Raat ka waqt tha. Teeno behenein bistar par baithkar padhai kar rahi thin.

Lekin Anjali padhai nahi karna chahti thi. Uska exam to khatam ho chuka tha, ab to bas uski badi behenon ka exam baki tha. Phir woh kyon padhe? Use to chhutti mili thi aur ab use sirf aaram chahiye tha. Isi baat se naraaz hokar woh munh phulakar chupchap baithi thi. Is chuppi ki wajah se use do baar Nusrat ji ke haathon dande se maar bhi khani padi thi.

Lekin phir bhi Anjali ka mann padhai mein nahi lag raha tha. Use baar-baar neend aa rahi thi aur woh jhapkiyan le rahi thi.

Par Nusrat ji padhai ke mamle mein kisi bhi tarah ka samjhauta nahi karti thin.

Kabhi-kabhi Pranali ke mann mein yeh khayal aata tha ki uski mummy itni sakht kyon ho gayi hain. Pehle to aisa nahi tha. Uske papa mummy se bahut pyar karte the aur mummy bhi papa se bahut mohabbat karti thin, phir ab aisa kya badal gaya ki mummy itni kathor ho gayi hain?

Ab mummy zyada-tar samay chup rehti hain ya gusse mein rehti hain. Papa to ab bhi pehle jaise hi hain — mummy ko gale lagana, unse pyar bhari baatein karna — lekin mummy ke chehre par wo purani muskaan nahi rehti.

Pranali ko lagta hai ki shayad mummy ab isliye itni sakht ho gayi hain kyonki wo chahti hain ki unki teeno betiyan padh-likhkar kuch banein, apne pairon par khadi hon. Taaki bhavishya mein kisi par nirbhar na rehna pade. Agar kabhi shaadi na bhi ho to bhi zindagi akele jeene layak ban sake.

Yahi sab sochte-sochte woh khoi hui thi, tabhi uska mobile bajne laga. Woh use uthane hi wali thi ki Nusrat ji ne jhatke se phone apne haath mein le liya. Screen par “Abhiraj” naam likha tha aur saath mein kai dil wale emoji the.

Yeh dekhkar Nusrat ji kuch pal ke liye theher gayin. Unke chehre par ek ajeeb si udasi aur darr aa gaya. Unhone chupchap call kaat di aur phone ko side mein rakh diya. Unhone kuch nahi kaha, bas shaant ho gayin.

Udhar Shruti, apni padhai khatam karne ke baad boli,

“Mummy, ab main novel padhne jaun? Aaj hi aaya hai, maine order kiya tha.”

Yeh sunkar Nusrat ji kehti hain thik hai,

"Aur haan, ise bhi (Anjali ko) le jakar sula dena. Aur kuch der ke liye badi aapá aur mummy ko akela chhod dena."

Shruti ne sir hilakar haami bhari aur Anjali ko apni god mein uthakar apne kamre mein chali gayi. Usne Anjali ko Pranali ke bistar par sula diya aur khud ek novel lekar baith gayi. Us kitaab ke cover par likha tha — Hunting Adeline.

Woh kitaab ko utsukta se dekhti hai aur mann hi mann muskurakar kehti hai,

"Is kitaab ke baare mein bahut suna hai, ab main bhi padhti hoon. Ab main badi ho gayi hoon, 18 saal ki — ab aise novel padhne se koi nahi rok sakta mujhe."

Yeh kehte hue uske chehre par ek shararati aur khatarnak-si muskaan thi.

Lekin jaise-jaise woh padhti gayi, uske chehre par paseena aane laga.

Ek samay aisa aaya jab woh kitaab ko band karke apne paas daba leti hai aur khud se kehti hai,

"Hey Khuda... ye main kya padh rahi hoon! Ye to kitna zabardast hai! Kya meri zindagi mein bhi koi aisa aayega jo mujhse itna pagalpan bhara pyar karega?"

Phir woh muskurakar sochti hai,

"Aur upar se wo kitna hot tha! Main to pagal ho gayi hoon! Mujhe bhi dark romance chahiye.

Mujhe bhi ek boyfriend chahiye — diidi ke boyfriend jaisa handsome — jiske saath main ghoomun, khaun, uske paise udaun... aur phir romance bhi karun.

Main apni life full enjoy karne wali hoon.

Compromise? Bilkul nahi.

Aur jab lagega ki wo mujhe pareshan kar raha hai, to breakup kar lungi.

Meri life hai, meri marzi."

Shruti yeh kehkar phir se apni kitaab kholkar padhne lagti hai.

Dusri taraf, Pranali thodi dari hui thi. Use samajh nahi aa raha tha ki woh kya bole. Uski aankhon se aansu beh rahe the. Woh uljhan mein thi — do din bhi nahi hue the aur woh pakdi gayi thi. Uska pyar do din bhi nahi tik paya... ab na jaane uski mummy kya-kya kahengi. Yahi sochte-sochte woh sisak rahi thi, ro rahi thi.

Tabhi use ek ajeeb-si mamta ki lehar apne aas-paas mehsoos hoti hai. Nusrat ji ne use chupchap gale se laga liya tha. Ve uske sir ko choomti hain, uske baalon ko sehlate hue bas itna kehti hain —

"Meri bacchi..."

Pranali chaunk gayi. Woh rote hue apni maa ki taraf dekhti hai aur phusphusate hue kehti hai —

"Mummy... aap mujhe daantogi nahi? Kuch nahi kahogi?"

Nusrat ji use dheere se alag karti hain aur uske saamne acche se baith jaati hain. Phir gambhir aawaz mein puchti hain —

"Kab se chal raha hai ye sab?"

Pranali sharm se sir jhuka leti hai aur dheeme swar mein kehti hai —

"Do din se..."

Nusrat ji halke se muskura deti hain —

"Bas do din mein itna kareeb ho gayi tum usse?"

Pranali chaunkkar puchti hai —

"Matlab?"

Nusrat ji ek gehri saans leti hain aur kehti hain —

"Maine apne pyar ko 23 saal mein bhi puri tarah nahi samjha, aur tune do din mein us par itna bharosa kar liya?"

Pranali thodi asmanjas mein pad jaati hai, phir kehti hai —

"Lekin aap to papa se bahut pyar karti thin na? Aap dono ne to gharwalon ke khilaf jakar love marriage ki thi..."

Nusrat ji uski aankhon mein gehrai se dekhti hain aur kehti hain —

"Beta, ek baat hamesha yaad rakhna — duniya chahe kuch bhi kahe, sundarta se kuch nahi hota. Insaan ka dil achha hona chahiye, bas. Ye jo kehte hain na ki pyar mein paisa mayne nahi rakhta, bas dil dekhna chahiye — ye sab jhooth hai. Sab ek dikhawe ka mayajaal hai. Asliyat ye hai ki duniya sundarta par marti hai, aur sab kuch aakhir mein paise aur chehre par aakar hi khatam hota hai."

Thoda rukkar ve phir bolti hain —

"Jiske paas paisa aur khubsurati hai, uske paas sabkuch hai. Aur jiske paas ye dono nahi hain, khaaskar agar woh ek ladki ho... to duniya use sirf bistar tak hi dekhti hai."

Yeh bolkar woh chup ho jaati hai aur phir sakht lehze mein kehti hai,

"Main ye sab tujhe isliye bata rahi hoon kyonki main tujhe pyar karne se nahi rokungi, lekin bas itna chahti hoon ki tu pehle use acche se jaan, samajh, aur mehsoos kar ki kya woh insaan tere liye sahi hai ya nahi.

Ek galat faisla puri zindagi ka pachtawa ban sakta hai, aur wo aansu jo tu kisi ke saamne baha bhi nahi payegi, unhein tu har roz andar hi andar peeti rahegi.

Aur ek baat aur — tera parivar kabhi tera bura nahi chahta. Aakhir mein mummy-papa hi apne hote hain, koi aur nahi.

Jo galti maine ki thi, wo main nahi chahti ki meri phool jaisi betiyan bhi dohrayein.

Main chahti hoon ki tu life mein bahut aage badhe. Haan, duniya bahut tarakki kar chuki hai, aajkal AI — yaani Artificial Intelligence — ka zamana hai.

Lekin sacchai yeh hai ki insaani jazbaat aur soch aaj bhi waisi hi hai jaisi pehle thi.

Apna khayal rakhna.

Agar kabhi kuch galat lage, to bejhijhak apni mummy se kehna.

Aur haan, main sirf padhai aur galti karne par daantti hoon, bewajah nahi."

Yeh kehkar woh andar chali jaati hai,

lekin Pranali ki aankhon mein bahut saare sawaal chhod jaati hai.

Pranali ki aankhon se aansu beh rahe the,

lekin maa-beti dono ko ye pata nahi chala ki kab Shruti apne kamre se nikalkar dusri or khadi ho gayi thi aur unki saari baatein sun rahi thi.

Jab usne sab kuch suna, to na jaane kyon uske mann mein ajeeb si bechaini hone lagi.

Use lagne laga ki uske mummy-papa ke beech kuch to aisa hai jo sahi nahi chal raha.

Kuch aisa hai jo uski mummy usse chhupa rahi hai.

Mummy ke chale jaane ke baad Shruti bahar aati hai,

aur tabhi uske kaanon mein ek aawaz aati hai —

"Bahut badi ho gayi hai na tu?

To phir dikha zara… la 90% marks!"

Shruti ghabra jaati hai aur peeche hat-te hue apni mummy ki or dekhne lagti hai, jo ab apne kamre mein ja chuki thin. Woh jaldi se Pranali ke paas aati hai, usse lipat jaati hai aur kehti hai,

"Mummy aisa kyon bol rahi thin? Sab kuch to thik chal raha hai, lekin unki baaton se mujhe ajeeb-si ghutan mehsoos ho rahi hai. Pata nahi kyon, dil par bojh-sa lag raha hai."

Pranali apni mummy ki baaton ka matlab kuch had tak samajh chuki thi. Use ehsaas ho gaya tha ki shayad uske papa, mummy ke saath kuch galat kar rahe hain. Kya galat, ye use saaf-saaf nahi pata tha, lekin kuch thik nahi tha — yeh baat wo mehsoos kar rahi thi.

Par Shruti utni samajhdar nahi thi. Use in sab cheezon ke baare mein zyada jaankari nahi thi. Woh abhi bacchi thi, aur ye sab baatein uske sunne layak bhi nahi thin. Isliye Pranali use samjhate hue kehti hai,

"Kuch nahi hua hai, mummy to mujhe samjha rahi thin taaki main koi galat raasta na pakad lun. Tu zara aaram kar, aur tera wo kitaab aaya tha na, padhkar sunayegi nahi mujhe?"

Yeh sunkar Shruti thodi sharmate hue kehti hai,

"Diidi wo chhodo, dusra wala sun lena… wo aapke jaise bacchon ke liye nahi hai."

Pranali kamar mein haath rakhkar khadi ho jaati hai aur muskurakar kehti hai,

"Are haan, main to bhool hi gayi thi, tu to hamari dadi amma hai na!"

"Dadi amma" sunte hi Shruti munh phula leti hai aur jhat se Pranali ki kamar mein zor se mukka maarkar bhaag jaati hai. Pranali apni kamar pakadkar chillati hai,

"Mummy...!"

Shruti ki yahi aadat thi — maarkar bhaag jaana. Bechari Pranali chahkar bhi kuch kar nahi paati thi. Apni badi behen ko maarkar bhaagne ka maza hi kuch aur tha Shruti ke liye. Woh to khoob hans rahi thi, bahut enjoy kar rahi thi.

Lekin use zara bhi andaza nahi tha ki bahut jald uski ye hansi gum hone wali hai… aur us par ek darawane saaye ki parchhayi padne wali hai.

Raat ke kareeb 9:00 baje Abhinav ji office se ghar laut-te hain. Ve bahut thake hue the. Ghar aate hi ve seedhe kitchen mein chale jaate hain aur peeche se Nusrat ji ko baahon mein bharte hue bahut pyar se kehte hain —

"To meri begum, kya kar rahi ho?"

Nusrat jhatke se khud ko Abhinav ji se alag karte hue bolin,

"Khana bana rahi hoon, thodi der mein ban jayega... aap jakar pehle fresh ho jaiye."

Abhinav ji gusse mein haath ki mutthi kas-te hue bole,

"Nusrat, ye kya ho raha hai? Main thak-haar kar ghar aata hoon aur tum is tarah berukhi dikha rahi ho?"

Yeh sunkar Nusrat, tadka lagate hue, bina unki taraf dekhe bolin,

"Agar seva karwani hai to apne office ki un sundar-sundar ladkiyon ke paas chale jaiye."

Woh yeh baat bahut laparwahi se bolti hai.

Abhinav ji uska haath pakadkar use apni or ghumate hain aur gambhir swar mein kehte hain,

"Jis galti ka ilzaam tum mujhe deti ho, uski saza main pichle 10 saalon se bhugat raha hoon. Wo bas ek haadsa tha, meri koi galti nahi thi. Hazaar baar keh chuka hoon – main sirf tumse pyar karta hoon, tumhare alawa kisi aur ladki ko kabhi nazar uthakar nahi dekha."

Nusrat, unhein zor se dhakka dete hue kehti hain,

"Please, mujhse door rahiye... is dikhawe ki ab zaroorat nahi hai."

Abhinav ji kuch pal tak gusse se use dekhte rehte hain, phir chupchap kamre mein chale jaate hain.

Udhar dusri or, Pranali apne kamar par haath rakhkar dheere-dheere sehlati hai aur balcony ki taraf chali jaati hai. Wahan se dekhti hai – kal jo Range Rover bahar khadi thi, uske paas Abhiraj khada tha aur bas use hi gehrai se dekh raha tha.

Use apni or yun dekhkar, Pranali sharma jaati hai aur dheere se apni nazrein jhuka leti hai. Uske dil ka saara dard jaise ek pal mein gayab ho gaya tha. Abhiraj ki muskaan ne use andar tak sukoon de diya.

Phir woh sab kuch bhoolkar turant call karti hai Abhiraj ko.

Woh bhi bina der kiye phone utha leta hai... aur phir dono ek-dusre se der tak baatein karne lagte hain.

Dusri taraf, Shruti is kitaab ko padhkar kaafi utsaahit ho gayi thi. Woh jaldi se kitaab ko chhupakar rakh deti hai aur mann hi mann sochti hai,

"Sach mein, Saina ne sahi kaha tha... ye kitaab waqai bahut achhi hai. Ise main pura padhkar hi rahungi. Lekin usse pehle thodi hawa kha lun, andar bahut garmi hai. Phir dinner karungi."

Yeh sochkar woh kitchen ki taraf chali jaati hai, jahan uski mummy khana bana rahi thin. Woh fridge se cone wale chocolate flavor ki ice-cream nikalti hai, uska wrapper kholte hue jaise hi bahar nikalne lagti hai, tabhi use peeche se Nusrat ji ki aawaz sunayi deti hai,

"Kahan ja rahi ho?"

Shruti angdayi lete hue jawab deti hai,

"Hawa khaane ja rahi hoon. Uske baad aakar khana khaungi aur phir so jaungi. Aur kya?"

Nusrat ji salad kaat-te hue kehti hain,

"Thik hai, ja. Lekin news mein dikha rahe the ki hamare Mumbai mein kisi ajeeb se jaanwar ne hamla kar diya hai. Kai laashein mili hain – bacchon aur ladkiyon ki – wo bhi buri haalat mein, aadhi khayi huin. Aur Sunday ko, jis din hum dinner ke liye bahar gaye the, usi din hamari building se thodi hi door jungle ke paas ek aadmi ki aadhi khayi hui laash mili thi."

Yeh sunkar Shruti ko jaise ek thandi lehar si mehsoos hoti hai. Woh darte hue apni mummy ke paas aa jaati hai aur dheere se puchti hai,

**"Kya keh rahi ho mummy? Aap matlab kehna chahti hain ki hamare aas-paas kahin bhediya aa gaya hai? Matlab... Werewolf?" 🐺

Nusrat ji daal mein namak chakhte hue kehti hain,

"Pata nahi, mujhe kuch nahi pata. Main to bas wahi keh rahi hoon jo TV par dikha rahe the."

Shruti (hairani se):

"Sach mein mummy, aisa hota hai kya? Lekin aapko to pata hai na, mujhe raat mein phoolon ki khushbu kitni achhi lagti hai. Bahar garden mein itne saare phool khile hain, aur mujhe wahan tehalne jaana hai. Jyoti bhi to jaati hai, Piya diidi bhi aur Sneha diidi bhi… sab log dinner ke baad bahar ghoomte hain. Main bhi aaj unse baat kar aaungi."

Uski zid dekhkar Nusrat gehri saans leti hain aur kehti hain,

Nusrat:

"Bahut ziddi ho tum… lekin jaldi wapas aa jaana. Aur jo main keh rahi hoon wo koi mazak nahi hai, bilkul sach hai."

Shruti (muskurate hue):

"Are mummy, aap bilkul chinta mat kijiye. Agar koi bhoot, pret ya bhediya mujhe khane aayega to main hi unhein kha jaungi. Main bahut khatarnak hoon."

Yeh bolte hue woh apni ice-cream khatam karti hai aur ek aur ice-cream lekar darwaza kholkar bahar nikalne hi wali thi ki tabhi Abhinav ji bol padte hain,

Abhinav:

"Beta, kahan ja rahi ho?"

Shruti (thodi chidhkar):

"Papa, aap bhi mummy ki tarah mat baniye. Bas bahar tehalne ja rahi hoon. Bachpan se yahin to reh rahi hoon, kya pehli baar ja rahi hoon? Aap log kyon baar-baar rok rahe ho?"

Usi waqt, Abhinav ji ki god mein baithi chhoti Anjali, jo mobile dekh rahi thi, achanak bolti hai,

Anjali (masumiyat se):

"Maine suna hai… agar koi baar-baar rok raha ho kahin jaane se, to bahar koi musibat intezaar kar rahi hoti hai… isliye nahi jaana chahiye."

Shruti gusse mein aakar apne haath mein pakda chhota pankha Anjali ki taraf phenkti hai, lekin Abhinav ji use pakad lete hain aur sakhti se kehte hain,

Abhinav:

"Beta, ye kya kar rahi ho? Apni chhoti behen ke saath aisa bartav thik nahi hai."

Shruti gusse mein kehti hai,

Shruti:

"Ye hamesha beech mein bolti hai! Aap ise samjhaiye na! Main ja rahi hoon!"

Woh jaise hi jaane lagti hai, tabhi Pranali bolti hai,

Pranali (shaant lehze mein):

"Aaj mat ja Shruti, rehne de. Vaise bhi aaj purnima ki raat hai…"

Ab Shruti sach mein bahut gusse mein aa chuki thi. Woh chillate hue boli,

"Diidi, tum to chup hi raho! Tumhara banda bhi to khada hai neeche... bhoot sirf mujhe hi thodi khayega! Tere bande ko bhi kha jayega. Aur jab hum dono ko kha jayega, tab jakar uska pet bharega. Kam se kam ye tasalli to rahegi ki akele nahi mari, tere bande ko lekar mari!"

Yeh bolte hue wo aankh maarti hai aur hanste hue bahar ki or daud jaati hai.

Wo jaldi se lift ka button dabati hai, lekin jaise hi lift mein chadh-ti hai, uska pair phisal jaata hai aur woh gir jaati hai. Uske ghutnon mein chot lagti hai. Woh apna ghutna sehlate hue gusse mein budbudati hai,

"Saala, ye lift bhi peeche hi pad gayi hai! Kitna dard ho raha hai… lagta hai lift bhi nahi chahti ki main bahar jaun!"

Itna kehkar woh lift ke andar baith jaati hai aur thodi der apne ghutnon ko sehlate rehti hai.

Kuch der baad woh khadi hoti hai. Jaise hi lift neeche pahunchti hai, darwaze khulte hain aur woh bahar nikal jaati hai.

Bahar aakar woh watchman ko dekhti hai, jo kaafi dara hua lagta hai. Woh uske paas jaati hai aur puchti hai,

"Uncle, kya hua? Aap itne dare hue kyon lag rahe ho?"

Watchman gehri saans lete hue jawab deta hai,

"Beta, tumne aaj subah ki news nahi dekhi kya? Jungle ke paas ek laash mili hai… aadhi khayi hui. Aur ye koi pehli baar nahi ho raha… pichle kuch dinon se lagatar aisi laashein mil rahi hain hamare Mumbai mein. Isiliye darr lag raha hai. Soch raha hoon, jaldi kaam nipta ke ghar chala jaun. Aur tum bhi beta… bahar mat nikla karo. Aajkal ka samay sahi nahi hai."

Shruti uski baaton ko halke mein lete hue muskurati hai, ek gehri saans leti hai aur ice-cream khaate hue bahar nikal jaati hai.

Bahar aakar wo khule aasman ke neeche khadi ho jaati hai. Thandi hawa ke jhonkon se use bahut sukoon mehsoos ho raha tha.

Chaandni raat thi, jiski wajah se sab kuch saaf-saaf dikhayi de raha tha. Jugnu bhi ud rahe the aur aas-paas phoolon ki bhini-bhini khushbu phaili hui thi.

Shruti ko bahut sukoon mehsoos ho raha tha. Saamne kuch doori par highway tha, lekin wahan se bhi koi gaadi nahi guzar rahi thi, isliye charon or puri tarah shaanti thi. Yeh mahaul bahut shaantipurn aur sukoon bhara tha.

Woh idhar-udhar dekhne lagi. Tabhi uski nazar raaste ke paas khade Abhiraj par padi, jo shayad Pranali se phone par baat kar raha tha. Abhiraj ko dekhkar Shruti ka saara darr door ho gaya aur woh thodi rahat mehsoos karne lagi. Ab woh befikr hokar tehalne lagi.

Ghoomte hue woh ek bade se gate ke paas pahunchi, jo thoda sa khula hua tha. Gate khula dekhkar woh chaunk gayi. Shayad koi abhi aaya ho. Usne gate ko thoda aur khola aur bahar nikal aayi. Bahar ka raasta dekhne lagi. Raaste mein lamp jal raha tha aur chameli ke phoolon ki khushbu bhi aa rahi thi. Raaste ke kinare-kinare lamp post ke paas chameli ke ped lage hue the. Lekin hairani ki baat yeh thi ki bewakt chameli ke phool khile hue the — ye waqai chaunkane wali baat thi.

Inhi khayalon mein khoi hui woh apne ghutnon ki or dekhti hai, jahan se thoda-thoda khoon nikal raha tha aur use dard bhi ho raha tha.

Tabhi achanak use mehsoos hua ki koi bahut paas se guzra hai. Woh darkar idhar-udhar dekhne lagi, lekin aas-paas koi nahi tha.

Woh tezi se andar aayi aur gate band kar diya. Saamne dekha to Abhiraj abhi bhi khada tha. Abhiraj dusri taraf ke gate se gaadi lekar aata tha, isliye woh usi taraf khada tha. Jabki yeh gate aamtaur par aana-jaana karne ke liye istemaal kiya jaata hai.

Ab sawaal yeh uthta hai ki kya Shruti ko aaj raat bahar nahi nikalna chahiye tha? Kya woh kisi musibat mein fansne wali hai? Aur woh kaun hai — wo haiwaan jo insaanon ko kha raha hai? Kya in sabka koi sambandh Amritansh se hai?

Yeh sab jaanne ke liye padhte rahiye aage ki kahani...

Mere pyaare paathkon!

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