dpfp r`spA¡ A¡L$ hpf d_¡ A¡d_u `pk¡ b¡kpX$u_¡ L$l¡gy„, "b¡V$p! spfu dpA¡ OZp„ vy$:M Å¡ep„ R>¡. A¡_p d__u Ap BÃR>p `|fu L$fS>¡.'

A_¡ r`sp_u Ap hps kp„cmu_¡ d¢ Of_p„Ap¡_¡ A_¡ kNp„Ap¡_¡ A¡ rhi¡ `|R>`fR> L$f¡gu. Ðepf¡ d_¡ ÅZhp dm¡gy„ L¡$, dpfp S>Þd `l¡gp„ dpfp r`sp_u [õ\rs kpfu _lp¡su Ðepf¡, Mp¡gu S>¡hp Ofdp„ hpkZ sfuL¡$ dpfu dp `pk¡ ^psy_p¡ A¡L$dpÓ hpV$L$p¡ lsp¡.

dpfp r`spA¡ A¡ hMs¡ D^pfu-ky^pfu L$fu_¡ qaëdu Nusp¡_u Qp¡`X$uAp¡_p¡ ^„^p¡ iê$ L$ep£ lsp¡, Ðepf¡ dpfu dp A¡ hpV$L$pdp„ Qp¡`X$uAp¡_¡ bpBÞX$ L$fhp dpV¡$ gplu b_phsu. A_¡ fps_p A¡ S> hpV$L$pdp„ ipL$ b_phsu.'

Ap rhi¡ dp kp\¡ hpsQus L$fsp¡ Ðepf¡ d_¡ A¡ kyM-vy$:M_u hps L$fsu. A_¡ M|bu_u hps sp¡ A¡ lsu L¡$, Aphu L$pfdu Nfubu_u hps L$fsu hMs¡ A¡_p Ql¡fp `f Aakp¡k_u A¡L$ f¡Mp L¡$ v$pv$-aqfepv$_u A¡L$ _p_u Ad\u gL$uf `Z afL$su _rl. dp L$l¡su, "dpZk_¡ KOhp_¡ Ap¡V$gp¡ _¡ Mphp_¡ b¡ Vy$L$X$p fp¡V$gp¡ dm¡ `R>u buSy>„ Å¡CA¡ iy„?'

Å¡L¡$, S>¡d S>¡d lz„ dp¡V$p¡ \sp¡ Ne¡gp¡ s¡d s¡d dpfp r`sp_u [õ\rs kpfu \su Ne¡gu.

A_¡ Ðepf¡ dp d_¡ Mpk riMpdZ Ap`su, "cp¡gp ! dpZk¡ Nfubudp„ X$Nu _rl S>hp_y„ sp¡ Adufudp„ R>L$u `Z _rl S>hp_y„. `¥kp sp¡ lp\_p¡ d¡g R>¡, Aph¡ _¡ Åe. bk, epv$ fl¡ R>¡ sd¡ L$p¡C_¡ L$l¡gp b¡ duW$p bp¡g A_¡ bpL$u fl¡ R>¡ sd¡ L$p¡C_¡ dpV¡$ L$f¡gp„ b¡ kpfp„ L$pd. Ap„bp D`f L¡$fu Aph¡ Ðepf¡ iy„ Ap„bp¡ KQ¡ Åe R>¡? _p, A¡ _uQp¡ _d¡ R>¡. A¡_¡ `Õ\f dpf_pf_¡ `Z A¡ duWy„$ am Ap`¡ R>¡. `¥kp¡ \pe Ðepf¡ sd¡ `Z A¡hp S> \Å¡, Ap„bp S>¡hp.'

lz„ gNcN kÑf hfk_p¡ \ep¡ Ðep„ S> dpfp r`sp Ahkp_ `pçep.

r`sp_p Ahkp_ `l¡gp„ dp d_¡ S>¡V$gp¡ gpX$-àepf Ap`su lsu A¡ r`sp_p Ahkp_ `R>u b¡hX$pC Nep¡.

v$uL$fp¡ S>¡d-S>¡d dp¡V$p¡ \pe s¡d-s¡d `p¡sp_u dp_u Np¡v$ R>p¡X$u_¡ r`sp_p¡ lp\ `L$X$sp¡ \pe R>¡, `Z dpfp r`sp füp _rl A¡V$g¡ dpA¡ S> r`sp_u c|qdL$p `Z cS>hhp_y„ iê$ L$ey¯.

lz„ N„cuf b_sp¡ Nep¡, `Z dp_p â¡ddp„ S>fpe Ap¡V$ Aphu _rl. A¡ dpfu kp\¡ A¡ S> fus¡, ÅZ¡ lz„ kph _p_y„ bpmL$ lp¡J A¡d dpfu A¡L$-A¡L$ hps _¡ hõsyAp¡_y„ Ýep_ fpMsu.

lz„ lpCõL|$gdp„ `lp¢Ãep¡ Ðepf¡e A¡ dpfp„ L$`X$p„ A¡_p lp\¡ ^p¡su _¡ C÷u L$fsu. dpfp lpCõL|$gdp„ S>hp_p kde¡ ê$dpg\u dp„X$u_¡ dp¡Å„ ky^u_u b^u hõsyAp¡ A¡ s¥epf fpMsu.

`funp lp¡e Ðepf¡ lz„ dpfp g„Np¡qV$ep v$p¡õsp¡ Å¡X¡$ fps_p ANpiudp„ hp„Qhp b¡ksp¡ Ðepf¡ A¡e hl¡gu khpf_p Qpf hpÁep ky^u Adpfu kp\¡ ÅNsu b¡ku fl¡su. äwV$ L$p`u_¡ Ap`su, Adpfp dpV¡$ Qp b_phu gphsu.

A¡ hMs¡ ArNepfdp ^p¡fZ_¡ A¡k.A¡k.ku. L$l¡hpsy„. A¡k.A¡k.ku._u `funpdp„ "dp' dpfu kp\¡ ÅNsu. lz„ k|C ÅJ sp¡ dp d_¡ S>NpX$su, dp¡Yy„$ ^p¡hp `pZu Ap`su A_¡ dp¡Yy„$ g|R>hp _¡`qL$_ Ap`su. dp_p A¡ DÅNfp_y„ `qfZpd g¡hp Äepf¡ lz„ r_ipm¡ `lp¢Ãep¡ Ðepf¡ qv$g ^L$! ^L$! ^L$! \sy„ lsy„. dpL®$iuV$ lp\dp„ Aphu _¡ hN®dp„ kpl¡b¡ "`pk' \ep_p kdpQpf Apàep, s¡_p\u d_¡ A_lv$ Myiu \C lsu. rdÓp¡ fp¡L$sp lsp, R>sp„ A¡d_¡ V|„$L$p S>hpbp¡ Apàep `R>u Of sfa d¢ v$p¡V$ d|L$u lsu. lz„ A¡ `Z c|gu Nep¡ lsp¡ L¡$ lz„ r_ipmdp„ cpX$p_u kpBL$g gC_¡ Apìep¡ lsp¡. Of¡ `lp¢Qsp„ S> lz„ dp_¡ hmNu `X$ép¡. A¡L$ hp„v$fp_y„ bÃQy„ dp_¡ hmNu `X¡$ R>¡ A¡d S>! d¢ dp_¡ kdpQpf Apàep, "dp lz„ `pk \ep¡ Ry>„ A_¡ A¡ `Z Ap¡NZkpW$ V$L$p kp\¡.' AcZ dp_¡ sp¡ V$L$phpfudp„ L„$C kdS>Z `X$su _lp¡su, `Z A¡ qv$hk¡ Ad¡ afu A¡L$buÅ_¡ hmNu_¡ ^°ykL¡$-^°ykL¡$ fX$ép„ lsp„, ¼ep„e ky^u! Å¡L¡$ A¡ qv$hk¡ dp_u Ap„Mdp„\u MyiuAp¡_p„-Ap_„v$_p„ Ap„kyAp¡_p¡ A¡ ^p¡^ hl¡sp¡ lsp¡! r`spÆ_u N¡flpS>fudp„ dp_y„ k`_y„ kpL$pf \ey„ lsy„. dp A¡ qv$hk¡ M|b Myi \C lsu, dpfu bl¡_p¡ `Z M|b Myi \C lsu. A¡ bÞ_¡ bl¡_p¡ `fZu Q|L$u lsu `Z h¡L¡$i_dp„ r`efdp„ Aphu lsu. A¡ qv$hk¡ afu Ad¡ b^p„A¡ c¡Np„ dmu_¡ A¡L$kp\¡ kyMX$u A_¡ gp¡V$_p¡ iufp¡ b_pìep¡ lsp¡. bÞ_¡ bl¡_p¡A¡ `p¡sp_p lp\¡ crS>ep„ b_pìep„ lsp„!

lz„ N°¡ÄeyA¡V$ \e¡gp¡ Ðepf¡e dp fX$u `X¡$gu. dp¡su_p dp¡V$p-dp¡V$p v$pZp S>¡hX$p„ A¡ Ap„ky_¡ Mp¡bgpdp„ gC_¡ d_¡ `u S>hp_y„ d_ \C Ne¡gy„. A_¡ A¡ hMs¡ lz„e ^°ykL¡$-^°ykL¡$ fX$u `X¡$gp¡.

A¡Z¡ d_¡ `p¡sp_u R>psu kfkp¡ Qp„`u gu^¡gp¡.

dpfp gÁ_ `R>u dpA¡, lz„ dpfu `Ð_udp„ `fp¡hpJ A¡V$g¡ Ås¡ S> dpfp\u A„sf fpMhp dp„X¡$gy„. `Z lz„e A¡ S> dp_p¡ v$uL$fp¡ lsp¡ _¡...! dp¡X$u fps ky^u lz„ dpfu dp `pk¡ b¡ku fl¡sp¡. A¡_p Mp¡mpdp„ dp\y„ d|L$u_¡ A¡_u kp\¡ Al]-sl]_u hpsp¡ L$ep® L$fsp¡. dp dpfp dp\p `f lp\ a¡fìep L$fsu. dpfu `Ð_u _S>dp `Z Adpfu `pk¡ Aphu_¡ b¡ksu.

`R>u dp R>ZL$p¡ L$fu_¡ L$l¡su, "lh¡ Å spfp ê$ddp„ S>C_¡ KO, d_¡ KO QY$u R>¡.'

A_¡ Ðepf¡ S> lz„ _S>dp_¡ gC_¡ EW$sp¡.

_S>dp dpV¡$ `Z dpfu dp, dp S> flu lsu- kpky b_u iL$u _lp¡su.

A¡ lksp„ lksp„ L$l¡su, "dpfp S>¡hu A¡L$ bpCA¡ hfkp¡\u DR>¡f¡gu `p¡sp_u v$uL$fu_¡ spfp S>¡hp A½$g_p Ap¡\duf_p lp\dp„ kp¢`u v$u^u R>¡, A¡V$g¡ A¡_¡ kpQhhp_u, A¡_p„ kyM-vy$:M Å¡hp_u S>hpbv$pfu dpfu.'

dp\u L$p¡C_y„e vy$:M Å¡hpsy„ _rl. A¡ vy$:Mu_¡ dv$v$ L$fhp v$p¡X$u S>su. Å¡L¡$ `p¡sp_y„ vy$:M A¡ d_dp„ S> v$pbu fpMsu. A¡ L$l¡su, "vy$:M¡e Ap`Ï„ R>¡ _¡ kyM¡e Ap`Ï„ R>¡! Ap`Ï„ vy$:M buÅ_¡ L$lu_¡, buÅ_¡ vy$:Mu L$fhp\u iy„ apev$p¡? vy$:M A_¡ kyM sp¡ qv$hk A_¡ fps S>¡hp„ R>¡. Aph¡ _¡ Åe! Ap`Z¡ Ap`Zu fus¡ Æìep L$fhp_y„.'

dpfu dp d_¡ A¡L$ riMpdZ Ap`su. A¡ L$l¡su, "l„d¡ip„ W$pfu_¡ Mph.'

A_¡ Ap riMpdZ_u d¢ Np„W$ hpmu gu^u R>¡. d_¡ L$p¡C `Z hõsy dm¡ R>¡ Ðepf¡ lz„ M|b S> r_fp„s¡-ip„rs\u _¡ ^ufS>\u A¡ hõsy_¡ dpÏ„ Ry>„.

dpfu dp ê$Apbv$pf lsu, W$õkpv$pf lsu.

ka¡v$ bNgp_u `p„M S>¡hp„ L$`X$p„ `l¡fu_¡ A¡ b¡ksu Ðepf¡ v$ep_u d|fs gpNsu.

A¡ kdSy> `Z M|b lsu.

A¡_u v$uL$fuAp¡ dpV¡$- A¡V$g¡ L¡$ dpfu bl¡_p¡_u sfa¡Zdp„ A¡ L$v$u dpfu kp\¡ gX$u L¡$ TOX$u _lp¡su. dpfu ÓZ¡e bl¡_p¡_p„ gÁ_ \ep„ A¡ `R>u hpf-sl¡hpf¡ lz„ A¡d_¡ L$p¡CL$ _¡ L$p¡CL$ hõsy `lp¢QpX$sp¡ fl¡sp¡. dp_¡ A¡ Ndsy„. `Z ¼epf¡L$ bl¡_p¡ L$p¡C h^pfp_u dpNZu gC_¡ Aphsu Ðepf¡ dp A¡d_¡ bpfp¡bpf V$pmu v¡$su, "dpfp¡ v$uL$fp¡ `p¡sp_y„ A_¡ `p¡sp_p bpgbÃQp„_y„ L$fi¡ L¡$ sdpfy„ L$fi¡...! Åh...! `¥kp _ lp¡e sp¡ `¡V¡$ `pV$p bp„^u_¡ k|C S>Å¡.'

dpfp L$p_¡ ¼epf¡L$ c|g¡Q|L¡$ Ap hps `lp¢Qsu A_¡ lz„ gpNZuiug \C_¡ L$l¡sp¡ L¡$, "dp! bl¡_p¡ R>¡, cpC `pk¡ dpNhp Aph¡ S> _¡!'

Ðepf¡ A¡ L$l¡su, "r_ep„Zu_¡ (L$ÃR>dp„ bl¡_p¡_¡ r_ep„Zu L$l¡ R>¡.) Ap`p¡ A¡V$gy„ Ap¡Ry>„ R>¡. bl¡__¡ rgrdV$ blpf Ap`ui sp¡ spfp b_¡hu _L$pdp b_u S>i¡. A¡d_¡ Al]\u S> sy„ Mphp-`l¡fhp-Ap¡Y$hp_p¡ MQp¡® dp¡L$gsp¡ flui sp¡ `R>u A¡d_¡ L$dphp_y„ ¼ep„ fl¡i¡? A¡ gp¡L$p¡ Apmky b_u S>i¡.'

d_¡ A¡_u Ap v$gug Ðepf¡ kdÅe¡gu Äepf¡ dpfp M|b S> `¥kpv$pf kkfp dpfu dyíL¡$gudp„ d_¡ dv$v$ L$fhp Aph¡gp. Ðepf¡ dpA¡ dpfp kkfp_¡ dp¡V$p O|dV$p `pR>m\u k„cmphu v$u^¡gy„, "sd_¡ sdpfu v$uL$fu_y„ vy$:M Å¡C_¡ sdpfp S>dpC_¡ dv$v$ L$fhp_y„ d_ \pe A¡ õhpcprhL$ R>¡. sd¡ ApS>¡ dv$v$ L$fip¡, `Z `R>u L$pg¡ iy„? sdpfp S>dpC_¡ A¡_u d¡m¡, A¡_u fus¡ vy$:Mdp„\u, dyíL¡$gudp„\u blpf Aphhp v$p¡.'

dpfp kkfpA¡ v$pMgp-v$gug\u dp_¡ kdÅhhp_u L$p¡rii L$f¡gu Ðepf¡ A¡dZ¡ ApMu hps_¡ kd¡V$u g¡hp dpV¡$ L$lu v$u^¡gy„, "sdpfp¡ S>dpC A¡ dpfp¡ v$uL$fp¡ R>¡ A_¡ sdpfu v$uL$fu lh¡ dpfu hlz R>¡. A¡d_p„ vy$:M-kyM lz„ Å¡C iLy„$ Ry>„ A_¡ A¡d_y„ kpfy„-_fky„ lz„ rhQpfu iLy„$ Ry>„.'

Ap hps kp„cmu_¡ dpfp kkfp Q|`Qp` _uL$mu Ne¡gp.

`R>u\u d¢ dpfp kkfp kpd¡ Ap rhi¡_p Mygpkp L$fhp_u L$p¡rii L$f¡gu Ðepf¡ dpfp kkfpA¡ lku_¡ L$l¡gy„, "dpfu v$uL$fu S> sdpfu `Ð_u lp¡hp R>sp„e sd¡ `Ð_u d¡mhhp_u bpbsdp„ _kubv$pf R>p¡ L¡$ _rl A¡ rhi¡ lz„ L„$C Qp¡½$k L$lu iLy„$ A¡d _\u. `Z sd¡ dp d¡mhhp_u bpbsdp„ kpÃQ¡ M|b S> _kubv$pf R>p¡ S> A¡ hpsdp„ d_¡ L$p¡C i„L$p _\u.'

dpfu dp dp¡V$p qv$g_u lsu. L$p¡C_p L$X$hp bp¡g A¡ Np¡m_u S>¡d Nmu S>su. Å¡L¡$ L$p¡C dpfu `Ð_u _S>dp rhi¡ c|g¡Q|L¡$e A¡_u kpd¡ Okpsy„ bp¡ghp S>sy„ Ðepf¡ A¡ bp¡gu EW$su, "Mbfv$pf! Å¡ dpfu hlz rhi¡ S>fpe A¡ga¡g bp¡ëep R>p¡ sp¡ !'

dp_¡ dpfu `Ð_u _S>dp dpV¡$ S>¡V$gy„ gpNu Aphsy„, A¡V$gy„ S> A¡_¡ dpfp„ bpmL$p¡ epku_, dp¡lku_, qfThp_ A_¡ ê$dp dpV¡$e lsy„.

Å¡L¡$, d|X$u L$fsp„ ìepS> hlpgy„ lp¡e R>¡ A¡ L$l¡hs_¡ A¡Z¡ Sy>W$gphu lsu. A¡ dpfp„ bpmL$p¡ `f sp¡ hlpg hfkphsu S>, `Z dpfp `f_p A¡d_p„ â¡d, lw„a, QuhV$ A_¡ Ýep_dp„ S>fpkfMp¡e afL$ `X$ép¡ _lp¡sp¡ L¡$ L$du Aphu _lp¡su.

lz„ kdS>Zp¡ \ep¡ A¡ `R>u A¡Z¡ L$v$u d_¡ fX$hp _lp¡sp¡ v$u^p¡.

Äepf¡ A¡ tS>v$Nu_p R>¡ëgp ðpkp¡ gC flu lsu Ðepf¡ dpfp\u A¡_u kpd¡ `p¡L$ d|L$u_¡ fX$u `X$pey„ lsy„.

dp¡s_u ApNp¡idp„ S>sp„-S>sp„e A¡Z¡ d_¡ `p¡sp_u bp„lp¡dp„ gC g¡sp„ L$l¡gy„, "fX$ui _rl! d_¡ L$p¡C hps_y„ vy$:M L¡$ Aakp¡k füp¡ _\u. lz„ lks¡ dp¡Y¡$ ÅJ Ry>„ sp¡ sy„e lksy„ dp¡Yy„$ fpM!'

dpfp\u Q|` \C iL$pey„ _rl, A¡V$g¡ A¡ cpf¡ d_¡ bp¡gu lsu, "spfu kp\¡ sp¡ lz„ ApV$gp„ hfk flu, iy„ lh¡ sy„ d_¡ spfp r`sp `pk¡ _rl S>hp v¡$...?'

A_¡ dpfp\u Ap„kycu_u Ap„M¡ A¡_u kpd¡ Å¡hpC Ney„ lsy„. A_¡ A¡Z¡ lks¡ dp¡Y¡$ Ap„Mp¡ d]Qu v$u^u lsu.

A¡L$ dp¡Vy„$ ^°ykLy„$ d|L$sp„ d_¡ fX$u `X$hp_y„ d_ \ey„ lsy„, `Z d¢ dpfu Ås_¡ fp¡L$u gu^u lsu. `R>u lz„ fX$ép¡ _lp¡sp¡.

dp_p A„rsdk„õL$pf hMs¡ lpS>f fl¡gp„ dpfp„ kNp„hlpgp„ A_¡ v$p¡õs-rbfpv$fp¡ Nhpl R>¡ L¡$, A¡ hMs¡ lz„ fX$ép¡ _lp¡sp¡. r`sp `pk¡ fl¡hp S>su dp `pR>m lz„ L$C fus¡ fX$u iLy„$?

Å¡L¡$ ApS>¡ dp_¡ NyS>fu Nep_¡ OZp„ hfkp¡ \hp Apìep„, A_¡ A¡ `R>u lz„ OZp„ kpdprS>L$ A_¡ ^„^pL$ue L$pdL$pÅ¡dp„ X|$bu Nep¡ lp¡hp R>sp„e OZu hpf dp d_¡ kp„cfu Aph¡ R>¡. A_¡ lz„ A¡L$ M|Zpdp„ b¡ku_¡ Q|`Qp` fX$u gJ Ry>„. A_¡ Ðepf¡...

dp...!

dp...! A¡hu Qukp¡ `pX$hp_y„ d_¡ d_ \C Åe R>¡, `Z ÅZ¡ A¡ Qukp¡ Nmpdp„ S> ê„$^pC Åe R>¡.

Å¡L¡$ Apd sp¡ A¡hy„ L$l¡hpe R>¡ L¡$ L$v$u L$p¡C_u dp dfsu _\u. l„d¡ip„ A¡ `p¡sp_p„ bpmL$p¡_p qv$g_p L$p¡CL$ M|Zpdp„ Æhsu S> fl¡ R>¡, `Z s¡d R>sp„e Å¡ D`fhpmpA¡ b^p„_u dp_u epv$_¡ iy„ L$pd, tS>v$Nu_¡ S> Adf b_phu _pMu lp¡s, A¡_¡ l„d¡i-l„d¡i dpV¡$ Æhsu _¡ ÅNsu fpMu lp¡s sp¡ L¡$V$gy„ kpfy„ \ps!

Ap g¡M_y„ iê$Aps_y„ gMpZ hp„Qhp dpV¡$ kpd¡ Ap`¡g _„bf [¼gL$ L$fp¡ >> 1/2

Ap g¡M Ap`_¡ L¡$hp¡ gpÁep¡?