Room mein ab bhi thandi hawa chal rahi thi. Aanya ki aankhon mein aansu the… par is baar sirf darr nahi tha— confusion bhi tha.
“Woh mujhe bachpan mein dara nahi raha tha…” Aanya ne dheere se kaha, “woh… mere saath tha.”
Kabir ne usey dhyan se dekha. “Har cheez jo saath hoti hai… zaroori nahi ki woh sahi ho,” usne halki si sakhti ke saath kaha.
Aanya chup ho gayi.
Kabir dheere se uske kareeb aaya. “Tumhe yaad nahi hai… par main guarantee deta hoon— yeh cheez tumhare liye dangerous hai.”
Aanya ne uski aankhon mein dekha. Uski awaaz pehli baar itni serious thi.
“Phir tum yahan kyon ho?” Aanya ne poocha.
Kabir ek second ke liye ruk gaya. Phir dheere se bola— “Kyuki main tumhe akela nahi chhod sakta.”
Un dono ke beech ek ajeeb si khamoshi chha gayi.
Aanya ka dil dheere-dheere calm hone laga. Kabir ka presence… usse thoda safe feel kara raha tha. Jaise andhere mein kisi ne roshni ka ek tukda rakh diya ho.
“Thank you…” Aanya ne halki si awaaz mein kaha.
Kabir kuch bolne hi wala tha— Tabhi… room ki light ek baar phir flicker hui.
Dono ek saath mud kar deewar ki taraf dekhe. Saaya wapas aa chuka tha. Is baar woh door nahi tha. Bilkul paas. Itna paas ki uski outline clear dikh rahi thi.
Aur sabse darawni baat— woh Kabir ko dekh raha tha. Seedha. Bina hile. Bina kuch bole.
Kabir ka expression change ho gaya.
“Tumhe yeh pasand nahi hai, right?” Kabir ne dheere se kaha, jaise woh kisi invisible cheez se baat kar raha ho.
Aanya ne ghabra kar uski taraf dekha. “Tum… usse baat kar rahe ho?”
Kabir ne jawab nahi diya. Usne sirf Aanya ka haath pakad liya— is baar pehle se zyada tightly. Jaise woh jaan-boojh kar kar raha ho.
Aur jaise hi unka haath mila— saaya hil gaya. Ek second ke liye woh peeche hata… phir achanak aur zyada failne laga.
Deewar se lekar floor tak. Jaise woh poora room apne andar le raha ho.
Aanya ka saans ruk gaya. “Yeh… gussa ho raha hai…” woh phusphusai.
Kabir ne uska haath aur tight pakda. “Let it.”
Room ka temperature aur gir gaya. Saaya ab bilkul unke kareeb aa chuka tha. Aanya ko uski thandi presence apni skin par mehsoos ho rahi thi.
Aur phir— usne ek ajeeb si cheez notice ki. Saaya dheere-dheere Kabir ke haath ki taraf badh raha tha… jo Aanya ka haath pakde hue tha. Jaise woh un dono ke beech aana chahta ho
Aanya ka dil zor se dhadka. “Mat karo…” usne dheere se kaha.
Kabir ne uski taraf dekha. “Daro mat.”
Par tab tak— saaya unke haathon tak pahunch chuka tha. Ek thandi si layer unke beech aa gayi.
Aanya ne turant mehsoos kiya— Kabir ka haath ab utna warm nahi raha. Jaise koi teesra haath beech mein aa gaya ho.
“Leave her.” Kabir ki awaaz is baar aur zyada sakht thi.
Par saaya peeche nahi hata. Is baar nahi.
Aanya ke kaan ke paas phir se woh bina awaaz ki awaaz goonji— “Tumhe sirf main chhoo sakta hoon…”
Aanya ka jism kaanp gaya. Usne turant Kabir ka haath chhod diya. Aur jaise hi usne chhoda— saaya shaant ho gaya.
Room normal hone laga. Light stable. Hawa normal.
Kabir ne uski taraf dekha. Uski aankhon mein pehli baar thoda sa dard tha. “Tumne mera haath kyon chhoda?”
Aanya kuch bol nahi paayi. Uski aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “Usse… pasand nahi aaya…”
Kabir ka jaw tight ho gaya. Usne dheere se kaha— “Phir usey seekhna padega.”
Room ke kone mein saaya phir se shaant khada tha. Jaise woh sab kuch sun raha ho. Jaise woh wait kar raha ho— agle mauke ka.
To be continued...
Write a comment ...