rooh e yaram

chapter 6

Woh subah das baje se le kar ab tak usi kamre mein baithi thi. Woh safar ki wajah se itni thaki hui thi lekin phir bhi yahan par koi aaram karne ke liye jagah na thi. Use aaram karne ki adat bhi na thi, saara din to woh kisi na kisi kaam par lagi rehti aur ab bhi kamre mein ghoom rahi thi jab aahista se darwaza khatkhatakar woh andar aaya.

"Ghar chalain," lehje mein ab bhi wahi narmihat thi.

Woh muskurai.

"Ji chalain."

Usne subah se wahi burqa pehna rakha tha. Woh apna samaan uthane lagi to Yarim ne use mana kar diya, "Tum rehne do, mera aadmi le aayega." Use chalne ka ishara kar ke woh aage chal diya. Woh bhi jaldi se uske peechay aayi.

Wahan khare aadmi ne uske liye gaadi ka darwaza khola. TV dramo mein usi tarah se nokron ko darwaza kholte dekhti thi, aaj apne liye aisi khidmat dekh kar uski hansi nikal gayi.

Phir dheere se "Thank you" bol diya.

Gaadi mein un donon mein koi baat na hui.

Phir ek jagah Yarim ne gaadi roki aur gaadi se nikal kar na jaane kahan chala gaya. Aage peechay nazar dorati jab Rooh ki nazar sadak par gayi, usne jab chhote chhote bachon ko sadak par letay huay dekha to sochne lagi.

"Ya Allah, yeh sab zarur meri tarah yateem honge." Bachon ki be-basi dekh kar use apna bachpan yaad aane laga.

Use pata bhi na chala ke kab Yarim gaadi mein aakar baitha aur gaadi start ho gayi. Khamoshi taweel thi.

"Lagta hai hawa paani badalne ki wajah se tumhari tabiyat kharab ho rahi hai," kab se uski soon soon ki awaaz sunta bola.

"Nahin, main to bilkul theek hoon," usne randhi hui awaaz mein kaha.

"Oho, tum ro rahi ho," Yarim ne ab uske chehre ko dekhte huay kaha. "Kyun ro rahi ho tum?" Yarim khud bhi samajh na paya ke yeh sawal usne kyun poocha hai, shayad usne is tarah se kisi ko kabhi rote huay nahi dekha tha.

"Wahan chhote bachay..." Usne baat adhoori chor di.

"Kya Pakistan mein bhikari nahi hain?" Usne aaram se poocha.

"Hain lekin sadak pe nahi sote." Woh usse yeh nahi keh payi ke woh kabhi ghar se bahar nikal kar sadkon par aise sote kisi bhikari ko dekh nahi payi.

"Hmm."

Khamoshi ek par phir se chha gayi.

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Gaadi ek building ke qareeb aakar ruki.

"Yahan se andar chali jao. Yeh chaabi pakro, flat number 8, aur yeh khana bhi le jao. Main gaadi park karke aata hoon," Yarim ne use chaabi aur khana pakrate hue kaha. Woh foran gaadi se bahar nikal gayi. Lekin andar nahi gayi, balki wahin khadi ho kar uska intezar karne lagi. Woh use yeh kaise kehti ke use akelay jaane mein dar lagta hai. Kya sochega woh ke yeh har cheez se darti hai. Isi liye wahin ruk kar uska intezar karne lagi. Taqreeban chaar paanch minute mein woh uske saath aakar ruka.

"Woh main aapka intezar kar rahi thi," usne poocha nahi lekin phir bhi Rooh batane lagi.

"Theek hai, chalo." Uske haath se chaabi lekar woh aage ki taraf chalne laga.

Ek naya safar tha uske liye. Woh uske qadam se qadam mila kar chalne lagi. Usne lift ka button press kiya. Lift ne unhein unki manzil tak pahunchaya. Woh uski har harkat ko ghour se dekh rahi thi. Uske chehre ko dekh kar baar baar ek ajeeb si sharam use aagher leti thi. Kabhi woh sharmate hue apni ungliyan chatkati, kabhi apni aanewali zindagi ka soch kar muskurati. Lekin woh sab kuch jaante hue bhi anjaan ban raha tha.

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Taqreeban paanch minute ke baad geele haath scarf se saaf karti bahar nikli. Usne apna burqa ab tak na utara tha.