Update 15
Armaan ki aankhein dheere dheere khuli. Car ki tooti hui windshield ke tukde chaaron taraf bikhre hue the. Armaan ke sar me tez dard ho raha tha. Usne charon taraf dekha to use ehsaas hua ki uski gaadi khayi me gir gayi hai aur chaaron taraf bas ghana andhera aur jungle. Pankhudi ki rone ki awaz sunai di aur usne turant apni seatbelt kholi aur daud kar dikki ti karaf gaya.
Usne dekha ki Pankhudi andar band ro rahi thi. Usne dikki kholne ki koshish kari lekin khul nahi rahi thi. Usne aaj paas dekha. Ped ki ek tehni todkar usne us gap me phasaya aur zor lagaya to Pankhudi ke bahar nikalne bhar ki jagah ho gayi.
Pankhudi ko bahar nikalne me Armaan ne madad ki. Pankhudi bahar aate hi Armaan se lipatkar rone lagi.
"Kitni der tak behosh tha main?" Armaan ne use gale lagate hue kaha, "Kitni der se band thi tum andar?"
"Mujhe nahi pata," Pankhudi ne rote hue kaha, "Mujhe bas bahot darr lag raha tha..."
Armaan ne dekha ki Pankhudi ke badan par bahot saari chotein thi. Aur woh poori nangi thi. Armaan ne turant apni shirt utar ke use pehna di.
Armaan ne madad ke liye phone karna chaha but uska phone accident me poori tarah se damage ho gaya tha. Armaan ko ehsaas hui ki woh ab Pankhudi ke saath is jungle mein phas gaya hai.
Usne apni car ka peecha ka darwaza khola aur Pankhudi ko backseat par bithaya. Glove box mein ek first aid kit thi. Armaan ne Pankhudi ke zakhmon par malam patti kari aur use ek painkiller tablet di.
Pankhudi bahot dari hui aur dard me thi. Armaan ne use pyaar se gale lagaya, aur tab tak sehlaya jab tak who shaant nahi hui.
“Tum bahot bahadur ho Pankhudi,” Armaan ne kaha, “Itni der tak band rahi dikki me woh bhi aisi zakhmi halat me. I am sorry, maine yeh sab nahi chaha tha.”
“Tum paas ho to ab darr nahi lag raha,” Pankhudi ne use pyaar se gale lagate hue kaha.
Armaan ne dikki me se blanket uthaya aur Pankhudi ke bagal mein baith gaya. Usne who blanket dono par odhaya aur dono ek doosre ki aagosh me so gaye.
Subah hi pehli kiran ke saath hi Armaan ki aankh khul gayi thi. Lekin Pankhudi abhi tak uske kandhe par sar rakh ke so rahi thi, to usne Pankhudi ko disturb nahi kiya. Thodi der baad who jag gayi.
"Good morning cupcake,” Armaan ne muskurakar kaha.
Pankhudi sharma gayi. Armaan ko hairaani hui ki pichli raat usne Pankhudi ke saath itna krur bartav kiya tha phir bhi Pankhudi ki aankhon me uske liye zara si bhi nafrat ya krodh nahi tha. Woh use bade hi pyaar aur masoomiyat se dekh rahi thi.
Armaan gaadi se utara aur Pankhudi ka haath pakadkar use bahar aane me madad ki.
Pankhudi ke shareer par lagi chotein suraj ki Roshni me ab aur saaf nazar aa rahi thi.
“Kya tum chal paogi?” Armaan ne poocha.
“Koshish karungi,” Pankhudi ne jawab diya.
Uske chehre se pata chal raha tha ki use kitna dard ho raha hai.
Armaan ne car check kari to usme ek paani ki bottle aur ek protein bar mili.
“Agar raat tak hum is jungle se nahi nikal paaye,” Armaan ne Pankhudi ko protein bar dete hue kaha, “To yeh humara dinner hoga.”
Pankhudi ne apni jeb ne sambhal kar rakh liya.
Armaan ne blanket aur first aid kit apne saath le li. Phir glove box me padi apni gun uthai. Gun ki magazine kholkar confirm kiya ki gun loaded hai. Phir usne gun apne belt me peeche phasa li, aur Pankhudi ka haath halke se thama aur dono chal pade.
Pankhudi ko bahot chhotein aayi thi. Armaan seatbealt aur airbag se kaafi had tak bacha raha, lekin Pankhudi Jahan band thi, wahan na seatbelt thi, na airbag. Pankhudi bahot ghayal hui thi. Woh dheeme dheeme hi chal pa rahi thi. Armaan use sahara dekar dheere dheere chalne mein madad kar raha tha. Woh use akele peeche nai chhod sakta tha. Woh kisi jungli janwar ka shikaar ban sakti thi.
Jungle kaafi ghana tha. Pankhudi prakirti ki sundarta dekh kar mantramughdh ho rahi thi lekin Armaan ko apne chaaron taraf maut ka aabhas ho raha tha.
“Kya hum woh fal kha sakte hai?” Pankhudi ne paas ek paudhe par lagi kuch berries ki taraf ishara karte hue kaha, “Mujhe bhookh lagi hai.”
“Woh zehrile ho sakte hai Pankhudi,” Armaan ne kaha, “Beemar padne se behtar hai ki hum bhookhe rahe.”
Pankhudi uski baat samajh gayi aur zidd nahi kari. Dono jungle mein aage badhte rahe bahar nikalne ke raaste ki khoj me. Pankhudi ke paanv me ab dard hone laga tha. Woh thak ke baith gayi. Armaan bhi uske bagal me baith gaya.
“Paani piogi?” Armaan ne use paani ke bottle dete hue kaha.
Pankhudi ne ek ghoonth paani piya lekin use ehsaas hua ki unke paas bas ek hi bottle thi paani ki. To unhe sambhal kar istemal karna tha woh paani.
Pankhudi ki nazar paas mein khile kuch sundar phoolon kar giri.
“Kitne pyare phool hai na?” Pankhudi ne kaha, “Ek phool todke apne baalon mein laga lu?”
Armaan muskuraya. “Nahi Pankhudi,” usne kaha, “Jungli phool hai. Aur tumhe asthma hai. Pollen se jitna ho sake door rehna. Agar asthma ka attack aa jaye tumhe to uski dawa nahi hai apne paas filhaal. Bahot sambhal kar rehna hoga hume. Aisi kisi bhi cheez ko mat chhuna jise tum pehchaan na sako.”
Pankhudi ne haan me sar hilaya. Dono phir chalne lage. Din bhar chalte rahe. Dopahar ki dhoop me Pankhudi ko Armaan ke badan ke kuch purane ghaav ke nishaan dikhe. Woh nishaan kuch waise hi the jaise Pankhudi ke apne shareer par the. Unhe dekh ke Pankhudi hairaan reh gayi. Armaan ne kabhi uske saamne kapde nahi utare the. Kal raat jab unse Armaan ke saath pehli baar sex kiya tab kaafi andhera tha kamre me aur woh arzoo mein itni doobi hui thi ki usne uske shareer par pade in nishaanon par dhyaan nahi diya. Lekin ab usne apni shirt Pankhudi ko de di thi, aur Pankhudi uske acchi tarah se dekh paa rahi thi. Lekin Armaan se kuch bhi poochne ki himmat nahi ho paa rahi thi uski.
Chalte chalte shaam ho gayi. Andhera hone wala tha, isiliye woh ek jagah ruk gaye aur aag jalane ke liye kuch lakdiyan batorne lage. Dekhte hi dekhte andhera ho gaya. Armaan ne apne lighter se aag jalayi aur dono aag ke paas baith gaye.
Pankhudi ne sambhal kar rakha hua protein bar Armaan ko dete hue kaha, “Kya ab hum kha sakte hai?” Pankhudi ne poocha, “Mujhe bahot bhookh lag rahi hai.”
Armaan muskuraya aur Pankhudi ke baalon me se pyaar se haath phera. “Mujhe bhookh nahi hai,” usne kaha, “Tum kha lo.”
Pankhudi uski baat se hairaan reh gayi. Subah se Armaan ne bhi kuch nahi khaya tha. Paani ka ek ghoont tak nahi piya tha. Aur phir bhi keh raha tha ki use bhookh nahi hai.
Woh dheeme se uske paas gayi aur uski god mein baith gayi. Usne protein bar se wrapper hataya aur Armaan ke hoton se lagaya.
“Thoda to kha lo,” Pankhudi ne kaha.
Armaan ne Pankhudi ke hoton ko kiss kiya. “Mujhe sach me bhookh nahi hai Pankhudi,” Armaan ne kaha, “Tum kha lo.”
Pankhudi ko bahot bhookh lagi thi. Woh bahot zakhmi bhi thi. Woh dheere dheere woh protein bar khane lagi. Woh jaanti thi Armaan jhooth bol raha hai. Use bhi bhookh lagi hogi zaroor. Din bhar kuch nahi khaya tha usne bhi. Protein bar ka ek aakhri bite bacha tha.
“Ek bite le lo please,” Pankhudi ne kaha.
Armaan uske haath se woh protein bar ka tukda leke muskurakar usi ko khila diya. “Tumhare liye hai yeh Pankhudi. Tumhe bahot bhookh lagi hai na?”
Pankhudi ki aankhon me aansu aa gaye aur usne Armaan ko gale lagakar rone lagi. Pankhudi ki is zakhmi halat ke liye Armaan hi zimmedar tha, aur woh yeh maan bhi raha tha. Shayad khud bhookhe rehkar Pankhudi ko khilana use se maafi maangne ka Armaan ka tareeka tha.
“Tum theek ho Pankhudi?” Armaan ne poocha.
“Bas maa ki yaad aa gayi,” Pankhudi ne apne aansu poochte hue kaha.
Armaan ne muskurakar use gale lagaya. Pankhudi ne uske kandhe par sar rakha aur apne haath uske badan par pherti rahi. Phir achanak uski nazar ek ped ki taraf padi.
“Dekho woh ped chamak raha hai!” Pankhudi ne kaha, “Kitna sundar lag raha hai! Mujhe lag raha hai wahan jugnu honge!”
Armaan ne us taraf dekha. “Kuch tarah ke fungus chamakte hai is tarah raat me.”
“Jugnu hue toh?” Pankhudi ne apni aankhon me ik masoom chamak ke saath kaha, “Mujhe jugnu pakadna bahot accha lagta hai. Ruko paas jaake dekhti hun!”
“Nahi, bilkul nahi,” Armaan ne uska haath pakadte hue sakti se kaha, “Wahan bahot andhera hai, aur khatra ho sakta hai.”
“Jugnu khatarnak nahi hote,” Pankhudi ne dheeme se kaha.
“Pankhudi un pedon ke paas saanp, bicchu kuch bhi ho sakta hai,” Armaan ne kaha, “Kahin jaane ki koi zaroorat nahi hai, yahin raho chup chaap.”
Pankhudi ek bacche ke tarah udaas ho gayi. Usne Armaan ki aankhon me dekha. Uski aankhein alert thi, charon taraf dekh rahi thi.
“Kya hum thodi der baat kar sakte hai?” Pankhudi ne poocha, “Hum din bhar saath chale aur koi baat hi nahi ki.”
“Kya baat karna chahti ho?” Armaan ne poocha.
“Tumhare baare me kuch baat karte hai,” Pankhudi ne kaha.
“Mere baare me baat karne jaisa kuch nahi hai,” Armaan ne kaha.
“Kyu nahi hai?” Pankhudi na kaha, “Main tumhe jan na chahti hun...kya tum lefty ho? Maine dekha tum aksar apne left hand ka istemaal karte ho.”
“Haan,” Armaan ne kaha, “Lefty hun.”
“Mujhe left handed log special lagte hai,” Pankhudi ne kaha, “Suna hai bahot creative hote hai.”
“Haan,” Armaan ne kaha, “Hum yahan se zinda bach nikle to dikhaunga apni ‘creativity’ tumhe.”
“Tumhara naam kya hai?” Pankhudi ne poocha.
Armaan muskuraya. “Contract par saaf saaf likha tha,” Armaan ne kaha, “Tumne padhne ki zehmat nahi uthai. Ab tumhe tab pata chalega jab mera batane ka mann hoga.”
“Abhi kyu nahi bataoge?” Pankhudi ne poocha.
Armaan ne koi jawab nahi diya.
“Main nahi jaanti yeh sab tumhare liye kya maine rakhta hai,” Pankhudi ne kaha, “Lekin tum mere liye bahot special ho. Maine tumhe apni virginity di hai, jo meri sabse special cheez thi. Mere shareer par abhi bhi tumhare badan ki khushboo hai...aur tumhare saath yeh pal...kitna khoobsoorat hai...”
“Pankhudi tumhe andaza nahi hai hum dono is waqt kitne khatre me hai,” Armaan ne kaha, “Kisi bhi waqt humari jaan jaa sakti hai. Main bas koshish kar raha hun ki hum dono is jungle me se zinda bach nikle...”
“Tum itna sab kuch kaise jaante ho?” Pankhudi ne Armaan ko pyaar se chhute hue kaha.
“Kyunki main tumse umar me 13 saal bada hun,” Armaan ne kaha, “Aur maine waqt ka har pehlu dekhi hai.”
Phir Pankhudi ne apni unglian uske shareer pe lage nishaaon par pheri aur poocha, “Yeh nishaan bilkul waise hai jaise mere is haath par hai. Garam sariya chuane ke nishaan. Yeh sab kisne kiya tumhare saath?”
“Main thak gaya hun Pankhudi,” Armaan ne ek gehri saans lete hua kaha, “Sona chahta hun. Tumhe bhi so jaana chahiye.”
Armaan ek taraf let gaya aur Pankhudi ko apni baahon lekar woh blanket dono ke upar oodh liya taaki jungli keede unhe neend me naa kaate.
Pankhudi uski baahon me letkar uspar halke se apna haath pher rahi thi.
“Ek aakhri sawal poochu?” Pankhudi ne izajat maangte hue poocha, “Mere birthday ke din tumne pahadi par mujhe Priya kehkar pukara tha. Kaun hai Priya?”
Priya ka naam sunte hi Armaan ke chehre ka haav bhaav badal gaya. Woh achanak se bahot gussa ho gaya aur Pankhudi ko itni gusse se ghoora maano uski jaan le lega.
“Aaj poocha hai,” Armaan ne badi mushkil se apna gussa control karte hue kaha, “Dobara kabhi mat poochna.”
Uske baad Armaan apni peeth ke bal let gaya aur taaron ko nam aankhon se ghoorta raha. Uski aankhon me itni tadap Pankhudi ne pehle kabhi nahi dekhi thi. Use ehsaas hua ki usne bahot badi galati kar di hai.
“I am sorry,” Pankhudi ne kaha, “Main tumhe hurt nahi karna chahti thi.”
Armaan ne koi jawab nahi diya. Bas aankhein band kar li. Uski saansein tez ho gayi aur woh kaanp raha tha, jakse kisi dardnaak yaad se tadap raha ho. Pankhudi ne kabhi uske chehre par itna dard nahi dekha tha.
Pankhudi ek pyara sa geet gaane lagi. Uske laga shayad Armaan ka mann us se shaant ho jaye. Raat gherati gayi. Dono bahot thake hue the, neend ke aagosh me so gaye.
Agli subah uthe aur chal diye raasta talaashne. Thodi der chalne ke baad Armaan ko ehsaas hua ki wahan ki mitti mein nami thi.
“Shayad yahan aas paas koi nadi ya talaab hai,” Armaan ne kaha.
Uska anumaan sahi tha. Kuch hi door ek badi se jheel thi. Dono jheel dekh kar khush hue ki kam se kam paani to milega unhe. Dono daud ke jheel ke paas pahunche aur je bhar ke paani piya. Turant hi behtar mehsoos hone laga unhe.
Dono subah ki dhoop senkte hue jheel ke kinare baith gaye.
Phir Pankhudi ekdum se uthi, shirt utari aur jheel ke andar kud gayi. Paani me dubki lagakar woh nikli to ekdum jalpari lag rahi thi. Woh khush thi, muskura rahi thi.
“Pankhudi, kya kar rahi ho?” Armaan ne daanta, “Bahar niklo abhi ke abhi.”
“Main to bas paani me khel rahi hun,” Pankhudi ne uspar paani ki kuch chhetein udhate hua kaha, “Tum bhi aao na.”
“Nahi,” Armaan ne kaha, “Aur tum bhi bahar niklo wahan se turant.”
“Kitne boring ho!” Pankhudi ne haste hue kaha kaha, “Mujhe paani me khelna bahot accha lagta hai.”
“Theek hai, khelo,” Armaan ne kaha, “Us magarmach ho badhiya nashta milne wala hai.”
“Kaunsa magarmach?” Pankhudi ne ghabrakar poocha.
“Wahi jo tumhare peeche hai,” Armaan ne kaha.
Pankhudi daudkar jheel se baha nikli aur peeche mudkar dekha to koi magarmach nahi tha.
“Tumne to dara hi diya,” Pankhudi ne kaha.
“Darna zaroori hai,” Armaan ne kaha, “Agar sach mein jheel me magarmach hue to sambhalne ka mauka tak nahi milega tumhe. Aise anjaan nadiyon talaabon mein nahi khelte Pankhudi.”
Pankhudi ko Armaan ka yun naseehat dena, use daanta bada cute lag raha tha. Aisa lag raha tha ki woh ek chhoti bacchi hai, aur Armaan uski suraksha ki poori zimmedari liye hue hai. Woh Armaan ke bagal mein nangi hi baithi hui thi, paani me bheegi, theek waisi jaise uske saath first time sex karte waqt thi. Lekin is baar woh kam sharma rahi thi. Woh comfortable feel kar rahi thi Armaan ke paas bina kapdon ke baithne me.
Armaan ko bhi Pankhudi bahot cute lag rahi thi. Jab se usne use pehli baar dekha, woh hamesha pareshan si dikhti thi. Uspar uske pariwar ki zimmedari thi. Lekin ab woh apni zimmedari poori kar chuki thi. Armaan ki gulaam banke jo woh apne pariwar ke liye kar paayi thi, woh shayad mar kar bhi nahi kar paati. Ab uski zimmerdariyan poori ho chuki thi, ab woh bas apne liye jee rahi thi. Wahi kar rahi thi jo uska mann kar raha hai, jo uska shareer chah raha hai. Pankhudi bahot khush nazar aa rahi thi. Armaan ne use itna khush pehle kabhi nahi dekha tha.
Armaan ne use apni baahon me liye aur pyaar se kiss kiya. Pankhudi bhi uski baahon mein pighalne lagi thi. Kuch der tak dono ek doosre ko kiss karte rahe.
“Shirt pehen lo,” Armaan ne kaha, “Hume chalna hoga.”
Pankhudi ne shirt pehen le aur dono chalne le liye mude. Achanak Pankhudi ko ghas me kuch sarakta hua sa dikha aur woh cheekhi. Ekdum se ek cobra apna fan failaye dono ke saamne aaya. Pankhudi pagalon ki tarah cheekhne lagi.
“Shaant ho jao Pankhudi,” Armaan ne kaha, “Jahan ho wahi khadi raho. Hilna mat. Woh apne aap chala jayega.”
Apne saamne ek zehrila saanp dekh kar Pankhudi ke pair kaanpne lage. Woh dheere dheere peeche hatne ki koshish karne lagi. Achanak uska pair phisla aur ek patthar ka saanp ki taraf ludka. Saanp ne iske apne upar attack samajh liya aur akramak ho gaya. Armaan cobra ke sabse nazdeek tha, to uske dahine pair ko das kar saanp wahan se chala gaya.
Armaan ko tez dard hua aur woh apne ghutne ke bal baithkar apne pair ko uthakar dekha. Saanp ke dasne ka nishaan tha.
“Oh my God!” Pankhudi chillayi, “I am so sorry!”
“Maine tumse kaha tha hilna mat,” Armaan ne kaha.
Armaan ne turant apne chaku se pant ka thoda sa kapda phaad ke usko dasne ke nishaan ke upar kas ke baand liye taaki zeher tezi se na faile. Woh wahin zameen par baith gaya. Woh dono jungle ke beechobeech the, Armaan jaanta tha ki uska bachna ab mushkil hai.
Pankhudi ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. Use ab samajh mein aaya ki Armaan use har baar satark rehne ko kyu keh raha tha. Usne rote hue Armaan ko gale lagaya.
Armaan aas paas dekh raha tha.
“Pankhudi, yeh bahot badi jheel hai,” Armaan ke kaha, “Ho sakta hai kuch log yahan aas paas rehte ho. Tumhe jaake kisi ko meri madad ke liye laana hoga. Mere bachne ka yeh ek hi raasta hai. Main ab chal nahi paunga. Agar maine chalne ki koshish kari to zeher tezi se failega. Agar tum waqt rehte madad laa payi tabhi mere bachne ki kuch umeed hai. Mere liye itna karogi, cupcake? Main jeena chahta hun.”
Pankhudi ne haan mein sar hilaya aur rote hue use gale laga liya. Uski naadani ke wajah se Armaan ko woh saanp dasa tha. Agar woh hilne ki koshish nahi karti to saanp shyad chala jaata.
“Hey sweetheart,” Armaan ne angoothe se uske aansu pochte hue kaha, “Mere paas ab jyada waqt nahi hai. Agar mujhe bachana chahti ho to jaldi se madad dhoondho. Yahan ki mitti me nami hai. Insaanon ke pairon ke nishaan khojo, shayad woh tumhe nazdeeki gaanv tak le jaye.”
Pankhudi ne haan me sar hilaya aur jungle ki taraf jaane lagi.
“Pankhudi, ruko!” Armaan ne phir awaz lagayi.
Pankhudi mud kar waas uske paas aayi. Armaan ne apni gun ka safety catch hataya aur Pankhudi ki nazuk hatheli par apni gun rakh di.
“Agar khatra mehsoos karo,” Armaan ne kaha, “Goli chala do.”
Pankhudi ne kabhi gun handle nahi kari thi. Woh ekdum se bhavuk ho gayi ki kitne bharose se Armaan ne apni gun use saunpi. Ek nazar usne Armaan ko dekha. Pal pal maut uski taraf badh rahi thi lekin woh kitna shaant tha. Uske chehre par bilkul darr nahi tha. Pankhudi ne socha, kitni andheri hogi is aadmi ki jindagi jo maut se bhi nahi darr raha. Pankhudi use bachana chahti thi, woh jungle ki taraf daudi.
Armaan ne Pankhudi ko jungle mein jaate hue dekha. Uski jindagi ab Pankhudi ke haathon me thi. Woh uski jaan bacha sakti thi, ya woh use wahi jungle me marne ke liye chhod sakti thi, faisla ab Pankhudi ke haath me tha.
Armaan wahi jheel ke paas zameen par let gaya. Dheere dheere zeher chadhne laga. Uski nazar dhundhli pad gayi aur saans lene me dikkat hone lagi. Uska shareer kamjor padne laga aur woh ek ek saans ke liye tadapne laga. Dekhte hi dekhte ek darawna sa andhera chha gaya uski aankhon ke saamne.
