]m¼m«w
Acn Igp-Inb shÅw If-bm³ ]pd-t¯-¡n-d-§n-b-t¸m-gmWv tZhq I®s\ I-Xv. Ft´m kmIqXw t\m¡n \n¡p-¶p. t\m«w Im«n-te-¡m-Wv. F´mWmthm C{X t\m¡n \n¡m³. AÃ, sNdp-¡\v A§s\ {]tXy-In¨v H¶pw thtÃm. F´p Imepw t\m¡n \nt¶mfpw!.
""Um'' tZhq hnfn¨p. I®³ Xncnªp t\m¡n-bn-Ã. Cu sN¡-s\´m C{X-b-hnsS ImWm³, tZhq I®sâ ASp-t¯¡v sN¶p. i_vZ-ap-m-¡msX I®sâ ]n¶n \n¶p t\m¡n."" At½'' tZhq Adn-bm-sX-bmWv \ne-hnfn ]pd-t¯¡v h¶-Xv. I®³ sR«n-¯n-cnªp t\m¡n. tZhq!
I®sâ ssIbpw ]nSn¨p tZhq ho«n-te¡v HmSn.
""Fs¶ hnSv'' I®³ ssI IpX-dn¨v amdn- \n¶p.
""Um'' tZhq ssIh-en-s¨m¶p sImSp¯p . sNdp-¡sâ s\K-fn¸v In-tÃ.
""B..........'' I®³ hen-b-hm-bnse \ne-hn-fn-¡m³ XpS-§n.
Ic-bp-¶Xv I-t¸mÄ tZhq\v tZjyw IqSn. ]pd-¯n-\n«v H¶p IqSn sImSp-¯p.
""t]mSo....'' Icªp sImmWv I®³ ]-d-ª-Xv.
""tIdSm ho«oÂ'' tZhq hSn-sb-Sp-¯p.
I®³ Icªp sImp ho«n-te¡v \S-¶p.
tZhq Xncnªp t\m¡n. ImSn-f-Ip-¶ptm? CÃ. Fsâ ssZhta Cu sN-¡\v t]Sn-bntÃ? ]m¼v CW tNcp-¶Xv t\m¡n \nev¡m³. F§m\pw Ah-ä-IÄ In-cp-s¶-¦nÂ. tZhq\v AtXmÀ¡ms\ ]äp-¶n-Ã.
""tams\-´n\m Ic-bp-¶Xv'' I®sâ Ic-¨n tI«v ]pd-t¯¡v h¶ A½ tNmZn-¨p.
AXv tI«-t¸mÄ I®sâ Ic-¨n IqSn. ""Ic-bmsX Fsâ Ip«³ Ic-btà '' A½ Ahs\ tNÀ¯p ]nSn¨p apnsâ tIm´e sImv apJw XpS¨p. ""F´p ]än F´n\m Ic-bp-¶Xv''
""tZhq No¯, tZhq No¯, tZhq XÃn '' I®³ G§-e-Sn¨p Ic-ªp.
""t¿ A§s\ ]d-b-tà tZhq Ip«sâ tN¨n-btÃ''
""Aà '' I®³ Nodn "" Fs¶ XÃnbntà th Fsâ tN¨n-bÃ'' I®\v HmÀ¡p¼w k¦Sw kln¡m³ h¿.
""F´n-\mSn sIm¨ns\ XÃnsb'' A½ tN¨n-tbmSp IbÀ¯p. ""C\n-sb-§m\pw Fsâ sIm¨ns\ XÃn-bm Mm''
"" A½bm Chs\ hj-fm-¡p-¶-Xv. tNmZns¨ C{Xbpw t\cw Fhn-Sm-bn-cp-s¶¶v. Xmsg ]mds¡-«n F´p Itm-n-cn-¡p-hm-bn-cp-s¶-¶v. XÃnbm t]mctÃm sN¡s\'' tZhq I®s\ t\m¡n ssItbm-§n.
""t]mSo'' A½sb adªv I®³ tKmjvSn ImWn-¨p.
""F´m tam³ Xmsg IXv'' A½ kvt\l-t¯msS I®-t\mSv tNmZn¨p.
""cv ]m¼v. tZ, C{Xbpw hÃyXv'' I®³ ssII-Ä hnSÀ¯n ImWn-¨p. A½ s\©n ssIh¨p t]mbn. "]mt¼m'
""F´m A½bv¡v a\-Ên-em-bntà At½sS ]p¶m-c-tam³ ]m¼v FW-tN-cp-¶Xpw t\m¡n \n¡p-hm-bn-cp-¶p.''
""BtWm''
"" AÃ tZhq s\mW ]d-bm-Wv. ]m¼v Ifn-¡p-¶Xv ImWp-hm-bn-cp¶p''
""Um s]m«m AXn-\mSm FW-tN-cp-hm¶p ]d-bp-¶Xv'' tZhq Ahs\ Ifn-bm¡n Nncn-¨p.
""tIdn-t¸m-Sn-b-I¯v sIm¨ns\ Ifn--bm-¡msX'' A½ tZhq-t\mSv tZjy-s¸-«p
A½ tZhqs\ hg¡v ]d-ªXv I®s\ H«v kt´m-jn-¸n-¨p. FÃmw Adnb-sa¶m `mhw.
""tam\q ]m¼v Ifn-¡p-¶Xv t\m¡n \nev¡-cpXv tIt«m'' A½ kvt\l-¯n ]d-ªp. ""AsX´m t\m¡n \n¶mÂ'' I®³ adp-tNm-Zy-sadnªp. CXmWo sN¡sâ sImg¸w F´p ]d-ªmepw AsX´m A§s\ sNbvXm F¶ tNmZy-am-bn-cn¡pw Xncn¨p In«p-I. Hcp Imcyw ]dªp a\-Ên-em-¡m³ Ipd¨v IjvS-¸mSv Xs¶.
""t\m¡n \n¶m F´m sImg¸w'' I®³ ]ns¶bpw tNmZn-¨p. "" AtXm ]m¼v Ifn-¡p-¶Xv Bcpw t\m¡n \n¡p-¶Xv AXn\v CjvS-an-Ã. \½Ä t\m¡n \n¶m AXn-semcp ]m¼v \½sf ISn¡m³ hcpw. ""AsX-´n\m ISn-¡m³ hcp-¶Xv'' C\n D¯cw In«p-¶Xv hsc CXpw tNmZn-t¨mv \S-t¶mfpw. Fs´-¦nepw ]dªp sImSp-¡m-sa¶p sh¨m ]ns¶ thsd \qdp-Iq«w kwi-b-§-fm-bn-cn-¡pw.
A½bpsS [À½k¦Sw I-t¸mÄ hg¡p ]d-ªXnsâ tZjyw amän sh¨v tZhq Cd§n h¶p. ""I®\v tZhq Hcq«w ImWn¨p Xcs«'' apJw hoÀ¸n¨p \n¶-X-ÃmsX I®³ adp-]Sn ]d-ªn-à ""I®\v ImWtWm'' I®³ apJw Xncn¨p \n¶p. "" I®³ \nt¶mSv Iq«nÃ'' A½ ]d-ªp. "" Iq«n-æn th Rm³ D®os\ hnfn¨p ImWn-t¨mfmw'' tZhq AI-t¯¡v \S-¶p. "" sNÃv Ahfv D®os\ hnfn¨v ImWn-¡p-¶-Xn\v ap¼v Fsâ I®³ sNÃv'' A½ I®s\ Fcn tIän.
"" F´m ImWn-¡m¶p ]d-ªXv'' tZhqsâ ]pd-In sN¶p I®³ tNmZn-¨p. "" \n\¡v ImW--¶tà ]d-ªXv- Rm³ D®nsb hnfn¨p ImWn-t¨m-fmw.'' tZhq C¯ncn Ka-bn-«p. IqSp-tam¶p t\m¡-s«. tZhqsâ Igp-¯n-epsS ssI¿n«v I®³ ]Xps¡ BSn ""F´m ImWn-¡m¶p ]d-ªXv Fsâ tZhq-hsà ]dbv F´m¶v ]dbv'' I®s\ hmcnsbSp¯v tZhq ]dªp ""amS-t¯sS IqSv'' "" amS-t¯sS IqSv FhnsS'' ? I®³ DuÀ¶n-d§n. "" tZhq \½p¡v ImWm³ t]mImw Ipªptm''
"" thm ]ns¶ t]mImw Ct¸m t]mbm A½ hg¡v ]dbpw''
""A½ ImWmsX t]mImw''
"" thm shbn-em-ds« ''
""shbn-em-dp-t¼mÄ sImp t]mtIz? ''
""Dw. Dd-¸mbpw sImp t]mImw. Ct¸m Fs´-¦nepw Ign-¨v C¯ncn t\cw Snhn ImWv. Dw''
tZhqsâ aSn-bn-Â Xe-sh¨v I®³ InS¶p "" Xte t\m¡v''
I®\v Dd¡w h¶n-«mWv Xe-bn t\m¡m³ ]d-ª-sX¶v tZhq\v a\-Ên-em-bn.C¯ncn t\cw shbnep sImÅmsX ho«n-en-cn-¡p-a-tÃm. AXp am{X-aà amS-t¯sS IqSv ImWn-¡m³ ]dªv hg-¡n-Sn-Ã-tÃm.
hmÕ-ey-t¯msS I®sâ apJ-t¯¡v tZhq t\m¡n-bn-cp-¶p. cmhnse Cd-§n-bm- Hcp t\c-¯mWv tIdn hcp-¶-Xv. sXn-¯n-cnªp \S-t¶m-fpw. AtX t]mepÅ Ip«n-IÄ Fs´-¦nepw Ifn¨p \S-¡p-t¼mÄ Ch³ am{Xw X\nsb Im«nepw ta«nepw Aeªp \S-¡pw. I®sâ apJs¯ hnbÀ¸v tZhq H¸n-sb-Sp-¯p. Dd-§p-t¼mÄ Fs´mcp ]mhw. tZhq I®s\ aSn-bn \n¶n-d¡n Hcp tXmÀ¯v hncn¨v InS-¯n.
ASp-¡-f-bn A½ BtcmsSm kwkm-cn-¡p-¶p. I®³ ]m¼ns\ I IY ]d-bp-¶-Xm-Wv. Ip«n-b½ tN¨n-tbm-SmhWw "" Ip Ign-ªm s]¬]m¼v \mWw sImv HmSn-t]m-Iq-¶pw, B¬]m¼v ]I-aq¯v ISn¨p sImÃm³ hcq¶pw F§\m tN¨n Rm\-Xn-t\mSv ]d-bp-¶Xv''
tZhq I®sâbSp¯p \n¶pw ]Xps¡ Fgp-t¶-äp. F´m shbnÂ. hnd-sI-Sp-¡m³ t]mWw ag-¡mew hcp-¶-Xn\v ap¼v hndIp ]pc \nd-bv¡-Ww.-tNm-\m-¦m-Ssâ ]d-¼n t]mImw .""At½ Rm³ Hcp sI«v hndIv FSp-¯n«v hcmw.'' A½-tbmSv ]dªv ]pd-t¯-¡n-d-§n. ""Cu shbn-et¯m'' AI¯p \n¶pw A½ hnfn¨p tNmZn-¨p. ""Ct¸m tNm\-¦m-S³ Ahn-sS-bp-m-Inà Xt¶-a-Ã- I-®³ Dd-§p-hmWv Ah³ Fgp-t¶Â¡p-¶-Xn\v ap¼v HmSn-t-¸mbn F-Sp-t¯mv hcmw CtàIqsS hc-Ww¶v ]dªv hmin ]nSn-¡pw.''
Hcp-d¡w Ign-ª-t¸mÄ I®³ Fgp-¶-äp. NnWp-§n-sIm-mWv h¶-Xv. ""F´n-\mSm NnWp-§-¶Xv'' A½ tZjy-s¸-«p. Fgp-t¶-ä-t¸mÄ tZhqs\ InÃ. AÃ-¦n Xs¶ I®\v Ic-bm³ {]tXy-In¨v ImcWw hÃXpw thtWm?
""tZhq FhnsS? ''
""tN¨n hnd-sI-Sp-¡m³ t]mbn Ct¸m hcpw'' A½ ]d-ªXv tI«-t¸mÄ I®\v Fs´-¶n-Ãm¯ tZjyw h¶p. amS-t¯sS IqSv ImWn-¡m³ sImp t]mIm¶p ]d-ªn-«n-t¸m. I®³ Acn-i-t¯msS \ne-¯n«v A©mdp Nhn«p sImSp-¯p.
Ipd¨p t\cw Xn®-bn Ccp¶p dmWnbpw tImepw Ifn-¨p. Xs¶ Ifn-¡m³ Hcp ctkm-an-Ã. apä-t¯-¡n-d-§n. ]q¡-fn tX³ IpSn-¡m³ h¶ Nn{X-i-e-`s¯ Npän ]än \n¶p. Ipd¨p t\cw Ign-ª-t¸mÄ Nn{X-i-e`w AXnsâ hgn¡v t]mbn. X¡pw ]p¡pw t\m¡n A½ ImWmsX I®³ Bän-te¡v Hä Hm«w sImSp-¯p. Sm¶p hnfn¨p A½ ]pd-t¯¡p h¶-t¸mÄ I®³ Bän³ sN¶n-cp-¶p. Ipsd t\cw Ahn-sS-bp-an-hn-sSbpw Id§n \S-¶p.
]ns¶ I®\v Gähpw CjvSapÅ `mK-t¯¡v \S-¶p. Im«p ¹mhnsâ Nph-«nte¡v. AhnsS Cuä-¡q-«-¯n-\-Sp-¯mbn I®³ Hcp hÅn-¡p-Sn Dm-¡n-bn-«p-v. I®³ Xsâ hÅn-¡p-Sn-ensâ ASp-t¯¡v \S¶p. hÅn-¡p-Sn-ensâ ASp-s¯-¯n-b-t¸mÄ AI-¯p-\n¶pw Hcp i_vZw tI«p. cmhnse ]m¼p-IÄ Ifn¡p¶-Xn-\n-S-bn Dm-¡nb i_vZw t]mse. hÅn-¡p-Sn-en ]m¼v Ib-dntbm?
I®³ i_vZ-ap-m-¡msX ASp¯v sN¶v AI-t¯¡v Hfnªp t\m¡n. I®\v Xsâ I®p-Isf hniz-kn-¡m-\m-bn-Ã. henb cp ]m¼p-IÄ AhnsS tNÀ¶p InS-¡p-¶p. tZhqhpw At¸-«\pw! I®\v `bw tXm¶n. At¸-«sâ ASn-bn-emWv tZhq. At¸-«³ tZhqs\ sImÃp-hmtWm? I®³ apJw s]m¯n. I®\v Ic-¨n h¶p. I®³ AI-t¯¡v ]mªp Ibdn A¸p-hnsâ ]pd¯v CSn-¨p. ""hnSv, Fsâ tZhqs\ hnSv'' Icªp sImmWv I®³ ]d-ª-Xv. tZhqhpw A¸phpw sR«n ]nS-sª-gp-t¶-äp. tZhq hkv{X-§-sf-Sp¯v hmcn ]pX-¨p.
"" At¸-«sâ Imcyw Rm³ ho«n ]dbpw t\m¡nt¡m'' `ojWn t]mse I®³ ]d-ªp. "" Um \o ]d-bptam'' Agnªp t]mb apv hmcn-sb-Sp¯v Ac-bn Dd-¸n-¡p-¶-Xn-\n-S-bn A¸p I®sâ t\sc Nodn. "" Mm ]dbpw'' I®³ Dd-¸n¨p ]dªp.
""Ah³ ]dbpw At¸«m Fs´-¦nepw sN¿v'' tZhq Icªp t]mbn. ]pd-¯m-c-¦n-ep-a-dn-ªm tZhq\v AtXmÀ¡ms\ ]äp-¶nà Xebv¡p ssIsIm-Sp-¯p tZhq Xd-bn-en-cp¶p t]mbn. ]pd-t¯¡v HmSm³ Xp\nª I®s\ A¸p ]nSn¨p \nÀ¯n. "" \o ]d-b-ptam'' ""]dbpw, ]dbpw '' I®³ Nodn. ""Fs¶ hnSv , hnSv, hnSm³ At½'' I®³ Dds¡ \ne-hn-fn-¨p. A¸p I®sâ hmbv s]m¯n ]nSn¨p. ""\o ]d-bp-¶-sXm¶p ImWWw'' I®³ A¸p-hnsâ ssIbn InS¶p ]nS-ªp. I®³ IpX-dp-¶-X-\p-k-cn¨v A¸p ]nSn apdp-¡n. ""At¸-«³ amSt¯sS IqSv ImWn¨p Xcmw, ho«n ]d-btÃ, Fsâ N¡-c-b-tÃ, amS-t¯sS Ipªns\ ]nSn¨p Xcmw tIt«m, ]ns¶ k_ÀPn taSn¨p Xcmw, -tIm-ssekv taSn¨p Xcmw, A¸p I®s\ tkm¸n-Sm³ H-tcm¶p ]d-ªp-sIm-n-cp-¶p.
I®sâ ]nS-¨n \n¶p. ""At¸-«³ ]dªm ]d-ªXm¶p I®\v Adn-bn-tÃ, amS¯ Ipªns\ At¸-«³ FSp¯p Xcpw'' I®s\ X\n¡-`n-ap-J-ambn \nÀ¯n A¸p ]d-ªp. ]t£, I®³ hmSnb tN¼n³Xmfp t]mse Ipgªp Xmtgbv¡p hoWp-t]m-bn.
"" At¸-«- I-®³'' Icªp sImv tZhq A¸qs\ t\m¡n. ""I®m tams\ I®m'' A¸p I®s\ Ipep¡n hnfn-¨p.
""sIm¶p Atà '' tZhq {`m´n-sb-t¸mse A¸p-hns\ ]nSn¨p Ipep-¡n. "" Rm³ ]d-ª-Xtà thm¶p F¶n-«v..... ]dbv .... At¸«m C\n \½Ä F´p sN¿pw... Fsâ I®³'' tZhq s]m«n-¡-c-ªp. tZhqs\ tNÀ¯p ]n-Sn-¡m-\-ÃmsX A¸p-hn\v H¶pw ]d-bm³ ]än-bn-Ã. s]m¶p t]mse sImp \S-¶-XmWv I®s\, F¶n«v Ct¸mÄ!