**Parv 24: Pratikar**
Ramu bistar par baitha hai, lungi pehne hue. Uski dono aankhen pratishodh ki aag se jal rahi hain. Dheere awaaz mein bola,
“Yaad hai na, maagi? Maine kya maanga tha Raafa ki admission ke badle?”
Raaha chup. Uske honth kaanp rahe hain. Koi shabd nahi nikal raha.
Ramu hans diya. Ek ganda, jeet ka hasi.
“Baith yahan.” Usne bistar ke paas dikha kar kaha. “Lungi upar kar.”
Raaha hili nahi. Uske pair jaise zameen mein gadh gaye hain.
Ramu ki awaaz achanak sakht ho uthi.
“Sun maagi… agar nahi karegi, to kal subah hi principal ke paas jaakar sab bata dunga. Kahunga—Raafa ka baap asal mein main nahi hoon, yeh sab jhooth hai. Tere sasur-sas, tera pati Sabbir… sabko pata chal jayega. Raafa ko school se nikaal denge. Tu chahti hai yeh?”
Raaha ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. Ladki ke liye hi to yeh sab kar rahi hai. Ek gehri saans lekar dheere-dheere bistar ke paas aayi.
Kaanpte haathon se Raaha Ramu ke saamne baith gayi. Phir lungi ka kocha pakad kar dheere-dheere upar uthaya.
Nikla Ramu ka vishaal daityaakaar ling. Kaala, mota, nadi-upnadiyon se bhara. Poora khada hai, matha chamak raha hai. Jaise ek kaala saanp fanfa uthakar Raaha ki taraf dekh raha ho.
Ramu ne neeche awaaz mein kaha,
“Yahi hamara deal hai, maagi. Raafa ko gaon ke school mein mere naam se admission karwaya hai maine. Ab tu apne haathon se… mujhe haath mar degi. Jab tak mera maal bahar na aa jaye.”
Raaha ne aankhen band kar li. Uska haath kaanpte hue utha. Ungaliyan Ramu ke garam, sakht ling ki jad tak chhoo gayin.
Ramu ne santushti ki saans chhodi aur bola,
“Shuru kar… maagi. Teri beti ke bhavishya ke liye.”
Raaha ka haath dheere-dheere upar-neeche karne laga. Ramu ka ling uske haath ki muthi mein aur sakht ho utha. Use bahut ghin aa rahi thi, Ramu ka dhan bahut ganda tha.
Raaha ne aankhen band kiye hue socha—sirf Raafa ke liye. Sirf Raafa ke liye…
Lekin uske haath ke neeche Ramu ka ling aur bada ho raha tha, jaise pratishodh ki aag aur bhadak rahi ho.
Raaha ke naram, sundar ungliyan Ramu ke vishaal ling ke upar upar-neeche kar rahi hain. Sparsh itna smooth, garam aur sakht hai ki lagta hi nahi yeh kisi mard ka guptang hai. Jaise koi ajnabi, bhayankar cheez uske haath mein pakdi gayi ho.
Usne thoda aankh kholi. Nazar padte hi thham gayi.
Yeh… itna bada?
Uske pati Sabbir ka to sirf 3.5 inch—chhota, naram, parichit. Lekin Ramu ka… lagbhag 11 inch lamba, motai lagbhag 5 inch. Nadiyan phooli hui, matha gahra baingani, chamak raha hai. Jaise ek kaala daitya uske haath mein pakda ho.
Dimag mein ek bhayankar vichar aaya—agar yeh andar ghus gaya to? Kya hoga phir? Phat jayega? Bach payegi kya?
Raaha chaunk uthi. Apne vichar par khud hi sharminda hui. Kyun soch rahi hai yeh sab? Use to Sabbir se pyar hai. Bahut pyar hai. Sabbir uska sab kuch hai. Yeh sirf… Raafa ke liye. Sirf ek deal.
Ramu ne neeche awaaz mein haanfte hue kaha,
“Muuh mein le… Raaha. Muuh mein leke choos.”
Raaha ne sir hila diya. Aankhen band rakhi.
“Nahi… please… itna hi.”
Uski awaaz kaanp rahi thi.
Ramu hans pada. Usne haath Raaha ke sir par rakha, baal pakad kar thoda kheench liya.
“Maagi, muuh nahi kholegi… to kal school jaakar bata dunga. Raafa ka baap main nahi. Sab khatam ho jayega.”
Raaha rote hue sir hilaya. Lekin muuh nahi khola. Uska haath aur zor se chalane laga—jitni jaldi khatam ho.
Ramu ki saans bhari ho uthi. Uski kamar kaanpne lagi. Raaha ke naram, safed haath ka sparsh, ungliyon ka dabaav—sab milkar woh aur rok nahi paya.
“Aah… aahhhh…”
Achanak ek bada jhatka. Ramu ka ling phool utha, phir garam, ghana maal ka fawwara chhuta.
Pehle jhatke mein Raaha ke chhati par, kapde par lag gaya. Safed, chipchipa, garam. Doosre jhatke mein uske haath par, kandhe par. Bahut… bahut saara. Jaise kayi dinon ka jama sab nikal raha ho.
Raaha ka muuh bikrit ho gaya. Ghin se uska badan sihar utha. Yeh… itna ganda. Uske sharir par, kapdon par.
Woh jaldi uth khadi hui. Haath-muuh pochhte hue darwaza khol kar bahar bhagi. Tube-well ke paas jaakar handle pakad kar zor-zor se pump karne lagi. Thanda paani uske haathon par, chhati par pad raha tha. Woh kapde ka daag dhona chahti thi, jaise yeh gandagi sharir se mita sake.
Pichhe se achanak awaaz aayi—
“Kya kar rahi hai Raaha itni raat ko?”
Raaha chaunk kar pichhe dekhi. Saas Rina khadi thi. Uski aankhon mein shak.
Raaha ne jaldi muuh pochha, kaanpti awaaz mein boli,
“K… kuch nahi maa. Raafa ne ulti ki thi… isliye kapde dho rahi hoon.”
Rina ghabra kar boli, “Kya hua Raafa ko?”
Raaha jhooth bol di, “Aisa kuch nahi. Thoda sa pet dard, ulti karne ke baad ab theek lag raha hai usko.”
Rina thoda hairaan hokar dekhti rahi. Phir boli,
“Achha… jaldi ghar aa. Thand lag jayegi.”
Raaha ne sir hilaya. Lekin uski aankhon mein aansu the. Haath abhi bhi kaanp raha tha. Blouse ka daag poora nahi gaya tha—ek chipchipa nishaan reh gaya tha.
Ramu bistar par baitha hai, lungi pehne hue. Uski dono aankhen pratishodh ki aag se jal rahi hain. Dheere awaaz mein bola,
“Yaad hai na, maagi? Maine kya maanga tha Raafa ki admission ke badle?”
Raaha chup. Uske honth kaanp rahe hain. Koi shabd nahi nikal raha.
Ramu hans diya. Ek ganda, jeet ka hasi.
“Baith yahan.” Usne bistar ke paas dikha kar kaha. “Lungi upar kar.”
Raaha hili nahi. Uske pair jaise zameen mein gadh gaye hain.
Ramu ki awaaz achanak sakht ho uthi.
“Sun maagi… agar nahi karegi, to kal subah hi principal ke paas jaakar sab bata dunga. Kahunga—Raafa ka baap asal mein main nahi hoon, yeh sab jhooth hai. Tere sasur-sas, tera pati Sabbir… sabko pata chal jayega. Raafa ko school se nikaal denge. Tu chahti hai yeh?”
Raaha ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. Ladki ke liye hi to yeh sab kar rahi hai. Ek gehri saans lekar dheere-dheere bistar ke paas aayi.
Kaanpte haathon se Raaha Ramu ke saamne baith gayi. Phir lungi ka kocha pakad kar dheere-dheere upar uthaya.
Nikla Ramu ka vishaal daityaakaar ling. Kaala, mota, nadi-upnadiyon se bhara. Poora khada hai, matha chamak raha hai. Jaise ek kaala saanp fanfa uthakar Raaha ki taraf dekh raha ho.
Ramu ne neeche awaaz mein kaha,
“Yahi hamara deal hai, maagi. Raafa ko gaon ke school mein mere naam se admission karwaya hai maine. Ab tu apne haathon se… mujhe haath mar degi. Jab tak mera maal bahar na aa jaye.”
Raaha ne aankhen band kar li. Uska haath kaanpte hue utha. Ungaliyan Ramu ke garam, sakht ling ki jad tak chhoo gayin.
Ramu ne santushti ki saans chhodi aur bola,
“Shuru kar… maagi. Teri beti ke bhavishya ke liye.”
Raaha ka haath dheere-dheere upar-neeche karne laga. Ramu ka ling uske haath ki muthi mein aur sakht ho utha. Use bahut ghin aa rahi thi, Ramu ka dhan bahut ganda tha.
Raaha ne aankhen band kiye hue socha—sirf Raafa ke liye. Sirf Raafa ke liye…
Lekin uske haath ke neeche Ramu ka ling aur bada ho raha tha, jaise pratishodh ki aag aur bhadak rahi ho.
Raaha ke naram, sundar ungliyan Ramu ke vishaal ling ke upar upar-neeche kar rahi hain. Sparsh itna smooth, garam aur sakht hai ki lagta hi nahi yeh kisi mard ka guptang hai. Jaise koi ajnabi, bhayankar cheez uske haath mein pakdi gayi ho.
Usne thoda aankh kholi. Nazar padte hi thham gayi.
Yeh… itna bada?
Uske pati Sabbir ka to sirf 3.5 inch—chhota, naram, parichit. Lekin Ramu ka… lagbhag 11 inch lamba, motai lagbhag 5 inch. Nadiyan phooli hui, matha gahra baingani, chamak raha hai. Jaise ek kaala daitya uske haath mein pakda ho.
Dimag mein ek bhayankar vichar aaya—agar yeh andar ghus gaya to? Kya hoga phir? Phat jayega? Bach payegi kya?
Raaha chaunk uthi. Apne vichar par khud hi sharminda hui. Kyun soch rahi hai yeh sab? Use to Sabbir se pyar hai. Bahut pyar hai. Sabbir uska sab kuch hai. Yeh sirf… Raafa ke liye. Sirf ek deal.
Ramu ne neeche awaaz mein haanfte hue kaha,
“Muuh mein le… Raaha. Muuh mein leke choos.”
Raaha ne sir hila diya. Aankhen band rakhi.
“Nahi… please… itna hi.”
Uski awaaz kaanp rahi thi.
Ramu hans pada. Usne haath Raaha ke sir par rakha, baal pakad kar thoda kheench liya.
“Maagi, muuh nahi kholegi… to kal school jaakar bata dunga. Raafa ka baap main nahi. Sab khatam ho jayega.”
Raaha rote hue sir hilaya. Lekin muuh nahi khola. Uska haath aur zor se chalane laga—jitni jaldi khatam ho.
Ramu ki saans bhari ho uthi. Uski kamar kaanpne lagi. Raaha ke naram, safed haath ka sparsh, ungliyon ka dabaav—sab milkar woh aur rok nahi paya.
“Aah… aahhhh…”
Achanak ek bada jhatka. Ramu ka ling phool utha, phir garam, ghana maal ka fawwara chhuta.
Pehle jhatke mein Raaha ke chhati par, kapde par lag gaya. Safed, chipchipa, garam. Doosre jhatke mein uske haath par, kandhe par. Bahut… bahut saara. Jaise kayi dinon ka jama sab nikal raha ho.
Raaha ka muuh bikrit ho gaya. Ghin se uska badan sihar utha. Yeh… itna ganda. Uske sharir par, kapdon par.
Woh jaldi uth khadi hui. Haath-muuh pochhte hue darwaza khol kar bahar bhagi. Tube-well ke paas jaakar handle pakad kar zor-zor se pump karne lagi. Thanda paani uske haathon par, chhati par pad raha tha. Woh kapde ka daag dhona chahti thi, jaise yeh gandagi sharir se mita sake.
Pichhe se achanak awaaz aayi—
“Kya kar rahi hai Raaha itni raat ko?”
Raaha chaunk kar pichhe dekhi. Saas Rina khadi thi. Uski aankhon mein shak.
Raaha ne jaldi muuh pochha, kaanpti awaaz mein boli,
“K… kuch nahi maa. Raafa ne ulti ki thi… isliye kapde dho rahi hoon.”
Rina ghabra kar boli, “Kya hua Raafa ko?”
Raaha jhooth bol di, “Aisa kuch nahi. Thoda sa pet dard, ulti karne ke baad ab theek lag raha hai usko.”
Rina thoda hairaan hokar dekhti rahi. Phir boli,
“Achha… jaldi ghar aa. Thand lag jayegi.”
Raaha ne sir hilaya. Lekin uski aankhon mein aansu the. Haath abhi bhi kaanp raha tha. Blouse ka daag poora nahi gaya tha—ek chipchipa nishaan reh gaya tha.
