khpf¡ S>dhp b¡khp_u s¥epfu L$fsp¡ lp¡J Ðep„ S> r`spîu fL$pbudp„ hfpm _uL$msp¡, L$pSy>-Öpn _¡ bv$pd_p¡ iufp¡ L¡$ k¡h_p¡ buf„S> gC_¡ D`f Aphu_¡ L$l¡ : "rh_y, spfu bpA¡ spfp dpV¡$ dp¡L$ëep¡ R>¡...' bQ`Z\u Nm`Z blz cph¡ s¡\u bp L„$C `Z Nþey„ b_ph¡ A¡V$g¡ kp¥ `l¡gp„ rh_y_¡ epv$ L$f¡. (A¡dp„ _¡ A¡dp„ sp¡ X$peprbV$uk kp\¡ As|V$ cpCb„^u \C NC R>¡. `Z A¡ hps Al] Aâõsys R>¡.) Adpf¡ Ðep„ cNhp__¡ cp¡S>_\pm ^fphhp_p¡ `l¡g¡\u S> qfhpS> _\u. lp, dpfu bp Npe Mfp„ L¡$, "Apfp¡Np¡_¡ _„v$gpg f¡ dpfu â¡d_u \pmu...' `Z d_¡ f„^pep `l¡gp„ dpbp`_¡ MhX$phhp_u Jdf¡ A¡d_u fkp¡C Mpsp„ L$p¡CL$ hpf k„L$p¡Q `Z \pe. `Ð_u-bpmL$p¡ blpf S>hp_p„ lp¡e Ðepf¡ bp s¡d_¡ L$lu v¡$ : "sd¡ sdpf¡ kyM¡\u ÅAp¡, rh_y_¡ lz„ _uQ¡ S>dpX$u gCi...' _¡ d_¡ cphsp„ cp¡S>_ b_u Åe. Ou `Z bu QdQu h^pf¡ _pM¡. lz„ L$lz„ L¡$ dp¡V$ub¡_, L$p¸g¡õV$fp¸g h^u S>i¡...' sp¡ R>ZL$pC_¡ bp¡g¡ : "b¡k, R>p_p¡dp_p¡, dp_p lp\_u fkp¡C Mphp\u L$iy„ _ \pe...' ¼epf¡L$ lz„ L$lz„ L¡$ "sd¡ d_¡ L$uL$gp¡ kdÆ_¡ ApN°l\u MhX$php¡ R>p¡ A¡ Å¡C_¡ sdpfu hlzAp¡ lk¡ R>¡...'

"R>p¡ lk¡.. A¡_p„ R>p¡L$fp„_¡ A¡ MhX$ph¡...' bp lku_¡ L$l¡.

Ap dp R>¡. `Z bpm`Zdp„ Ap S> dp_p lp\_p¡ ^fpC_¡ dpf `Z A¡V$gp¡ S> Mp^p¡ R>¡. Ofdp„ riõs k¥r_L$_u `pmhu `X¡$. S>¡ QuS> Äep„\u gu^u lp¡e Ðep„ S> d|L$hp_u _¡ dp A¡L$ hMs L$iy„ L$l¡ A¡V$g¡ sÐL$pm s¡_p¡ Adg \hp¡ Å¡CA¡. _p¡ ApÁey®d¡ÞV$. sp¡ap_dõsu_u bp_¡ cpf¡ A¡gÆ®. ^]Npdõsu _l] Å¡CA¡. `Z sp¡ap_ hNf dpf¡ Qpg¡ _l]. `p¡m_p Qp¡L$W$pdp„ Of. "rh_y A¡V$g¡ hX$_p„ hp„v$fp„ Dspf¡ A¡hp¡ R>p¡L$fp¡'-Ap d\fphV$u. fp¡S>_p kf¡fpi b¡ TOX$p _ gphy„ sp¡ Mphp_y„ lS>d _ \pe. Qp¡L$W$pdp„ L$p¡C R>p¡L$fy„ "dfu Nep¡ f¡...' A¡hu Quk `pX¡$ A¡V$g¡ dpfu dp Of_p Ap¡V$g¡ ^ku Åe- ^°pkL$p\u L¡$ s¡_p rhr_epA¡ sp¡ L$p¡C_¡ _\u aV$L$pep£ _¡?..._¡ dp¡V$p cpN¡ s¡ Mp¡V$p„e _ `X¡$. dpfpdpfudp„ L$p¡C hpf dpf `Z Mp^p¡ lp¡e. R>sp„ O¡f AphuA¡ Ðepf¡ `l¡gp„ sp¡ R>X$u S> _pM¡. bQphdp„ L$lz„ L¡$ d_¡ Q„qv$epA¡ dpep£ R>¡. `Z kp„cm¡ A¡ buÅ„. dpfsp„ dpfsp„ Dd¡f¡ : "TOX$p¡ L$ep£ Ðepf¡ dpf `X$ép¡ _¡!' L$p¡C_¡ dpfuA¡ Ðepf¡ sp¡ rinp \pe, dpf MpCA¡ Ðepf¡ h^pf¡ \pe- Ap rifõsp¡ AQ|L$ `mpe. Å¡L¡$ dpfp dp¡kpm _p„v$p¡g ÅJ Ðep„ sp¡ap__p¡ R|>V$p¡ v$p¡f dmu Åe. d¡ drl_p_p h¡L¡$i_dp„ dpf Mphpdp„e h¡L¡$i_. v$pv$udp D`fpÏ„ g¡hp kv$pe b¡W$p„ S> lp¡e. L$p¡C V$pbqfey„ fX$sy„ fX$sy„ O¡f Åe A¡V$g¡ A¡_u dp A¡_¡ bphX¡$\u `L$X$u_¡ ku^u ìepk_p armepdp„ Y$kX$u gph¡. aqfepv$ L$f¡ L¡$ Ap S>ep_p cprZepA¡ sp¡ D`pX$p¡ gu^p¡ R>¡... _¡ dpfu bp d_¡ ip¡^hp_p L$p¡gçbk-L$pe®dp„ gpNu Åe. dpfp„ v$pv$u- d¡_pbp- `¡gu aqfepv$Z_¡ ApÐdrhíhpk\u MMX$ph¡ : "dpfp cprZepA¡ spfp lZ¡Å_¡ L„$C A¡d_¡d _l] dpep£ lp¡e... spfp¡ Ly„$hf iy„ ky„hpmu k|„W$_p¡ R>¡! L$p¡C_u Æc Qpg¡ sp¡ L$p¡C_p¡ lp\ Qpg¡... A¡Z¡ _½$u L„$C L$ey¯ S> li¡...' (d_¡ v$pv$udp_p¡ ApÐdrhíhpk Ndsp¡) `R>u TX$`pCA¡ Ðepf¡ dpfdp„\u bQphhp v$pv$u Y$pg b_u_¡ Ecp„ fl¡. bp s¡d_p `f rMÅe : "bp, s¢ S> R>p¡L$fp_¡ aV$hu_¡ h_¡Qf L$fu _p¿ep¡ R>¡.' v$pv$u Ðep„ S> kpd¡ Å¡sp„, "li¡ bpmL$ R>¡... Ap Jdf¡ sy„e blz hMpZhp S>¡hu _p¡'su...' L$lu lku _pM¡.

r`spîu_p¡ õhcph OZp¡ DN°. Nyõkp¡ kMs, s¡ Ofdp„ lp¡e Ðep„ ky^u gíL$fu ipk_. s¡d_p dpf_p kp¡m s¡ lÆe¡ dNS>dp„ AL$b„^ `X$ép R>¡. ApS>_u spfuMdp„ `Z s¡d_u A¡V$gu S> ^pL$. dpbp` cp¢esrme¡ fl¡ R>¡ _¡ Ad¡ buS>¡ dpm¡. L$p¸g-b¡g dpfu_¡ r`spîu _uQ¡ bp¡gph¡ sp¡ ApS>¡ R>¢spmuk hfk_u Jdf¡ `Z `l¡gp¡ rhQpf sp¡ A¡ S> Aph¡ L¡$ L$p¡C hp„L$Ny_pdp„ sp¡ _l] lp¡J_¡!

_p_`Zdp„ r`spîu_u ^pL$ A¡V$gu kÄS>X$ fl¡su L¡$ kp„S>¡ fõsp `f fdsp„ lp¡CA¡ Ðepf¡ AX$^u Ap„M fdsdp„ lp¡e _¡ v$p¡Y$ fõsp `f. v|$f\u dp¡V$p cpC_¡ (Ad¡ s¡d_¡ dp¡V$p cpC L$luA¡ R>uA¡) Aphsp Å¡CA¡ A¡V$g¡ lz„ _¡ dpfp¡ _p_p¡ cpC cfs v$p¡X$sp„ O¡f Aphu_¡ Qp¡`X$udp„ dp¢ Opgu_¡ b¡ku S>CA¡. bp kdÆ Åe A¡V$g¡ d_dp„ lku_¡ QdL$ph¡ : "bk, O¡f Aph¡ A¡V$gu S> hpf... spfp„ g¿MZp¡_u hps L$lu v$Ci...' (A¡hp¡ A¡L$`Z qv$hk _l] EÁep¡ lp¡e S>¡dp„ dpfp Mps¡ `p„Q¡L$ sp¡ap_p¡ _ _p¢^pep„ lp¡e) Å¡L¡$ bp Ad_¡ Ncfphhp `|fsy„ Apd bp¡g¡. `Z r`spîu_¡ Adpfu rhfyÙ aqfepv$ _ L$f¡.

L¡$V$guL$ hpf bp_p¡ b„_¡ sfa\u dfp¡ \sp¡. r`spîu_p¡ ce„L$f Nyõkp¡ _¡ Adpfp„ b¡kydpf sp¡ap_p¡. b^y„ bp_¡ S> kl_ L$fhp_y„. `Z bp_u kl_i[¼s NS>b_u. Ad_¡ Qpf¡e cpCAp¡_¡ r`spîu_p¡ Nyõkp¡ hpfkpdp„ dþep¡ R>¡. `f„sy kl_i[¼s dmu _\u.

lp, NyZ L¡$ AhNyZ S>¡ NZpe s¡... kpQy„ gpN¡ s¡ dp¡Y$pdp¡Y$ L$lu v¡$hp_u dp_u V¡$h Adpfp Qpf¡e cpCAp¡ _¡ bl¡_dp„ Esfu R>¡. L$p¡C_u Myipds L$fhp_y„ aph¡ _l].

`Z rh`fus k„Å¡Np¡dp„ dp_u S>¡d dp_rkL$ õhõ\sp lz„ sp¡ ¼epf¡e Åmhu _ iLy„$. r`spîu_p¡ V|„$L$p¡ `Npf. dl¡dp_p¡_u AhfS>hf OZu fl¡. R>¡ëgu spfuMp¡dp„ Of_p¡ ìehlpf L¡$d Qpg¡ R>¡ A¡ sp¡ bp S> ÅZ¡. Nfubu `f r_b„^ gMhp_y„ L$l¡hpdp„ Aph¡ sp¡ ApS>¡ Ap„M s¡_p\u R>gL$pC Åe A¡V$gu Nfubu Ap Ap„Mp¡\u Å¡C R>¡. OZp„ hj® Ad¡ cpX$p_p dL$p_dp„ füp. A¡L$ kpfy„ dL$p_ dmsy„ lsy„, `„v$f¡L$ lÅfdp„. kNpõ_¡luAp¡ `pk¡\u ìehõ\p \C fl¡i¡ A¡hp rhíhpk\u r`spîu bp_p_p `¥kp Ap`u Apìep. _¡ S>¡_p `f dp¡V$u fL$d_p¡ dv$pf lsp¡ s¡dZ¡ R>¡ëgu OX$uA¡ _pZp„ ^ufhp_u Ai[¼s Ål¡f L$fu. lh¡? r`spîu dpV¡$ Ap Apbê$_p¡ khpg \C `X$ép¡. bp ApNm s¡ bp¡gsp„ bp¡gu Nep : "Ap sp¡ kpgy„ T¡f Mphp_p¡ hMs Apìep S>¡hy„ \ey„...' "tQsp _ L$fip¡, kp¥ kpfp„ hp_p„ \i¡...' bp bp¡ëep„. s¡dZ¡ `p¡sp_p„ Of¡Zp„ aV$L$pfu dpep¯ _¡ Å¡Csu fL$d Ecu L$fu v$u^u.

Cíhf_u L©$`p\u r`spîu `pk¡ ApS>¡ båb¡ NpX$u R>¡ _¡ sp¡e bp_¡ bk_u gpB_dp„ Ecp„ fl¡sp„ ¼epf¡e k„L$p¡Q \sp¡ _\u. bp L$pfdp„e Äepf¡ b¡k¡ R>¡, EcX$L$ b¡k¡ R>¡. hÃQ¡ A¡L$ hpf d¢ s¡d_¡ L$üy„, "bfpbf AY¡$gu_p¡ b¡kp¡_¡, A^X|$L$p„ L¡$d b¡kp¡ R>p¡?'

"Nd¡ Ðepf¡ Esfu iL$pe A¡ dpV¡$...' bpA¡ Mygpkp¡ L$ep£.

rh`fus kdedp„ õhõ\sp _ Nydph_pf dp ¼ep„L$ blpf lp¡e Ðepf¡ Aõhõ\ \C Åe. ^ufS> Mp¡C b¡k¡, kde L$fsp„e \p¡X$p„ hl¡gp„ `lp¢Qu S>hp_p¡ õhcph. dp_p¡ A¡ õhcph dpfpdp„ kp„Np¡`p„N Esep£ R>¡. kde`pg__p¡ ApN°l d_¡ fp¡N_u S>¡d hmÁep¡ R>¡. dp¡X$p `X$hp_p kss ce_¡ L$pfZ¡ OqX$epm lz„ l„d¡ip„ `„v$f rdr_V$ ApNm d|Ly„$ Ry>„. rdÓp¡ dpfu `„L$ÃeyAprgV$u_u âi„kp L$f¡ R>¡. `Z s¡ dp¡X$p `X$hp_p L$pë`r_L$ cedp„\u DÐ`ß \C R>¡ A¡_u L$p¡C_¡ Mbf _\u.

lp, r`spîu_p¡ õhcph \p¡X$p¡ gl¡fu Mfp¡. L$p¡C_u kp\¡ hps¡ QX$u Åe sp¡ Ap¡qak_¡ A¡V$gp¡ kde c|gu Åe. `Z bp, "ÅAp¡, dp¡Xy„$ \i¡... ¼gpeÞV$p¡ sdpfu fpl Å¡sp AL$mpsp li¡.' L$lu r`spîu_¡ kdekf `lp¢QpX$hpdp„ dv$v$ L$fhp_p„.

ldZp„ d¢ _¡`p¡rge_, Qpg} Q¡[àg_, Ædu L$pV®$f, Np„^uÆ, huf kphfL$f _¡ rh_p¡bp cph¡_u dp rhi¡ hp„Ãey„. d_¡ sp¡ dpfu dp A_¡ Ap b^p_u dp hÃQ¡ TpTp¡ afL$ _\u hfspep¡. bfa b^¡ A¡L$kfMp¡ W„$X$p¡ lp¡e s¡d dp b^¡e kfMu S> Å¡hp dmhp_u. d¢ gMhp_y„ iê$ L$ey¯ Ðepf¡ iê$Aps_p Npmpdp„ dpfp r`spîu dpfp `f M|b qMÅsp. õ_¡lf[íd_¡ bv$g¡ L$rh _p_pgpg_p¡ v$pMgp¡ Ap`u_¡ L$l¡sp L¡$ L$rhAp¡_p lpg blz kpfp _\u lp¡sp... Ap b^y„ fl¡hp v$C_¡ Aæepk L$f. A¡L$b¡ hMs sp¡ s¡d_p Nyõkp\u â¡fpC_¡ d¢ dpfp„ L¡$V$gp„L$ gMpZp¡ apX$u _pM¡gp„. Å¡L¡$ A¡\u NyS>fpsu kprlÐe_¡ sp¡ apev$p¡ S> \ep¡ R>¡.

`Z dpA¡ gMhp bv$g d_¡ L$p¡C hpf W$`L$p¡ Apàep_y„ epv$ _\u Aphsy„. r`spîu ApS>_u spfuMdp„e¡ dpfp g¡Mp¡ hp„Qsp li¡ L¡$ L¡$d A¡_u d_¡ i„L$p R>¡, `Z bp sp¡ AQ|L$ hp„Q¡ R>¡. L$p¡C hpf L$l¡ R>¡ `Z Mfp„ : "spfp¡ g¡M d¢ hp„Ãep¡ cpC...'

"dps©h„v$_p' cpN 2dp„ gMhp dpV¡$ cpC v$u`L$ dl¡sp_y„ Apd„ÓZ dþey„ Ðepf¡ d¢ bp_¡ L$üy„ : "dp¡V$ub¡_, sdpfp `f A¡L$ g¡M L$fhp_p¡ Ry>„...' Ðepf¡ s¡ "A¡d?' A¡V$gy„ S> bp¡ëep„. L$v$pQ A¡V$gy„ `Z bp¡ghp Mpsf S> bp¡ëep„ li¡. "Ly$dpf'dp„ dpfu g¡Mî¡Zu "rh_p¡v$_u _S>f¡' Qpgsu Ðepf¡ A¡L$ rh¿eps _pV$éqv$Áv$i®L$_¡ d¢ S>Zph¡gy„ : "dpfu Ap g¡Mdpmpdp„ spfp `f gMhp ^pfy„ Ry>„...' Ðepf¡ dpfp¡ lp\ `L$X$u g¡sp„ s¡ bp¡g¡gp¡ : "Ap Ddv$p rhQpf lh¡ a¡fhsp¡ _l]...' A¡hpe L¡$V$gpL$ g¡ML$p¡ R>¡ S>¡d_p rhi¡ _l] gMhp bv$g s¡dZ¡ d_¡ ApS>¡e dpa _\u L$ep£ _¡ dp_¡ d_ L$p¡C rhkps _l]! `Z sp¡e d__¡ kpfy„ gpÁey„. s¡ L$v$pQ A¡d rhQpfsp„ li¡ L¡$ gMu gMu_¡ dpfp rhi¡ sy„ iy„ gMhp_p¡, l¢!'

Ap g¡M Ap`_¡ L¡$hp¡ gpÁep¡?