Thriller गुनाहों का देवता

[Jay Thakur]

4. Ek Faisla — Shehar Chhodne Ka

Meri ak aadat thi ki me normally life me hone wale bade fer badal yaa ghatna ko apne mobile ke notepad me likhta tha..

Uss din bhi mene shade chodne se pahle, ak ak ghatna ko bariki se usme likha, uske baad mobile ko jeb me rakha aur Main shade ke neeche se bahar nikla.

Baarish ki boondein mere chehre par padne lagi. Maine apni jeb mein rakha mobile check kiya aur use sambhaal kar rakh liya.

Mere paas kuch dawaayein thi, ek khaali hota hua mobile aur zindagi mein aage badhne ki ek chhoti-si ummeed.

Maine shehar ki taraf aakhri baar dekha.

Isi shehar mein mera bachpan beeta tha. Isi shehar mein mera ghar tha. Isi shehar mein mere Papa ne apni zindagi ke saalon ki mehnat se sab kuch khada kiya tha.

Lekin aaj isi shehar mein mere liye koi jagah nahi bachi thi.

Maine apne mann mein ek faisla kiya.

Main (man hi man): "Ab main yahan nahi rukunga. Jamil Chacha tak pahunchna hi hoga. Chahe raaste mein kitni bhi mushkilein kyun na aayein, mujhe un tak pahunchna hai."

Maine apne kadam gaon ki taraf badha diye.

Shuruaat mein main dheere-dheere chal raha tha. Sharir ka dard har kadam par mehsoos ho raha tha. Kabhi kisi chot mein tez jalan uthti, toh kabhi pair ladkhada jaate.

Baarish ki wajah se sadak par paani jama tha. Gaadiyan tez raftaar se guzar rahi thi aur unke tyre se uchhalta paani mere kapdon ko aur bhigo deta.

Main kabhi sadak ke kinaare chalta, kabhi kisi dukaan ki chhat ke neeche kuch pal rukkar saans leta aur phir dobara chal padta.

Mujhe bhookh lagi thi.

Bahut tez bhookh.

Lekin mere paas ab khana kharidne ke paise nahi the.

Medical store par jo sau rupaye the, wo dawaon par kharch ho chuke the. Bank account khaali tha aur credit card bhi kisi kaam ka nahi raha tha.

Main apne aap ko bas ek hi baat samjha raha tha—

Main (man hi man): "Bas Jamil Chacha tak pahunchna hai. Ek baar unke paas pahunch gaya, toh shayad mujhe kuch din ka sahara mil jaayega. Uske baad main apni zindagi dobara sambhal loonga."

Raaste mein kai baar mere mann mein khayal aaya ki kisi gaadi se lift maang loon. Lekin baarish aur andhere mein koi bhi gaadi mere liye nahi ruki.

Kuch log apni gaadiyon mein baithe mujhe dekhkar aage nikal jaate. Kuch ko shayad meri haalat dikhti bhi nahi thi.

Main chalta raha.

Mujhe nahi pata tha ki is safar mein kitna waqt lagega, raaste mein kya mushkilein aayengi aur Jamil Chacha mujhe mil bhi paayenge ya nahi.

Lekin ab mere paas ummeed karne ke liye sirf wahi ek naam bacha tha.

Jamil Chacha.

Papa ne unhe das acre zameen dilwayi thi. Shayad Papa ne kabhi socha bhi nahi hoga ki ek din unka beta usi zameen ke paas panah dhoondhne ke liye is tarah niklega.

Maine apni bheegi aankhon se aage jaati sadak ko dekha aur kadam badha diye.

Shehar ki roshni dheere-dheere peeche chhoot rahi thi.

Aur main, zindagi mein pehli baar, bina paise, bina sahare aur bina kisi pakke thikaane ke, tez baarish mein 150 kilometer door ek anjaan manzil ki taraf paidal chal pada.

Mujhe nahi pata tha ki Jamil Chacha tak pahunchkar meri zindagi badlegi ya nahi. Lekin itna zaroor jaanta tha ki agar maine abhi chalna band kar diya, toh mere paas khone ke liye bacha hua aakhri sahara bhi khatam ho jaayega.

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