Thriller MUSAFIR — Ek Raaz. Ek Safar. Ek Sach.

[spritemathews]

Chapter 36​

Andhere Mein Koi Tha​

Darwaza aahista aahista khulta gaya.

Uski charmarahat sunsaan maidan mein door tak goonjti rahi.

Teeno afrad be-harkat khade thay.

Unki nazrein us andhere par jami hui thin jo imarat ke andar phaila hua tha.

Aur us andhere ke darmiyan...

Waqai kuch tha.

Koi saaya.

Koi harkat.

Ya shayad sirf nazron ka dhoka.
​

---

Pehla shakhs ne be-ikhtiyar ek qadam peeche liya.

"Tum ne dekha?"

Usne dheemi awaaz mein poocha.

Doosra shakhs ki nazrein ab bhi andar jami hui thin.

"Haan."

Muhafiz ne kuch nahin kaha.

Magar uske chehre ki sakhti bata rahi thi ke usne bhi kuch mehsoos kiya hai.
​

---

Chand lamhon ki khamoshi ke baad teeno andar daakhil hue.

Hawa sard thi.

Aur usmein ek purani mehak ghuli hui thi.

Jaise sadiyon se band jagahon mein hoti hai.

Magar ek baat ajeeb thi.

Dhool kam thi.

Bohat kam.

Itni kam ke imarat mutarook nazar nahin aati thi.

"Tum dekh rahe ho?"

Doosra shakhs ne dheemi awaaz mein kaha.

Pehla shakhs ne sar hila diya.

"Haan."

"Yahan koi aata raha hai."
​

---

Andar ka hall wasee tha.

Buland sutoon.

Pathar ki deewarein.

Aur markaz mein bana hua ek bara daaira.

Wahi alamat.

Magar is martaba woh sirf deewar par naqsh nahin thi.

Woh poore farsh par bani hui thi.

Aur us daaire ke darmiyan...

Ek kursi rakhi hui thi.

Sirf ek.
​

---

Teeno chand lamhon tak us kursi ko dekhte rahe.

Jaise usmein koi maani chhupa ho.

"Tumhein ajeeb nahin lag raha?"

Pehla shakhs ne poocha.

"Kya?"

"Yahan sab kuch kisi intezar jaisa lagta hai."

Muhafiz ne dheemi awaaz mein jawab diya:

"Kyunki shayad yeh jagah isi liye banayi gayi thi."
​

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Doosra shakhs hall ke doosre sire ki taraf badha.

Wahan deewar par kuch likha hua tha.

Purane huruf.

Waqt ke saath maand pad chuke.

Magar ab bhi qabil-e-qiraat.

Usne torch ki roshni daali.

Aur phir chand lamhon ke liye bilkul khamosh ho gaya.

"Kya likha hai?"

Pehla shakhs ne poocha.

Doosra shakhs ne dheemi awaaz mein padha:

"Raaz amanat hai."

Phir neeche:

"Amanat waris talash karti hai."

Hall mein sannata chha gaya.
​

---

Muhafiz dheere dheere deewar ke qareeb aaya.

Usne alfaaz ko ghour se dekha.

Aur phir uske chehre par woh ta'assur ubhra jo pehli martaba kisi purani paheli ka jawab milne par ubharta hai.

"Ab samjha."

Usne dheemi awaaz mein kaha.

"Kya?"

Pehla shakhs foran mutawajjah hua.

Muhafiz ne hall ke markazi daaire ki taraf ishara kiya.

"Daaira kisi jagah ka naam nahin tha."

"To phir?"

"Ek intezar ka naam tha."
​

---

Kamre ki hawa jaise ek lamhe ke liye ruk gayi.

Kyunki yeh baat tamam purane suraaghon ko ek naye maani de rahi thi.

Daaire ke arkaan.

Nigran.

Muhafiz.

Waris.

Sab kuch.

Jaise poora nizaam kisi cheez ko bachane ke liye nahin...

Balki kisi ko dhoondhne ke liye banaya gaya ho.
​

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Achanak hall ke doosre sire se halki si awaaz aayi.

Jaise koi pathar sarak gaya ho.

Teeno ek saath mud gaye.

Khamoshi.

Phir dobara wahi awaaz.

Is martaba zara wazeh.

Pehla shakhs ka gala khushk ho gaya.

"Koi hai."

Doosra shakhs ne jawab nahin diya.

Woh aahista aahista awaaz ki simt badhne laga.
​

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Hall ke peeche ek tang rahdari thi.

Andheri.

Aur pur-asraar.

Awaaz wahin se aayi thi.

Teeno ehtiyaat se aage badhe.

Rahdari chand mor leti hui neeche utarti gayi.

Aur phir...

Woh ek chhote se kamre mein daakhil hue.

Kamra khaali tha.

Magar uske markaz mein ek purani mez rakhi hui thi.

Aur mez par...

Ek diya jal raha tha.
​

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Teeno be-ikhtiyar ruk gaye.

Diya.

Aaj bhi jalta hua.

Yahan.

Is sunsaan maqam mein.

Muhafiz ke chehre ka rang dheere dheere badalne laga.

"Yeh mumkin nahin."

Usne dheemi awaaz mein kaha.

Pehla shakhs ne foran poocha:

"Kyun?"

Muhafiz ne diya ki lau ko dekhte hue jawab diya:

"Kyunki koi abhi yahan tha."
​

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Kamre mein phir sannata chha gaya.

Gehra.

Sard.

Aur pareshan kun.

Kyunki ab koi shak baqi nahin raha tha.

Yeh maqam veeran nahin tha.

Yahan koi mojood tha.

Abhi kuch der pehle tak.
​

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Doosra shakhs aage badha.

Uski nazar mez par padi.

Wahan ek kagaz rakha hua tha.

Safed.

Saaf.

Aur naya.

Jaise abhi rakha gaya ho.

Usne kagaz uthaya.

Aur padhna shuru kiya.

Pehla jumla dekhte hi uska chehra sakht ho gaya.

"Kya hai?"

Pehla shakhs ne bechaini se poocha.

Doosra shakhs ne dheere se kagaz uski taraf badha diya.

Us par sirf ek jumla likha tha:

"Tum expected waqt se der se pohanche ho."

Kamre mein khamoshi chha gayi.

Phir neeche likha hua doosra jumla nazar aaya.

Aur usne teeno ko chand lamhon ke liye bilkul be-harkat kar diya.

"Magar ab bhi waqt hai."

Pehla shakhs ne dheemi awaaz mein poocha:

"Kis cheez ke liye?"

Muhafiz ne kagaz ulta.

Peechhe sirf ek lafz likha hua tha.

Ek lafz.

Jo saalon purani kahani ko aaj se jor raha tha.

"Intekhab."

Teeno ek doosre ki taraf dekhne lage.

Kyunki pehli martaba unhein ehsaas hua...

Ke shayad woh raaz tak pohanchne nahin aaye.

Shayad unhein kisi aur maqsad ke liye yahan bulaya gaya tha.

Aur agar yeh baat durust thi...

To asli imtehaan ab shuru hone wala tha.

End of Chapter 36 — Andhere Mein Koi Tha​

 

[spritemathews]

Chapter 37​

Intekhab​

Kamre mein jalta hua diya apni maddham lau ke saath khamoshi se roshni phaila raha tha.

Mez par rakha hua kagaz ab bhi unke darmiyan maujood tha.

Aur us par likha hua ek lafz...

"Intekhab."

Jaise poori kahani ka markaz ban gaya ho.
​

---

Teeno afrad kuch der tak khamosh khade rahe.

Kisi ne kuch nahin kaha.

Kyunki pehli martaba unhein mehsoos hua tha ke tamam suraagh, tamam raaste aur tamam raaz unhein kisi jawab tak nahin...

Balki kisi faisle tak laane ke liye thay.

"Yeh intekhab kis ka hai?"

Pehla shakhs ne aakhir poocha.

Doosra shakhs ne kagaz dobara dekha.

Magar wahan koi aur lafz nahin tha.

Sirf wahi ek jumla.

Aur woh ek lafz.
​

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Muhafiz dheere dheere kamre mein tehallne laga.

Uski aankhon mein gehri soch nazar aa rahi thi.

Achanak woh ruk gaya.

Aur usne dheemi awaaz mein kaha:

"Shayad hum ghalat sawaal pooch rahe hain."

Pehla shakhs foran mutawajjah hua.

"Matlab?"

Muhafiz ne jawab diya:

"Yeh nahin ke intekhab kis ka hai."

Woh ruk gaya.

"...asal sawaal yeh hai ke intekhab kis liye hai."

Kamre mein sannata chha gaya.
​

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Doosra shakhs ki nazar mez par rakhe hue diye par padi.

Phir usne kamre ka jaiza liya.

Deewarein.

Farsh.

Purane pathar.

Aur phir...

Uski nazar kamre ke ek kone par thehar gayi.

Wahan deewar par kuch naqsh bana hua tha.

Bohat halka.

Magar qabil-e-pehchaan.

Wahi daaira.

Magar is martaba uske andar teen nishaan bane hue thay.
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"Torch."

Usne dheemi awaaz mein kaha.

Pehla shakhs ne foran torch uski taraf badha di.

Roshni deewar par padi.

Aur naqsh wazeh hone laga.

Teen nishaan.

Phir ek lakeer.

Aur phir...

Sirf ek nishaan aage jaata hua.

Muhafiz ki saans halki si tez ho gayi.

"Yeh..."

Woh jumla mukammal na kar saka.

"Kya hai?"

Pehla shakhs ne poocha.

Muhafiz ne dheemi awaaz mein jawab diya:

"Yeh intekhab ka naqsha hai."
​

---

Kamre ki hawa phir bojhal ho gayi.

Kyunki ab pehli martaba diary aur bayaan ke alfaaz samajh mein aane lage thay.

Teen afrad.

Teen raaste.

Aur aakhir mein...

Sirf ek.

Jaise us raat bhi koi intekhab hua tha.

Aur aaj bhi.
​

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Achanak doosra shakhs ki nazar deewar ke neeche padi.

Wahan ek chhota sa khana bana hua tha.

Pathar ke andar.

Aisa jaise kisi cheez ko chhupane ke liye tayyar kiya gaya ho.

Woh jhuk gaya.

Aur usne ehtiyaat se usay khola.

Andar ek aur kagaz tha.

Magar yeh kagaz naya nahin tha.

Bohat purana tha.

Itna purana ke uske kinaare tootne lage thay.
​

---

Pehla shakhs ne be-ikhtiyar poocha:

"Kya likha hai?"

Doosra shakhs ne kagaz khola.

Aur padhna shuru kiya.

Pehli sataar dekhte hi uska chehra badal gaya.

"Yeh usi ki tahreer hai."

"Kis ki?"

"Teesre aadmi ki."

Kamre mein phir sannata chha gaya.
​

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Tahreer mukhtasar thi.

Magar har jumla bojhal.

"Agar tum yahan tak pohanch gaye ho..."

"...to daaira apna kaam poora kar chuka hai."

Pehla shakhs ne gehri saans li.

Aur tahreer aage padhi gayi.

"Raaz ko hifazat ki zaroorat nahin thi."

"Raaz ko samajhne wale ki zaroorat thi."

Muhafiz ne aankhen band kar li.

Jaise usne saalon se jis jawab ki talaash ki thi...

Woh uske saamne aa gaya ho.
​

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"Tum samajh rahe ho?"

Usne dheemi awaaz mein kaha.

Doosra shakhs ne sar hila diya.

"Haan."

"Daaira muhafizon ka nizaam nahin tha."

Woh ruk gaya.

"...talash ka nizaam tha."

Kamre ki fiza badal gayi.

Poora maazi.

Poora safar.

Ek naye maani mein dhalne laga.
​

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Tahreer ke aakhri hisse par alfaaz aur bhi saaf thay.

Jaise likhne wala chahta ho ke yeh baat zaroor samjhi jaye.

"Jis din tum yahan pohancho..."

"...us din tumhein bhi intekhab karna hoga."

Pehla shakhs ne foran poocha:

"Kaisa intekhab?"

Magar jawab tahreer ke agle jumle mein mojood tha.

Aur usne teeno ko khamosh kar diya.

"Sach ko azaad karna..."

"...ya use mehfooz rakhna."
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Kamre mein gehri khamoshi chha gayi.

Door kahin hawa deewaron se takra kar awaaz paida kar rahi thi.

Magar us lamhe kisi ne us awaaz par tawajju nahin di.

Kyunki ab kahani ka asal markaz saamne aa chuka tha.

Raaz.

Aur uska mustaqbil.
​

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Pehla shakhs ne dheemi awaaz mein poocha:

"Yeh raaz hai kya?"

Doosra shakhs ne kagaz palta.

Shayad uska jawab peeche likha ho.

Magar wahan sirf ek aur jumla tha.

Bas ek.

Aur us jumle ne teeno ke chehron ka rang badal diya.

"Raaz isi imarat mein hai."

Khamoshi.

Phir doosra jumla.

Aur usne mahaul ko aur bhi sard kar diya.

"Aur tumhare qareeb hai."

Teeno be-ikhtiyar ek saath kamre ke gird dekhne lage.

Deewarein.

Farsh.

Purane pathar.

Jalta hua diya.

Aur woh kursi jo hall ke markaz mein rakhi hui thi.

Achanak muhafiz ki aankhen phail gayin.

Jaise usne koi bohat aham baat samajh li ho.

Pehla shakhs ne foran poocha:

"Kya hua?"

Muhafiz ne dheere dheere sar uthaya.

Uski nazrein hall ki simt jami hui thin.

Phir usne nihayat aahista kaha:

"Hum ghalat jagah dekh rahe thay."

"Kya matlab?"

Muhafiz ki awaaz ab pehle se zyada bojhal thi.

"Raaz kamre mein nahin hai."

Woh ruk gaya.

"...raaz us kursi ke neeche hai."

Kamre mein sannata chha gaya.

Kyunki pehli martaba manzil saamne nazar aa rahi thi.

Aur shayad...

Us kursi ke neeche woh cheez dafan thi jiske liye daaira paida hua tha.

End of Chapter 37 — Intekhab​