part 17

                                    

                                          
Gaya. Usne haath mein pakda cigarette phenk diya tha.
Zainab ko gali se be-had khauf aata tha, kyun ke dopehar ke is waqt yeh gali aam tor par bilkul sunsaan rehti thi. Aur us ladke ne isi gali mein aakar us se baat karna shuru kiya tha. Warna is se pehle woh sirf un jagahon se Zainab ka peecha karta tha, jahan Zainab mohalle ki doosri ladkiyon ke saath bus se utra karti thi. Kuch arsa woh chup chaap uske peeche aata raha, phir ek dum bus stop ke bajaye is gali mein khada hone laga aur dheere dheere Zainab se baat karne ki koshish shuru kar di thi.
Agli gali mein pehle Shiraz ka ghar aata tha, phir Zainab ka, aur woh sunsaan nahi hoti thi. Wahan aksar mohalle ki khawateen baahar khadi ya baithi ek doosre se baatein kar rahi hoti thin. Jaise hi Zainab apni gali ka mor murrti thi, woh ladka ghaib ho jata tha. Magar is gali se aaj kal guzarna Zainab ke liye pul-e-sirat se guzarne ke barabar tha.
"As-salam-o-alaikum!" Usne hasb-e-‘aadat Zainab ke paas aate hi kaha. Ab woh Zainab ke bilkul qareeb saath chal raha tha. Zainab ne apna aadha chehra usi chadar mein dhampa hua tha jo usne odh rakhi thi. Sirf aankhein, maatha, aur naak ka kuch hissa nazar aa raha tha. Magar iske bawajood ek hi nazar mein us khauf ko mehsoos karna mushkil nahi tha jo uski aankhon mein jhalak raha tha.
Woh be-had tez aur na-hamwar kadmon se chal rahi thi. Us waqt koi usay rok deta to uske jism ki kapkapaahat aur larzish ko asani se mehsoos kar leta.
"Kabhi to salam ka jawab de diya karen. Musalman nahi hain kya?" Usne hamesha ki tarah jhumlay ko barhawa diya.
"Yahi pooch lein ke banda do haftay kahan raha?" Woh chalti rahi, jaise apne qadam gin rahi ho.
"Aapne socha, aapki jaan chhoot gayi, banda kahin mar khap gaya," usne ab qehqaha lagaya.
Zainab ko be-ikhtiyar rona aa gaya. Woh waqai chahti thi ke woh kahin mar khap gaya ho.
"Zainab ji!"
Zainab ka dil be-had iztarab mein tha.
"Aray sambhal ke. Aap girengi to mujhe haath pakad kar uthana padega, woh aapko acha nahi lagega," us ladke ne be-sakhta kaha. Zainab ki kanpti se ab paseena behne laga tha.
Pehle woh uska naam poochta tha. Aaj usne naam poochhne ke bajaye seedha uska naam le liya tha. Ab na jaane woh aur kya karta. Zainab ko lag raha tha uska dil doob jaye ga.
Gali ka mor aa gaya tha. "Chalein, phir kal milenge. Main to chahta hoon ke aapke saath..."Jaoon, magar yeh zaalim samaaj..." Us ladke ne ab ek masnoi aah bhari. Zainab gali ka mor murh gayi. Woh jaise aaj pul-e-sirat ke doosre siray par pohanch gayi thi.
Ghar ka darwaza Rabia ne khola tha. Zainab be-had gusse aur sadme ke aalam mein ghar mein daakhil hui thi. Pichli gali ka khauf ab gusse ki shakal ikhtiyar kar gaya tha. Apna bagh sehan mein paday takht par phenk kar, woh jootay utaarti wahin baith gayi.
"Kya hua?" Rabia ne uske surkh chehre ko dekh kar kaha.
"Mera dil chahta hai, main us ladke ko goli maar doon," Zainab ne be-had taish ke aalam mein kaha.
"Woh phir aa gaya?" Rabia ne be-sakhta poocha.
"Haan, aaj phir khada tha," Zainab ki aankhon mein ab aansoo aanay lage the.
"Shakal dekhi hai usne apni? In ke ghar behnein nahi hoti kya?"
"Dafa kar... bohot tension lo rahi ho," Rabia ne kaha.
"Main tang aa gayi hoon. Roz roz ke is peecha karne se. Mera to college jaane ko dil nahi karta, jab main uski manhoos soorat dekhti hoon."
"Acha, khatam karo baat ko. Salman andar kamre mein hai. Sun lega," Rabia ne us se kaha.
"Jurrat dekho khabees ki. Aaj mera naam le raha tha," Zainab ne madham awaaz mein daant peestay hue be-basi ke aalam mein kaha. Woh saath-saath apni aankhon ko ponch rahi thi.
"Chup ho jao, Salman aa raha hai," Zainab ne andar kamre se aate Salman ke qadmon ki chaap sun li thi. Zainab ne be-had tezi se dono haathon se apni aankhon ko ragda aur bagh utha kar Salman se nazrein milaye bagair kamre mein chali gayi.
Salman ne paas se guzarti Zainab ko hairani se dekha.
"Inhein kya hua?" Usne Rabia ki taraf apni shirt barhate hue poocha. Woh button lagwane aaya tha.
"Kuch nahi. Bas tabiyat kharab hai," Rabia ne shirt haath mein lete hue usay tala.
"Subah to theek thin," Salman ne kaha. "Tumne Zahra Apa ke baare mein bataya hoga."
"Nahi, abhi nahi bataya," Rabia ne be-had madham awaaz mein kaha.
☆☆☆