chapter 8

Baba yahin hain, TV dekh rahe hain. Nahi, unhone call nahi kiya, main ne kiya hai. ''Salar, tum kisse baat kar rahe ho?' Sikandar ne poocha."Uncle Shahnawaz, usne jawab diya. Sikandar ne usse phone le liya aur socha ke Salar ne galti se number dial kiya hoga ya redial button daba diya hoga. 'Salar ne number dial kiya, mujhe maaf kijiyega, usne apne bhai se maafi maangi.'Usne kaise kiya? Kya wo itna chhota nahi?' Uska bhai hairan tha. 'Shayad usne redial button galti se dabaya hoga. Sikandar ne phone band kar diya aur wapas rakh diya. Salar, jo ye guftagu chup chap sun raha tha, wapas phone uthaya aur Shahnawaz ka number bilkul tarteeb se dial kiya, bilkul jese koi bara karta. Sikandar hairan tha-usne expect nahi kiya tha ke ek do saal ka bacha aisa kar sakta hai.Sikandar ne uski maa ko bulaya. 'Main ne ise numbers nahi sikhaye, usne kaha'Kal hi maine one to hundred tak ke numbers bataye the. Magar maine kuch books li thi kuch din pehle. Sikandar ne Salar se kaha ke wo ek se sau tak gino-usne ye kaam kar diya jab uski maa hairani se dekh rahi thi. Yaqeenan, bachay ki intelligence uske age ke liye bohat aage thi, isliye usay school mein apne siblings se pehle hi enroll karwa diya. Wo school mein bhi bohot accha tha                             .......♡♡.........'Is bache ko aapki khas tawajju ki zarurat hai, kyunki aise bachay jo average intelligence se zyada hote hain, unka mizaj sensitive aur complicated hota hai. Agar iska upbringing accha ho, to ye aapke khandan ka, waqayi mulk ka asset ban sakta hai' Sikandar Usman aur unki biwi psychologist ki baat sun kar fakhr mehsoos kar rahe the jo ek foreigner tha. Unho ne ghar mein Salar ko khaas tawajju dena shuru kar diya: wo sab se pyara aur favorite bacha ban gaya aur wo uski achievements par fakhr mehsoos karte.School mein, usay aik term ke baad hi agle class mein promote kar diya gaya, aur phir term ke end mein phir se promote kar diya gaya. Sikandar pareshan tha-wo nahi chahta tha ke Salar sirf 8 aur 10 saal ki age mein O levels aur A levels de. Iski progress ki speed dekh kar, ye mumkin lag raha tha.'Mujhe chaahiye ke aap mera beta ek saal puri class mein rehnay dein pehle usay agle level par promote karein. Main nahi chahta ke wo abnormal speed se apni academic career mein aage badhe. Aap uske subjects aur activities badha sakte hain, magar usay normal progress karne dein."Salar ko mid-term promote nahi kiya gaya; uske talents aur energy ko sports aur dusri extra-curricular activities mein channel kiya gaya. Chess, tennis, golf aur music mein usay zyada dilchaspi thi aur school mein hone wali har cheez mein hissa leta-agar kisi cheez mein hissa nahi leta to sirf isliye ke usay wo challenging nahi lagti thi.                           ......♡♡......Javeria, mujhe Professor Imtinan ke notes de do, kya tum dogi? Imama ne Javeria se kaha jo padh rahi thi. Javeria ne usay ek notebook di jo usne dekhna shuru kiya.Javeria apni parhai mein lagi rahi, magar achanak Imama ki taraf dekha, jaise usay kuch yaad aaya. 'Tum ne lectures ke doran notes lena kyun chor diya hai?" Imama ne dekha. 'Agar mujhe samajh aaye to leti. Tumhara matlab kya hai? Tumhe Prof Imtinan ke lectures samajh nahi aate? Javeria hairan thi. 'Woh itne achay teacher hain. 'Main ne kab kaha ke woh nahi hain? Bas ye ke... Imama ne ruk kar kaha. Javeria ne usay gaur se dekha. 'Tum bohot absent-minded nahi ho gayi ho lately? Kya tum kisi cheez se pareshan ho?" Usne apni kitaab band kar di; uski tone caring thi."Pareshan? Imama ne muttered kiya. 'Nahi...'Tumhare ankho ke neeche dark circles hain. Kal raat, mujhe lagta hai ke teen bajay, jab main jaagi, tum ne ab tak nahi soyi thi.Main parh rahi thi, Imama ne defensively jawab diya,'Nahi, tum nahi parh rahi thi. Tumhari kitaab samne thi magar tumhare khayalatkahin aur the. Koi problem hai?"'Kya problem ho sakta hai?"'Phir tum itni khamosh kyun ho gayi ho? Javeria ne Imama ke attempts to stall the conversation ko ignore kar diya."Ab, mujhe kyun lafzon ki kami hogi?" Imama ne muskurane ki koshish ki. 'Main utni hi talkative hoon jitni pehle thi.'Ye sirf main nahi, dusre log bhi notice kar rahe hain ke tum pareshan ho, Javeria neseriously kaha."Kuch nahi-bas parhai ka usual tension hai.''Mujhe yaqeen nahi aata. Aakhir hum sab sath hain-tum hum se zyada tense nahi ho sakti.Javeria ne sar hilaya. Imama ne aah bhari-wo isse tang aa rahi thi. 'Ghar mein sab theek hai?"Haan, bilkul theek."'Kya tumhari Asjad se larai hui?"Main usse kyun larungi?"Imama ne wahi tone mein jawab diya..'Magar fir bhi ikhtilafat ho sakte hain aur..'Imama ne usay sentence complete nahi karne diya.Jab main tumhe bata rahi hoon ke koi problem nahi, to tum kyun yaqeen nahi kar rahi? In sab saalon mein, maine kya tumse share nahi kiya ya tumhe mere bare mein kya nahi pata? To phir tum mujhe aise kyun question kar rahi ho jaise main koi mujrim hoon?"Imama ka gussa barh raha tha.Javeria confused thi. 'Beshak, main tum par yaqeen karti hoon. Mujhe laga tum hold back kar rahi ho kyun ke main pareshaan na ho jaun. Bas itna hi. Javeria, thori sharmsaar, uthi aur apne table par wapas ja kar apni kitaab parhne lagi. Kuch dair baad usne jamhai li aur Imama ki taraf dekha. Wo uth kar baithi thi, peet diwaar se lagayi hui aur notebook haath mein, magar uski aankhen samne diwaar par jammi hui thi                            ........♡♡..........Usne car nadi ke paar bridge se kuch faasla door park ki. Usne boot khola aur ek bora aur rassi nikali aur bridge ki taraf chalte hue bora ghaseetne laga. Kuch raahgeer usay dekh rahe the magar rukay nahi. Bridge par pohanch kar, usne apni shirt utari aur pani mein phenk di-kuch hi lamhon mein shirt pani ke bahao mein beh gayi. Uski lambi, athletic body jo dark blue jeans pehni hui thi, ek khubsurat manzar thi. Uski aankhen bayaan nahi kar sakti thi ke wo kya soch raha hai. Uski umar 19 se 29 saal ke darmiyan ho sakti thi, magar uski lambai aur shakal se wo zyada bara lagta tha.Rassi ke ek siray ko pakar kar, usne usay bridge ke paar phenk diya jab tak ke wo pani ko nahi cho gayi. Phir usne rassi ko mazbooti se bora ke muh ke ird gird lapetna aur bandhna shuru kiya jab tak ke sari rassi istemal nahi ho gayi. Ab, usne rassi ka kuch hissa wapas kheencha, lagbhag teen feet chhod kar, apne pair jor kar, usne mazbooti se unhein rassi se bandh liya. Phir, usne bachi hui rassi se do loops banaye aur bridge ke railing par chala gaya, aur apne haathon ko pichay se loops mein daal kar, rassi ke girahen khenchi aur apne haath bhi bandh liye Uske honton par ek muskurahat thi. Gahri saans le kar, usne khud ko pichay ki taraf bridge se neeche phenk diya, Uska sar zor se pani se takraya aur wo kamar tak paani mein doob gaya, sar neeche aur haath bandhe hue, rassi ke sath liptay bora se latak. raha tha. Usne apni saans roki aur pani ke neeche apni aankhein kholne ki koshish ki, magar nadi ka paani ganda tha aur mitti uski aankhon mein chubh rahi thi. Usay lag raha tha ke uske phaphray phat jayenge aur jab usne saans li, pani uske naak aur mooh ke zariye uske jism mein dakhil ho gaya.Wo majboori se phadphadane laga-usne koshish ki magar apne haathon ka istemal nahi kar sakta tha ke khud ko pani se upar uthaye. Dheere dheere, uski harkatein ahista ho gayi. Kuch log jo usay bridge se chalte hue dekha tha, railing ki taraf bhage, chilla rahe the. Rassi ab bhi hichkichara rahi thi. Unhe samajh nahi aaya ke kya karein-pani ke neeche koi harkat nazar nahi aa rahi thi; uski taange be-harkat nazar aa rahi thi. Ek hajoom ikattha ho gaya, dar ke saath uske bejaan jism ko dekhte hue: pani usay ek pendulum ki tarah jhula raha tha, aage aur peeche...aage aur peeche...aage aur peeche.                        ......♡♡......."Imama, jaldi tayar ho jao! Rabia ne almari se kapray nikaalte hue bed par phainkte."Tayar hoon? Kis liye?" Imama ne hairani se uski taraf dekha."Ham shopping ja rahe hain. Tum bhi chalo." Rabia ne apne kapray iron karte hue jaldi se kaha."Nahin, shukriya. Mujhe kahin nahi jana." Imama ne apne takiye par let kar apni aankhon ko haath se dhak liya."Tumhara yeh 'mujhe kahin nahi jana' ka kya matlab hai? Tumse pucha kisne hai? Main tumhe keh rahi hoon, Rabia ne wahi lehja barqarar rakhte hue kaha. "Aur main keh rahi hoon ke main nahi ja rahi," Imama ne baghair hile jawab diya. "Zainab bhi aa rahi hai-poora group ja raha hai aur jab shopping kar lenge to film dekhne bhi jayenge." Imama ne upar dekha."Zainab bhi aa rahi hai?""Haan, hum usay raste se uthayenge." Imama soch mein par gayi."Tum din ba din boring hoti ja rahi ho, Imama!" Rabia ne gusse se kaha. "Tumne hamare saath bahar jana chhod diya hai, tumhare sath ho kya gaya hai?" "Kuch nahi. Bas aaj buhat thaki hui hoon aur sona chahti hoon," Imama ne Rabia ko dekhte hue kaha.Thodi der baad Javeria bhi aayi aur usne bhi Imama ko manana ki koshish ki, lekin Imama ki sirf ek hi baat thi: "Main buhat thaki hui hoon, mujhe sona hai." Jab woh Imama ko bahar nikalne mein naakam rahi, to larkiyan nafrat se usay peeche chhod gayin.Raste mein jab unhone Zainab ko uthaya, to Javeria ko yaad aaya ke uska wallet hostel mein reh gaya hai. "Mujhe apna wallet lene hostel wapas jana hoga," Javeria ne kaha. Jab woh hostel pohnche, to unhoun ne kamra band paaya."Imama kahan hai?" Rabia ne hairan ho kar kaha. "Pata nahi...woh kahan gayi hogi, kamra band kar ke? Usne to kaha tha ke woh sona chahti hai," Javeria ne kaha."Kya woh kisi aur ke kamray mein ho sakti hai?" Rabia ne socha. Agle kuch minute unhone apni doston ke kamron mein Imama ko talaash kiya, lekin koi nishan nahi mila"Kya woh bahar gayi ho sakti hai?" Rabia ko achanak khayal aaya."Chalo warden se check karte hain," Javeria ne kaha, aur woh warden ke paas gaye."Haan, Imama kuch der pehle bahar gayi thi, warden ne tasdeeq ki. Rabia aur Javeria ne ek dusre ko hairan nighaon se dekha. "Usne kaha tha ke woh sham tak wapas aa jayegi," warden ne unhein bataya. Woh warden ke kamray se bahar nikle."Woh kahan ja sakti hai? Usne to kaha tha ke woh humare sath nahi jana chahti kyunki woh thaki hui hai....sona chahti hai...bimar hai...aur phir woh is tarah bahar chali gayi, Rabia gusse se boli.Jab woh raat ko late wapas aaye, to Imama kamray mein thi aur unka muskurate hue khush aamdeed kaha."Shayad tum logon ne bohot sari shopping ki hai," usne unke bags aur parcels dekhte hue kaha. Unhone jawab nahi diya-apni shopping rakhte hue, woh usay dekhte rahe."Tum kahan thi?" Javeria ne poocha, Imama ne jhatka khaya."Main apna wallet lene aayi thi aur tum yahan nahi thi. Kamra band tha.""Main tumhare baad gayi thi.""Kya matlab?""Jab tum log nikal gaye to maine apna iraada badal liya aur Zainab ke paas gayi, kyunki tum usay lene ja rahe the. Lekin uska chowkidar ne kaha ke woh tumhare sath nikal gayi, to main wapas aayi. Bas raste mein kuch kitabein lene ruki thi," Imama ne samjhaya"Dekha-humne tumhe kaha tha ke sath chalo lekin tumne mana kar diya. Phir, jaise bewakoof, tum hamare peeche peeche aa gayi.    Continue ✍️ ✍️ ✍️