Update 7
Armaan ne raat hone ka intezaar kiya. Nishant ke aadmi abhi bhi uske front gate par tainat the, uski har movement par nazar rakhe hue the. Apne ghar ke ek gupt darwaze se woh bhes badalkar raat ke 3 baje apne ghar se nikala aur ek bike par sawar hokar woh Pankhudi ke ghar pahuncha.
Uske paas Pankhudi ke ghar ki chabi thi. Usne darwaza khola. Pankhudi apne bistar par so rahi thi. Woh sote hue kitni masoom lag rahi thi. Armaan uske bistar par baithkar pyaar se uske baalon mein haath pherne laga. Pankhudi ne aankhein kholi, aur Armaan ko dekh kar muskurayi. Armaan ne nakli daadhi mooch laga rakhi thi, lekin Pankhudi ne use turant pehchaan liya tha. Woh uth baithi aur Armaan ko gale laga liya.
“Kitne dino baad aaye ho yaha,” Pankhudi ne kaha, “I am so happy! And I love your new look!”
Pankhudi bahot excited thi Armaan ko dekha kar. “Kya khaoge?” usne chehekte hue poocha.
“Raat ke 3 baj rahe hai Pankh,” Armaan ne kaha, “Yeh khane pine ka time nahi hai. Taiyaar ho jao, humne chalna hai. Tumhara yahan is flat mein rehna ab safe nahi hai.”
Pankhudi turant taiyyar ho gaye aur Armaan ke saath uski bike par dono chal pade. Lagbhag 1 ghante ka raasta tha, sheher se bahar le gaya woh use.
Highway se mudkar kachi sadak le li Armaan ne aur kuch hi door jaake bike roki. Ek taraf ghanghor jungle tha. Usne woh bike jhadiyon mein chupa di aur Pankhudi ke haath pakadkar use ek taraf le jaane laga.
Thodi der chalne ke baad ek ghar nazar aaya. Pankhudi ne ghar turant pechaan liya. Yeh wahi “safehouse” tha jiske baare mein Armaan ne use bataya tha.
Armaan ghar ke peeche ke taraf Pankhudi ko le gaya. Subah ke 5 baje the aur ab bhi kaafi andhera tha. Armaan ne mobile torch ki madad se ghar ke compound wall par ugi jhadiyon ke beech ke metal hatch khola. Uske neeche ek fingerprint scanner tha. Usne apna haath us scanner par rakha aur ek green light jali aur lock khul gaya.
“Isi tarah ka scanner is ghar ke har darwaze par hai,” Armaan ke Pankhudi ko andar le jaate hue kaha.
Main door pe waisa hi ek scanner laga hua tha.
“Is baar tum karo,” Armaan ne kaha.
Pankhudi ne haan mein sar hilaya aur apna haath us scanner par rakha. Uske fingerprint scan hote hi darwaza khul gaya.
Dono ghar ke andar chale gaye. Ghar mein ghuste hi Pankhudi zor zor se cheenkne lagi. Ghar ki har ek cheez par dhul ki moti parat jami hui thi. Ghar ki halat dekh kar Pankhudi hairaan reh gayi. Jab usne Armaan ka bedroom dekha tha, sab kuch itna saaf tha ki chamak raha tha, aur is ghar ki halat to aisi thi jaise koi yahan barson se nahi raha ho.
“Jaanta hun tumhe yaha dikaat hogi,” Armaan ne kaha, “Lekin mere paas koi aur choice nahi hai. Tumhari asthma ki saari dawaiyan main upar bedroom mein rakhwa di hai.”
Ghar kaafi bada tha, usme bahot saare kamre the. Main hall mein ek piano bhi rakha hua tha lekin uspar bhi dhool jami thi. Farsh par maple wood flooring thi, lekin dhool se uski chamak poori tarah se mit gayi thi. Ceiling par lage jhoomar bahot mehenge lag rahe the, lekin makdiyon ke ghane jaal charon taraf faile hue the.
“Makdiyon se darti to nahi ho?” Armaan ne poocha.
Pankhudi ne naa mein sar hilaya.
“Good,” Armaan ne kaha, “Yeh ghar jungle ke kinare located hai to yahan makdiyan, bicchu, saanp, aur jungli jaanwa aksar dikhai dete hai.”
Pankhudi uski baat sunkar ghabra gayi. Ek to ghar ki halat ki bhutaha ghar se kam nahi thi. Upar se saanp, bicchu, makdiyan aur jungli jaanwar.
Armaan Pankhudi ko main bedroom me le gaya. Yeh kamra bhi baaki kamorn ki tarah shaandaar tha, lekin yahan bhi har cheez par dhool jami thi.
“Yeh sabse bada kamra hai poore ghar ka,” Armaan ne kaha, “Tum chaho to yahan reh sakti ho, ya agar koi aur kamra pasand aaye to wahan bhi reh sakti ho.”
“Nahi,” Pankhudi ne kaha, “Yeh kamra theek hai. Yahan ka bed bhi bahot bada hai, hum dono aaram se so sakenge.”
“Hum dono?” Armaan ne muskurate hue kaha, “Tumhe yahan akele rehna hoga.”
“Akele?” Pankhudi ne dari hui aankhon se poocha, “Yahan?”
“Haan,” Armaan ne kaha, “Agar zinda rehna chahti ho to tumhe yahan akele rehna hoga.”
“Kab tak?” Pankhudi ne poocha.
“Jab tak khatra tal nahi jaata,” Armaan ne kaha, “Is location ko secret rakhne ke liye yahan koi naukar chakar nahi hai. Yahan safai aur rasoi, dono tumhe khud hi sambhalna hoga. Kitchen mein itna anaj hai ki aaram se 6 mahine yahan reh sakti ho. Koi dikaat ho to tum mujhe call karke bata sakti ho. Reh logi yahan akele?”
Pankhudi ne haan mein sar hilaya.
“Main jaanta hun mushkil hai,” Armaan ne kaha, “Lekin jaan hai to jahan hai. Tum ab bahar safe nahi ho. Aur main tumhe sheher se bahot door bhi nahi bhejna chahta kyunki yahan main tum tak ek ghante mein pahunch sakta hun, agar koi problem hoti hai to. Is ghar ke har kamre mein cameras hai to 24 ghante meri nazar rahegi tumpar.”
Pankhudi Armaan se lipat gayi. “Kitna kuch kar rahe ho mere liye,” Pankhudi ne kaha, “Thank you.”
Armaan muskuraya aur usne Pankhudi ko gale laga liya.
“Tum is ghar se tab tak nahi niklogi jab tak main na kahu. Main door ke bahar kadam bhi nahi rakhna hai tumhe,” Armaan ne kaha, “Aur dinner jaldi kar lena kyunki andhera hone ke baad tum ghar ki koi bhi light nahi jalaogi. Bahar se dekhne par kisi ko nahi pata chalna chahiye ki andar koi reh raha hai. Samjhi?”
Pankhudi Armaan ki baar sunkar daar dayi. Ek to itne bade ghar mein akele rehna aur andhera hone ke baad light bhi nahi jalana, kitna darawana hoga. Lekin Pankhudi samjhti thi ki Armaan yeh sab usi safety ke liye kar raha hai.
“Main ab chalta hun,” Armaan ne Pankhudi ka maath chumte hue kaha, “Take care.”
Pankhudi ne muskurakar use vida kiya. Armaan chala gaya, aur Pankhudi us ghar mein akeli hi reh gayi.
***********
Shadab Pankhudi ko poore sheher mein khojne laga, lekin use uski koi lead nahi mil rahi thi.
Woh hataash the ki Armaan hamesha un se do kadam aage raha hai. Pehle Shikha haath se gayi aur Pankhudi ka to kahin naamonishan nahi tha.
Woh gehri soch mein pad gaya. Phir achanak uske dimag mein kuch aaya aur woh daudkar Nishant ke paas pahuncha.
“Yes, Shadab?” Nishant ne poocha. Usne gaur kiya ki Shadab kuch pareshan sa hai.
Shadab ne apne hoton par ungli rakh kar Nishant ko shaant rehne ka ishara kiya. Phir usne Nishant ka phone uthakar apne ek aadmi ko diya. Us aadmi ne haan mein sar hilaya aur phone ko doosre kamre me le gaya.
Nishant ke mann mein bahot saare sawal the.
“Sir, mujhe shak hai ki aapke phone ko hack kiya gaya hai,” Shadab ne kaha, “Jis din aapne Shikha ko uthwane ka order diya tha, us waqt aapke aur mere alwa us kamre mein koi aur nahi tha. Main tab se soch raha tha ki khabar Armaan tak kaise pahunchi. Maine poora kamra check kiya, kahin koi audio bug nahi tha. Mujhe yakeen hai ki aapko phone ko hi...”
Darwaze par ek dastak hui. Shadab ka aadmi phone lekar wapas aaya.
“Phone hacked tha,” us aadmi ne kaha, “Hacker ke paas aapke phone ke saare content aur phone conversations ka access tha.”
Nishant samajh gaya tha ki Armaan ne hi uska phone hack karwaya tha.
“Pata karo yeh hacker mere phone tak kaise pahuncha,” Nishant ne gusse ke kaha.
“I think I know,” Shadab ne kaha.
Nishant aur Shadab us kamre mein chale gaye jisme Ragini kutte ke pinjre mein band thi. Ragini ke paas uski sandal ke alawa koi aur samaan nahi tha. Shadab ne apne aadmi se kaha uski sandal check karne. Unhe woh micro USB mil gaya jo Ragini ne apni sandal mein chupaya tha.
Ragini dar se thar thar kaanpne lagi.
“Bahar nikalo use,” Nishant ne order diya.
Ragini darr ke maare cheekhne, chillane lagi. Shadab ne use ghaseetkar pinjre se bahar nikala aur ek kursi se baand diya.
**************
Neil ko ek notification aaya. Woh samajh gaya tha ki uske hack ko disable kar diya gaya hai. Usne turant Armaan ko phone kiya.
“Use pata chal gaya hai bhai, ki phone hack hua tha uska,” Neil ne kaha, “Signal disable kar diya hai.”
Armaan satark ho gaya. Woh kuch sochne laga. Phir usne apne aadmi ko call kiya aur kaha, “Rohit Sharma, Panchgani boarding school mein 8th class mein padhta hai. Usko turant nikalo wahan se.”
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“Chal bata,” Nishant ke Ragini ka gaal thapthapate hue kaha, “Kiske kehne par kiya yeh?”
“Main uska naam nahi jaanti,” Ragini rote hue boli, “Usne mujhe paise diye the yeh karne ke liye.”
“To tu aise nahi bolegi,” Nishant ne kaha, “Dekh yaar tujhe maar peet ke mein bore ho chuka hun, to ab haath nahi uthana chahta. Seedhe seedhe bolegi ya tere bhai ko uthwau?”
“Nahi please,” Ragini gidgidayi, “Rohit ko kuch mat karna. Main sach mein nahi jaanti uska naam...usne bas kaha ki kaam karna hai...”
“Jao re, utha lao iski bhai ko,” Nishant ne apne aadmiyon ko order diya, “Iski aankhon ke saamne gaala kaato iske bhai ka aur phir bhi na bole to kaat ke phenk do ise bhi kahin.”
Do aadmi turant nikal pade. Ragini bebasi mein rone lagi.
“Please Sir,” Ragini zor zor se rote hue boli, “Rehem kariye please...aap mere saath jo chahe kijiye, lekin mein bhai ko jeene dijiye please. Main aapke pair padti hun...please...”
Nishant gusse se Ragini ki aankhon mein ghoorta raha. “Dikhta kaisa tha?” usne poocha. Phir usne Armaan ki photo saamne rakhi aur poocha, “Yeh tha kya?”
Ragini ne photo dhyaan se dekhi. Armaan jab us se mila tha tak bhes badla hua tha. Woh photo se pehchaan nahi paa rahi thi.
“Dhyaan se dekh chinaal,” Nishant ne Ragini ke baal pakadkar use jhakjhokte hue kaha, “Aur bata, yeh tha ka?”
“Usne bhes badla tha shayad,” Ragini ne rote hue kaha, “Kuch aisa hi tha lekin yakeen se nahi keh sakti ki yahi tha.”
“Bol saali, kya jaanti hai tu uske baare mein?” Nishant ne Ragini ko ek zordar thappad lagate hue kaha.
“Woh bas keh raha tha ki woh kisi ladki ko bachane ke liye yeh sab kar raha tha...” Ragini ne rote kaha.
Nishant samajh gaya tha ki woh aadmi Armaan hi tha. Nishant yeh bhi samajh gaya tha ki Rihaan ke gayab hone me kisi ladki ka haath tha, aur woh ladki shayad Pankhudi thi, jiska duniya jahan mein kahin koi naamonishaan nahi tha.
Nishant ab bahot gusse mein tha. Woh apna next move plan karne laga.
*******
Agle din subah Armaan ke bunglow ke main gate par ek gift box rakha mila. Uspar Armaan ke naam ka card laga hua tha.
Armaan ke guards ne us box to scan kiya. Jab confirm ho gaya ki us box mein koi bomb ya metal nahi hai, woh box andar le jaaya gaya.
Armaan us box ko dekh kar hairaan tha. Use acchi feeling nahi aa rahi thi us box ko lekar. Phir bhi usne dhyaan se woh box khola. Andar jo cheez thi use dekh kar uski aankhein fati ki fati reh gayi. Usme Ragini ka kata hua sar tha.
Nishant ne Ragini ko maar kar uska sar kaat kar Armaan ko bheja tha us box mein daalkar. Ragini ke maathe par ek garam sui se likha hua tha “look what you did to her”
Ek polaroid photo phasa hua tha Ragini ke baalon mein. Armaan ne kaanpte hue haathon se woh photo uthayi. Photo gutter mein padi Ragini ki sar kati laash ki thi. Photo ke peeche us location ke co-ordinates the jahan Ragini ki laash ko phenka gaya tha.
Armaan ko itna gehra sadma laga ki woh behosh ho gaya.
**********
Pankhudi ne us ghar mein subah se shaam tak safai karne mein apna waqt bitaya.
Usne safai ki shuruvat apne bedroom se kari. Almirah mein use fresh dhuli hui bedsheet mein, to use bedsheets change kari. Jhadu se woh jaale hatane lagi aur ek geele kapde se kamre ki ek ek cheez saaf karne lagi.
Bed ke bagal mein use ek photo frame dikhi. Us frame mein Armaan tha apni beti Priya ke saath. Bahot pyari photo thi. Pankhudi ne pyaar se us frame par jami dhool ko us geele kapde se hataya. Frame saaf hone ke baad ekdum chamakne lagi thi. Pankhudi photo ko dekh kar muskurati rahi. Phir usne gaur kiya ki photo ka ek hissa faad diya gaya hai. Priya ke bagal mein ek aurat ka haath aur baal dikh rahe the lekin us aurat ki tasveer ko faad ke alag kar diya gaya tha.
**********
Armaan ko jab hosh aaya to Aarav uske bagal mein baitha hua tha.
“Tum theek ho bhai?” Aarav ne poocha.
Armaan apne bistar par utha baitha. Use behosh hone se pehle ki ghatna yaad aayi aur uski aankhon se aansu nikal aaye.
“Bacchi thi yaar woh,” Armaan ne bhari awaz mein kaha, “Maine dhakela use maut ke muh mein...”
Aarav ne Armaan ko gale lagaya. “Apne aap ko dosh mat do bhai,” Aarav ne kaha, “Ragini ke paas ek maksad tha apni jaan daav par lagane ka. She was a soldier, strong and brave soul. Uski kurbani to waste mat jaane do Armaan, chhodna mat us haraamzade ko!”
“Kuch nahi bigada tha us bechari ne Nishant ka,” Armaan ne kaha, “Use maarkar sar kaat kar mere paas bheja aur body ko gutter mein phikwaya hai usne. Itni bura maut maar diya ek massom ladki ko, just to make a fucking point!”
Aarav dekh raha tha ki Armaan kitne sadme me tha. Woh ek aisi ladki ke liye aansu baha raha tha jise woh theek se jaanta tak nahi tha. Pankhudi ke pyaar se use phir se insaan bana diya tha.
“Us ladki ke aage peeche koi tha?” Aarav ne poocha.
“Haan,” Armaan ne apne aansu poochte hue kaha, “Uska bhai Rohit. Mere aadmi use surakshit uske boarding school se nikaal laaye. Nishant ke haath nahi lagne dunga kabhi Rohit ko. Main zimmedari uthaunga uske padhai ki. Usi ke liye to narak jaisi zindagi jee rahi thi Ragini. Itna to kar hi sakta hun main us pyari si ladki ke liye.”
Armaan sirf do baar mila tha Ragini se. Pehli baar jab usne uske liye kaaam karne se mana kiya tha aur doosri baar jab Nishant ka torture sehne ke baad Ragini Armaan ne liptkar royi thi. Kaanp rahi thi woh uski baahon mein. Ragini ke saath uski aakhri mulakat yaad karke Armaan ki aankhon se ek aur aansu gira.
*********
Pankhudi us ghar mein akele hi din bita rahi thi. Bahot mushkil tha uske liye waqt kaatna.
Woh ab apne kamre se nikalkar ghar ke baaki kamre explore karne lagi. Ek ek kamra saaf karne lagi, jis se uska kuch waqt kat jaye. First floor par master bedroom ke bagal mein ek chhota sa kamra tha. Baaki kamron ki tarah isme bhi har cheez par dhool jami thi, lekin yeh kamra kuch alag sa tha.
Is kamre ki deewarein halke gulabi rang ki thi. Bed chhota tha aur usme ek teddy bear aur bahot saare khiloune rakhe hue the. Deewar par bahot saari photo frames lagi hui thi. Un sab mein sirf Armaan aur Priya ki tasverein thi. Saari tasverin dhundhli pad gayi thi dhool ki parat se.
Pankhudi ek ek tasveer se dhool hatane lagi. Priya ki kuch cheezein rakhi hui thi ek mez par. Uski story books, kuch drawing books jisme Priya ne crayons se sundar se drawings banaye hue the. Pankhudi muskurakar panne palat rahi thi.
Use mez par use Priya ki diary mili. Uspar bhi dhool jami hui thi.
Pankhudi ne dhool jhadi aur diary padhne lagi.
6th July 2012
Aaj mere liye sabse special din hai. Aaj mera birthday hai aur Papa hum sabko is pyare se ghar mein le aaye. Mujhe yeh ghar bahot accha laga, itni greenery hai yahan, aangan mein rang birange phool aur titliyan...yahan khuli hawa mein saans le sakti hun, jee bhar ke khel sakti hun. Aur yahan mere saare toys aur mera teddy bear bhi hai. Aaj main bahot khush hun!
21st July 2012
Aaj Papa ne mere liye mere favorite cupcakes banaye...mujhe chocolate frosting bahot pasand hai. My dad is the best chef!
28th July 2012
Aaj main hospital se wapas aayi. Dawai di gayi gayi thi mujhe. Samajh mein nahi aata, yeh kaisi dawai hai jiske lete hi mujhe itni ulti hoti hai aur main aur beemar pad jaati hun. Mere sar ke saare baal bhi jhad gaye hai. Ab main pehle si sundar nahi hun. Par papa kehte hai, ki dawai lene se main theek ho jaungi.
3rd August 2012
Aaj maa ne mere liye mera favorite pasta banaya tha. Waise to dawai lene ki wajah se mera kuch bhi khane ka mann nahi karta, lekin Maa ki haath ka khana to hamesha tasty hota hai.
10th August
Ek tution teacher aake mujhe ghar mein hi padha rahe hai. Main pehle school jaati thi. Wahan mere bahot saare dost the. Lekin meri beemari ki wajah se ab main school nahi jaa paati, to papa ne kaha ki woh teacher ko hi ghar bula lenge.
17th August
Aaj maa aur papa phir jhagad rahe the. Papa ne maa ko maara. Mujhe bahot darr lagta hai jab papa gussa hote hai. Waise to woh mujhe bahot pyaar karte hai, but maa ke saath unki ladhai khatam kyu nahi hoti. Mujhe laga tha hum naye ghar mein aayenge to maa aur papa ladhna band karenge par aisa kuch nahi hua.
25th August
Aaj papa ne mujhe ek video camera gift kiya. Isme main apni dolls ka dance record kar sakti hun, apne saare games record kar sakti hun, aur maa papa jab mere saath khel rahe the...woh sab bhi record kar liya. Bahot pyari videos bani hai. Bahot pyari yaadein hamesha ke liye qaid hai us film mein.
3rd September
Aaj papa mujhe apni car mein ghumane le gaye the. Unhone mujhe barf ka gola dilaya. Waise to doctor ne thandi cheezein khane se mana kiya hai lekin mujhe kala khatta flavor ka barf ka gola bahot accha lagta hai aur aaj papa ne mujhe woh dilaya. Main bahot khush hun!
8th September
Aaj to main apne room mein chup kar baithi hun. Mujhe bahot darr lag raha hai. Maa aur papa ka itna bada jhagda hua...papa jab gussa hote hai to mujhe bahot darr lagta hai. Itna zor se chillate hai maa par, unhe maarte bhi hai. Pata nahi kyu itna gussa karte hai. Maa ko bahot chot lagi thi, khoon bhi beh raha tha. Jaise jaise main aur beemar hoti jaa rahi hun, papa ka gussa badhta jaa raha hai. Maa kehti hai papa bure insaan hai, lekin main nahi maanti. Papa bas God se naaraz hai kyunki woh mujhe apne paas bula rahe hai.
Kabhi kabhi lagta hai ki agar main beemar nahi hoti to maa papa itna ladhte nahi. Papa ne to aaj photo frame me se maa the tasveer faad ke alag kar di. Please God, mere maa papa ladhna band kare bas mujhe aur kuch nahi chahiye.
Diary ke us panne mein Pankhudi ko ek tasveer ka fata hua hissa mila. Yeh uski photo ka tukda tha jo bedroom waali frame se faad kar alag kar diya gaya tha. Pankhudi ne pehli baar Priya ki maa ka chehra dekha aur woh darr se thar thar kaanpne lagi. Yeh wahi aurat thi, jiska video use Armaan ne dikhaya tha, jisme woh beremi se uske ek ek daant ukhaad raha tha aur woh bechari cheek bhi nahi paa rahi thi.
Baaki Nishant ki jaisi harkatein rahi hai ab tak, aap andaza laga sakte ho 
