ha¯nse sN½¬]mXbneqsS ]utemk¨³ Bªp \S¶p. SuWn _knd§n IÃp¦te¡p \S¡p¶Xn\nSbn [mcmfw ]cnNb¡msc IWvSpap«n. hgnbcnIn AYhm FXnsc hcp¶hÀ kvXpXn sNmÃnbm ]utemk¨³ Xsâ lmsäSp¯v D]Nmc]qÀÆw XeIp\n¡pw.
Im³Unbn ]Tn¡p¶ Ime¯v AhnSs¯ sdIvSdmbncp¶ aq¸¨³ k½m\n¨XmWv B hntijs¸« sXm¸n. ]utemk¨³ FhnsSt¸mbmepw sXm¸n IqsSbpWvSmhpw.
JZdnsâ ]cp]cp¯ XpWnsImWvSp Xbv¨ tfmltb ]utemk¨³ [cn¡q. efnXPohnXamWv {][m\w. KmÔnPnbnÂ\n¶pÄs¡mWvS ]mTamWv. ]Tn¨ncp¶ Ime¯v kzmX{´ykac¯nsâ Bthiw DÄs¡mWvSncp¶p. KmÔnPn ssh¡¯p h¶t¸mÄ t\cn«p ImWpIbpw sXmSpIbpw sNbvXn«pWvSv. A§s\bmWv XnIª KmÔnb\mbn amdnbXv.
"Fsâ PohnXamWv Fsâ ktµiw' F¶ KmÔnkqàw kz´w PohnX¯n ]camh[n {]mtbmKnIam¡m³ ]utemk¨³ {ian¨p. skan\mcnbn tNÀ¶nÃmbncps¶¦n kzmX{´ykact¸mcmfn BIpambncp¶p, ]utemk¨³.
sNcn¸nSmdnÃ. FhnsSbpw \St¶ t]mIq. ZoÀLZqc¯n\p am{Xta _kv Ibdq. hgnbn ]cnNb¡mÀ Bsc¦nepw Imdn Ibdm³ £Wn¨m H¶p ]p©ncn¨v lmsäSp¯v D]Nmcw Im«n £Ww \nckn¡pw. F¶n«v \S¯¯n\p thKw Iq«pw. A{X Xs¶.
]{Xta\nbmbn A¸³ X\ns¡gpXnb kz¯p¡Ä hsc Ipdph¨sâ t]cnem¡n, ]utemk¨³. X\ns¡´n\mWp kz¯v? IpÀ_m\¸Ww In«nbm ]utemk¨sâ t]m¡än InS¡nÃ. FXntc hcp¶ AYhm IWvSpap«p¶ GsX¦nepw ]mhs¸«h\v AXp k½m\n¡pw.
""\o AcntaSnt¨m. Mvlm! ]ntÅÀ¡v cWvSp Intem aqcnbnd¨nbpw Ipd¨pao\pw hm§n Idnh¨p sImSv¡v''.
""\o \sÃmcp apWvSpw jÀ«pw hm§v''.
""s]mc taªntÃSm. C¶m CXp sImtWvSmbvt¡m. Hme taSn¨v agbv¡p apt¼ s]c tabv. sXI§ªnsæn skan\mcotem«p ht¶sc. Asæn thWvS. Rm³ ]dsª¶p ]dªv Ipdph¨t\mSp taSnt¨mfq''.
""s\sâ s]®ns\ sI«n¡m³ Rm³ sImd¨v cq]m Xcmw. AhvsS IeymWan\n sshInt¡WvSm''.
C§s\ t]mIp¶p, ]utemk¨sâ ]ÃhnIÄ. AXns\ms¡ thWvS Imiv IÀ¯mhv sImSp¡pw. Asæn ImWn¨p sImSp¡pw F¶mWv ]utemk¨sâ `mjyw. CÃm¯]£w ho«nev hcpt¼m Ipdph¨t\mSp ]dbpw.
""tN«m! F\n¡v Hcp aqhmbncw cq]m thWw. C¶ BÄ¡v sImSp¡m\m. Ahsâ s]®ns\ sI«n¡m\m''.
]utemk¨³ tNmZn¨m Hcp aSnbpw IqSmsX Ipdph¨³ ImsiSp¯p sImSp¡pw. ""A\nb³ IqSn A\p`hnt¡WvS samXeÃntbm. ]ns¶ Ah³ tNmZn¨m sImSp¡mXncn¡WsX´n\m'' CXmWv Ipdph¨sâ {]amWw.
IÃp¦se ]Sn¸pcbv¡p ]pd¯v hgnbcnIn Btdgp ImdpIÄ ]mÀ¡p sNbvXn«pWvSv. ]utemk¨³ ]Snbpw IS¶v AIt¯¡p \S¶p. apäw \ndsb BfpIÄ.
]utemk¨³ IS¶psN¶t¸mÄ acW¸´en Ccp¶hÀ D]Nmc]qÀÆw FWoäp. ]utemk¨³ Ipªpadnbm½bpsS iha©¯n\cnIn A©p\nanjw {]mÀ°\m\ncX\mbn \n¶p. F¶n«v NmcpItkcbn tN«sâ ASpt¯¡p sN¶p.
""A¨\v Rm\n¶se Imdb¨ncp¶tÃm. Ft´ C¶se t]m¶nÃ''.
""C¶se sNe tPmen¯ncs¡mWvSmcp¶p tN«m. ]ns¶ kwkvImcan¶tÃm. Rm\n¶se¯s¶ h¶n«v...''. ]utemk¨³ apgpan¨nÃ. ]utemk¨³ XnSp¡¯n ]´en ho sNbdnencn¡p¶ adnbm½s¸§fpsS ASpt¯¡p sN¶p.
adnbm½s¸§Ä¡v sNhn H«pw tI«p IqSm. ]t£ \à ImgvNiànbpWvSv. A¨s\ IWvSp s]§Ä kvXpXn sNmÃn. AXp ]qÀ¯nbm¡m³ A\phZn¡msX ]utemk¨³ B ssIIÄ cWvSpw Iq«nt¨À¯v ]nSn¨p. F¶n«v apJw Ip\n¨p tNmZn¨p: ""s]§tf! kpJatÃ. BtcmKysams¡ F§s\? ''. adnbm½s¸§Ä 98 hbÊnsâ BtcmKy¯n AsXm¶pw tI«nÃ.
""A¨s\¸w t]m¶p? Im¸n IpSnt¨m. Atdtem«p sN¶v Fs´¦nepsam¶v Ign¡v. \S¶p £oWn¨p ImWqtem''.
""thWvS s]§tf. Ct¸m hni¸nÃ''.
s]§sf t\m¡n Hcp Nncn k½m\n¨v ]utemk¨³ ]´ensâ sXs¡aqebn Hcp Itkcbnencn¡p¶ IpªphdoXn\Sps¯¯n. A¨s\ IWvSv IpªphdosXWoäp. Abmsf BtÇjn¨psImWvSp ]dªp:
""ssZhw At§m«p hnfn¨p F¶v IcpXnbmaXn. Hcp IW¡n\v AhsS IjvS¸mSp XoÀ¶tÃm''. IpªphdoXv adp]Snsbm¶pw ]dªnÃ. IpªphdoXns\ Itkcbn ]nSn¨ncp¯nbn«v ]utemk¨³ hcm´bnte¡p Ibdn AIt¯¡p t]mbn. apdnIfnencn¡p¶ _Ôp¡sfsbms¡ IWvSp Ipiew tNmZn¨p. ASp¡fs¡«n sN¶v ]Wn¡mcnItfmSpw Ipiew ]dªp. Hcp ¥mkv shÅhpw hm§n¡pSn¨p.
XncnsI h¶v IpªphdoXnsâ a¡sf Xnc¡n. FtÌäv Imcy§Ä t\m¡n \S¯p¶ tPm¬ hÀKokv ]´en Xs¶bpWvSv; FÃm Imcy§Ä¡pw taÂt\m«w hln¨v Ahsâ A\nb³ sNdnbm³ hÀKokv FhnsSbmsW¶v BÀ¡padnbnÃ. Ahs\ hnhcadnbn¡m³ Ignªn«nÃ. Nn{Xwhcbpw FIvkn_nj\pambn \S¡p¶ Ah³ X\n \mtSmSnbmsW¶p ]dbmw. ""Ct¸mÄ a{Zmknev Nne kn\naIfpsS BÀ«v hÀ¡pIfpsWvS¶p tIÄ¡p¶p. tIm¬SmIväp sN¿m³ Ignªn«nÃ''. tPm¬ hÀKokv ]dªp.
""kmcanÃ. sUbvknbpw enkpsa´ntb? Rm\hsc IWvSnÃtÃm.'' ]utemk¨³ Xnc¡n.
""Ahcv At½sS a©¯n\cnInsemWvSv. Rm\hsc hnfn¸n¡mw''.
""thWvS Rm\hsc sN¶p ItWvSmfmw.'' A§s\ ]dsª¦nepw a¯mbn sN¶v hnhcw ]dªp. AhÀ ]utemk¨\v h¶p kvXpXn sNmÃn.
""\n§sS ]Tn¯sams¡ icn¡p \S¡WvWvStÃm. Nnä¸\v Is¯gpXms\m¶pw kabw In«WnÃ. sImd¨v aSosamWvS¶v Iq«nt¡m''.
""\¶mbn ]Tn¡WWvS¨m...''.
sUbvkn ]dªp. AhfpsS I®ocptXmÀ¶nÃ. enkv \nÀhnImcbmbn \n¶p. cWvSmfpw a{ZmknemWv ]Tn¡p¶Xv.
""kmcanà a¡tf. At½sS IjvS¸mSv IWvSp ssZhw At§m«p hnfns¨¶p IW¡m¡nbmaXn. A½ kzÀ¤¯nencp¶v \n§sf A\p{Kln¡pw''. ]utemk¨³ B s]¬Ip«nIsf kam[m\n¸n¨p.
F¶m C\n Xmakn¸n¡WvS.
""]Åoev A¨s\ sImtWvSzmcm³ Bfv t]mbns«mWvSv. ]Ånkmam\§fv h¶p Ignªv''.
a¯mbn BWv adp]Sn ]dªXv. ]utemk¨³ ]´en IS¶psN¶v H¸okv ]pkvXIsaSp¯v sNmÃm\mcw`n¨p. P\w Ipcniphc¨v H¸okn ]¦p tNÀ¶p. ]utemk¨³ ]utemkv Çolm sXkvtem\nbm¡mÀ¡v FgpXnb teJ\w hmbn¨p.
"Fsâ ktlmZctc, acn¨hsc¡pdn¨v {]XymibnÃm¯hsct¸mse \n§Ä ZpxJn¡cpsX¶v Rm³ \n§tfmSp ]dbp¶p. Cutim acWtijw DbnÀs¯gpt¶äp F¶p \mw hnizkn¡p¶p. A§s\Xs¶ ssZhw Cutimbn acn¨hscbpw Aht\mSp IqsS DbnÀ¸n¡pw... BIbm Cu hm¡pIfm \n§Ä ]ckv]cw Bizkn¸n¡phn³'.
]utemk¨sâ IcpWmÀ{Zamb kzc¯nepÅ {]mÀ°\tI«v acW¸´ense s]®p§Ä I®oÀhmÀ¯p.
Ipªpadnbm½ PohnXIme¯nsâ `mcw Cd¡nh¨ Bizmkt¯msS s]«nbn InS¶p. AhfpsS NpWvSpIÄ C§s\ a{´n¡p¶Xpt]mse tXm¶n.
""Rm³ \Ãh®w bp²w sNbvXp. Rm³ Fsâ Hm«w ]qÀ¯nbm¡n. Fsâ hnizmkw Rm³ kwc£n¨p. AXn\m \oXnbpsS \ymbm[n]\mb IÀ¯mhv Cu Znhkw \oXnbpsS apSn Fs¶ AWnbn¡pamdmIs«...''
]utemk¨sâ H¸okp ]qÀ¯nbmbt¸mtg¡pw hnImcnb¨\pw I]ymcpw kwkvImc ip{iqjbv¡mbn ]´ense¯nt¨À¶p.
FÃmhcpw FWoäp. kv{XoIÄ IhnWnbpw kmcn¯ebpw sImWvSp XeaqSn. hnImcnb¨³ henb H¸okv Bcw`n¨p. H¸okn\nSbn Ipªpadnbm½ ImÀ½nIsâ kzcw tI«ncn¡p¶p.
""\o C¶v Ft¶mSp IqsS ]dpZokmbnembncn¡pw''.
Xebn shÅapSn [cn¨ B apJ¯v Bizmk¯nsâ {]`mhebw ]c¶ncp¶p. ]utemk¨³ alXz¯nsâ apSn AWnbn¨t¸mÄ Ipªpadnbm½bpsS NpWvSpIÄ hoWvSpw a{´n¨Xpt]mse tXm¶n.
""Rm³ Fsâ Hm«w ]qÀ¯nbm¡n...''.
tNÀ¯ebnÂ\n¶pw ]Ån¸pd¯p\n¶pw h¶ _m³UpskäpImÀ hgnbcnIn Hcp§n\n¶p. iha©w FSp¯pt¸mÄ {KmalrZb¯nte¡v ZpxJ_m³UpIÄ IcpWmÀ{Zambn IS¶p sN¶p. Ipªpadnbm½bpsS iha©w ]ÅnbpsS sN¦Ãp \SIÄ Ibdpt¼mgpw IÃp¦Â XdhmSnsâ ]Sn¸pc IS¶ BfpIfpsS \nc Ahkm\n¨ncp¶nÃ.
IÃp¦Â Xdhm«p hI IÃd Hcn¡ÂIqSn Xpd¶p. C«n am¸nfbv¡pw hÀ¡nam¸nfbv¡pw Ipª¶m½bv¡pw tijw hoWvSpanXm Ipªpadnbm½bv¡mbn AXnsâ hmXn Xpd¶ncn¡p¶p. ChnsS \n¶p t\m¡nbm Ipd¨Isebmbn ZmhoZnsâ a¬Iq\ ImWmw. Ahkm\w apJyImÀanIsâ kzcw Ipªpadnbm½bpsS hnd§en¨ ImXpIfn apg§n.
""acWw hgn temI¯nÂ\n¶p thÀ ]ncnªpt]mb Cu ZmknbpsS Bßmhns\ hnip²cpsS kaql¯n {]thin¸n¡Wta...''.
FÃmän\pw km£nbmbn IpªphdoXv \n¶p. At¸mgpw AbmfpsS IÃn¨ lrZbw \nÀÆnImcambncp¶p.