Woh usse apne saath ladke ko ghar le gaya, khane ko khana diya. Phenne ko kapde. Phir jab ladka thoda shant huya. Apni biwi aur family ko bhi bata diya iss ladke ke baare mein.
"Ab batao kon hai aurat!"
Ladka dhire se bola... "Woh meri maa hai... Hum mele mein gaye the... Main ghumte ghumte maa se bechad gaya tha.. fir koi mujhe utha liya"
"Phir.. phir kiya huya?"
Ladka bola "main dar gaya tha, Mumm Mumm chilla raha tha... Par.. par woh log shayad kidnaoer the... Main Samajh gaya tha! Jab raat huye baarish suru huye... Aur uss kidnaoer main se ek admi ne cigarette pine ke liye window khola, yehi mouka dekh mein window se kooda aur waha se jangal ki taraf bhag gaya"
"Oh toh ye huy tha? Koi badd nahi toh tumhen pata hi hoga na tum kaha se aaye the?"
Ladka bola "nahi main apna adress nahinjanta!"
Ladka umar mein kafi chota tha, woh apna address nahi janta....
Fir admi ne Kuch socha ke ladke ko apne pass hi Rakha, aur dekhte dekhte 10 saal aur beet gaye....
Woh ladka ab bhi 10-11 saal ka hi tha... uska naam abhi tak nahi pada tha, bas sab usse "Beta" ya "Chhota" keh ke bulaate the.
Ghar le jaane ke baad pehle din toh woh bilkul chup raha.
Khana khaya, naya kapda pehna, lekin aankhon mein wahi darr tha.
Raat ko jab sab so gaye, woh chupke se bed se utha aur khidki ke paas baith gaya.
Barish ab bhi ho rahi thi... dheemi-dheemi.
Usne gale mein latki hui mala ko haath mein pakda.
Tasveer mein maa ki aankhein ab bhi chamak rahi thi, jaise keh rahi ho – "Beta, main yahin hoon."
Achanak bahar se ek halki si awaaz aayi... jaise koi dheeme se uska naam pukaar raha ho.
Lekin uska naam toh kisi ko pata hi nahi tha!
Woh darr ke maare bed ke neeche chhup gaya, teddy bear ko seene se lagaye.
Phir awaaz aayi, bilkul paas se, khidki ke bahar:
"...beta... dar mat... maa aayi hai..."
Usne dheere se sar uthaya.
Khidki ke bahar barish mein ek aurat khadi thi... geele baal, safed kapde, aankhein laal... bilkul waisi jaise tasveer mein thi.
Lekin chehra itna pyaara tha ki darr ki jagah dil mein ek ajeeb si sukoon aa gaya.
Woh dheere se bola, awaaz kamp rahi thi:
"Maa... sach mein tum ho?"
Aurat ne muskuraya... lekin muskurahat mein kuch alag tha.
"Main hoon beta... lekin ab main pehle jaisi nahi rahi.
Tune mujhe bachaya tha us raat... ab main tujhe bachane aayi hoon."
Usne haath badhaya khidki ke andar ki taraf.
"Chal mere saath... yeh log tujhe kabhi apna nahi samajhenge.
Yeh ghar nahi, sirf ek chhupa hua jail hai."
Ladke ke dil mein darr aur pyaar dono lad rahe the.
Usne teddy bear ko aur zor se pakda... aur dheere se poocha:
"Lekin maa... agar main chala gaya toh yeh bhaiya log kya kahenge?
Woh toh mujhe itna pyaar karte hain..."
Aurat ki aankhein aur laal ho gayi... lekin awaaz mein gussa nahi, sirf dukh tha:
"Woh pyaar nahi beta... woh darr hai.
Woh jaante hain main kaun hoon... aur ab woh tujhe bhi use karna chahte hain mujhe rokne ke liye."
Bijli phir chamki.
Aur us chamak mein ladke ne dekha – aurat ke peeche peepal ka ped tha... aur ped ke neeche wahi jagah jahan se sab shuru hua tha.
Ab ladke ke paas sirf do raaste the... ya toh maa ke saath jungle mein chale jaaye, ya ghar mein rehkar yeh raaz chhupaye rakhe.
Kya karega woh?