__________________________________________________________________

Aen {UÊWnªv kplvdbpsS apdnbn sNì. kplvdm I«nen Iangv¶v InS¡pIbmbncpì. B XSn¨pcp- Ip-nIÄ c-pw ae t]mse DbÀì \n¡ì. ap«në tNÀì \n¡p¶ B Ac¸mhmS Aåw amdn InS¶XpsIm-v XSn¨pê-v sImgp¸v CÁp¶ ]m¯pSIÄ c-pw \¶mbn¡mWmw. Aen XoÀ¨s¸Sp¯n, kplvdmsb Iogvs¸Sp¯phm³ ]Ánb kabw. Nn¶½sb BsI c-p XhW Du¡n, AXpc-pw kplvdm I-pIgnªp. Cu tXs\men¡p¶ Cu´¸g¡p-nbn H¶Sn¨n«p Xs¶ Imcyw. Ah³ sasà I«neneê¶v XpSbnSp¡n I¿pv sh¨v B N´nIfn sR¡n. AhÄ AXp]Sn InS¶tXbpÅq. Aen ]mhmS Aåw IqSn DbÀ¯n I¿vsIm-v XpS AIÁn¸nSn¨v jÍn¡p ]pd¯pIqSn ]pdIn XpSbpsS CSbneqsS ImWp¶ ]qdnsâ Xmgv`mK¯v sR¡n. XpSIfnepw amdn amdn sR¡n. F¶n«hsf Xncn¨pInS¯n. aeÀì InS¶ s]§Ä kplvdmbpsS I®pIfn Imamthiw XncXÃpIbmbnêì. AhfpsS XpSbnSp¡n XncpIn sh¨ncp¶ sNdnb sagpIpXncn IjWw Aen FSp¯p Xmtgín«p. F¶n«hsf FWo¸n¨v Im Xmtgm«m¡n I«nen Cê¯n. Aen Xmsg ap«pIp¯n \n¶v sIm¨ps]§fpsS XpSbnSp¡nte¡v apJw tNÀ¯p.

kplvdm N´n I«nensâ CgpIbn Ip¯n XpSIÄ AIÁn Ih¨nêì. Aen B XpSIfn c-pw ]nSn¨aÀ¯ns¡m-v AhfpsS tX³]qdns\ s]mXnªncn¡p¶ jÍnbn D½sh¨p. aq{X¯nsâ KÔapÅ BjÍnbn Ah³ aW¯p. jÍn¡p ]pd¯pIqSn B s\¿¸¯n Ah³ ISn¨p. Icn¼v ISn¨o¼p¶Xp t]mse BjÍn Ah³ hmbnseSp¯v Cu¼n. Aen D·mZelcnbnte¡v F¯s¸SpIbmbnêì. Ah³ FWoÁv Ahsf FWo¸n¨v \nÀ¯n. B jÍn Xmtg¡v Ducn. IW¦men h¶t¸mÄ kplvd Xs¶ Ip\nªv kz´w jÍn DucnsbSp¯p. »uknsâ IpSp¡pw FSp¯p. AXnëÅn {_bnknbdnëÅn Xn§n \n¡pì apgp¯ apeIÄ c-pw. Aen {`m´amb Bthit¯msS s]§sf Aht\mSv tNÀ¯v sI«n¸nSn¨p. Ahsâ Igps¯m¸w s]m¡w AhÄ¡pap-v. kplvd c-pI¿pw Xsâ ktlmZcsâ ]pd¯pIqSn C«v h«w NpÁn¸nSn¨p. Aen AhfpsS sNaì XpSp¯ sNmSnIÄ Xsâ hmbv¡pÅnem¡n sFkv{Iow ëWbp¶Xp t]mse ëWªp. kplvdm hnImc hnhibmbnêì. AhÄ¡v BsI Ipfnê tImcnbn«p. FhnsSsbÃmtam kpJ¯nsâ ]dªdnbn¡m³ h¿m¯ thentbÁw. Aen c-paq¶mhÀ¯n AhÄ X¶nte¡v tNÀ¯v sI«nhcnªp. F¶n«v hn«p. B IpSp¡qcnb »ukv DucnamÁm³ {ian¨p. kplvd Xs¶ »ukpw {_bnkdpw Ducn I«nenen«p. F¶n«v AenbpsS apJt¯¡v t\m¡n Nncn¨p. Aenbpw Nncn¨p.

"kplvdm'

"Dw... F´m C¡m'

"\o F{X kpµcnbm'

"C¡mbpw F{X \ÃXm'

"C¡ms\ CjvSamtWm?'

"F´njvSmWv, C¡m Fsâ Poh\m'

Aen kplvdmbpsS Acs¡«n CSXp ssI NpÁn¸nSn¨v B henb apeIfn amdn amdn sR¡n. apesR«v ]nSn¨v sRcSn. kplvdm \n¶v sRfn]ncnsIm-p. AhÄ FÃmw ad¶v AenbpsS ap-n\Snbn ssI IS¯n. t{Umbdnsâ CSbneqsS Ahsâ kmam\w ]nSn¨v ]pd¯m¡n. AXn AaÀ¯n XtemSpIbpw, D-Ifn ]nSn¨v arZphmbn sR¡pIbpw sNbvXp. AhÄ GdpI®n«v BXSnb³ Ip®bnte¡v t\m¡n. AXnsâ apgp¸pw \ndhpw I-t¸mÄ AhÄ¡v sImXnbmbn. AhÄ Ahsâ ap-v ]dn¨v I«nenen«p. t{Umbdnsâ hÅn Agn¨v t{UmbÀ Xmtg¡v DuÀ¯nbnd¡n. F¶n«hÄ Xsâ Acs¡«v Ahsâ Ip®bpsS ASpt¯¡v \o¡n. Ip®bpsS Xe]nSn¨v XpSbIÁn ]qÁnëÅnte¡v sh¨p. c-pI¿pw sIm-hÄ Xsâ B§fbpsS Acs¡«n h«w NpÁn¸nSn¨p. ]qdnëÅnte¡v Ip® apgph³ tId¯¡hn[¯n AhÄ Xsâ Acs¡«v AenbpsS Acs¡«nte¡v tNÀ¯v AaÀ¯nsImSp¯p. H«pw {]bmkw IqSmsX Ahsâ XSnb³ Ip® s]§fpsS ]qTnëÅnte¡v apgph³ CdpInt¡dn. Aen AhfpsS Acs¡«nepw h«w NpÁn¸nSn¨p. AhfpsS heXp ape hmbnem¡n Ddp©ns¡m-v Acs¡«v Nen¸n¡m³ XpS§n. kplvdmbpw Acs¡«v apt¼m«pw ]nt¼m«pw XÅn klmbn¨p sImSp¯p\n¶psIm-hÄ ]®n¯pS§n. B ]Xnaqì hbÊpImcnbpsS ]qÁn C{Xbpw henbXmb Xsâ Ip® IS¡psa¶v Aen kz]v\¯n t]mepw IêXnbnê¶nÃ. CdpInbnê¶ B ]qÁn Du¡m³ F´p ckamWv F¶h³ ASn¡p¶Xn\nSbn HmÀ¯p.

"Fsâ C¡m'

"F´m tamtf'

"C¡m... Rm³... ]St¨ms\ ImWpì'

"F§ns\?'

"F´p kpJw C¡m'

"tamÄsS ]qdn C¡msâ tIdnÃm¶v HmÀ¯v'

"AsX´m C¡m'

"tamÄsS ]qÀ sNdpXm¶v HmÀ¯p'

CÃn¡m...tlm...Fân¡m apgph³ tIÁv, \¶mbt§m«v tNÀ¯v tIÁnt¡m

"F´m tamtf'

F\n¡v hÃmsX ISn¡pì, thKaSn C¡m.

kplvdm Acs¡«v ]nt¼m«pw apt¼m«pw kv]oUn ASn¨p XpS§n. s]§fpsS ]qÁnse ISn Aen a\Ênem¡n. Ah³ [rXnbn sh¨pIm¨m³ XpS§n.

"Fsâbn¡m A§ns\ XÅv'

kpJn¡pìt-m?

"Rm³ kzÀ¤w ImWpì C¡m'

CXv BZyamtWm?

"C§s\ DÅn sh¡p¶Xv BZyam C¡m'

AÃmsX?

"sXmtSepw IqXoepw sh¨n«p-v'

Bcv?

"a{Ztkte DkvXmZv, \½psS _Ênse ss{UhÀ ]coXv Hs¡'

]coXv F{X XW sh¨n«p-v?

"\mep XhW'

FhnsS sh¨v?

"\½psS _mXvdqan sh¨v'

F¶v?

"]et¸mgpw ChnsS sIS¶¸w Hs¡.'

Ip-nbn sh¨Xmcm?

"DkvXmZv am{Xw'

]coXv sh¨ntÃ?

"CÃ sXmtSev sh¨v shÅw IfªXp am{Xsa HÅq'

Aen kz´w s]§fpsS ]qÁnte¡v Ahsâ s]êwIp® tIÁns¡mSp¯psIm-nêì. kplvdmbpw kpJn¨p \nì Bªv ASn¡pIbmWv. AhÄ kz´w B§fbpsS Acs¡«n h«w NpÁn¸nSn¨v \Sphv tNÀ¯v Bªmªv XÅpIbmWv. XÅnbSn¡pt¼mÄ AhfpsS XSn¨p sImgp¯ hi§fnte¡pw ]pdInte¡pw XÅns¯dn¨p \n¡p¶ B \nXw_w InSì Ipep§pIbmWv.

" tiym..... thKw ASn¡v C¡m'

C¶m C§ns\ tIÁnbSn¨m t]mtc? Ip® apgph³ DÅnte¡v tIÁn¯Åns¡m-v Aen tNmZn¨p.

"aXnbn¡m C§s\ apgph³ tIÁn Ft¸mgpw XÅtW'

Mv..lm

"Rmëw \¶mbn XÅn¯cmw, C¡m¡v kpJn¡pìt-m?'

]ns¶bntà tamtf... tamÄsS Cu same Ct{Xw hepXmbsX§ns\bm?

"Rm³ Xs¶ cm{Xoev sIS¡p¼w ]nSn¨v sR¡pIbpw shcenSpIbpw sN¿pw'

]ns¶?

"]ns¶ Rmëw ko\¯pw At§m«pw Ct§m«pw ]nSn¡pw'

t\tcm?

"t\cm C¡m... C¡m C¶v ko\¯ns\ h-nsI«nb Imcyw ko\¯v Ft¶mSv ]dªp.'

Ft¸mÄ?

Cìv Ime¯v Ahfv C¡msâ apdoev ]mhmS FSp¡m³ h¶¸w C¡m Ahsf ]nSn¨v h-nsI«nbntÃ?'

CÃm Aen a\¸qÀÆw ëW ]dªp.

"F´n\m C¡m?'

F´v?

"C§s\ shSn ]dbp¶Xv?'

Mvlm Rm³ Ad¯p. Cu h-nsI«v F¶v Bcm ]dªpX¶Xv?

"Ingt¡ ho«nse ssk\_m'

ssk\_m¡v F§n\ym Adnbm?

"ssk\m_mbpsS tN«¯nsb sI«nb jwkp±o³ Fìw ssk\_msb h-nsI«mdp-v'

ssk\_mt\ I-m Hê ]¨¸mhw BWtÃm?

"AsXbn¡m I-m ]mhw tXmì¶Xv tIaam'

\n\¡v F§ns\ Adnbmw?

"R§Ä X½n hncenSmdpw Xn¶mdpap-v'

F\n¡v ssk\_mt\ Hì In«ptam?

"F´n\m Du¡m\mtWm C¡m'

AsX Du¡m\mWv tamtf

"C¡m¡v Cì thtW Rm³ icnbm¡n¯cmw, AhfpsS kmam\w FtâXv t]mse hfÀ¶n«p-v'

ssk\_mbpsS at\mlcamb ]qdv a\ÊntemÀ¯psIm-v Aen Bªv XÅn. kplvdm¡pw ISnbnfIn Ignªnêì. AhÄ InX¨p XpS§nbnêì. AhÄ B§fbpsS Ihnfn D½sh¨p ISn¨p. apJan«pckn. Aen¡pw BsI Ig¸p aq¯p Ignªnêì. Ah³ Hê I¿v sIm-v kplvdmbpsS apeIÄ amdn amdn Ii¡ns¡m-v sXêsXsc ASn¨psIm-nêì. kplvdmbpw Ip-nIpep¡n XIÀ¯Sn¨p.

Fsâbn¡m... Fsâs]m¶n¡m... tiym... F\n¡v C¸w BIpw

F\n¡pw.....tamtf.... Rm³.... tlmbv

A§ns\ XÅnt¡m thKw thKw tlm Fsâ s]mt¶....

Fsâ ]qdo..... Cdp¡nbSnsbSo. Fsâ Ictf... Fsâ kzÀ®¸qdo.

XÅnt¡Áv ssacn¡m Fsâ ]qdnsâ...

CXm hêìp tamtf...CXm....

F\n¡pw C¡m CXm h¶v...

c-pt]êw ad¶Sn¨p. ]d¶Sn¨p. kpJ¯nsâ B sFIyXbnte¡v ]dìbÀì. Aen Bªv XÅn, kplvdmbpw. c-pt]À¡pw ]m NoÁn. c-pt]êw sI«nhcnªv ]ckv]cw CdpsI ]pWÀì InX¨p. AenbpsS Ip®¸m kz´w s]§fpsS ]qÁnëÅnte¡v sXdn¨p NmSn. B ]m GÁphm§m\mbn kplvdm Xsâ Acs¡«v B§fbpsS Ip®sb Cdp¡n¸nSn¨psIm-v tNÀ¯p]nSn¨p\nì. A§ns\ \n¶t¸mÄ ho-pw AhÀ kzÀ¤cmPy¯nte¡v DbêIbmbnêì. Aen Xsâ XSnb³ Ip® s]§Ä kplvdmbpsS ]qÁn tIÁn¯s¶ A§ns\ \nì. B B\¡p®sb ]qÀ sIm-v Cdp¡n¸nSn¨v kplvdmbpw \nì.

"Rm³ C¶m Cu Du¡nsâ ]cakpJw AdnªXv, C¡tbm?'

Rm³ BZyw Du¡nbXv \nsâ D½msâ (Nn¶p½) AëP¯n j_m\sb BWv.

"F¶m C¡m?'

IgnªsImÃw. \½Ä FÃmhêw Nn¶t½sS ho«n t]mbntÃ?

"Mm....]Ån¡qSw AS¨¸w. j_m\¡v Fsâ {]mbatà DÅn¡m'

\nt¶¡mÄ Hê hbÊv IqSpX D-v. ]qÀ \ntâXnt\¡mÄ hepXm.

"AsX§n\ym Adnbp¶Xv C¡m'

tIÁp¼w Adnbmw. \ntâXn\v \Ã Cdp¡am. AXnepw Abhm j_m\bptSXn\v.

"j_m\sb F{X XhW Du¡nbn«p-v C¡m'

]¯nê]Xv XhW

" Cìv c-p XhW D½sb C¡m Du¡p¶Xv Rm³ I-p, D½msS IqXn F´n\m tIÁnbXn¡m?'

AXv \Ã ckapÅ ]Wnbm

"B ]Wn Rmëw ko\¯pw Hfnªp\nì apgph³ I-p'

t\tcm?

"t\cm C¡m. AXv BZyw I-Xv ko\¯m. C¡mbpw D½mbpw BZyw Du¡nbXv I-t¸m F\n¡v hÃmsX ISn hì. HSs\ Rmëw ko\¯pw Fsâ Cu dqan sh¨v ]ckv]cw hncen«v shÅw hê¯n kpJn¨p.'

ko\¯n\v hÅw Ht-m?

"shÅw t]mse hcnÃ, ]s£ Xp¸ept]mse iIew hêw'

]ns¶ \o F´n\m sagpIpXncn tIÁn ]WnªXv?

"Fsâbn¡m... ISn kln¡m³ ]ÁWnÃ. ko\¯v Ipfn¡bmWv. F\n¡v D½msâ IqXoev C¡ ASn¡p¶Xv I-t¸mÄ Hì Ifn¡m³ sImXnbmbn. AXn\m Rm³ HSphn dqantem«v tIdn h¶Xv. C¡msbs¡m-v Hì Ifn¸n¡m³ sImXnbmbn'

C¸w sImXn XoÀt¶m?

"Cu sImXn acn¡p¶Xp hsc D-mhpan¡m, C¡m Fìw F\n¡n§s\ ASn¨p XcWw tIt«m'

icntamtf. Aen Ahsâ XfÀì Xp§nb Ip®, s]§Ä kplvdmbpsS ]qÁn \nìw Ducn. kplvdm XfÀì XpS§nb Ahsâ Ip® heXpI¿n ]nSn¨v ]Xnsb ASn¡phm³ XpS§n. A§ns\ Aåw ]nSn¨p Ipep¡nbt¸mÄ B XSnb³ Ip® ho-pw _ew sh¨p. Aen A§ns\ \nìv Xsâ s]§fpsS XSn¨p´nb ]qÀ {i²n¨p. F´v at\mlcamb kmam\w, Ah³ a\ÊntemÀ¯p.

"C¡m Ch³ ho-pw X¿mÀ' AhÄ samgnªp.

icn...

"Rms\mìv C¡msâ Xn¶s«' kplvdm \ne¯v ap«pIp¯n \nìv Ahsâ I¼n kmam\w AhfpsS hmbn sh¨v Np-pIÄ tNÀ¯v Du¼phm³ XpS§n. At¸mÄ hmXn Xpdìv ko\¯v Ibdnhì. Aenbpw kplvdmbpw AXv I-p. kplvdm hmbn \nìv Ip® FSp¯v CSXpssI sIm-v h«w ]nSn¨psIm-v ]dªp.

"hmXn AS¨v sImfp¯nSv'

ko\¯v hmXneS¨p sImfp¯n«p. AhÄ Ipfn Ignªv ]mhmSbpw »ukpw AWnªv hcnIbmbnêì.

"\n\¡v Xn¶tWm?' kplvdm AëP¯ntbmSv tNmZn¨p.

"th-So... \o Xnt¶m... F\n¡v I-m aXn.'

kplvdm ho-pw B§fbpsS Ip® hmbn sh¨p. ko\¯v I«nen Ibdn Im Xmtgm«m¡n Cêì B ]cn]mSn t\m¡n¡-p. kplvdm thKw thKw XebmSn¨v Du¼n. Aen¡v s]«ìv Ig¸p tIdn. Ah³ kplvdmbpsS Xe¡p ]nSn¨v Ahsâ Ip®bnte¡v tNÀ¯v AaÀ¯n¸nSn¨p sIm-nêì. B ]cn]mSn I-v ko\¯në NqSp]nSn¨p. kplvdm Du¼Â \nÀ¯n, Hê `{ZImfnsbt¸mse FWoÁp. F¶n«hÄ ko\¯ns\ ]nSn¨v Fgpt¶Â¸n¨p. AhfpsS ]mhmSbpw »ukpw jÍnbpw Agn¨p Ifªv Ahsf¸nSn¨v AenbpsS ap¼nte¡v sIm-p hì. ko\¯pw kSIpSsªgpt¶Áp. AhÄ ap«pIp¯n \nìv C¡mbpsS kmam\w hmbn sh¨p. Aen ]Xnsb AhfpsS hmbnte¡v tIÁnbpw Cd¡nbpw A\¡ns¡mSp¯p. A§ns\ Aen¡v ho-pw kvIe\ap-mbn. ktlmZcnamÀ c-pw IqSn B ]pcpj ip¢w AYhm ktlmZc _oPw ]¦n«v ]m\w sNbvXp.

\ap¡v Im¸n IpSn¡mw. kplvdm ]dªp. aqìt]êw IqSn ASp¡fbnte¡v t]mIm³ hmXn Xpd¶t¸mÄ Nn¶½ AhêsS apdnbpsS hmXn¡ Hê Ìqfnsâ ]pd¯p\nìw Xmsg Cd§pì! AhÄ Aenbpw, ko\¯pw, kplvdmbpw Ifn¨ Ifn I-ncn¡pì. Nn¶½ B apdnbnte¡v Hfnªp t\m¡pIbmbnêì. Nn¶½ Nncn¨psIm-v Aensb t\m¡n ]dªp.

"Öv Bfv Hê _Ãm¯ ]lb\m'

..ip`w..