A Night To Remember
Episode 01
Raat ne aasman ko dhak liya hai apni siyahi se,
Sitaaron ki shayari aasman ko saja rahi hai jabke chaand ki roshni ek chamakte heere ki tarah chamak rahi hai, jo rooh ko sukoon aur dil ko tasalli deti hai.
Chaandni ek saadgi bhare ghar ki khidki se andar aa rahi hai.
Ek paanch saal ka bacha apne bistar par aaram se lehta hua hai, jabke uski maa uske baalon mein pyaar se haath pher rahi hai.
Bacha takiya galay laga kar apni masoom aankhon se maa ki taraf dekhta hai,
"Maa, mujhe neend nahi aa rahi, main abhi abbu ke saath khelna chahta hoon."
"Nannay shaitaan, raat kaafi ho gayi hai. So jao warna beemaar ho jaogay," maa ne muskurate hue kaha, uske haath ab bhi narmi se uske baalon mein chal rahe thay.
"Theek hai maa... lekin! Mujhe kahani suna dein jaise hamesha sunati hain," bacha giraft mein lete hue bola.
Maa ne gehri saans li aur khidki ke baahir dekha, jahan poora chaand usay salam kar raha tha. Usne raat ki thandi hawa mehsoos ki aur kaha:
"Tum jaison ko yaad dilaana chahiye ke raat mein kuch monsters ghoomte hain jo un bachon ko pakad lete hain jo raat mein nahi sotay."
Yeh sunkar bache ne blanket ko zor se thaam liya aur apne chehre tak kheench liya, sirf aankhen baahar rakh kar curious nazar se maa ko dekhta raha.
Maa ne uski cute harkat dekh kar halki si hasi ki.
Thodi dair sochne ke baad maa ne kahani shuru ki,
"Main tumhein un monsters ki kahani sunati hoon jo raat mein nikalte hain. Pehle zamane mein raat ko ghar se baahar nikalne par sakht pabandi thi, kyunke log un monsters se darte thay. Unhein hum 'Children of the Moon' kehte hain."
Maa ne zara ruk kar bache ka reaction dekha aur phir bola:
"Unka jism bara aur darawna hota tha, kaale ghane baalon se dhaka hua jo raat mein chhup jaata tha. Unke panje aur daant tez thay, aur kaan seedhe kharay hote thay, jaise bhediye ke."
Bacha maa ki kahani sun kar darr gaya aur usne maa ka haath mazbooti se pakar liya.
Maa ne uski halat dekh kar pyaar se muskuraya:
"Kehte hain ke wo bachay jo raat mein khelte hain, kisi laanat ki wajah se aisay monsters ban jaate hain. Unki udaasi aur pachtawa unhein doosray bachon ka shikaar banata hai jo raat mein nahi sote."
"Yeh bachay jo monsters ban jaate hain, wo raat mein ghoomte hain — unki cheekh (howl) sunayi deti hai jab wo naughty bachon ko dhoond rahe hote hain. Unki laal aankhen andheray mein chamakti hain, intezaar karti hain... aur phir..."
Jaise hi maa itna bolti hai, wo achanak panje banakar bachay ki taraf haath marti hai.
"AAAAHHH!" Bacha cheekh kar chillata hai aur dar ke maare blanket apne upar kheench leta hai.
Maa zor zor se hansne lagti hai aur blanket ko halkay se utha kar kehti hai:
"Ab so jao, warna monster aa jaayega! Aur agar aaya bhi, to tumhare abbu tumhein bacha lenge. Aur dekho, tumhare paas wo necklace bhi hai jo abbu ne diya tha — wo tumhein protect karega."
Uske baad maa ne uske sir par pyar se haath phera aur kaha:
"Ab so jao, kal tumhara bara din hai."
Jab maa darwaze tak pohanchi aur usay aadha khola, to palat kar kaha:
"Good night mera chhota Silverstar," phir usne batti band ki aur darwaza band kar diya.
Sikandar ne apna bistar thoda theek kiya aur sohnay ki koshish ki.
Uski aankhen khidki ki taraf gayi jahan se moon ki roshni andar aa rahi thi.
"Children of the moon..." usne dheere se kaha.
Achaanak, jungle ki taraf se ek darawni howl sunayi di:
Aaoouuuuuu!
Yeh sun kar uska poora jism kaanp gaya.
Dar ke maare usne apni aankhen band kar li aur blanket poori tarah apne upar le liya, kahin "Children of the Moon" usay pakad na lein ke wo ab tak jaag raha hai.
---
Agle din,
Sikandar ek khoobsurat khwab mein khoya hua tha jab usne mehsoos kiya ke koi usay hila raha hai. Aankhen dhire dhire khuliin aur usne gusse se dekha ke kisne uski neend tod di.
"Utho, tumhari school ka pehla din hai, der ho gayi to mushkil ho jaayegi."
"Jaldi se naha lo, main neeche nashta tayyar kar rahi hoon," maa ne kaha aur jaane se pehle yakeen kiya ke Sikandar jaag gaya hai.
Sikandar ne kuch martaba aankhen jhapkiin, phir aankhen mal ke khidki ki taraf dekha jahan moon ki jagah suraj chamak raha tha.
Usne neend mein uth kar bathroom ka rukh kiya.
---
Nahane ke baad,
Sikandar school ka uniform pehne hue neeche aaya, uske kandhon par ek bara sa bag latak raha tha.
"Good morning beta, jaldi se nashta karo warna school ke liye late ho jaogay," ek darmiyani umr ka aadmi hans kar kehta hai jabke wo phone par kuch parh raha hota hai.
Woh ek aam office kaam karne wala shakhs lagta hai.
Maa kitchen mein hoti hai, aur phir aakar kehti hai:
"Chalo beta, aaj tumhara favourite nashta banaya hai — scrambled eggs aur sausage! Aaj to khaas din hai!"
Yeh sun kar Sikandar ko achanak yaad aata hai ke aaj school ka pehla din hai.
Uske maa-baap ke cheerful alfaaz uske dil ko aur zyada ghabrahat mein daal dete hain.
Uski aankhon mein aansuon ka jhalak aata hai.
Woh school ke liye ghabrahat mehsoos karta hai, ghar chhod kar aik ajnabi jagah jaane ka darr usay rulane lagta hai.
Baap uski soorat dekh kar samajh jaata hai aur kehta hai:
"Ghabra rahe ho beta? Aao mere paas baitho, kuch baat karta hoon."
Sikandar dheere dheere uski taraf badhta hai, lekin jaise jaise kareeb hota hai, uski aankhon se aansu behne lagte hain — woh baithne ke bajaye apne baap se jake lag jaata hai.
Baap usay pyar se gale lagata hai aur uski peeth thapthapata hai.
Phir woh usay halka sa peeche karta hai, dono gaalon ko hath mein leta hai aur kehta hai:
"Meri baat suno, sab theek hoga. Kya tum mere bahadur beta nahi ho?"
Sikandar aansuon bhari aankhon se sir hila kar haan karta hai.
"Mard ko mazboot banna padta hai beta. Rona theek hai, lekin hamesha aage badhna zaroori hai. Jab bhi mushkil waqt aaye aur dil kare ke ro do, to hamesha khushgawar khayalat sochna — aur yaqeen rakhna ke har mushkil waqt guzar jaata hai."
"Mushkil waqt hamesha nahi rehta, bilkul school ki tarah," Sikandar ke walid ne kaha aur phir uske sar par pyaar se haath phera.
Sikandar ki walida, jo kitchen saaf kar chuki thi, table ke paas aayi aur muskurakar boli,
"Jab tum bade ho jaoge, toh school ko miss karoge... bilkul apne walid ki tarah."
Yeh sunkar Sikandar ke walid zor se hans diye.
"Toh mazboot bano aur school ka maza lo, theek hai?", Sikandar ki maa ne chamakti muskurahat ke saath kaha.
Yeh sunkar, Sikandar ne baar baar sir hilaaya aur aansuon ko pochhtay hue chair par baith gaya, apne maa baap ke pyaar se banaye gaye nashta ko khane laga.
Nashtay ke baad, uske walid ne usey school chhora, chehre par muskurahat ke saath.
"Mujhe afsos hai beta ke main tumhare pehle din school nahi chal saka," uske walid ne car se kaha.
Phir unho ne himmat dene wali muskurahat ke saath kaha,
"Bahadur bano! Aur maze karo!"
Sikandar ne halka sa sir hilaaya, aur uske walid chalay gaye. Lekin jaise hi wo school ke darwazay ke paas pohancha jo bachon se bhar chuka tha, uska chehra phir se udaas hogaya.
'Main dar raha hoon…'
Darwazay ke paas ek board laga tha: "Rainbow Kindergarten"
Magar phir usay apne walid ki baat yaad aayi ke wo ek mazboot larka hai, aur usi himmat ke saath wo lambay kadam bhar ke school ke andar chala gaya.
Jab Sikandar us class tak pohncha jahan uska naam likha tha, toh wo bilkul doosray bachon ki tarah ghabraya hua tha.
Ghabrahat tab aur barh gayi jab usne dekha ke bohat se bachay apne maa baap ke saath aaye hain. Wo chupchaap apni seat par baith gaya, aur uski aankhon mein aansu bhar aaye.
Lekin phir uski nazar ek choti larki par padi jo class ke agay baithi thi.
Uski lambi sunehri baalon aur gol motay gaalon wali larki ne Sikandar ko jaise jadoo mein mubtala kar diya. Wo usay dekh kar shaant mehsoos karne laga.
Wo bilkul chand ki tarah thi, jo andheri raat mein roshni deta hai.
Lekin uska khwab us waqt toota jab ek teacher muskurahat ke saath class mein aayi. Teacher ne school ke qawaid bataye aur sab ko bahadur banne aur agle din akelay aane ka mashwara diya.
Pehle din ke aath ghantay:
Sikandar ne naye dost banaye, aur dheere dheere uski ghabrahat door hone lagi.
Usne mehsoos kiya ke doosray bache aur unke walidain dostana hain, aur phir achanak usne hausla ikattha kiya aur us sunehri baalon wali larki ke paas gaya.
Wo larki apne maa baap ke saath baithi thi, jis wajah se Sikandar thoda ruk gaya. Lekin phir bhi usne himmat ki.
"Hello… Mera naam Sikandar hai… Kya hum dost ban sakte hain?", usne halki si awaaz mein kaha.
Uske chehre par ghabrahat thi, aur wo kabhi us larki ko dekhta toh kabhi uske walidain ko.
Larki ke walidain hans diye, uski masoomiyat par.
Larki ke walid ne usay thums up diya, aur kaha ke itni choti si umar mein itna hausla dekh kar unhein khushi hui. Ye baat sunkar Sikandar ke dil mein himmat bhar gayi.
Larki ne usay thandi nazar se dekha, jis se Sikandar ka chehra jam gaya, use laga ke usay mana kar diya gaya hai.
Lekin phir achanak uska chehra ek roshan muskurahat mein badal gaya.
"Hi! Achha laga tumse mil kar, Sikandar! Mera naam Laura hai, Laura Frostbrand", usne purjosh lehje mein kaha aur haath aage barhaya.
Sikandar ke chehre par khushi ki lehar daud gayi aur usne Laura ka haath milaya.
Haath milate waqt, usne ek aur larka dekha jo Laura ke paas tha, baal sunehri aur chehra thoda naraaz.
Lagta tha ke wo Laura ka bhai hai.
Sikandar ne socha ke wo usse baat nahi karega, kyun ke wo dostana nahi lag raha.
Laura se dosti karne ke baad, Sikandar ne aur bhi dost banaye, lekin wo sirf Laura se dosti par hi khush tha.
RING!!
Bell baj gayi, class ka waqt khatam hua. Sab bache apne walidain ke saath ghar chale gaye.
Laura ne bhi Sikandar ko alvida kaha.
Sikandar ne haath hila kar usay ek safed jeep mein chalte dekha, phir wo school ke field ke ek kone mein baith gaya, apne walid ka intezaar karta hua.
Bache ek ek kar ke school se ja rahe the.
15 minutes guzre magar uske walid nahi aaye.
'Koi baat nahi, shaayad traffic mein phans gaye hon,' usne apne aap ko tasalli di.
Lekin jab ek ghanta guzra aur suraj dhalne laga, tab bhi uske walid nahi aaye.
Sikandar rone laga, 'Abbu… aap kahan hain?', uska dil dukh raha tha.
Ye uska pehla din tha, aur wo akela chhoda gaya tha.
Ek teacher, Ms. Greene, ne usay rota dekha. Wo uske paas aayi aur kandha thapthapaya:
"Hi beta, tum ab tak yahan kyun ho? Tumhare walidain kahan hain?"
Sikandar ne roti hui awaaz mein jawab diya, "Ms. Greene, sob mujhe nahi pata sob wo kahan hain"
Ms. Greene ne afsos bhari nazar se usay dekha aur kaha,
"Tumhara ghar kahan hai? Main tumhe chhor deti hoon. Raat ko akela rehna theek nahi."
Yeh sunkar Sikandar ke chehre par thodi umeed jagi.
"Khushi street, Dupok City ke border ke paas," usne jawab diya.
"Theek hai, door nahi hai. Chalo," Ms. Greene ne kaha aur uska haath pakad liya.
Dono school se bahar aaye aur Ms. Greene ke motorcycle par chadh gaye. Sikandar ne peechay se unhein zor se pakad liya.
Raat hone lagi.
Sikandar aasman ki taraf dekhta raha, sochta raha ke uske maa baap kyun nahi aaye.
Chaudhvin ka chand aasman mein roshan tha. Mamooli din hota toh wo zaroor darr jata, lekin aaj wo sirf ek cheez chahta tha — ghar wapas jana.
"Kya yeh tumhara ghar hai?" Ms. Greene ne ruk kar poocha.
Sikandar ne idhar udhar dekha aur khushi se bola,
"Haan! Yehi hai! Shukriya, Ms. Greene!"
Wo motorcycle se utra aur chhoti chhoti kadmon se apne ghar ki taraf chal diya.
Ms. Greene ne usay muskaraate hue dekha, lekin usay mehsoos hua ke mohallah kuch zyada hi khamosh hai.
Sikandar ghar ke darwazay tak gaya. Khushi uske chehre par thi... lekin zyada der tak nahi rahi.
Jab wo knock karne laga, darwaza khud-ba-khud thoda khul gaya.
Creak…
Sikandar ne hairani se dekha, 'Ye khula hai? Abbu ne kaha tha ke darwaza hamesha band rakhna.'
"Ammi? Abbu?" Usne dheere se kaha aur andar gaya.
Ghar ka drawing room andhera tha. Sirf khidki se aati roshni thi.
TV chalu tha.
Jese jese wo andar gaya, ghar ki khamoshi uski khushi ko phir se ghabrahat mein badal rahi thi...
Sikandar ne gehri saans li taake apne nerves ko shaant kar sake aur phir wo dheere dheere ghar ke andar chala gaya, uski ungliyan daanton se kaatne laga taake apni ghabrahat kam kar sake.
Thud... Thud... Thud...
Upar se halki lekin bhaari qadmon ki aawaz aa rahi thi.
Sikandar ne seedhiyon ki taraf kadam barhaye, ab bhi ghabrahat mein apne nakhun kaat raha tha. Usne seedhi ka rail pakdi aur ek ek kadam chadhne laga, ke achanak...
"AAARRGHHH!"
Upar se ek tez cheekh sunayi di, is aawaz ne Sikandar ko jhatka de diya.
Wo upar dekhne ke bajaye wahi jam gaya, is aawaz ne usay jadoo ki tarah rok diya tha... ye aawaz jaani-pehchani thi... "Mom?"
"Door ho jao tum darinde!"
Clang! (dhaat ki cheekhti aawaz)
Sikandar ke jism mein kaanp si uth gayi, paseena uske mathe se tapakne laga.
Wo upar hone wali cheekh-pukaar se dara hua tha, khaaskar jab usne apni maa ki cheekh suni. Phir bhi, kisi tarah wo us darwaze ke paas pohanch gaya jahan se aawaz aa rahi thi.
Yeh uske walidain ka kamra tha.
Darwaza poori tarah se band nahi tha, Sikandar ne halka sa jhaanka andar.
Uska pura jism kaanpne laga jab usne kamray ka manzar dekha.
Uske haath kaanp rahe the, mooh par hath rakha hua tha taake uski seeti (whimper) bahar na nikal jaye.
Kamray ke andar, ek bhayanak kaala baalon wala darinda khada tha — do paon par — jiska kaala aura dehshat phaila raha tha.
Darinde ka peeth Sikandar ki taraf tha, uske naakhun lambay aur tez thay, aise ke jaise loha bhi cheerh dein. Uska pura jism baalon se dhakka tha, andheray mein uska jism ghul sa gaya tha.
Uska jism itna bara tha ke chhat ko lag raha tha, aur chandni uske kandhay par ek T-shape wala laal chamakta hua nishan roshan kar rahi thi.
Ek hi soch dimagh mein aayi: "Children of the Moon!"
Yeh wohi makhlooq thi jo uski maa ne kal raat kahaani mein sunayi thi, lekin is darinde ko dekh kar uska dil keh raha tha ke yeh un mein sabse khatarnaak hai.
"Nahi! Ruko! Meri biwi ko kuch mat karo!"
Uske walid ki cheekh ne Sikandar ko jhaanjhor diya, lekin uska jism ab bhi hila nahi. Aisa lag raha tha ke us makhlooq ka aura usay pathar bana chuka ho.
Wo darwaze ke samne ek murti ki tarah jam gaya tha.
Kamray ki deewar mein ek bara suraakh tha — aisa lagta tha jaise darinde ne deewar ko cheerh diya ho.
Log jald is ehsaas se waqif ho jaayenge, lekin dar ka asal matlab Sikandar ne is umar mein hi mehsoos kiya — sirf paanch saal ka tha wo.
"AAAAAHHHH!!"
ROAARR!!
Slash!
Sikandar ki aankhon ke saamne, uski maa ka sar kaat diya gaya.
Uske walid ne roknay ki koshish ki lekin darinda ne unhein ek taraf uchhaal diya, aur phir usne maa ka sar pakad kar uska sar jism se alag kar diya.
Laal lahu uski maa ke jism se chhidak gaya, hawaa mein ghoomta hua uska chehra hamesha ke liye yaadgar ban gaya.
Thud! (maa ka sar zameen par gira)
"NABILA!!" Sikandar ke walid ne poori takat se cheekha aur bhaag kar apni biwi ke sar ko gale laga kar rona shuru kar diya.
Sikandar ne apne walid ko pehli baar itna toot kar rote hue dekha.
‘Father…?’ usne andar hi andar socha, hairaan ho kar.
Kuch dair ke gham ke baad, uske walid ki aankhon mein gussa bhadak utha.
Biwi ko khona ka dukh aur josh mila kar unhon ne darinde ki taraf dekha, "KYUN?! KYUN?! TUM DAAKU!"
Unhon ne ek metal ka bat uthaya aur puri taqat se darinde ke sir par maara.
BAM!
Bat ne mukammal taqat se sir par war kiya.
Lekin…
Kuch bhi nahi hua!
Darinda wahi ka wahi tha. Na to uska sir hila, na ek baal tak ukhadha.
Unke chehre ka gussa ek dam dar mein tabdeel ho gaya.
Achaanak, darinde ne unke gale ko pakda aur hawa mein utha liya.
Unke pair hawa mein latak rahe the. Wo chhutne ki koshish kar rahe thay, lekin darinde ka haath lohay ka tha — hilta bhi nahi tha.
Unhon ne sidha uske laal aankhon mein dekha, jahan sirf be-basi thi.
Darinda muskaraaya, apne tez daant dikhata hua.
Aur phir... usne moonh khola aur unka sara sar nigal gaya.
Crunch!
Lahu unke jism se fontain ki tarah nikalne laga, kuch Sikandar ke chehre par bhi gira.
Sirf paanch saal ka Sikandar yeh sab dekh raha tha, uske pair thande ho chuke thay, aankhon se zindagi chali gayi thi — usne sirf khali nazar se woh manzar dekha jahan uske maa-baap ka qatal ho raha tha... aur wo kuch bhi nahi kar saka.
Crack…
‘Khush soch…’
Crunch…
‘Khush soch…’
Krkkk…
‘Sab theek ho jaayega…’
Thud...
‘Sab theek ho jaayega…’
Apni shikaar khatam karne ke baad, darinda dheere se apna sir ghumaata hai.
Uski laal aankhon ne Sikandar ki aankhon se aankhon milayi… ek manhoos si muskurahat uske chehre par phail gayi… uske moonh se uske maa baap ka lahu tapak raha tha.
Kamra — uske walidain ke lahu se rang chuka tha.
Unki laashien — sirf gosht ke tukde ban chuki thi.
Us darinde ki laal aankhein, uski muskurahat, uske daant...
Yeh manzar Sikandar ke zehan mein hamesha ke liye naqs ho gaya.
Yeh zakhm kabhi nahi bhar paayega.
