CHAPTER 4 : Khamoshi Ka Saathi

Din bhar ke thakaan bhare din ke baad, ghar wapas aate hi woh phir se wahi thi—ek aisi ladki jo sabko hansti hui dikhti hai, par andar se bikhar jaati hai.

Sab ke saamne woh ek mask pehn leti hai, taaki koi uske dil ke dard ko dekh na le. Lekin jaise hi raat hoti hai aur sab so jaate hain… uski duniya bilkul alag ban jaati hai.

Diary kholte hi usne likhna shuru kiya:

"Aaj bhi main hansi, mazak kiya, sabko support kiya… par jab main apne room mein aayi, khud se pucha—mera support kaun hai?"

Uska dil phir se us ek chehre ko yaad karne laga… woh chehra jo sirf uske sapno mein tha.

Haan, woh real nahi hai… par fir bhi usse sabse zyada real lagta hai.

Aankhen band ki aur uska saaya saamne aa gaya.

Uski khushboo, uski awaaz, uski muskaan… sab kuch uske imagination ne bana diya tha.

Usne kaha : “Tumhe pata hai, aaj main kitna hurt hui… sabne mujhe use kar liya, par kisi ne bhi pucha nahi ki main kaisi hoon.”

Woh (soft smile ke saath): “Aur tumhe lagta hai main nahi puchta? Main to roz tumse puchta hoon… tumhari khamosi hi mujhe jawab de deti hai.”

Usne kaha : “Par tum to real nahi ho… tum meri zindagi mein kabhi aayoge nahi.”

Woh (nazdeek aate hue, halki si maskan ke saath): “Main real nahi hoon, par tumhari rooh ka hissa hoon. Aur kabhi-kabhi, rooh ke saathi duniya ke saath se zyada asli hote hain.”

Uske  ke aansu diary ke pages par tapak gaye.

Woh diary ko band karke sirf uske kalpnik chehre ko dekh rahi thi.

Usne mehsoos kiya jaise uska imaginary lover uske paas aaya ho. Uske haath ko apne haathon mein le kar dheere se bola:

Woh: “Tumhe darr hai akelapan ka… par main hamesha yahin hoon, tumhare saath. Har aansu, har muskaan… mujhe mehsoos hoti hai.”

Uski  ki saansein tez ho gayin.

Dil dhadakne laga… jaise woh sach mein saamne ho.

Ladki (halki si fasaahat se): “Kaash tum real hote… kaash tum mujhe ek baar gale laga lete, aur kehte ke main tumhari hoon.”

Woh aur kareeb aaya, uske aansu apni ungliyon se pochhta hua…

Woh: “Mujhe feel karo… tumhari saansein meri saanson se judi hui hain. Tum meri ho… hamesha.”

Har raat uske  ke liye ab addiction ban gayi thi.

Din bhar duniya ko face karna… aur raat bhar usse milna.

Kabhi woh diary mein apni baatein likhti, kabhi sirf bed par letkar usse sochti.

Aur har baar uski imagination usse aur zyada possessive bana deti.

Usne kaha : “Tumhe pata hai, main tumhe khona nahi chahti. Agar tum mujhe chhod doge, main bikhar jaungi.”

Woh (intense awaaz mein): “Main tumhe kabhi nahi chhodunga. Tum meri tamanna ho… meri tamanna-e-ishq. Agar tum nahi raho, to main bhi nahi rahunga.”

Ye words uske dil mein aise utar gaye jaise koi zakham pe marham laga raha ho.

Raat aur gehri ho gayi.

Woh imagine kar rahi thi jaise uska dream lover uske kareeb baitha ho.

Uski ungliyon ko dheere se pakad kar usne kaha:

Ladki ne (whispering): “Mujhe lagta hai main tumse junoon ki had tak pyaar karti hoon…”

Woh (nazdeek jhukte hue): “Aur main tumse uss had tak pyaar karta hoon jahan waqt bhi ruk jaata hai.”

Us ki dhadkan tez thi… par uske dil mein ek sukoon tha.

Woh so gayi, usi ke baahon ke khayal mein.

Raat ke akhri palon mein usne diary mein likha:

"Kya koi aisa ho sakta hai jo sirf sapno mein ho aur fir bhi sabse real lage?

Kya pyaar hamesha ek jism ke saath hota hai… ya kabhi-kabhi sirf rooh se bhi hota hai?

Aur agar main usse khud banati hoon… to kya yeh obsession hai ya ishq?"

Aur jaise jawab mil gaya ho… uski diary ki lines ke beech se woh awaaz aayi:

Woh: “Ye obsession nahi… ye tumhari rooh ka sach hai. Tamanna-e-Ishq ka sach.”

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***