Khoi Hui Duniya
Khoi Hui Duniya
Chapter 1: Shikasta Sheher Ki Dehleez
Halki baarish ho rahi thi. Pani ke boondein sookhe patton par tapak rahi thi, jaise koi purani kahani phir se zinda ho rahi ho.
Raahi ki saansein tez thi. Woh bhaag raha tha. Pata nahi kis cheez se, lekin uske dil ki dhadkan bata rahi thi ki agar woh ruka, toh kuch bhayanak hone wala hai.
Rasta khatam ho gaya. Uske saamne ek tuta-phuta sheher tha—ek sheher jo hamesha uske sapno me aata tha, lekin jo iss duniya me maujood nahi tha. Unche minar, toot chuki deewarein, hawa me behtay hue ajnabi shabd… jaise koi bhooli-bisri kahani hawa me likhi gayi ho.
"Yeh jagah…" usne dheere se kaha, lekin uske shabdon ne hawa me ek tez goonj paida ki. Ek awaaz, usi ki, lekin zyada gehri.
"Tum wapas aa gaye."
Raahi ne jhat se palat kar dekha. Koi nahi tha. Sirf ek bada, purana darwaza jo dheere-dheere khul raha tha… aur uske andar andhera nahi, ek aur duniya thi.
Ek jagah jisme aasman neela nahi, gehra jahanumi laal tha. Jisme ped mitti se nahi, hawa se ug rahe the. Jisme sheher zinda lag rahe the—jaise unki bhi koi yaadein ho.
Ek kadam aage badhane par, Raahi ko mehsoos hua jaise koi uska naam bula raha ho.
"Raahi..."
Woh awaaz kahaan se aayi? Usne phir dekha—aur tabhi, ek badi parchayi uske saamne khadi ho gayi.
"Bahut intezaar karwaya tumne..."
Aur uske baad, sab kuch andhera ho gaya.
(To be continued...)