Chapter 68: CHAPTER 67

قِسط نمبر 14

Hospital ke thande sard corridor mein be-naam si khamoshi chhayi hui thi. Kafoor mein lipta ehsaas, wahshaton mein dhakela ja raha tha. Gham ka andhera tha. Wahshat ki tareeki thi. Kuch kho dene ka khauf tha. Woh qadray khamosh hissay mein ICU ke samne bench par sar jhukaaye baithi thi. Chehra aansuon se tar tha. Siskein bandhi hui thi. Lab khamosh thay. Andar jaise aik mahshar sa bapa tha. Band darwaza khula toh Faris ne aagay barh kar doctor ko ghera tha. Woh bhi apni jagah se uth khadi hui. Ab woh dhundli nigaahon se usay baat karte dekh sakti thi. Hospital ki sard safed raahdariya aik dam se sunsaan hui. Qadmon ki aahat tham gayi. Doctors ka staff, nurses ki aamad o raft, phone ki ghanti, sab khatam ho gaya. Woh railing par giraft jamey, sannato mein ghiri reh gayi.

Faris ke haath sar ki pusht se kandho tak aaye aur be-jaan ho kar pehlu mein aa gire. Mrs. Shirazi ki haalat bohat naazuk thi. Agle 48 ghante intehaai ahem the. Doctors pur-umeed nahi the. Woh unhein dua ka keh rahe the. Aur dua ka sun kar uske andar sab andhera hua tha.

Dua... yani ab unka case sirf doctors ke haath mein nahi raha!

Dua... yani ab koi mo'jza hi unhein bachaaye toh bachaaye!

Pe dar pee sadmo se ladta, ulajhta dil sehm gaya. Himmat, sakkat, hosla khatam ho gaya.

"Let's hope for the best!" Doctor ne Faris ka kandha thapthapaate hue kehna chaha. Woh deewar se lag kar kuch dair khada raha, phir woh farsh par panjo ke bal baith gaya. Dono haath gardan par peeche ki taraf the. Sar aagay ko jhuka gaya.

Uski aankhein aansuon se labraiz, uske chehre par karb tha. Munh par haath rakhe woh girne ke andaaz mein bench par baith gayi.

"Please Allah, yeh nahi! Yeh gham nahi! Yeh dukh nahi!"

Is tarah kamzor, bebas, nidhall aur is qadar azeet mein usne Faris ko kabhi nahi dekha tha. Dil chaaha ke woh uske paas jaye, uska haath pakray, usey tasalli de, usay umeed dilaye.

Yaqeen ki baat kare, dua ki baat kare. Magar himmat na hui, bilkul himmat nahi hui. Usay apna aap mujrim sa mehsoos hone laga. Na woh Rayyan se milne jaati, na yeh sab hota. Ghalti uski thi. Usey samajhna chahiye tha. Usey Faris ko samajhna chahiye tha. Usey Mrs. Shirazi ki baat maan leni chahiye thi.

Bohat koshish se, kuch himmat pakar kar woh uske paas gayi. Muthiyaan bheench kar, aur phir khol kar apna larazta haath Faris ke baazu par rakha. Uska naam liya, usay mutawajjah karna chaaha.

Lekin Faris ne uska haath hata diya. Usne Jannat kamal ka hath hata diya. Woh apni jagah se uth gaya. Apne balo ko muthiyon mein bheench kar rukh badla, aur qadam uthata chala gaya.

48 ghantay!

Woh kefiyat kaisi thi jaise maut lamha ba lamha aankhon mein aankhein daale barh rahi ho.

"Maut!" Usne sar uthaya.

"Maut!" Uska dil ek dum se bhaari ho gaya.

"Mar kaun raha tha?"

"Aur ab marne kon laga tha?"

"48 ghante"

"yeh uski zindagi ki aakhri muddat thi?"

"48 ghante!"

yeh saanson ka tasalsul tha...

"48 ghante"

Hospital se bahar khuli fiza mein bhi uska saans fan laga. Andhere se wahshat hone lagi. Traffic ka shor, logon ki aamad-o-raft, zindagi ka behao uske hawaas par sawar hone laga.

"Sirf ek khwahish, meri aakhri khwahish, iske baad kuch nahi maangungi."

"Aap Mujh se meri jaan kyun nahi maang leti, Mummy?" Haath thaam kar, kuch mushtal hokar, kuch azeet ke aalam mein jawab deta, inkaar karta, apna haath chhurata, aur khud ko tanha karta woh...

"Jo zinda hai uske saath jeena nahi chahti. Jo mar chuka hai uske saath marna chahti hai?..."

Apni gaadi mein kuch dair tak baitha raha. Muhammad ke ehsaasat aag ki lapton mein aate rahe. Sawal uthte rahe, jawab milte rahe, bojh badhta gaya. Dil phatne laga.

Khushk labo ko tar karte hue usne gaadi start ki aur kisi naamaloom manzil ki taraf rawaan ho gaya. Dedh ghanta tak gaadi Islamabad ki sadkon par uski zindagi ki tarah be-maqsad bhatkti rahi. Phir usne gaadi ka rukh main road ki taraf mor diya. Raftaar barha li.

Uske haatho par larza taari tha. Uski nigahein roshniyon mein bhatak rahi thi.

Hammad Shirazi ki maa aur Rayyan Shirazi ki daadi thi. Woh un do rishto se thi, un rishaton mein thi. Woh toh dukh ka sabab, ek aziyat ki wajah thi. Ek karb ki nishani, ek gham ka markaz tha.

Tareek raat ka safar uski zindagi se mushabeh ho gaya. Jahaan kabhi pohanchna nahi chahta tha, wahan pohanch gaya.

Jis darwaze par dastak nahi dena chahta tha, wahan dastak de dali.

•••

Shaadi ka ghar tha. Khushiyo ka ghar tha. Woh is ghar se apne sukoon ka janaza lene aaya tha.

Osaf manzil ke makino ko pehle pehl yaqeen nahi aaya, aur jab yaqeen aaya toh uski khatir madarat mein dore. Woh sapat, sakht aur sanjeeda tasuraat ke saath beech mein kahin khamosh khada raha. Usey unki baatein samajh nahi aayi. Unki muskurahate, unka pur-ikhlaaq rawaiya, unki khatir madarat kuch bhi dikhai nahi de raha tha.

Woh andar se ek dam se khaali ho gaya. Dukh, gham, khauf, ghabrahat, wahshat jaise ehsaasat murda ho gaye. Woh zinda laash, aur bhatakti rooh ho gaya. Munjamid, saakht mujassma ho gaya.

Osaf manzil ke makino ko asal jhatka tab laga jab unhein ilm hua, ke woh bache ke liye aaya tha. Tariq sahab ki hawaiya urr gayi. Boakhla kar Faris ko dekha. Apne mustaqbil ki fikar lag gayi. Un chizon ki jo unhein mahana buniyado par milti thi.

"Mumkin hai sirf milne aaya ho," khud ko tasalli di. Fauran kisi khatoon ko andar bheja. Ruby ne kuch hairat aur be-yaqeeni se bache ke chachu ko kamre ki khidki se dekha tha.

"Yeh kya hua tha? Yeh kaise hua tha?*"

Darwaza khol kar Samreen andar aayi.

"Jaldi kapde badlo," uske haath mein badi bhabhi ke bete ke naye kapde the. Ruby ne kapde le liye. Agar bachha is halat mein uske samne laaya jaata toh kya mooh dikhate? Izzat ki parwah thi.

Ek dum se sab badal gaya. Jab usne sooey hue Rayyan ke kapde badle toh wo jaag gaya. Chhote se bag mein feeder, diaper aur zarurat ki kuch cheezein rakhein jo Samreen usey de kar gayi thi. Bache ke baal set kiye. Usey poori tarah se aur ache se tayar kiya taake uske chaachu aur khush ho jaayein. Yahaan sab uska kitna khayal rakhte thay.

"Woh subah Rayyan ki mumma keh kar gayi thi ke kal tak wo Rayyan ko le jaayengi!"

Ruby ne darte darte Samreen ko bataya. Yeh woh hukm tha jo Rayyan ki maa usey de kar gayi thi. Chacha se pehle maa ne irada bana liya tha. Poore ek saal baad dono hi usey lene aa gaye thay.

"Kya duaye aise bhi qubool hoti hain?" Ruby ko khush hona chahiye tha magar wo khush nahi ho pa rahi thi. Usey ek dum se Rayyan ke chaacha ko dekhne ke baad Rayyan ki fikr hone lagi thi.

"Phupho bhi ajeeb hain!" Samreen bar barati hui bahar nikal gayi. Ruby uske peeche darwaze tak chali gayi.

Samreen muskurati hui Faris ke paas gayi. Wo jo mardon ke ghere mein bilkul khamosh khada tha.

"Yeh raha humara Ryan!" Dikhave ke liye bache ke gaal ko chooma, phir uski taraf barhaya. Wo chand lamhon ke liye ruka, phir usne haath barha kar bacha le liya. Uska chhota bag bhi le liya. Mazeed kuch kahe sune baghair wo bahar nikal gaya.

"Phupho kitna tamasha karengi jab unhein pata chalega?" Samreen ne is baar apne walid se kaha tha. "Ab hum iski wajah se apne pairo par kulhaadi toh nahi maar sakte?" Begum sahiba ne hanooj se kaha.

Phir apne shauhar ki taraf mud gayi, "Kya keh kar gaya hai? Kab tak chhorh kar jaayega bache ko?"

"Me yeh sawal puchhta acha lagta?" Tariq sahab pehle se tension mein the, chirr kar bole.

Irada tha ke agle do teen mahino ke kharche se ek gaadi aur le lein. Store mein samaan bhi dalwana tha. Beti ki shaadi par toh acha khasa kharcha ho gaya tha. Unhein zyada fikr yeh thi ke bacha wapas aaye. Unki bhi yahi khwahish thi. Woh bhi yahi chahte thay.

Ruby unhein dekh rahi thi. Unhein sun rahi thi. Phir rukh badal kar andar chali gayi. Aqbi kamre ki ek khidki se tang gali ke us siray par dekha, wahan jahan siyaah rang ki gaadi khadi thi. Jiski headlights andhere mein door tak roshni kar rahi thi.

Rayyan ka haath apne chaachu ke kandhe par tha. Doosra haath band apne seene par, jaise ke woh rakha karta tha. Darwaza khul gaya. Usne passenger seat par usay bitha diya. Jhuk kar belt bandhi. Dekhe baghair, mehsoos kaise banaya. Woh ghoom kar apni seat sambhal chuka tha. Darwaze locked ho gaye. Gaadi mein ab do nafus reh gaye.

Ek pehle se adm tha, doosra ab ho raha tha.

Apne andar kisi ko murda kar dene ki khwahish liye usne gaadi start kar di. Jamud pathar jaisa tha. Uske andar lava jaisa tha. Us aag mein toofan sa barpa tha. Khol mein daraar pad gayi. Us daraar ne rago mein ek mahshar sa barpa kar diya. Bohat se parde utha diye, bohat se baatein suna di. Zabt kar ke, usne andekha kar diya. Daraar ko, wujood ko, zakhamon ko, aur zakhamon se uthti teeson ko bhi.

"Gaadi mein mere saath koi nahi hai!" Usne socha. Is soch par yaqeen barhaya. Islamabad pohanchne tak usay yahi karna tha. Woh driving karte hue, gehri saans le raha tha, apni nigahon ko, zehan ko, aur soch ko...

Aur khayalat ko bhatakne nahi de raha tha. "Uske pehlu mein Hammad Shirazi nahi tha, uska beta nahi tha. Woh akela hai, bilkul akela!"

Islamabad pohanchne tak ab usey yahi karna tha, yahi sochna tha.

Gaadi start hui toh Rayyan Shirazi ki soi hui masoom aankhon mein hairat si ubhar aayi. Jaane pehchane chehre kahin gum ho gaye thay. Harqat karti kisi cheez mein sawari ka pehla tajurba tha. Uska nanha sa dil aur tez dhadakne laga tha. Pehle pahel toh woh chup raha, oopri aur nichle hont daba kar apne aap ko sambhalne ki koshish ki, magar phir woh dar gaya. Bohot buri tarah se dar gaya. Badi badi masoom aankhein bhar aayi. Uski umar jitna zabt bilkul khatam ho gaya aur usne ek dum se rona shuru kar diya.

Hammad Shirazi ka beta! Qalb ke bhate se aag ke shole nikle, woh aag ke shoroor bankar Faris ke wujood par phisal gayi. Usne lambi saans lete hue sheesha khol diya, button khol diya. Apna rukh sheeshe ki taraf kar diya. Uske andar ka shor ek dum se barh gaya. Rone ki ek awaaz pehlu se thi, aur doosri awaaz maazi se aa rahi thi.

Ek lamhe ke liye uska wujood sholo ki lapait mein aa gaya. Woh ek lamha andhera ban kar uske dil-o-dimag ki roshniyon ko nigal gaya aur usey dehshat aur bechaini ki daldal mein daal gaya. Sab bigad gaya, sab badal gaya.

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Steering wheel par gript jamaye, woh palat kar Rayyan Shirazi par dhaara. Rayyan uske is tarah cheekhne par aur zyada rona shuru kar diya. Uski samajh mein kuch nahi aa raha tha, yeh kya ho raha hai, kaise ho raha hai, kyun ho raha hai. Usne apni jagah se hilne ki koshish ki, ek haath se belt ko khinchna chaha.

Phir woh itni shiddat se roya ke aas paas ka har shor khatam ho gaya. Traffic ki awaaz bhi madhoom ho gayi. Sirf Rayyan ki awaaz thi jo reh gayi. Sirf Rauyan ka shor tha jo thahar gaya.

Daraar phat chuki thi, khol cheekh gaya tha. Aag, andar bahar... har taraf aag jaisi kefiyat thi. Steering wheel par uski gript barh gayi. Uski haalat par kisi ne qahqaha lagaya. Uske dard par koi hansta hua uski gardan tak aa gaya.

"Jise maar dena chahiye, usey saath le ja rahe ho?"

Maazi ka har zakham hara ho gaya, rooh aur aankhon mein dard ne basera kar liya. Haal khatam ho gaya. Zindagi khatam ho gayi. Ishtial mein aakar usne ek jhatke se gaadi rok di. Usi taizi se bahar nikla, passenger seat ka darwaza khola, Ryan ko uthaye gaadi ki doosri taraf lamba ooncha ped aur sabz jhundh tak laya.

Traffic mein bade bade trucks aur trailers guzar rahe thay, unka shor ab tak tha. Usne Rayyan Shirazi ko wahin chhod diya, jhatak diya. Nafrat se, gusse se. Beinteha aziyat mein aakar, aag mein jalte hue, usne is bache ko wahi chhorh diya.

Rayyan pehle khaufzada tha, ab ke motohash hokar rone laga, zor zor se cheekhne laga.

Faris Shirazi ne gaadi ki taraf qadam barha liye thay. Rayyan Shirazi peeche reh gaya tha.

❏❏❏

Ashh!! How is someone so cruel to a child?? An innocent child...? Ah, my heart aches...