Tareek galiyon mein usne aankhein agle hi pal kholi thien. Sar per jalte bulb use jalte bujhte mehsoos ho rahe the. Jeans ki Jeb mein adhsa phone, silent hone ke baais mushtaqil zunn zunn kar raha tha. Usne bamushkil haathon per zor dekar uthna chaha. Pet aur kamar mein dard ki ek shadeed leher aar paar hui thi. Uski halki si karaah nikli. Zabt se daant jama kar wo phir se uthne laga. Saans ukhadne laga tha. Usne aankhein band karke sar do teen baar zor se jhatka. Dhundli hoti basarat kuch durust hui thi. Usne takleef se sun padte Zakhm per haath rakh kar mazeed khoon ko behne se roka tha. Aur phir kaanpti taangon per zor dekar uth khada hua. Ek zor ka chakkar aane ke baais wo maile shutter se jaa takraya tha. Phir uska sahara lekar chand kadam aage badha. Safed shirt uske khoon se daaghdaar ho chuki thi. Usne zakhm ko dabaye rakha aur phir safed padte labon ke saath aage badhne laga. Khoon zyada beh jaane ki wajah se basarat phir se dhundli padne lagi thi. Dard ki shiddat gehri hone lagi thi. Kanpatti se paseene ke kayi bundein phisal kar gardan mein ladkhi thi. Dasta lagne ki wajah se nikla khoon bhi wahin jam Gaya tha.
Jeb mein udhsa phone ab phir se zunn zunn karne laga tha. Usne phoole saans ke darmyan, khoon se chipchipe haath ke saath jeb thapthapayi aur phir usse phone baraamad kiya. Kamar shutter se tikaye rakhi. Gaur se dekhne per bhi number dikhai nahi de raha tha. Use pata tha ke wo kisi bhi pal hosh khone wala hai. Usne phone utha liya. Kaan se lagaya aur saath hi zakhm per haath rakhe aage badhne laga. Shutter ka sahara usne abhi tak le rakha tha.
"Selena kahan hai? Wo theek toh hai na?" Haneefa ki awaaz goonji thi. Usne dikkat se thook nigla tha.
"Ji. Wo mehfooz hai." Usne kaha. Takleef ke baais awaaz mein halki si kapkapahat utri thi. Haneefa dusri jaanib jaise chonk se gaye.
"Tum theek ho? Kahan ho tum?"
"Theek hun. Chota sa zakhm laga hai. Hospital jaa raha hun." Usne agli baat sune bagair phone jeb mein udhas liya tha. Phir himmat mujtama'a karke aage badhne laga. Uske lab har guzarte pal ke saath safed padte jaa rahe the.
Dusri jaanib saahir ne use apartment ki imarat ke paas utaara aur phir usne roti hui selena ki jaanib ka darwaza tezi se khol kar use bahar nikala. Wo bohot sapaat tha. Selena ki kisi muzaahmat ka us per koi asar nahi ho raha tha. Wo use haath se pakde aage hi aage badh raha tha. Wo usse apna haath chuda rahi thi lekin besood. Wo uske taqatwar baazuon ka muqaabla nahi kar sakti thi. Usne apartment ke dakhili darwaze ke paas code insert kiya aur use ander dhakela. Abhi usi tezi se darwaza band karne laga tha ke selena ki ungliyan darmyan mein aa gayin. Wo darwaza nahi band kar saka.
"Mein bhi jaungi. Tum mujhe is aziyat mein chod kar nahi jaa sakte."
Saahir ne zabt se darwaza khol kar use dekha. Surkh chehra. Gulaabi aankhein. Musalsal girte aansu. Hichkiyan.
"Aap ne apni man maani ka anjaam dekh liya na! Isi liye mana kar raha tha mein aapko jaane se. Aapko aakhir samajh kyun nahi aata ke ye maamla bohot hassas ho chuka hai. Kisi ki jaan bhi jaa sakti hai. Agency se teen actress gayab hain aur ek ka qatal kiya jaa chuka hai. Qatal samajhti hain na kya hota hai?" Usne use ander kiya aur phir khud bhi apartment mein chala aaya. Apne peeche darwaza band Kiya. Selena usi tarah hichkiyon ke darmyan use dekh rahi thi. Wo sapaat chehre ke saath buland awaaz se bol raha tha.
"Ye sab mazaak nahi hai, madam. Jaisi dusri actress ka qatal hua hai waise aapka bhi qatal ho sakta hai. Yasir aapki wajah se Zakhmi hua hai. Mein use wahan us haalat mein chod kar is liye aapke saath nahi aaya ke aap mere saath wapas jaa kar saari mehnat zaaya kar dein. Kya aapko apne career ki koi fikr nahi hai?" Usne usi kaatdaar lehje mein pucha tha. Wo paani se bhari aankhein liye use dekh rahi thi.
"Mujhe kisi cheez ki fikr nahi hai. Mujhe bas yasir ke paas jaana hai. Bhaad mein jayein sab."
Saahir ne lamhe bhar ko afsos se nafi mein sar hilaya tha.
