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Mumbai tez baarish...

"Yeh kaisi baat kar rahe ho dada! Maine kal hi aapke account mein poore paise bhej diye hain, zara theek se check karo," Vanya ne chidhte hue kaha.

Us aadmi ne hadbadahat mein apna phone dekhte hue kaha, "Toh pehle bolne ka tha na! Main idhar aakar khaali-peeli magazmari nahi karta." Woh munh banate hue wahan se chala gaya.

"Saala ek number ka ghatiya aadmi! Acchi tarah jaanti hoon main aise aadmiyon ko, meri majboori ka fayda uthane ki firaak mein hai, huh!" Itna bolkar Vanya apartment ki lift ki ore badh gayi.

Vanya jaise hi lift ke andar kadam rakhti hai, uski nazar kone mein khade us shaks par padti hai. Lamba kad, chau de kandhe aur badan par ek mehenga black business suit. Uske chehre par ek black mask tha, jisse sirf uski geheri thandi aankhein nazar aa rahi thin. Lekin uski aankhein kuch alag thin... koi bhi aam insaan un aankhon mein dekhta toh darr jaata. Us shaks ki ek aankh samandar ki tarah neeli thi, toh doosri hari.

Vanya ko kaafi ajeeb laga. Woh us shaks ke bilkul kareeb aakar uski aankhon mein dekhne lagi. Us shaks ne koi reaction nahi diya. Tabhi Vanya ka floor aa gaya aur woh aage badh gayi.

Vanya lift se bahar toh nikal gayi, lekin uska dimag ab bhi unhi do alag rangon wali aankhon mein atka tha. Woh neeli aankh jo barfiley samandar jaisi thandi thi aur woh hari aankh jo kisi zehereele jungle ki tarah rahasyamayi thi.

Jaise hi woh apne apartment ke darwaze par pahunchi, usne peeche mudkar dekha. Lift ke darwaze band ho rahe the, lekin band hone se theek ek second pehle usne dekha ki us naqab-posh shaks ne apna haath lift ke bahar nikala aur uski taraf ek ishara kiya—jaise woh use dekh raha ho.

Vanya ne jaldi se darwaza khola aur andar ghus gayi. Lekin jaise hi usne door lock karne ki koshish ki, us aadmi ne darwaza bahar se pakad liya. Vanya ne poori taqat lagakar darwaza band karna chaaha, lekin us shaks ki pakad ke saamne uski mehnat bekaar thi. Darwaze ke beech mein fansa hua uska haath aur woh kaala dastana (glove) dekhkar Vanya ki cheekh gale mein hi dab gayi. Jhatke se darwaza khula aur woh naqab-posh shaks andar dakhil ho gaya. Usne laat maarkar darwaza peeche se band kiya aur use lock kar diya.

Vanya peeche hatte hue chillayi, "Kaun ho tum? Aur andar kaise aaye? Bahar niklo varna main police ko bula loongi..." Woh abhi bol hi rahi thi ki us shaks ne uske munh mein gun rakh di. Uski awaaz gale mein hi reh gayi.

Tabhi darwaze par tez-tez haath maarne ki awaaz aayi— "Kya yahan do alag aankhon ke rang wala aadmi aaya hai?"

Vanya ki aankhon mein khauf saaf dikh raha tha. Thandi gun ki nali jab uske munh ke andar mehsoos hui, toh uski cheekh ghutkar reh gayi. Us naqab-posh shaks ki neeli aur hari aankhein uske chehre ke itne kareeb thin ki Vanya ko uski garm saansein apni tvacha (skin) par mehsoos ho rahi thin.

Tabhi darwaze par fir se zor-zor se dastak hui. Us shaks ne use ghoorte hue bolne ka ishara kiya aur gun uske munh se nikaali. Vanya ne gehri saans li aur kaampte hue boli, "Nahi... koi nahi aaya yahan."

Vanya ki awaaz ladkhada rahi thi, lekin usne apni poori himmat bator kar jhoot bol diya. Bahar khade aadmiyon ke kadmon ki aahat thodi der thami rahi. "Madam, theek se check kar lijiye, woh bahut khatarnak aadmi hai!" Bahar se fir wahi bhaari awaaz aayi.

Naqab-posh shaks ne gun ab Vanya ki kanpati (temple) par tika di thi. Uska doosra haath Vanya ke munh par tha, taaki uski ghabrahat bhari siskiyan bahar na jayein. Vanya ne lambi saans li aur chillakar kaha, "Kaha na koi nahi hai yahan! Please mujhe pareshan mat karo varna main police ko phone kar doongi!"

Kuch second baad, bahar se kadmon ki awaaz dheere-dheere door jaane lagi. Jab poori tarah sannata chha gaya, tab us shaks ne Vanya ke munh se apna haath hataya, lekin gun wahi tiki rahi. Vanya haanphte hue boli, "Woh... woh log chale gaye. Ab tum yahan se jao."

Us shaks ne kuch nahi kaha, uska sar chakra raha tha. Usne dheere-dheere apni shirt ke button kholna shuru kiya. "Kya... kya kar rahe ho? Jao yahan se varna main abhi pu..." Woh bol hi rahi thi ki us shaks ne uska gala daboch liya. Uski pakad itni tight thi ki maano abhi jaan le lega. Woh use apne kareeb kheenchte hue bola, "**Mujhe bahut garmi lag rahi hai.**"

"Aaaa!"

Ek tez cheekh ke saath Vanya ki aankh khuli. Uska saara badan paseene se tar-batar tha. Alarm ka shor uske kaan mein pada. Vanya ne kaampte haathon se alarm band kiya. Kamre mein sannata tha, par uske kaanon mein abhi bhi us naqab-posh ki awaaz goonj rahi thi— “Mujhe bahut garmi lag rahi hai.”

Usne apne gale ko chhua, paseene ki boondein uski ungliyon par simat aayin. Use aisa laga jaise us shaks ki pakad ke nishaan abhi bhi uski gardan par honge. Usne ek lambi aur gehri saans li aur budbudayi, "Yeh kaise sapne aate hain mujhe God... pagal ho jaungi main."

Tabhi uske paas so rahi uski dost Avika ne neend mein kunmunate hue apni aankhein maleen. Woh abhi bhi neend ke aagosh mein thi, usne bina chehra ghumaye takiye mein munh dabakar kaha, "Dekh Vanya... aise khaufnak sapne aate hain tabhi toh tu apni novels mein itna dark likh paati hai gadhi. Varna tere jaisa 'fattu' insaan aisi suspense wali kahaniyan soch bhi nahi sakta."

"Avika... woh sapna nahi tha, aisa lag raha tha jaise sab sach ho raha ho. Woh do rangon wali aankhon wala aadmi... woh bahut darawna tha," Vanya ne apni dost ko hilate hue kaha.

Avika ne karwat badli aur ek aankh kholkar use dekha, "Sun, teri agli book ka naam 'The Two-Colored Eyes' rakh de, pakka hit hogi. Ab uth aur mujhe coffee pila, varna mera gala tu hi daboch legi bhook ke maare."

Vanya ne ek feeki muskaan ke saath khidki ki taraf dekha, jahan suraj ki pehli kirnein baadlon ko cheer rahi thin. Usne bed ke paas rakhe paani ke gilaas ko ek hi saans mein khaali kar diya. "Yeh sirf novel ke liye accha hai Avika, sach mein aisa kuch hua na... toh mera heart fail ho jayega," Vanya ne bistar se utarte hue kaha.

### Italy

"Aa nahi nahi Aaron please mujhe chhod do, maine tumhare cabin se koi file nahi li!"

"Jhoot bolna tumhari fitrat mein hai, par shayad tum bhool rahe ho ki tum kiske saamne khade ho."

Aaron ne uske haath ko apne pairon se kuchalte hue kaha.

"Aaaa!"

"Isiki saza toh tumhe milni chahiye kyun?" Aaron ne haste hue kaha.

"Dard ho raha hai?" Aaron ne jhukkar uske chehre ke paas apni awaaz dheemi ki, "Yeh toh sirf shuruat hai. Mere wafadar banne ka natak karna aasaan tha, lekin meri peeth peeche waar karna... uske liye jigar chahiye hota hai."

Usne apna pair hataya, lekin isse pehle ki woh raahat ki saans le paata, Aaron ne uske baalon ko mutthi mein jakad kar uska sir peeche ki ore kheench liya. Jisse uska sar peeche ho gaya aur use dikha ki do log, jinhone upar se neeche tak kaale libaas pehne hain, woh ek aurat ko zabardasti kheench kar la rahe hain.

"Apraaa!" us aadmi ke munh se nikla.

"Aaron meri biwi ko yahan kyun lekar aa rahe hain tumhare log? Chhodo use!"

Aaron ne ek aisa kroor thahaka lagaya aur us aadmi ke baalon ko aur bhi zor se peeche kheencha, jisse uski gardan ki nasein tan gayin aur uski aankhon ke saamne andhera chhaane laga.

"Chhod doon?" Aaron ne uske kaan ke paas bahut hi thandi aur dheemi awaaz mein kaha, "Abhi toh khel shuru hua hai. Tumne meri cheez chhui, ab tum apni sabse keemti cheez ko apni aankhon ke saamne toot-te bikharte dekhoge."

Aaron ne ek haath se ishara kiya aur andhere kone se do aur saaye nikalkar bahar aaye. Ab Apra ke chaaron taraf chaar dareende khade the, jinke chehre naqabon ke peeche chhipe the, lekin unki aankhon mein wehshipan saaf jhalak raha tha.

"Aaron!!! Nahi!!! Bhagwan ka waasta hai tumhe, use maar daalo par yeh mat karo!" Woh shaks paaglon ki tarah cheekh raha era.

"Shuru karo," Aaron ne bina kisi reham ke kaha.

Un chaaron ne ek saath Apra par hamla bol diya. Apra ki dardnak cheekh godaam ki chhat ko cheerne lagi. Un chaaron ne use beech farsh par bedardi se patak diya. Apra ne khud ko chhudaane ki koshish karte hue zor-zor se haath-pair maare, uske kapde phatne lage aur uski siskiyan kamre mein goonjne lagin.

"Aa mujhe bachao sss! Chhodo mujhe Atish sss!"

Woh aadmi farsh par girkar apni aankhon ko dhankne ki koshish karne laga, par Aaron ne jhapatkar uske zakhmi haath ko fir se apne joote se kuchla aur uska chehra zabardasti Apra ki taraf mod diya.

"Nahi! Aankhein band mat karo! Dekho apni gaddari ka anjaam!" Aaron chillaya, "Apni aankhon se dekho ki kaise yeh chaar log tumhari izzat ko raund rahe hain. Tumhari ek chuppi ne iska yeh hashr kiya hai."

Un chaar bhediyon ne Apra ko chaaron taraf se jakad liya aur use bedardi se nochne lage. Woh aadmi farsh par apni ungliyon se sangmarmar (marble) ko khurach raha tha, uske nakhun ukhad rahe the aur aankhon se khoon aur aansu ek saath beh rahe the. Uski rooh kaanp rahi thi, par woh fir bhi patthar bana raha, usne zubaan nahi kholi.

Aaron ne uske chehre ke paas jhukkar apni awaaz ko aur bhi zehereela banaya, "Abhi toh yeh chaar hain. Agar ab bhi nahi bole, toh yeh aath honge... aur tumhari biwi ka yeh aakhri din hoga." Kamre mein Apra ki cheekhein aur us aadmi ki bebas pukaar ek khaufnak manzar paida kar rahi thi. Woh aadmi andar se mar chuka tha, par file ka raaz abhi bhi usne seene mein dafan rakhna zyada zaroori samjha.

Tabhi wahan ekdum se shaanti chha gayi. Ab tak jo Apra ki cheekhein goonj rahi thin, ab woh band ho gayi thin.

"Master, isne toh itne mein hi dum tod diya," ek aadmi ne apni pant ki zip ko band karte hue kaha.

Aaron ne ek jhatke mein Atish ke baal chhod diye aur Apra ke bejaan shareer ki ore badha, jo farsh par phate hue kapdon aur khoon ke beech kisi tooti hui gudiya ki tarah padi thi. Usne apni mehengi polish wali jooti se Apra ke chehre ko thoda hilaya, par koi halchal nahi hui. Uski aankhein khuli thin, pathrayi hui aur khaali—jaise woh jaate-jaate Atish se apni barbadi ka hisaab maang rahi hon.

"Afsos," Aaron ne banawati udaasi ke saath kaha, apni jeb se reshmi roomal nikal kar haath saaf karte hue. "Chalo yahan se," usne apne aadmiyon se kaha aur wahan se godaam ke bahar aa gaya.

Andar

Atish ke gale se ek aisi awaaz nikli jo na cheekh thi, na rona. "Apra-ra-ra-sss!"

Woh rengta hua Apra ki taraf badha. Uske toote hue haath ki ungliyan farsh par khoon ki lakeerein bana rahi thin. "Apra... Apra, aankhein kholo. Dekho, tumhara Atish yahan hai," woh fusfusaya, uska mansik santulan (mental balance) jaise poori tarah toot chuka tha. Usne apna sir Apra ke thande padte seene par rakh diya.

Tabhi khidkiyon aur darwaze ki dararon se aag ki laptein andar jhaankne lagin. Aaron ke aadmiyon ne bahar se poore godaam par petrol chhidak kar aag laga di thi. Aag ki garmi jaise-jaise badhne lagi, godaam ke andar ka dhuaan Atish ke fefdon (lungs) mein bharne laga.

Atish ne bhaagne ki koshis ki lekin Aag ki laptein naagin ki tarah rengti hui uske paas tak aa gayin. Uske kapdon ne aag pakad li, uski khaal jalne lagi, wo dard se chillane laga

Tabhi

Ek zordaar dhamaka hua aur godaam ki jalti hui chhat Atish ke upar gir gayi. Aag ke us bawandar mein Atish aur woh laash ek saath raakh mein tabdeel ho gaye.