""G³. X{¼ms\ apJw ImWn¡m³ h¶Xm'' IWvS³ \SpIp\n¨p ]dªp.
"" Hm. IWnImWn¡m³ ]änb apJw. F´m Imcyw. Rm³ ]dªmÂt¸msc. \osb´m C¶p ]mS¯pt]mWnsÃ. ]q«pXoÀ¶nÃtÃm.''
""G³ t]msWmWvSv. X{¼mt\mSv Hct]£.'' IWvS³ hoWvSpw hn\oX\mbn
"" Cu sN¡\mtWm kvIqfnev ]¯mw Xc¯nev Gähpw IqSpX amÀ¡pIn«nbXv.'' I¦mWn A¿¸³ s\änNpfn¨p tNmZn¨p.
""HÆv'' IWvS³ kt´mjt¯msS {]XnhNn¨p. sN¡³ ]pgp¸ÃpIm«nNncn¨v I¦mWn A¿¸s\ t\m¡n.
""ChnSps¯ tZhq¡pªnsâ I®ocv C\nbpw tXmÀ¶n«nÃ. FÃm ]cot£bpw IpªnÃmcpt¶m H¶maXv .\n\s¡§s\ a\Êph¶p ChnSps¯ Ipªnsâ H¶mw Øm\w X«nsbSp¡m³. ChnSps¯ D¸pw tNmdpw Xn¶p¶h\tà \o.'' I¦mWn A¿¸sâ i_vZ¯n tZjyhpw \ockhpw \ndªp\n¶p. IWvS\pw aI\pw ¾m\XtbmsS apJw Ip\n¨p.
""X¼pcms\ ImWmXncn¡p¶Xm \n\¡pw sN¡\pw \ÃXv. X¼pcm\v \nt¶mSp\Ã IenbpWvSv. s]mbvt¡mt]mbn ]mS¯p ]q«m³ t\m¡v.''
""BcSm A¿¸m AhnsS '' Kw`oci_vZ¯n\p ]n¶mse apWvSv hbdn\p apIfn DSp¯psImWvSv A\´³ X¼pcm³ F¯n.
""X¼m s]mdp¡Ww. G³InSmhv''
IWvS³ \ne¯p Iangv¶phoWp am¸t]£n¨p. sN¡³ ImgvNIWvSp angn¨p\n¶p.
""Xv`m''
X¼pcmsâ B«n sN¡³ ]ndtIm«p NmSpIbpw IWvS³NmSn Fgpt¶Â¡pIbpw sNbvXp ""s]mdp¡m³ ]äp¶sXämtWm \obpw \nsâ sN¡\pw sNbvXXv. Fsâ tamfpsS H¶mwØm\w X«nsbSp¯n«v \n¶ptam§pt¶m \msb. s]mt¡m cWvSpw Fsâ I¬ap¶o¶v.''
""X{¼m Gs\mcp At]£. InSmhn\v tImtfinev t]mWw¶pWvSv C¯ncn Ddp]y...''
""Xv`m''...tImtfPntem. \nsâ tams\´m IfIvSdptZymKw `cn¡m³ t]mtWm. t]mbn IWvS¯n Imf]q«Sm.''
""FSm sN¡m.'' X¼pcmsâ CSnsh«p i_vZ¯n sN¡sâ Xe Xmt\ s]m§n. X¼pcmsâ Xo I¯p¶ I®pIÄ IWvSv sN¡³ I®pIfS¨p.
"" \o C¶p apXÂ ]mS¯p t]mbn Hcp Gdv Imf]q«v. ]Tn¨Xp aXn.''
IWvS\pw aI\pw I®otcmsS aS§n.
sN¡³ Bäpt\mäp hfÀ¯nbncp¶ A½nWn BSns\bpw Ipªp§sfbpw JmZdn\p hnäv IWvS³ sN¡s\ tImfPn tNÀ¯p.
hnhcadnªv X¼pcmsâ I®n Xo I¯n.
A¶p cm{Xnbn IWvSsâ IpSnen\p Xo ]nSn¨p. IWvS\pw `mcybv¡pw sN¡\pw Poh³ am{Xw Xncn¨p In«n.
shÅIodnbt¸mÄ ]Sn¸pcbv¡Â IWvSs\¯n. Icªp.
""X{¼m G\n\n F¶msi¿pw IpSnepsI«m³ Hcp IapIp Xtczm.''
""\o C\n B Xpcp¯n IpSn hbv¡WvS. \o sN¡t\w sImWvSp \mSphn«pt]mWw. AXm Fsâ Iev]\''.
Iev]\{]Imcw IWvS\pw IpSpw_hpw I®otcmsS \mSphn«p.
* * * *
ta¡qcbn \n¶p hogp¶ agshÅw Xdbn hogmXncn¡m³ `{Z¯¼pcm«n Iq\n¡q\n \S¶v ]m{X§fmb ]m{X§sfÃmw \nc¯n h¨p. F¶n«pw ]pXnb ag\q ameIÄ IWvSv X¼pcm«n Nncn¨p.
""\n\¡p thsd ]Wnbntà `t{Z FÃmShpw \\bp¶pWvSv. ]ns¶ F´n\o ]mgvthe.'' A\´³X¼pcm³ `mcybpsS DZyas¯ \ncpÕmls¸Sp¯n.
hr²³ ags]¿p¶Xpw t\m¡n ]pX¸p ]pX¨ncp¶p.
""Hcp ISpw Im¸n In«nbm sImÅmambncp¶p.'' `À¯mhnsâ B{Kl¯n\p adp]Snbmbn `{Z¯¼pcm«n Nncn¨p.
""NqSpshÅw C«pXcmw. Im¸ns¸mSn XoÀ¶n¡p¶p''. AhÀ G§n henªv ASp¡fbnte¡p \S¶p.
IWvS³Xpcp¯n \n¶v Hcp Imäp h¶v hr²sâ ta ag¯pÅnIÄ Xfn¨p. ImSpaqSn¡nS¡p¶ IWvS³Xpcp¯v hr²\n hoWvSpw Zp:J¯nsâ Ddh Npc¯n.
Xcnimbn InS¡p¶ ]mS§sfÃmw C¶p aämcptStXm BWv. kz´ambn DWvSmbncp¶ tZlWvU§sfÃmw Hma\¸p{X³ apSn¨ptX¨p. aZyhpw aZncm£nbpambncp¶p Ah\p Iq«v. FÃmw \nÊlmbXtbmsS t\m¡n\n¶p. AXpsImWvSv Poh³ _m¡nbmbn. CXnepw t`Zw acWambncp¶p F¶p Nn´n¡mdpWvSv. Cu ]«nWn kln¡mhp¶Xnepw A¸pdamWv . ]«nWn Fs´¶v Adnbn¨pX¶Xv kz´w aI\mWv. Cu InS¸mSw hn¡m³ XpS§nbt¸mÄ FXnÀ¯Xn\mWv kz´w ktlmZcnsb Ah³ sXmgn¨phogv¯nbXv.
H¶pw HmÀ½n¡WvS F¶p IcpXn bmepw HmÀ½IÄ XnI«n hcnIbmWv. sNbvXpIq«nb A\À°§Ä [mcmfamWv. FÃmw A\p`hn¡Ww. amfnIapItfdnb X¼pcmsâ tXmfn amdm¸p tIäp¶ IY X\n¡p _m[IamIpsa¶v Hcn¡epw Nn´n¨nÃ.
kz´w XfÀ¨bnepw XIÀ¨bnepw ]pXnb X¼pcm¡·mÀ DZbw sN¿p¶Xp IWvSp\n¶p. ChnsS ]Wn¡p h¶ncp¶hcn ]ecpw ]W¡mcmbn. AhcpsS a¡Ä ]pdw cmPy§fn \n¶p ]Ww hmcp¶p. ]gb ]Wn¡mÀ¡pw AhcpsS a¡Ä¡pw Xs¶ ImWpt¼mÄ ]pÑamWv. HmÑm\n¨p \n¶ncp¶hÀ C¶p XÀ¡p¯cw ]dbp¶p.
""F´m Nn´n¡WXv. CXm NqSpshÅw''hr² hndbv¡p¶ ssIItfmsS ¥mkv hr²\p \o«n. ¥mkv hm§pt¼mÄ hr²sâ ssIIfpw hnd¨p.
""\mft¯¡v AcnbnÃ. \½sf´p sN¿pw.'' AhÀ `À¯mhnsâ apJt¯¡p t\m¡n I«nen ASp¯ncp¶p.
hr²³ BtemN\bnembn.
hn¡m³ C\n sXmSnbn Hcp ]mgvXSnt]mepanÃ. ]¯p dºsd¦nepw DWvSmbncps¶¦n Acnsb¦nepw hm§mambncp¶p.
""\t½t¸mse Hcp X¼pcm\pw X¼pcm«nbpw Cu `qapJ¯p ImWnÃ. F§s\ IgnªXm \½fv. FÃm Hcp kz]v\w t]mse tXm¶p¶p.''
"" hn[n. AÃmsWvS´m A\p`hn¡yXs¶. A¶sad§msX NmIWsa¶mbncn¡pwþ''
hr²³ \ncmiX apgph³ {]ISam¡n. AbmfpsS apJw tZjywsImWvSp \ndªp.
""A§s\ Cuizc\nµ ]dbtÃ. Ft¸mÄ thWsa¦nepw AhØbv¡p hyXymkw hcpw.'' `{Z¯¼pcm«n `À¯mhnsâ hm¡pIsf JÞn¨p.
""AtX. Ipgnbnte¡p Imep\o«nbncn¡p¶ \½¡n\n F´hØbmsW¶p \¶mbn Adnbmw. Rm³ ZpjvS¯c§Ä sNbvXp Iq«nbn«psWvS¦nepw \o F{Xtbm t]À¡v A¶w \ÂInbncn¡p¶p. AXn\pÅ {]Xn^esa¦nepw Cuizc³amÀ¡p XccptXm.''
""Rms\m¶p ]dbs«.'' hr² kvt\l]qÀÆw hr²sâ Icw ssIbnseSp¯p.
""\apt¡sX¦nepw kZ\¯n t]mImw. A¶sad§n I®Sbv¡mw'' AXp ]dbpt¼mÄ hr²bpsS I®pIÄ \ndsªmgpIn.
AbmÄ k½Xt¯msS Xe Nen¸n¨p. hr² Bizmkt¯msS s\SphoÀ¸b¨p.
"" Rm³ F{X\mfmbn ]dbp¶p. Ct¸msg¦nepw k½Xn¨tÃm. s]mfnªphogmdmb Cu ho«n ]«nWnInS¶p acn¡p¶Xnepw t`ZatÃ. \ap¡p ]peÀt¨ bm{X ]pds¸Smw FSp¡m\mbn H¶panÃ.''
AhÀ DÕmlt¯msS Fgpt¶äv ASp¡fbnte¡pt]mbn.
]Sns¡«pIÄ¡p Xmsg Hcp ImÀ h¶p \n¡p¶Xv hr²³ P\egnIfneqsS IWvSp. AbmÄ Fgpt¶äp NnX Xn¶ IXIp Xpd¶p.
Bcmbncn¡pw? P]vXn t\m«okpambn GsX¦nepw DtZymKØ\mbncn¡ptam? BcpamIs«. cmhnse kZ\¯nte¡p bm{X]pds¸Sm\ncn¡p¶hÀ¡v \jvSs¸Sm³ H¶panÃ.
""Bcm... Ft´y''. hr²³ IXIn¸nSn¨p\n¶p tNmZn¨p.
]mâvkpw jÀ«pw [cn¨ AbmÄ hr²sâ tNmZy¯n\p adp]Sn ]dbmsX B hoSv {i²n¡pIbmbncp¶p.
s]m«ns¸mfnª Xdbn shÅw Xfw sI«nbncn¡p¶p. ta¡qcbnse HmSpIÄ ]eXpanÃ. Igpt¡mepIfpw ]«nIIfpsaÃmw NnX Xn¶ncn¡p¶p. hnPmKncnIÄ ]dnªpt]mb P\mepIfpw IXIpIfpw.
hensbmcp XdhmSnsâ AØn]RvPcw AbmÄ IWvSp.
Abmfn \ns¶mcp s\SphoÀ¸p ]pdt¯¡p h¶p.
AbmfpsS ZrjvSnIÄ IWvS³ Xpcp¯n Xdªp \n¶p.
"" BcmWmthm?''
`{Z¯¼pcm«n `hyXtbmsS Xnc¡ns¡mWvSp ]pdt¯¡p h¶p. AbmÄ i_vZwtI«p Xncnªp. X¼pcm«nsb IWvSt¸mÄ AbmfpsS NpWvSnsemcp Nncn hncnªp.
""Rm\nt§m«p Øew amdnh¶ IfIvSdm.''
AbmfpsS hm¡pIfn _lpam\w \ndªp \n¶p.
""P]vXnbpsS Imcyw ]dbm\mbncn¡pw CtÃ.. \S¯nt¡mfq R§Ä ]peÀt¨t]mIpw'' hr²sâ i_vZ¯n\p \à aqÀ¨bpWvSmbncp¶p.
""FhnsS t]mIp¶p?'' AbmÄ ktµlt¯msS Xnc¡n.
""AXp \n§Ä¡dnbWvS BhiyanÃ.''
hr²sâ hm¡pIÄ tI«v AbmÄ ]p©ncn¨XÃmsX adp]Snsbm¶pw ]dªnÃ.
""R§Ä GsX¦nepw kZ\¯nte¡p amdpIbmWv kmsd.''
`{Z¯¼pcm«nbpsS i_vZw hÃmsX XmWncp¶p.
Abmfn \n¶v Hcp NpSp\nizmkw ]pds¸«p.
""X¼pcmt\'' AbmÄ hr²sâ Ccp Ic§fnepw ]nSn¨p hnfn¨p.'' Rm³ sXmSp¶Xv CjvSs¸«nsæn £an¡Ww. Rm³ ]gbIWvSsâ aI³ sN¡\m. kÀhoknÂ\n¶p ]ncnbp¶Xn\pap¼v Cu PnÃbn hcWsa¶m{KlapWvSmbncp¶p. t]mÌnwsKÃmw t\mÀ¯v C³´yybnembncp¶p. \nsâ sN¡s\´m IfIvSdptZymKw `cn¡m³ t]mtWmsb¶v A§ptNmZn¨ tNmZyw Fsâ a\Ên F¶pw DWvSmbncp¶p. AXmsW\n¡p {]tNmZ\w \ÂInbXv. A§tbs¡mWvSv B tNmZyw tNmZn¸n¨Xv CutemI¯nsâ X¼pcm\mWv.''
AbmÄ ]dªp \nÀ¯nbt¸mÄ X¼pcm«nbnÂ\ns¶mcp tX§epbÀ¶p.
""ChnSps¯ D¸pw tNmdpamWv ]Xn\©p hbkphsc Rm³ Ign¨sX¶ HmÀ½ F\ns¡¶p apWvSmbncp¶p.'' `{Z¯¼pcm«nbpsS ssI IhÀ¶v AbmÄ ]dªp. X¼pcm\pw X¼pcm«nbpw BÝcy¯nsâ XShdbnembn.
IfIvSdpsS samss_ i_vZn¨p. AbmÄ sams_ sNhntbmSp tNÀ¯p
""Gcnbm sk{I«dnbm. a{´n dÌplukn F¯nbn«v AcaWn¡qdmbn. Xm\nsXhnsSbm?''
"" a{´n \mepaWnt¡ F¯pIbpÅp F¶mbncp¶p C³^Àtaj³.''
""a{´ns¡´m AcaWn¡qÀ t\ct¯ h¶pIqsS. Xm³ t\ct¯ F¯m³ t\m¡v.''
IfIvSÀ t]mIm³ XnSp¡w Iq«n .
""Rm³ \msfhcpw. \ap¡o hoSv s]mfn¨p Ifªp ]pXnb hoSp hbv¡Ww. Fsâ AÑ\pw A½bpambn \n§Ä ChnsS Xmakn¡Ww.''
""AsXm¶pw thWvS Iptª.'' `{Z¯¼pcm«n Abmsf \ncpÕmls¸Sp¯n.
""CXp IfIvSdpsS D¯chmWv. ewLn¡m³ ]mSnÃ'' AbmfpsS adp]Snbn X¼pcm\pw X¼pcm«nbpw Nncn¨p.