkteante¡p t]mImsX h¿. Bsc¦nepw F\n¡p XpWbmbn IqsS hcntÃ?''
""A½tbmSpIqsS Rm³ hcmw..''
Bthit¯msS Rm³ ]dªp: ""FÃm ]¦¸mSpIfpw Rm³ klnt¨mfmw. Pohn¨mepw acn¨mepw Kpcphnsâ IqsS Rm\pw..''
amXmhns\ ]pWÀ¶v Rm\pd¸p sImSp¯p. At¶cw shtdmWn¡bpw ]dªp: ""Rm\pw hcpw \n§tfmSpIqsS.''
""Rm\pw hcmw..''
itemabpw kqk¶bpw dmtlepw A§s\Xs¶ ]dªp.